Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Organic
Western
Beer/Wine
Catering
Scottish
The Henderson's business includes vegetarian restaurants, a shop and deli, and art gallery. This location serves contemporary vegetarian cuisine, wherever possible using local, seasonal, and organic ingredients. Juices, beer and wine, snacks, meals, and desserts. Short walk from main train station, north of Princes St. Reported its bistro on Thistle St switched to being all-vegan in 2015. Reported closed, Jul 2020.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
-
Loading...
-
-
Last update on 03 Aug 2020 by Pluviophilia
Update business info -
Are you the owner?
Claim this business
-
-
90 Reviews
First Review by onejamie
ashsnowdon
Points +105
a good find - Edit
Hendersons has a great menu with varying options for just about anyone. My boyfriend loved his haggis and mash, meanwhile I thoroughly enjoyed Thai noodles (I wasn't kidding about that varied menu!). The food was really nice and the atmosphere was too.
Read moreI think the only slight downside is that it's quite pricey at around £13 per main, so it would definitely be a treat for us to go here.
Guest
XOXO
Points +2033
awesome - Edit
Lots of vegan options. Try the haggis, doesn't look like meat.
Read moreGuest
LittleAliceFell
Points +2426
Excellent compromise when the bistro is full! - Edit
I ate at Henderson's after being turned away from their vegan bistro around the corner as it was too full.
Read moreDespite being a very different layout to the bistro, with a buffet-style feel, I was really impressed with the quality of the food!
The vegan bean burger was lovely - I especially loved the massive potato wedges that accompanied it! There is a brilliant choice of vegan cakes, tempting me to try the chocolate cake and cherry pie - both of which being delectable!
Despite still being second-choice to Henderson's vegan bistro, I'll definitely visit again!
Pros: Many vegan options (including cake)!
Cons: Doesn't quite top Henderson's vegan bistro around
Guest
Veganolive1
Points +5070
Fabulous Vegan Restaurant - Edit
Hendersons vegan restaurant, is just round the corner from their shop and deli and has great vegan dishes on the menu.
Read moreWe chose an Emiliana Organic Vineyards Adobe Sauvignon Blanc with starters of grilled polenta wedges with sweet chilli dip and fig and olive tapenade with pine nuts, apple chutney and oatcakes, both were very tasty dishes.
Mains were spiralised squash and courgette zoodles, with dukkah and curried coconut sauce and tofu teriyaki, with coconut brown rice, greens beans and pineapple salsa. The dishes were well presented, using fresh ingredients and very tasty.
We shared dessert, a lemon and thyme cheesecake, with coconut whipped cream, a perfect, light tasty finish to our dinner. Highly recommended.
Pros: Fully vegan food and drinks, Cosy and welcoming
Guest
Veg4Jay
Points +2171
Very Nice Bistro - Edit
The foods is delicious no matter what you order. The staff are friendly and helpful. The environment is warm and spacious. This is a lovely place to eat.
Read morePros: Delicious Food with Large Selection, Warm Environment and Helpful Staff, Reasonable Prices
Guest
Tilde
Points +30
Just Go To Their Bistro - Edit
Seriously it's just around the corner and much better.
Read moreThe Henderson's Restaurant just has never worked for us. We've been a few times, and not every dish we've ordered has been bad, but none have been really good.
I have been served amongst other disappointing things, the worst panna cotta I've ever eaten. It was grainy and tasted entirely of sugar. Vegan panna cotta doesn't deserve to be abused like that when it could be so much more.
I also had bad luck with a banoffee pudding that again, was ridiculously sweet and not much else. The two of us couldn't finish it between us, despite it being relatively small. We left with sugar headaches and three quarters of the pudding still left untouched.
The staff has also been consistently neglectful and surly.
That said, we haven't tried everything on the menu and I'm sure there are some hits on there that we haven't tried, the beer selection is good, and the atmosphere is really nice. During all of our visits we've been treated to live music, usually really nice jazz piano.
Pros: Very nice atmosphere, All vegetarian, which is lovely, Good beer
Cons: Sad desserts, Miserable staff, Inconsistent food
Guest
Skandrino
Points +129
Meh - Edit
Had a pancake which was decent but not warm enough, not large enough (didn't look like a full main meal), not worth 12 pounds.
Read moreGuest
EveArmstrong
Points +218
Great Place! - Edit
What's not to live about hendersons? Massive salad plates with loads of vegan options, yummy mains, vegan chocolate cake and a maze of seating in an underground resturant. Have eaten here more times than I can count!
Read moreGuest
Zora2015
Points +15
Good stuff but crowdy - Edit
Nice people, good vegan food, large assortment, but not high standard food (Beans-burger a bit unseasoned).
Read moreMany people in a small, long room, so a bit loud, crowdy and warm...
Pros: Variety, good standard, filling
Cons: not a cosy restaurant, no high standard
Guest
jennyc32
Points +4389
Consistently excellent - Edit
I used to go to this place frequently when I saw a student in Edinburgh, and went back for a visit last October. It as just as good as I remembered! I had the haggis, which was really delicious, especially the gravy. My partner had the Thai nut burger, and said it was the best burger he's ever had - high praise indeed! For dessert, we both had the chocolate-nut cake and it was lovely, really dense and intense. This places has deservedly gone from strength to strength, and has plenty of good vegan options. One of my favourite places to visit.
Read morePros: Great food, Excellent vegan options
Guest
DavidGibbon
Points +20
Keeping up with the times - Edit
Hendersons is an institution that has been going for decades and in many ways is very good and an oasis from the prevailing culture of flesh eating. Edinburgh is ill served for vegetarians and mostly hopeless for vegans. Hendersons is somewhat old fashioned in its outlook and caters for vegans with a slight edge of reluctance. They rarely vary their very limited vegan puddings from one decade to the next (cherry pie and fresh fruit salad). Oddly they have taken to refusing to label their readymade sandwiches in their shop to distinguish vegetarian from vegan. It is very definitely a vegetarian establishment that caters for vegans rather than the other way about. How long will it be before Edinburgh catches up with Glasgow?
Read morePros: Dedicated vegetarian establishment, Caters for vegans, Well run
Cons: Vegan offer could be sharpened, Established formula changes little
Guest
britred11
Points +448
Great for lunch - Edit
I went to try this place for lunch on a monday which of course was busy then catering to the lunch crowd but was able to get a very reasonably priced lunch offer. The restaurant/bistro works a bit like a buffet place, which is nice so you get to see the different food options before making a decision. As this is a vegetarian/vegan restaurant everything is nicely labelled if it is vegan, which I found helpful. I was also thrilled to see the big selection of (vegan) dessert options like decadent a chocolate cake as well as nice dessert bars. The staff is also very nice and helpful with any questions. A great place for lunch!
Read morePros: Great selection of vegan dishes, wonderful desserts, Pricing ok
Cons: can get crowded
Guest
MuK-UK
Points +262
Best Vegan Option In Town - Edit
I like coming here. Some good varied choices for vegans and one of the better menus for coeliacs to keep my partner happy.
Read morePros: Cosy Venue, Friendly Staff, Good Food
Cons: Not Especially Cheap
Guest
JonJon
Points +20860
Several vegan options in a trendy veg' restaurant - Edit
My first try here was on evening without any reservation and, of course, the restaurant was completely full and I didn't have the opportunity to eat. But I've been successful for lunch yesterday! (Even for lunch, I recommend to book a table since the place is small and famous.)
Read moreI took the "awesomely vegan" nachos as a starter and it was delicious. The guacamole was creamy, the sauce was spicy and tasty. My main dish was the vegan haggis which, I think, was my preferred dish here. It seems small but is finally correct in terms of size and its taste was great! Very balanced with the sauce. I was very hungry that day so I ordered a second main dish that was the "thai nut" vegan burger with extra caramelised onions. The bread and the side vegetables were good but I find the steak a bit dry, and there was only a little vegan mayo with it. It definitely deserves more sauce and being more soft. As a drink, I took the organic pear cider which is suitable for vegans.
I paid 26 pounds for this lunch which is a bit pricey but not unfair since I was completely full after. Otherwise, the place is very cute and the staff really friendly.
Pros: numerous vegan options, organic and seasonable, friendly staff, nice place
Cons: burgers lack sauces, a little pricey
Guest
Indy Fab
Points +102
First visit - Edit
Called in for lunch on a Sunday when we were in the City with some time to spare. Lucky to get a table as others arriving later were turned away. Friendly service, good food and reasonable prices
Read morePros: Location, Food quality, Service
Cons: Space limited
Guest
Goththing
Points +92
lovely vegan / gluten free good. - Edit
Nice bistro. Staff friendly and welcoming.
Read moreVegan and gluten free when requested.
First time we had been and we loved it. A relaxed casual atmosphere, with a fantastic menu.
The food was delicious! I wish I could cook that well. Good sizes. The lemon drizzle cake is to die for.
I will definitely be going their again.
Guest
FabianaMi
Points +44
Great food, smallish portions - Edit
The food here was lovely, the portions were a little on the small side for the price but I would certainly go back.
Read moreStaff were lovely
Pros: Great selection, Staff, Great desserts
Cons: Portion size
Guest
Helster91
Points +29
Not as good as expected - Edit
Considering I'd read fantastic reviews and an article which stated it being one of the, if not THE, best vegan restaurant in Edinburgh, I was disappointed.
Read moreThe selection was not huge, and the haggis I had was over-spiced and salty. I also thought it needed some veg on the side. It was fairly pricey for what I got, too, I thought. The atmosphere also seemed rushed, and I felt the food was just slopped onto my plate without much care.
On the plus side, the chocolate cake I had was totally delicious and decadent - you got a huge slice plus soy cream too!
Pros: Fully Vegetarian/Vegan, Fair selection of food, Great cake!
Cons: A tad expensive, Food quality not excellent, Average atmosphere & decor
Guest
SilviaStierli
Points +29
Yummy vegetarian and vegan dishes - Edit
I went to Henderson's for the first time last week and I was surprised. The prices are not high at all (about 10£ for dinner), everything is organic, they cook seasonal food and at least the dish I had was just incredibly good! They offer only about 6 different dishes every day, but this is positive because they need to do this if they want to cook fresh ;) THe choice is still big enough and there is something for everyone. I had vegan Crepes, with veg fillings and a wonderful creamy sauce!
Read moreIt is very nice inside and I fellt comfy just after we arrived. A place with a lot of character :)
Pros: Seasonal, Delicious and interesting vegan dishes, Friendly staff
Cons: No place to sit outside
Guest
imogenmichel
Points +2748
Very tasty vegan food - Edit
I came here over Christmas/New Year and had a wonderful meal. I had the Mezze which was very tasty and filling. I love the quality of the food and the variety of vegan options, as well as how clearly everything is marked on the menu.
Read morePros: Good quality food, Lots of vegan options
Guest
brit-brit
Points +40
Judge it yourself - Edit
I visited here with a group of friends following recommendations both online and in person. Out of the 8 people that I visited with no one was blown away. Granted the food was tasty but the welcome by the staff and environment was a let down that dampened the experience. Sadly I wouldn't venture back in a hurry.
Read moreI think with some improvements it could be good however and I hope that happens.
Pros: Tasty food, Value, location
Cons: cleanliness, welcome from staff, vibe
jo_anna
I totally agree.
Read moreWe weren't given a happy "hello" when we first walked into the bistro downstairs looking for the restaurant whose entrance is around the corner.
After journeying upstairs, the waitress who enjoys staring you down, joked that I should have my photo on the wall for being a 20-year vegetarian/vegan when she asked if I had an allergy when I specified vegan over vegetarian food.
Too, my non-veggie husband had the Hungarian burger and left hungry looking for another place to eat. He wanted more of a main course, not filling up on desserts.
Food was just OK. Won't be back.
Guest
kasia
Points +144
Lovely place - Edit
A wonderful friendly place with great vegan options, I tried lovely noodles with tofu and mezze with falafel which were both great.
Read morePros: good choice, cheap, cosy
Guest
Tara HD
Points +974
Good food, reasonably priced - Edit
We went there for lunch and had a good and filling meal for a reasonable price. They had several vegan options in their rather small menu. Service was very nice. The only drawback was that the place is very small and I found it rather crowded.
Read morePros: good food, reasonable prices
Cons: small/crowded
Guest
hack_man
Points +27691
Living on Reputation - Edit
A nicely located gastro-bistro type place just round the corner but physically linked to the main Hendersons emporiums on Hanover Street. This is the posh 'dining' arm of the brand and it does it quite well. On our first visit in 2007 we had a stylish lunch consisting of mezze and tapas as it was too early for main courses. The vegan options were clearly marked and abundant and overall the experience was decent. Our 2nd visit on 30 July 2012 was disappointing due to staff with delusions of granduer, overpriced expensive bland food and a mandatory 10% service charge. The place is also a bit run down and the toilets haven't been touched up for years. With places like David Bann and Kalpna as well as other excellent veg friendly establishments around it's difficult to justify ever coming back here again. In fact we wont be.
Read morePros: location
Cons: staff, bland food , mandatory service charge
Guest
Caryne
Points +301
Great food, good vegan choices, reasonably priced. - Edit
We went here for Sunday lunch and were both delighted with our choices. There were several options for vegans and I have a tasty curry followed by a delicious cherry pie and soya cream, my vegetarian husband had a quiche which he said was very tasty. This isn't 'fine dining' but good, honest, veggie food at a good price. Recommended.
Read morePros: Good vegan options, Reaqsonably priced
Guest
beenie
Points +155
Nice place, good food - Edit
Nice relaxed atmosphere with a good selection of foods at decent prices. Friendly staff and comfortable seating. What more do you want : )
Read morePros: good food, decent prices, nice atmosphere
Guest
ShJohns
Points +20
Great Food - Edit
This is an excellent restaurant for veggies and vegans. The food was well presented and tasty, good sized portions and filling. Perfect for a post race lunch. I would recommend eating at Henderson's Bistro.
Read moreGuest
For Members
Why was my review removed? Guidelines for writing a review View our privacy policyFor Business Owners
Claim this business See inaccurate information? Submit an update here Link to this page from your site See an unfair review? View full terms & conditionsThis page has been viewed 0 times.