Five London restaurants that will change the way you see vegan food.

Call it a collective rally of the conscience: this year has seen veganism diversify, with a creative wave of new restaurant concepts matching an increased appetite for plant-based cooking. Interest had already spiked – last year, the Vegan Society revealed that, over the last decade, there has been a 360 per cent rise in the number of vegans in the UK, while Google Trends showed a 90 per cent increase in searches containing the word “vegan” – proof that cleaner living and sustainability have been added to our menu requirements. A far cry from the militant movement of old, today’s pushers of vegan food are resonating with a conscientious new audience, with jackfruit, seitan and tofurkey entering our vocabulary as vegan cuisine goes mainstream.

Signalling its ascent, this weekend sees the launch of the London street-food market Kerb’s first-ever Livin’ on the Veg festival, a celebration of the capital’s brightest vegan chefs that’s following hot on the heels of the monthly Hackney Downs Vegan Market. As further proof that the city’s vegan scene is one of its most innovative, here are five London establishments sure to help you turn over a new leaf.

“Vegan food is now the cool kid on the block in many cities,” says Mr Matthew Kenney, the US chef behind the just-opened Essence Cuisine restaurant in Shoreditch, importing his popular take on plant-based cuisine from across the pond. “We are now seeing a complete 180 in the way people view it.” Citing impeccable ingredients, refined technique and creativity as key factors when it comes to creating vegan dishes, Mr Kenney has devised a fully plant-based menu that includes brunch staples such as quinoa porridge and coconut and banana pancakes, right the way through to heirloom tomato lasagne and an exquisitely presented raw pad Thai, all served up within a fittingly minimal, Scandi-inspired space.

94 Leonard Street, London EC2

Causing a stir on Hackney’s Morning Lane after launching earlier this year, this vegan “fried-chicken” restaurant – built on the success of its street stall Temple of Seitan – has made headlines and expanded horizons with its seemingly contradictory offering. “We are bringing veganised fast-food classics to the mainstream,” says founder Ms Rebecca McGuinness, whose innovative menu comprises wings and burgers based on the wheat protein seitan. The most recent menu addition is a faux-bacon cone filled with chips and vegan cheese – a dish unthinkable not so long ago. According to Ms McGuinness, seasoning is the secret to its success. “You can turn any old vegetable or veggie protein, in our case seitan, into a star dish with the right spice mix,” she says. “Now that you can find great vegan alternatives to your favourite foods, it’s easier than ever to ditch animal products for good.”

**10 Morning Lane, London E9 

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Another big disruptor on the vegan scene this year is plant-based Club Mexicana, whose residency at Dalston’s Pamela bar has quickly earned it cult status. With a vibrant menu born out of Ms Meriel Armitage’s experimentation with meat substitutes, jackfruit, seitan and charred corn are dressed up in vivid fashion with traditional Mexican marinades, salsas and pickles. Ms Armitage, who says vegan was a “dirty word” when Club Mexicana launched three years ago, adds that the scene has come a long way since, pointing to Club Mexicana’s “baja to-fish” taco as a case in point. “It’s an awesome fish taco, but made from tofu that’s been worked to be flaky like fish, and wrapped in seaweed to give that flavour of the sea,” she says. “It’s the most deceptive dish I’ve ever eaten.”

**Pamela, 428 Kingsland Road, London E8     

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“We do not define ourselves with any term other than ‘fine dining’,” says the founder of Primrose Hill institution Manna, Mr Roger Swallow, who views veganism as a “long and enduring response to environmental disaster and gluttony”. Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Manna flies the flag for high-end vegan cuisine, with its longevity testament to enduring dishes that Mr Swallow describes as familiar, traditional and popular with vegans and non-vegans alike. An internationally influenced menu includes maki rolls, mezze platters and a standout take on bangers and mash, while the addition of a bakery, cookery classes and a forthcoming series of anniversary feasting menus will ensure Manna remains a firm fixture on London’s vegan scene.

**4 Erskine Road, London NW3

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One of the hot tips at this year’s Livin’ on the Veg festival, Lemlem Kitchen’s vivid Eritrean street food has topped lists and won awards after establishing itself on east London’s Netil Market – and its plant-based offerings are winning plenty of plaudits. “People are becoming more health conscious and aware of the impact of the food industry on the planet’s resources,” says founder Ms Makda Harlow on veganism’s resurgence, adding that her approach is to pair traditional recipes with contemporary presentation. The split pea timtimo afro-taco, served on injera with red cabbage, ginger slaw and pickled chillies, is a must-try when the festival opens this weekend.

13-23 Westgate Street, London E8