On the hunt for London’s best healthy restaurants? From an avocado-focused bar to a restaurant dedicated solely to Vietnamese summer rolls, London is crammed with places serving nutritious and, most importantly, delicious food.
The capital is well known for serving some seriously epic comfort food – one need only look to the success of its many pasta bars and burger joints for proof of that. The trouble is that sometimes its healthier options can get overlooked. In fact, we’d argue that London is one of the best cities in the UK for eating healthily, whether you’re in the mood for a ginormous salad bowl, a cold-pressed juice or a simple slice of avo on toast.
While these restaurants understand the importance of eating a balanced, nutritious diet, they’re also here to show you that healthy food doesn’t have to be boring. Taking inspiration from across the globe, London’s best healthy restaurants include Middle Eastern spots, Antipodean-inspired cafes and superfood focused joints. You’ll also find an array of vegan places in this list which showcase just how exciting cooking with plants can be. Most importantly, every single one of these places proves that eating well can be a total joy, and should never feel like a chore.
So, if you’re on the hunt for a healthier alternative to your daily meal deal or are simply looking to make better choices when eating out, then allow us to introduce you to these wholesome spots. Below, you’ll find a huge range of choice, from relaxed salad bars to Instagrammable cafes to elegant restaurants serving seasonal menus. Treat yourself to a meal that not only tastes delicious, but will have you feeling amazing. This is our ultimate list of the best healthy restaurants in London.
Poke House, Battersea
What: Looking for an on-the-go lunch while browsing the shops at Battersea Power Station? Poke House combines a taste of Hawaii with the chilled-out vibes of California at this trendy café. Serving up bowls, smoothies, snacks and more, there’s loads of healthy choice on offer. Our favourite, though, is its build-your-own poke bowls. Choose a base, protein, veggies and dressing – it’s so much fun and seriously delicious!
Where: Circus Road West, SW11 8AH
Book now: Poke House
Mallow, Borough
What: From the same team behind Mildreds comes 100% vegan restaurant Mallow. Expect fresh, colourful and globally-inspired plant-based plates served in an elegant restaurant setting. The menu is designed to be shared and features a roast pepper and sweet potato laksa with rice noodles and five spice tofu, and pumpkin pani puri with radish, pomegranate, mint aguachile and sour cherry tamarind chutney.
Where: 1 Cathedral Street, SE1 9DE
Book now: Mallow
Skinny Kitchen, Islington
Why: Skinny Kitchen aims to offer more than just delicious, healthy food, with an immersive dining experience that brings together live entertainment and a high-energy atmoshere all under one roof. Originally born in Ibiza, on weekends groups can book into its legendary Fabulous Brunch which follows a different theme every week, from circus to space, amazonia and disco. What of the food? If you simply want to dine for dinner, dishes include gyros with marinated chicken or halloumi, tzatziki, hummus, pickled onions, mixed salad, harissa oil, dukka, warm flat breads and seasoned fries, as well as miso cod with pea puree, wild mushrooms, gnocchi and asparagus.
Where: 52 Upper Street, N1 0QH
Book now: Skinny Kitchen
Wulf & Lamb, Chelsea and Marylebone
Why: Wulf & Lamb is all about making vegetables the star of the show with plant-based alternatives to classic dishes. Think non-carne chilli and open burritos. The food is nourishing and wholesome, with seitan burgers, pulled jackfruit stews, and cauliflower steaks.
Where: 243 Pavilion Road, SW1X 0BP; 66 Chiltern Street, W1U 4EJ
Book now: Wulf & Lamb, Wulf & Lamb Marylebone
Brother Marcus, Islington
What: Brunch favourite Brother Marcus understands how to create decadent-tasting, nutritious food. It’s Middle Eastern-Mediterranean menus are filled with generous, hearty and vibrant dishes, from sweet potato, courgette and feta fritters with avocado, kale, turmeric yoghurt and a poached egg, to freekeh salad with orange, beetroot, tahini, sumac and pomegranate dressing.
Where: 37-39 Camden Passage, N1 8EA
Book now: Brother Marcus
Rude Health Café, Putney
What: The brand behind a whole line of plant-based milks, nutritious cereals and healthy snacks, Rude Health set up its very own café back in 2016 so that fans could enjoy its food range in a sociable, community-driven setting. It’s still going strong today, quietly serving organic porridge bowls, veggie salads, toasties, smoothies and turmeric lattes over on the New King’s Road.
Where: 212 New Kings Road, SW6 4NZ
Book now: Rude Health Café
VE Kitchen, Clapham
Why: This fun and casual spot on Northcote Road brings vibrant interiors and vegan dishes to the people of Clapham. You can’t miss it: a pastel mint facade and neon signage ensures it stands out from the crowd, while the interiors follow a pretty pink theme. The folks at VE Kitchen are keen to make a statement with the food, too. The menu spans ‘Game Changer’ bowls, ‘Guilty Pleasure’ burgers and modern classics. Its generous salad bowls are our favourite if you’re after something quick and nutritious, with names such as Immunity (roasted veg, hummus, grains and pumpkin seed pesto), and Fuel Up (brown rice, bean chilli, chipotle corn and avocado). Dishes are available to eat in, takeaway or click and collect.
Where: 39 Northcote Road, SW11 1NJ
Book now: VE Kitchen
Roll Baby, South Kensington
Why: The sister restaurant to the highly popular Farm Girl, Roll Baby offers fun and tasty twists on Vietnamese summer rolls. You can mix and match your rolls, including chipotle chicken or prawn and avocado, as well as your sauces, such as sriracha mayo or tahini ginger. Top-notch Australian coffee and freshly-baked pastries are also up for grabs.
Where: 10 Arcade South Kensington Station, SW7 2NA
Book now: Roll Baby
Grain Kitchen, Aldgate
Why: Grain Kitchen is a small, independent cafe just a stone’s throw from Liverpool Street station specialising in – you guessed it – grain bowls. Vegetarians, vegans and gluten-free eaters will find a lot to satisfy here. All bowls are served hot, and include the California made with brown rice with sorrel pesto, preserved lemon, dill, kale, sesame seed, bean sprouts, house-pickled carrots, candy beets and avocado. It’s easy to pimp bowls with your choice of protein, and options range from £10 to £14. One to visit on your lunch break?
Where: 13 Harrow Place, London, E1 7DB
Book now: Grain Kitchen
Avobar, Covent Garden
Why: Has any food item had more of a resurgence over the past 10 years than the humble avocado? What was once considered a slightly tasteless fruit best enjoyed as guacamole, now features on hipster brunch menus across the UK. Avobar, as you might have guessed, is all about celebrating the avocado and offers a brunch-inspired menu which demonstrates just how versatile it is. You’ll find everything from an Avo Acai Bowl to Avocado Avocado Toast – so good they named it twice!
Where: 24 Henrietta Street, WC2E 8ND
Book now: Avobar
The Good Life Eatery, Marylebone
Why: If the name wasn’t a clue in itself, The Good Life Eatery is all about nutritious food that makes you feel good. Alongside locations in St John’s Wood and Chelsea is this one over in Marylebone, where it serves wholesome dishes and cold-pressed juices from morning to evening. Think egg white frittata with seasonal veg, chestnut and almond waffles, as well as build-your-own avo toasts. It also uses a custom made hydraulic press juicer to make its cold-pressed juices. Discover vitamin-packed options such as Drink Your Salad, featuring spinach, kale, cucumber, parsley, cos lettuce, lemon and ginger.
Where: 69 Marylebone Lane, W1U 2PH
Book now: The Good Life Eatery
Linnaean, Nine Elms
Why: Named after the famous Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, Linnaean is a one stop shop for all things health and wellbeing. Alongside a salon and beauty clinic is a sustainable, zero-waste restaurant serving a menu in which nutrition is placed at the forefront. Predominantly plant-based, and with options for multiple dietary requirements, the all-day menu includes a seasonally-changing selection of brunch and main dishes. Think a rosemary focaccia sandwich with tomato and garlic confit, whipped feta cream, pine nuts, fresh basil and rocket leaves, and corn and millet fritters with harissa and preserved lemon hummus, garlic emulsion spread, roasted courgette, tomato, carrot ribbons, flatbread, chilli and micro greens. It also serves a virtuous twist on afternoon tea, and a daily bottomless brunch offering.
Where: Embassy Gardens, 2 New Union Square, SW11 7AX
Book now: Linnaean
Farm Girl, Notting Hill and South Kensington
Why: Inspired by the health food scene of Melbourne, Farm Girl boasts a couple of branches across London (Notting Hill and South Kensington) where it serves tasty plates of food alongside great coffee and superfood lattes. Brunch might be the focus here, with dishes such as buckwheat pancakes and green Turkish eggs amongst the list, but there are also plenty of all-day options available too. Think superfood salads, loaded focaccia sandwiches and virtuous sweet treats.
Where: 59a Portobello Road, W11 3DB
Book now: Farm Girl
Atis, Shoreditch
Why: Owned by ex-Noble Rot sommelier Eleanor Warder and her husband, Atis is just a stone’s throw from Old Street station and serves super healthy, ultra-Instagrammable bowls of delicious food. The menu features seasonal bowls and veg-packed mains, with the option to build-your-own bowl too. Choose from the likes of Miso Dreams featuring kale and cabbage, coriander rice, slaw, edamame and pea medley and a miso and lime ginger dressing, amongst plenty more nutritious options!
Where: 145 City Road, EC1V 1AZ
Book now: Atis
Wild by Tart, Belgravia
Why: Wild by Tart is all about sustainable, seasonal cooking using the freshest possible ingredients. Many of the dishes are cooked over a grill or in a wood oven, with as much produce as possible sourced from founders Jemima Jones and Lucy Carr-Ellison’s respective farms. Dishes are designed to be shared and include marinated heritage tomatoes with goat’s curd, pistachio and almond butter, roasted squash with saffron yoghurt, sumac and pickled onions, and Cornish mackerel with rainbow beetroot, horseradish dressing and baby watercress. Wild by Tart is also a bar, coffee kiosk, shop, event space and photography studio.
Where: 3-4 Eccleston Yards, SW1W 9AZ
Book now: Wild by Tart
Lantana Café, Fitzrovia, London Bridge and Shoreditch
Why: Antipodean-inspired Lantana Café now boasts a wealth of sites across London including London Bridge, Fitzrovia and Shoreditch. Half the menu is plant-based, and all the dishes are wholesome, from salmon poke bowls to tofu salads. It’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but we love it in particular for its weekend brunch, when you can tuck into the likes of corn fritters with halloumi and lemon creme fraiche, and Turkish eggs with lamb kofte.
Where: 13 Charlotte Place, W1T 1SN
Book now: Lantana Fitzrovia, Lantana Shoreditch, Lantana Fitzrovia
The Good Egg, Stoke Newington and Camden
Why: The Good Egg is a Middle Eastern-inspired cafe and restaurant serving an all-day menu of epic brunch plates, stuffed pittas and bagels, and incredible sweet treats (it’s all about balance). Although it might be famous for its homemade chocolate babka, there are lots of nutritious options on the menu too, from a vegan brunch bowl featuring hummus, confit beans, shaved courgette, pickles and fluffy pita, and Sabih, a loaded pita stuffed with fried aubergine, fudgey eggs, tahini, mango amba, dak dak, pickles and zhoug. It now boasts two sites in London – Stoke Newington and Camden – although do note that its Stokey site only offers brunch and drinks, while Camden is open for dinner too.
Where: 93 Stoke Newington Church Street, N16 0AS; 732-736 North Yard, NW1 8AH
Book now: The Good Egg
Caravan, Various London locations
Why: Caravan is considered brunch royalty in the capital, now boasting seven sites across London. While wholesome breakfast plates might be its strength – think homemade maple sesame granola and minted grilled courgettes on sourdough – it also serves a beautiful all-day menu of sharing dishes, balanced grain bowls and sourdough pizzas. Particularly nutritious dishes include burnt stem broccoli with charred sweet potato, spiced black bean salsa, green chutney and coconut yoghurt, and garam masala labneh, fenugreek-chilli butter, spiced chickpeas and flatbread.
Where: Various London locations
Book now: Carvan City, Caravan King’s Cross, Caravan Bankside, Caravan Fitzrovia, Caravan Canary Wharf
Malibu Kitchen, Bank
Why: Live out your LA dreams at this cool spot, where Californian sunshine meets Mediterranean ingredients. Veggie, meat, and fish dishes share equal real estate on the menu, and offer plenty of West-Coast flair, from the ahi tuna poke bowl to virtuous salads featuring curly kale, crispy chickpeas, apple, radish, sprouts, ginger and miso.
Where: The Ned, 27 Poultry, EC2R8AJ
Book now: Malibu Kitchen
Farmacy, Notting Hill
Why: From a biodynamic farm in the Kentish countryside to quaint Notting Hill, Farmacy aims to deliver exciting plant-focused dishes using carefully sourced ingredients. The menu is entirely vegan and free from dairy, refined sugars, additives and chemicals. Think jackfruit loaded tacos with pico de gallo, jalapeños, pickled shallots, chipotle mayo and spicy pineapple salsa, and a tasty Pad Thai bowl with roasted tofu, rainbow vegetables, bean sprouts, red chillies and roasted peanuts.
Where: 74 Westbourne Grove, W2 5SH
Book now: Farmacy
Mildreds, Various London locations
Why: A decades-old establishment where vegans and veggies alike can rejoice in properly satisfying, veg-focused dishes. Now boasting five sites across London, Mildreds is perfect for health-conscious eaters looking for a versatile option from breakfast through to dinner. Dishes take inspiration from across the globe, with options spanning everything from a chick’n shish tawook kebab with goji butternut wild rice pilaf, spiced almonds, soft herbs and chilli, to a hoi sin duk bun with toasted sesame dressing, carrot coconut turmeric slaw, red chilli and crushed peanuts.
Where: Various locations
Book now: Mildreds Soho, Mildreds Covent Garden
The Petersham, Covent Garden
Why: Petersham Nurseries is truly the epitome of wholesome vibes. Following on from its original restaurant in Richmond, this Covent Garden site focuses on seasonal produce and quality ingredients. At the time of writing, dishes on the menu include gnocchi with chestnuts, porcini mushrooms and Castelmagno cheese, line caught monkfish curry with crispy rice, and pumpkin risotto with guanciale.
Where: 27-31 King Street, WC2E 8JB
Book now: The Petersham
For more healthy eats, check out our pick of the best vegan restaurants in London.
