Seven great places to get veggie food in Manchester on World Vegetarian Day

It’s World Vegetarian Day this week and if you’re looking to mark the occasion in style you could choose far worse places than Manchester.

Meat-free menus are being celebrated on Friday 1 October and diners in the city will be spoilt for choice.

As the place where the Vegetarian Society was founded back in the 19th century, Manchester has always been a place catering for those who cut out meat from their diet.

Here are seven places where you can enjoy a plate of top vegetarian food this Friday.

Greens

Run by TV chef Simon Rimmer, Greens is a Didsbury institution that has been serving great vegetable-led cooking since 1990.

It is known for its fresh, innovative dishes, with a sample menu online including pancakes with deep fried oyster mushrooms, handmade gnocchi, Middle Eastern-influenced meals and pies.

There’s also a delicious selection of desserts to round out a meal.

James Martin Manchester

The Great Northern Warehouse is going all-out to showcase what it has to offer in meatless meals this World Vegetarian Day.

If a spot of fine dining is how you would like to mark the milestone occasion, then this could be the answer.

Vegetarian delights on the menu include the leek and wild garlic velouté and the Indian spiced cauliflower served with red lentil dahl, coriander mousse and potato flatbread.

Zouk

Serving a mixture of Indian and Pakistani dishes out of its location on Oxford Road, Zouk is ideal for meat-free feasts from the subcontinent.

Start with parathas or a Pakistani chaat before moving on to vegetarian and vegan options including a masala with aubergine, paneer dishes, classic street food or daals.

Another option is bindi, a Punjabi dish which is vegan and features okra.

Fat Hippo (at Lane 7)

Anyone looking for a slightly livelier World Vegetarian Day can head to the restaurant at leisure hangout Lane 7 and grab a bite to eat after their game of bowling or pool.

Fat Hippo caters for both vegetarians and vegans and includes a mouth-watering selection of burgers.

A fair amount of thought has clearly gone into the names as well as the cooking, so you can choose from the likes of the Harlem Fake, a southern fried plant-based patty with vegan cheese and pink onions, or the Oprah Sin-Free, a double plant-based patty with Cajun fakon (bacon substitute) bites.

Sicilian NQ

Good reviews have been pouring in for this Italian eatery in the Northern Quarter which serves up plenty of tantalising Mediterranean vegetable dishes alongside the meat ones.

Diners can tuck into a massive sharing plate of vegetarian antipasti to start, there are abundant Sicilian street food options for vegetarians and vegans and meat-free mains such as pasta filled with ricotta and pistachio alongside other Italian classics and vegan pasta dishes.

It’s a small place but has become popular with visitors for its buzzy, lively atmosphere.

Alex’s Bakery

After all that savoury food it might be time for a sweet treat, and if that’s the case then Alex’s Bakery in the Great Northern Warehouse has you covered.

The delicious desserts or snacks on offer here range from vegetarian-friendly creamy cupcakes to fluffy brownies.

And if you’re looking to celebrate in style, there are afternoon tea options too.

The 8th Day Co-op

If all that fine dining or a restaurant meal out doesn’t appeal and you want something a little more wholesome, then maybe a lunch at the 8th Day Co-op’s cafe will be just the ticket.

This Oxford Road institution has been Mancunians’ go-to place for all their vegetarian and vegan food needs since 1970.

Its cafe offers an ever-changing selection of seasonal vegan lunches alongside salad bowls, soups and sandwiches and hearty daals and stews, all finished off by a sweet treat or a bake.

* Let us know your top veggie places to eat out - and get in touch with any new places opening: email [email protected] or tweet us @MancWorldUK