PICNIC
103 Ingram St, Glasgow, picnic-cafe.co.uk
A bright and cheery café where absolutely everything on the menu is sourced as ethically as possible, Picnic certainly livens up lunchtimes in the Merchant City. Alongside the curry of the day served with a baked potato or rice, the signature spicy bean wrap is a winner, packed with bean paté, salsa, spinach and vegan cheese.
THE 78
10-14 Kelvinhaugh St, Glasgow, the78barandkitchen.com
Part of a vegan pub group that includes Mono, Stereo, The Old Hairdresser’s and The Flying Duck in Glasgow as well as Harmonium in Leith, The 78’s plant-based bona fides are above reproach. Cuddle up by the open fire and enjoy a pint or two of their rotating cask ales, or a White Russian made with oat milk. Make sure you give their legendary Jackfruit Shwarma a try, stuffed full of crispy potatoes, cabbage, salad, tomatoes, red onion and chilli sauce.
SUISSI VEGAN ASIAN KITCHEN
494 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow, facebook.com/suissiveganasiankitchen
Fed up with pasta and salads being the only vegan options on restaurant menus, fiesty Mama Lin set up a vegan restaurant using her knowledge of Asian cuisine – particlarly that of her Malaysian roots. A typical starter might be handmade wontons filled with chinese yams and water chestnuts, while main courses include Rendang with Lion Mane Mushrooms slow-cooked with lemongrass, coriander, turmeric, galangal and ground coconut. You definitely won’t miss the meat with all those flavours going on, and Suissi also eschews MSG in favour of naturally-created umami. If you’re craving something sweet, there are pancakes with banana and Biscoff spread, or coconut pancakes with black cane syrup.
