Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Ovo
International
Organic
Western
Beer/Wine
Gourmet
London vegetarian restaurant, near Chancery Lane Tube Station, off Chancery Lane. Aims to elevate meat-free cookery to a level that delights discerning palates of all tastes. Has a vegan menu with 2 choices per course over a 3-course menu. Reported closed September 2020.
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Last update on 04 Oct 2020 by craigmc
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Added by JohnnySensible on 21 May 2008
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68 Reviews
First Review by JohnnySensible
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Points +25650
Vanilla Black - Edit
I tried Vanilla Black back in January 2019 just before I moved to London. It was a very nice experience, but I was not blown away enough to go back given the pricing. The thing I liked about this restaurant was their emphasis on well prepared and beautifully presented dishes with no fake meat involved. I had a cauliflower drumstick dish and my dining partner had lentils with mushroom.
Read moreGuest
T_uckers
Points +429
Fancy pants - Edit
The food here is tasty and beautifully presented however it is expensive and the portions are small. So if you want a bit of an upmarket experience go for it.
Read moreGuest
Happycolour
Points +228
Perfect for a special occasion! - Edit
Treated a while ago for my birthday to a fantastic three course vegan meal here by my best friend. Food was adventurous and flavours exquisite. Portions were small as expected but it was a culinary experience. Advise visiting for a special occasion - don't expect to be stuffed but rather expect a vegan adventure!
Read morePros: Professional presentation , Exciting flavours with brave combinations
Guest
BéatriceHeil
Points +54
Exelent food - Edit
On a adoré ce restaurant. Belle ambiance . A la carte et neveu végétarien et vegan
Read morePros: Nice vegan menu , Creative food, Fresh ingredients
Guest
SweetestPanda
Points +252
Simply fantastic - Edit
I had the vegan 5 courses meal with a friend and our minds were collectively blown away by the quality and the inventiveness of the food! It was my first time in a Michelin restaurant and what I tasted that night is on another level. The combination of textures and flavors is simply incredible. The venue is very cozy and the staff was lovely throughout the whole dinner. Be warned though that you should book in advance as the restaurant was full when we were there.
Read morePros: Food quality and presentation, Cozy venue, Friendly staff
Cons: Not for all budgets
Guest
Shachimin
Points +426
Lovely Vegan 5 Course Menu - Edit
Presentation of food was lovely, food itself was so delicious and inventive. The portion sizes were perfect for the 5 course meal set.
Read moreAmbience of the place was cosy and casual despite the michelin star rating, which was lovely.
Would definitely eat there again! Highly recommend!
Guest
JoelR
Points +47
Good but not quite worth it - Edit
I tried their vegan tasting menu. The food was interesting and made good use of their produce. The food was definitely the strongest part of the experience. The staff was friendly but felt more like friendly pub staff than the fine dining tear the resturant aims for but not quite get to. Instead of explaining the food for the table they repeated the name from the menu for each person at the table. The table wear felt partly dated as well as the decor. But everyone was friendly and if someone is new to fine dining and want a stepping stone from a budget vegan restaurant experience this might be an excellent choice. Good wine selection with their vegan options clearly marked
Read moreGuest
storyshikari
Points +490
Perfect Birthday Treat - Edit
I'd been wanting to go fr what seemed like forever, and especially since following the chef/owner on Instagram for about 2 years.
Read moreNice staff, interesting decor, clean and classic. We went for the three course set menu which had more than enough options. And each course dazzled. Some really new textures and combinations, and a great selection of vegan mocktails too.
I'd go again.
Pros: Creativity, Special occasion dining, Hidden gem
Guest
Veggie_farm
Points +51
Gem ! - Edit
Exceptional food choices with real thought in presentation, texture and flavor! You will need a reservation and possibly a compass to find the location but well worth it!
Read morePros: Taste, texture and flavor , Presentation, Service
Guest
garryamac
Points +34
Great food - Edit
Had the 5 course vegan meal - absolutely awesome - vegan wines also available - subtle and delicious best vegan meal I have had.
Read morePros: Veggie/vegan menu, Great service
Cons: Not cheap but great food so value for money!
Guest
AlanSh
Points +76
Fine dining., great flavours, some challenging combinations and really well informed staff - Edit
I have been lucky enough to eat here on several occasions in the last year.
Read moreLet's not pretend that this is going to suit everyone; if you want your plate piled high with carbs and safe choices, probably best go to salad bar nearby. What you do get here is some unique flavour and food combinations, presented in a fine dining style.
Whipped olive oil on my dessert? I am still trying to work out if I like it, but don't get me wrong, there are lots of "safe" alternatives and my experience is that if you ask for an ingredient or garnish to be omitted, it is never a problem.
The staff know the menu too, which is refreshing. One ingredient was not known by anyone on our table, the waitress knew about it, and didn't need to ask in the kitchen.
Overall, not a cheap night out, but really rewarding and for a vegan/vegetarian who wont eat in a "veggie options" restaurant, this is one of my favourite places.
Pros: Great flavours, Good variety, Seasonal and changing menu
Cons: Only one, and not near home, Not cheap
Guest
LithuanianVeganGirl
Points +369
Tiny portions, huge prices, annoying staff - Edit
I have been here twice now & both times so disappointed. Although the food is nice, the portions are ridiculously tiny, yet so expensive. Also waitresses come over way too many times asking if everything is alright, if we are enjoying the food, if we need anything else etc, interrupting the conversations and honestly just being annoying. We left frustrated and hungry and with a £133 bill paid for 1 bottle of prosecco, 2 starters, 2 mains which were pretty much the same size as the starters, 1 dessert & 1 cocktail.
Read moreCons: Tiny portions, Very expensive, Annoying staff
Guest
TrudiBruges
Points +28192
vegan fine dining - Edit
Update:
Read moreChanged my rating from 4 to 5 stars
Second visit, now for lunch. Loved it, and the lunch menu is very reasonably priced!
Wheelchair accessible toilet on ground floor (although not so easy to get into the restaurant - step and turn to get in).
previous visit (2016)
We had a lovely dinner. Nice gastronomic dishes, varied, We each had a different vegan menu. Vegan wine list available. Vegan bread.
3 course dinner was £41,50, which is quite expensive, but worth it. Drinks are unreasonably expensive though.
Service was friendly.
Disappointed though that the cab they called for us turned out to be a private run one (and hence very expensive).
Wrote a review on my blog:
https://brugesvegan.com/2016/12/26/vanilla-black-london-uk/
Updated from previous review on 2018-11-02
Pros: gastronomic, fine dining, vegan wine list, vegan bread, several vegan menus
Cons: expensive drinks, uncomfy chairs
Guest
KimmyV
Points +875
High end experience - Edit
I was set on having a superb culinary experience for my birthday, and this mission was definitely accomplished at Vanilla Black. Making a reservation was simple through their website.
Read moreWe both ordered the vegan 5 course menu (without wine service) and I swapper the mushroom dish for a dish from the vegetarian menu, which posed no problem for them.
Before even starting on our 5 course menu, we were present with a delicious tomato foam, and later amazing sourdough and soda bread with butter and olive oil. Each of our 5 courses was delicious and accompagnied with a great introduction to the dish, though I wish I had taken a picture of the menu because I don't remember most of what each dish was! But everything was delicious. Superb service, chique but cozy atmosphere.
Pros: Vegetarian and vegan menus, Very good service, Amazing high end cuisine
Cons: expensive
Guest
tkhe
Points +182
Stellar fine dining - Edit
Amazing fine dining, full vegan tasting menus, wonderful service, and a very nicely done, not overstated interior. Everything you could want: great food, friendly service, and comfortable atmosphere. If you want a special evening out (or just great food), go, you won’t be disappointed!
Read moreGuest
Pachamamma
Points +324
Swanky, delicious and inventive - Edit
Food was top quality, made with love, very vegan friendly and delicious. Restaurant is very stylish and the session rice was excellent. A classy joint.
Read morePros: Lots of vegan wines, , Great range or mock tails and cocktails, Great quality, unusual, beautiful food
Cons: Expensive (but worth it) , A little stark
Guest
PabloofGramercy
Points +269
Good Place - Edit
Simply a delightful, elegant-yet-simple restaurant with a refined manner. The food is, too, refined but also sober. Clearly many vegetables gave their lives for the dishes, but it was not always discernible who they were. I spent half of the time scooping off the sauce, as dishes were 50% something solid and 50% artfully-placed drops of sauce. A little more substance would have been welcome. The flavors were very good, but lacked a punch. The deserts were sublime. Highly recommend visiting, but expect a subdued experience with an irresistible vegan allure. Excellent service.
Read morePros: A vegan tasting menu, Creative and sophisticated , Beautiful, sober dining room
Cons: Small portions, Not a lot happening on the plate; a little bland
Guest
DaniTwickenham
Points +189
Delicious food - Edit
Upper class high quality food, very friendly staff and flexible on substitutions too. Yum!
Read moreGuest
HitchhikersGuideToTh
Points +39
Amazeballs - Edit
Totes amazeball. Mussus took me for birthday, was so good.
Read moreGuest
Paul Evans13
Points +143
Just Wonderful - Edit
Visited recently for lunch and certainly wasn't disaapointed with either the food, the service, the ambiance or even the price. Well worth a visit and certainly something a bit different from your normal veggie/vegan fare.
Read morePros: 'French style' vegetarian cusine, Quality food within a 'bit different menu'
Cons: Probably need to book in advance, Pricey but worth it.
Guest
ashleynt646
Points +283
Extremely enjoyable - Edit
This is one of my favorite places for a really nice sit down meal. Ask for the vegan menu, when you go in so they know right away. They have unique flavors and dishes and the service I’ve had here has been outstanding. I took my mom here and she loved it too. Their peanut butter cheesecake is really good, they had a mushroom dish when I was there that I would order again and again. Also, when I asked about wine, my server asked which dish I was most likely to get so she could make a good recommendation which I thought was important to note. Their menu changes seasonally, so it’s fun to come back and try new things when you’re in town. It can be expensive, but it’s a more formal and tailored sit down restaurant so that’s to be expected. I’d recommend Vanilla Black to anybody, and I’ll definitely be back.
Read morePros: Separate vegan menu, Vegan wines , Unique dishes
Cons: Expensive, Portions can be small
Guest
YasminJiang
Points +449
Dying to go back - Edit
I've been to Vanilla Black twice now, and each time I'm blown away by the flavours of the dishes. Caters very well to vegans, and I always get to try something new while I'm there. Also good service. A great spot for a more serious occasion, or just to treat yourself. Will be returning soon.
Read moreGuest
cowcowcow
Points +68
Simply Divine - Edit
Vanilla Black is one those places you know you're gonna spend some money at and you know you're gonna get something creative and interesting in return. It's a high-end veggie/vegan restaurant tucked away in the City of London.
Read moreThe times I've been here, I've eaten from the set menu. Sometimes the vegan one, sometimes the veg one. Always amazing.
For example, I had a raspberry drink to go along with my meal. It was a complex, somewhat bitter and sweet soft drink. One of the courses was a super earthy squash puree with microgreens and crispy lentils. Dessert was a "deconstructed doughnut." Everything is always more complex than I originally thought. However, I have had one dish which fell pretty to the old standard of making everything mushrooms, but even then they made them different mushrooms instead of trodding out simple portabello. I don't even like mushrooms, but thought fancy mushrooms would change my mind. Nope.
Service here is impeccable and the ambiance is great. Not too pretentious, but not too casual. It's off of the main Stand in London, so it's nice and quiet.
Is this place expensive? Yup. Is it worth it to try some interesting vegetarian food in a high end environment? Yup.
Pros: Creative, tasty, complex food, Amazingly attentive service
Cons: Pricy, Not all items on the menu are home runs, Smaller, European portions
Guest
AleksJ
Points +142
Superb experience - Edit
Came here twice: with my girlfriend for lunch and with our friends for dinner (back when I was vegetarian). The food is inventive, delicious and looks beautiful. Vanilla Black is an amazing fine dining experience for veggies and omnivores alike - even the meat eaters that came with us were impressed with the flavours. Fried Shiitake, Pine Nut Purée and Crispy Cous Cous was probably my favourite vegan dish. Desserts are a must: liquorice pudding and marzipan sorbet are delicious.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2018-05-03
Cons: Should go vegan, I think they'd benefit from it
Guest
kezia
Points +980
Inventive and unique high dining experience - Edit
Read moreTook my father here for his birthday lunch. Had heard great things and was very much looking forward to the experience.
Visually, the food is stunning and beautifully presented, but as vegans we found the menu limited.
I think they could benefit from expanding the menu and giving more choice to both vegans and vegetarians. It’s always nice to be spoilt for choice, rather than having to settle for something you are not 100% sure about, as it’s the only thing suitable for you!
I had the smoked Aubergine, flatbread and green Harissa for my starter. This was interesting but I wouldn’t order it again. Then for my main, I had the fried Shiitake mushrooms, pine nut purée and crispy couscous. This dish was tasty and very nicely presented.
Then for dessert, I tried the peanut butter cheesecake withcracked cocoa bean and caramelised banana purée. This was delicious but just not enough of it.
Vanilla Black, is basically a vegetarian high dining restaurant.
The service when I was there was good, despite them being very busy.
Personally, it’s not one of my favourites, but I’m sure it has it's place in the veggie restaurant market and is obviously well established and popular. I’d recommend it for special occasions, or at least try it once, if you're like me and slowly working your way through all the vegan restaurants London has to offer.
Pros: high dining experience, Central London location, Good service
Cons: They serve eggs and dairy etc.., Not enough vegan options.
Guest
JeffJohnson
Points +217
outstanding - Edit
This place holds its own with the best. Really exquisite creations and bold flavors.
Read moreGuest
nikmar1984
Points +32
TastyFood - Edit
Loved the food, the atmosphere... interesting presentation of food.
Read morePros: food, presentation
Guest
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