Vegan & Vegetarian � � � � � � � � � �

Vegan & Vegetarian

Warsaw is the 6th most vegan friendly city in the world (it’s official!). | Photo: Brook Lark @ Unsplash.com

For a country that loves its meaty dishes, it may seem like a surprise that Warsaw finds itself voted as the 6th most vegan-friendly city in the world by Happy Cow, the leading international guide for vegan restaurants! It’s the 3rd year in a row that Poland’s capital has been included in the top 10! But hey, for as much as meaty dishes dominate Polish menus, veg has forever been a staple of dishes too, and now comes the vegan revolution! Today, you can find 50 vegan venues in and around the city centre - 5 years ago, the figure was only 11! If we include restaurants which offer a vegan option, then that figure goes way above 100! Happy eatin’�

Lokal Vegan Bistro

This communally run “local” restaurant have achieved the impossible: they serve up hot and hearty plates of VEGAN Polish dishes that are often more delicious than their pork-heavy counterparts� What is more, they frequently change their entire menu so unless you check out their FB page you won’t know exactly what to find� Alongside vegan ‘cutlets’, cabbage concoctions and beet soups, you’ll also find plenty of more exotic international dishes plus a few surprises� Huge portions, fresh ingredients, cheap prices (Mon-Fri 12-16, a lunch menu consisting of a ‘cutlet’, soup and kompot drink for 25zł), a buzzing friendly atmosphere filled with locals all add up to be one of the best spots for a healthy lunch or dinner in the city centre�QG-9, ul. Krucza 23/31, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 517 61 51 22, www.lokalveganbistro.pl. Open 12:00-18:00; Sat, Sun 12:00-19:00. €€. PTUB6

Mango Vegan Street Food

Mango has rapidly built up a cult following for its cheap and cheerful vegan fair in the city centre� The menu may be short but it’s a great place to enjoy a range of Arabic and Israeli influenced flavours, from juicy vegan burgers, falafel based options to soups, smoothies and drinks - have a lunch for 24zł! The yellow and white painted brickwork interior makes this ‘fast food’ joint look effortlessly hip� The tatted and bearded staff are friendly, funny and enjoy a bit of clowning around�QG-8, ul. Bracka 20, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 535 53 36 29, www.mangovegan.com.pl. Open 11:30-21:00; Fri 11:30-22:00; Sat 11:00-22:00. €€. TB6

Tel Aviv Food & Wine

Jewish cuisine in Warsaw gets a bad rap – think singing waiters and old town rip-offs� So Tel Aviv is a refreshing change, a cool vegan restaurant that doesn’t play to the standard caricature� On the contrary, find a hip venue that draws everything from intrigued backpackers to remnants of the local Jewish community to lovers of middle eastern cuisine (hello, hummus)� Weirdness like Sabbath chillout sessions add to the random, eclectic nature of this place, and it’s rounded out nicely by Israeli drinks and nibbles� This place does well to show that vegan cuisine can be both visually stunning and damn tasty, with menus featuring plant-based and gluten-free menus� It’s become quite the cult venue in Warsaw�QF-9, ul. Poznańska 11, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 22 621 11 28, www.telaviv.pl. Open 10:00-24:00. €€. TB6

Veg Deli

Situated on a tranquil tree-lined residential street in the Powiśle area of the city, Veg Deli has certainly managed to up the ante regarding vegetarian restaurants in Warsaw� The freshly prepared vegetarian and vegan dishes are richly coloured, fragrant and look, smell and taste amazing; there’s even a bar serving alcohol� Even seasoned carnivores such as us were knocked out by the food and natural drinks on offer�QH-6, ul. Radna 14, MCentrum Nauki Kopernik, tel. (+48) 796 61 75 15, www.vegdeli.pl. Open 12:0021:00; Fri, Sat 12:00-22:00; Sun 12:00-20:00. €€. 6

Potato slices!

Photo: Monika Grabowska @ Unsplash

Vege Bistro

This bright bistro serves up hearty and healthy vegan lunches and dinners� They draw inspiration from Eastern and Western cuisines and unlike many other vegan joints, the flavours are bursting off the plate� Daily lunch specials plus a stocked set menu of rainbow bowl with rice noodles, white rice with kimchi, oyster mushroom wings, pulled bbq “duck”! Grab a juice, coffee or craft beer to wash it down and you’re all set for the rest of the day�QG-7, ul. Mikołaja Kopernika 25, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet, tel. (+48) 516 02 79 06, www.vegebistro.pl. Open 12:00-18:00; Mon 12:0017:00. €. 6

Vege Miasto

A paradise for Warsaw’s healthy eating, vegan and gluten-free fanatics� The interior is a pretty simple affair with fittings made from old wooden crates and palettes� The smallish space is permanently packed with a variety of customers; hip vege devotees sit alongside business types, local ladies and tourists in search of something beyond a fried pig and a kilo of potatoes� 2nd location, going by the name Caffe Miasto on Al� Solidarności 84�QE-5, Al. Solidarności 60A, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 22 251 05 25, www. vegemiasto.pl. Open 12:00-21:00; Mon 12:00-20:00. €€. TB6