Spontaneous meals out are not that easy if you’re a vegan, and deciphering the allergens menu can be a pickle.
Read up on the vegan options at these high street favourites to make ordering your dinner a breeze next time you eat out.
Pizza Express
Enjoying pizza doesn’t have to be exclusively for cheese lovers. And Pizza Expressis a great place to grab a slice of Italy – and no, not because of the constant voucher codes; it's a great place to dine as a vegan.
All their bases vegan friendly (many are made with milk) alongside their tomato sauce, so you can order a veggie option without the cheese, like the Giardiniera,
But they also have a ready-to-order vegan option.
The Pianta pizza consists of spinach, chestnut mushrooms, pine kernels, and artichoke on a cheese-free, spicy tomato sauce base, drizzled with garlic oil – and it’s delicious.
If you’re a fan of vegan cheese, you’re also welcome to bring in your own and they’ll happily prepare your dish with that instead. Not bad, eh?
Nando's
It’s hard to imagine that a chicken restaurant can cater so well for a vegan, but lo and behold, you can have a tasty, and hassle free, dish here.
If you order the Veggie Pitta with no mayonnaise, it’s completely vegan.
The veggie is a spicy soya and tomato burger seasoned with spring onion, green chilli and cayenne pepper. It makes a nice change from your average bean or mushroom burger.
Fancy something lighter? Try the Quinoa or Mediterranean salad without the feta cheese.
Wagamama
Yes, you can go out for Japanese and avoid fish at all costs. Try Wagamama, as they have some delicious ready-to-order vegan options and simple substitutes.
Order the Itame Yasai - rice noodles in a spicy green coconut and lemon grass soup with tofu and a mix of veg. Yum!
Other options include the Yasai Pad-Thai or Yasai Chan Han Donburi without the egg to make them vegan, or swap any egg noodle dishes for rice noodles.
They have an extensive allergens menu, so just ask your waiter upon arrival. Also, make it known you need your order to be vegan friendly if you’re making swaps, as some recipes will contain fish sauce.
To start, try the Yasai Gyoza - yummy steamed vegetable dumplings.
Zizzi
If you’re tired of trying to make a meal out of mismatched sides orders, then [Zizzi](https://www.zizzi.co.uk/data/menus/static_menus/1/pdf/Allergen%20Menu%20FOR%20WEB%20){href='https://www.zizzi.co.uk/data/menus/static_menus/1/pdf/Allergen%20Menu%20FOR%20WEB%20(No%20Prices)' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer'} does have a few options for you – as long as you remember to order them without the non-vegan addition.
For pasta, order the Spaghetto Pomodor without the buffalo mozzarella, or the Pollo Funghi Strozzapreti without the roasted chicken, and behold a beautiful vegan pasta.
For pizza, order the Skinny Primavera without the goat’s cheese to make it suitable to your taste.
Fancy a dessert? They serve both lemon and strawberry sorbet.
Las Iguanas
Mix things up with Latin American food from a restaurant that lays out vegan options clearly - Las Iguanas.
Just ask for the veggie/vegan menu when you arrive, and it outlines both the tweaks to make to vegetarian options as well as the vegan meals.
One to try is the Quinoa Ensalada – ask for the vegan option for a satitfyingly filling meal of quinoa, black beans, sweet potato and sweetcorn in a tortilla wrap with lashings of salsa and guacamole – delightful!
Carluccio's
Italian chain Carluccio’s also has a special menu especially for vegans printed, which makes life a little easier.
There’s delicious sides and starters to choose from such as bruschetta, and a simple but effective main.
The Spaghetto al Pomodoro e Basilico – spaghetti served with fresh tomato and basil sauce - fits the bill if you're after a pasta fix.
Toby Carvery
Another surprising one, but this meat-haven actually has three vegan options on the carvery menu – hurrah!
First up is the Lentil Cottage Pie and next is the Butternut Squash Crumble.
New addition to the vegan offering is the Spiced Carrot & Chickpea Wellington - don’t be too overwhelmed by the options!
The potatoes are crisped in rapeseed oil, making them vegan friendly too.