Record numbers of people have signed up to the Veganuary challenge this month, with people across the UK ditching meat and dairy products in favour of plant based food.
The global campaign, spearheaded by a couple to highlight animal welfare and environmental issues, has had a steady growth in participants, from 3,000 in the first Veganuary to more than 500,000 to date.
And the number of people following a vegan diet has quadrupled over the last few years.
More and more brands are embracing the lifestyle choice, with more plant-based options in the aisles than ever before. Making a tasty vegan feast at home has never been easier or more accessible.
But when it comes to eating out, it can be a little more tricky.
So if you're embracing Veganuary or you're looking for somewhere with a decent selection of non animal-based options, here's some of the best vegan-friendly restaurants in North Wales.
And you can find more recommendations wherever you are at Eat Vegan Wales.
Gwynedd
Voltaire, Bangor
Vegan Restaurant
Voltaire is a completely vegan restaurant. It has a large and varied menu including mac ‘n’ cheese, stew, curry, v-chicken salad, bangers & mash, chilli, burrito, loads of burgers, seitan steak & cheese sandwich and more.
Caffi Bywyd Da, Porthmadog
Vegetarian cafe
Vegan dishes are on offer at this vegetarian café. There is always a suitable dhal or tagine, a full vegan salad bar and other options include chilli bean nachos, falafel bowl, wraps, jacket potatoes, jacket sweet potatoes and dishes of the day.
There are vegan cakes available too. Plant milks such as soya, almond, hemp, coconut and oat are available for drinks, including vegan hot chocolate.
Cadwaladers, Porthmadog
Ice cream parlour
They have a vegan menu. There are 6 types of vegan ice cream sundaes. Vitalite spread and Violife vegan cheese are available for sandwiches, toasties, jacket potatoes etc. Soya, coconut & oat milks are stocked for drinks and they have vegan hot chocolate.
Noodle One, Bangor
Japanese, Thai and Indonesian Noodle bar
Noodle One offer vegan versions of almost all of their menu by offering a main ingredient of either vegetables or crispy tofu. They use separate utensils to cook meals and there's a wide range of vegan starters, sides and extras, all cooked to order.
Castle Inn, Criccieth
Restaurant
They have a decent vegan menu with six mains that are plant-friendly and for dessert they have Cariad Gelato sorbettos with flavours such as vanilla, lemon and chocolate..
Cafe Glandwr, Beddgelert
Pizzeria
All the pizza bases are homemade, vegan friendly and can be gluten free on request. Vegan cheese is available to go on pizzas. There are also other suitable dishes on the menu such as vegan moussaka, chickpea sausage rolls, chunky chips, sweet potato wedges, homemade sorbets and cakes.
A wide selection of dishes on the menu can be made vegan. They have a range of plant milks for hot drinks and shakes.
Y Sgwar, Tremadog
Restaurant
They have a dedicated vegan menu with appetisers, starters of soup, roasted vegetable taco, mezze platter and pea & mint tortilla with tofu. There's mains of tomato & pesto linguine, baked aubergine ratatouille with herb crumb, paella and hummus, sundried tomato & spinach linguine.
The desserts consist of blackcurrant crumble tart, chocolate & orange tart, dairy free ice creams and chilled chocolate custard with granola crumble. They always have vegan spread and plant milks available. The vegan friendly wines are also listed on the wine list.
Kyffin, Bangor
Vegetarian Deli
At least two of the five vegetarian lunches served daily will be both vegan and gluten free. These are served with three salads and three garnishes. They make many vegan and gluten free cakes and stock non-dairy milk as standard.
Pete's Eats, Llanberis
Cafe
They have plenty of labelled vegan dishes and some that aren't labelled. They include soups, pie and curry. If you mention you are vegan, some of the menu items can be adapted. Large portions and vegan chocolate is available too. Soya milk is stocked as standard.
Bryn Elltyd, Tangrisiau
Eco Guesthouse
They can cater for vegan guests and are fully aware of the dietary requirements.
They bake artisan bread each morning depending on guests’ preferences including vegan and gluten free.
Vegan 3 course home cooked evening meals are available with 24 hours notice. Much of the produce comes from vegetable plot terraces carved into the mountainside and apples, pears, plums, damsons etc. from their orchard. They are proud to spend 80% within 10 miles and be powered totally by renewable energy.
Torna a Surriento, Bangor
Italian restaurant
They have a dedicated vegan menu with numerous options of appetisers and starters, pasta dishes including lasagna, risottos, pizza, salads and sides. The pizzas and other dishes include vegan cheese. There are also suitable desserts such as the popular tiramisu.
Hotel Portmeirion, Penrhyndeudraeth
Hotel restaurant
A reservation is required to dine at the Hotel Portmeirion restaurant but they can supply a full vegan menu if requested. They can also supply hotel guests with a vegan cooked breakfast and they stock soya milk as standard.
Pen Cob, Pwllheli
Pub
They have a specific vegan menu with options such as curry, chilli, a noodle dish, salad, houmous & roasted vegetable wrap and chips.Soya milk is available for filter coffees and teas and they have a list of all their vegan friendly drinks.
The Black Cat Cafe, Llandwrog
Cafe
They offer many vegan options including soups, sandwiches, main meals, cakes and icecream. It's in a country park too, so amazing surroundings.
Domu, Bangor
Coffee shop
There are plenty of labelled vegan options at this fully vegetarian coffee shop such as frittata, soup, salad, curried chickpea yufka and bubble & squeak.
Conwy
Pie Records Arts Cafe, Rhos on Sea
Performance venue and cafe
Everything on the menu is vegan as standard but cheese dishes can be served with non-vegan cheese on request.
The menu includes nachos, pizzas, homemade seitan burgers, a sharing platter, cauliflower steak, some well thought out salads and more. The vegan feta cheese is also homemade. It is very highly recommended by vegans who have eaten here.
The Rabbit Hole Cafe, Llandudno
Cafe
A great selection of vegan dishes. There's a huge vegan all-day breakfast, toasted nibbles, a range of small plates that are entirely plant based and a popular vegan BBQ pulled pork burger. Soya milk is stocked as standard along with a selection of cakes.
Roots Cafe, Abergele
Cafe
there's a good number of vegan dishes on the standard menu, and others can be adapted on request. They stock vegan cheese and sour cream plus tofu so there's sure to be something plant-based to suit your taste. They've just launched a new Oriental Vegan Burger - homemade with spiced peanut satay sauce and Asian pickled veg.
Barnacles, Llandudno
Chip shop
rated as one of the best chipshops in Wales for vegans. They have a full separate vegan menu will all items cooked and fried separately. You'll find vegan sausages, chips, falafal, soups, hotpot, Quorn roast, chicken style curry, bean burgers, chilli con carne, fishless fingers and chickenless nuggets. They have vegan desserts too including ice cream sundaes, banana split and apple crumble.
Johnny Dough's, Llandudno & Conwy
Pizzeria
A variety of vegan pizzas are available, with vegan cheese stocked as standard.
Pizza Hut, Llandudno Junction
Pizzeria
Vegan pizzas are available at all Pizza Hut restaurants. The pan, American thin & flatbread bases and the tomato & BBQ sauces are suitable and Violife dairy-free alternative to cheese is available as an upgrade. The sides of oven cooked chips and oven cooked onion rings are also vegan. There's also the unlimited salad bar which has plenty of vegan options too.
Eat Fit, Colwyn Bay
Takeaway
The menu offers healthy, clean-eating fast food and there is a number of vegan options available. There's vegan cheese bagels, snacks, flatbreads, and desserts all suitable.
Kalpa Bhadra Kadampa Buddhist Centre, Craig y Don
Vegetarian Cafe
A 100% vegetarian cafe that can provide vegan cafe-style lunches, combined with guided meditation.
Alpine Coffee Shop, Betws y Coed
Cafe
Labelled vegan mains plus a vegan breakfast are on offer at this café. Gluten free options are available, as are dairy free milks. The café is totally palm oil free and it's also dog friendly.
La Dolce Vita, Rhos on Sea
Italian Restaurant
There is a separate vegan menu. This includes starters, sides, mains of risotto, two pasta dishes and pizza calzone with vegan cheese and desserts made with Swedish Glace ice cream.
The Castle Hotel, Conwy
Hotel/restaurant
There is a separate vegan menu with a good selection available including wild mushroom risotto garnished with baby herbs, Roasted pepper, courgette and aubergine korma with pilau rice and there's a variety of locally made sorbets for dessert.
Llys Llewelyn Guest House, Conwy
Vegetarian B&B
Fully vegetarian guest house providing a continental buffet style breakfast with a variety of teas, coffees and cereals, with the option for rice or soya milk, a selection of fruit and toast & jam. They use Vitalite or Pure spread as a matter of course.
They can provide rye bread for wheat free diets and with notice, gluten free bread.
There are tea making facilities in most rooms and vegan guests can have soya or rice milk.
The Harbour, Kinmel Bay
Pub
The labelled vegan menu items are a roasted tomato soup starter, mains of chickpea & sweet potato curry, fish-free fillets & chips and falafel burger, baked jacket and dressed side salad sides and a pudding of Bakewell tart with vegan vanilla ice cream.
Denbighshire
The Phoenix Bistro Vegan Street Food, Llangollen
Street food bistro
New to 2019, this vegan bistro used to be located in Wrexham but is now moving to new premises in Llangollen. They specialise in vegan friendly street food, which includes a tasty mac and cheese, spicy bean wraps, nachos, a wide variety of vegan pizzas, sunday dinners and more. And it's all homemade too.
Oak St Coffee, Llangollen
Coffee shop
This vegetarian coffee shop caters well for vegans. The sort of dishes they offer include garlic mushroom pie, spanakopita (spinach & tofu in filo pastry), soup, tapas, Greek lentil stew and various salads. They stock vegan cheese for sandwiches and wraps. All the cakes are vegan except the bara brith.
Con Amici, Denbigh
Italian restaurant
Cater for vegans and will always endeavour to amend any menu dishes to ensure that they are suitable. The pizza bases are vegan and there a lot of plant-based toppings to choose from if you have a pizza without cheese. They will also source and buy vegan produce, if given prior notice and will always make sure a choice is given to vegan customers.
Torello Lounge, Prestatyn
Lounge bar
There is a separate and varied vegan menu with brunch, tapas, sandwich & wrap, main, side and cake dishes.
There are vegan bacon options; butty, BLT, part of the cooked breakfast and as a burger topping.
The mains are two salads, two bowls and a pulled jackfruit burger including vegan cheese and mayo.
One of the cakes is dark chocolate & orange torte.
Almond, oat and soya milks are stocked for coffees etc. Vegan alcoholic drinks, including wine are available too.
Llangollen Oggie Shop and Fine Foods
Delicatessen
They have a wide range of vegan savouries and cakes including curry pasties, quinoa, lime & chilli pasties, baked bean pasties, veggie rolls, lemon drizzle cake and chocolate blondie cake.
Liffy's Cafe
Bistro
They have a separate vegan menu that includes chips, sweet potato fries, summer vegetable ratatouille (served with hand cut potato wedges & salad), vegan mushroom, aubergine & potato curry (served with long grain rice & salad), vegan chilli con carne (served with long grain rice & salad), oven baked jacket potato & salad (served with vegan chilli, vegan ratatouille or beans).
Ffordd Derwen, Rhyl
Pub
There is a separate vegan menu with starters of jackfruit wedges, balsamic mushrooms and buffalo cauliflower wings. Mains include curry, pie, vegan burgers and racos. There's a good selection of vegan desserts and the vegan friendly drinks are also listed.
The Blue Lion, Dyserth
Pub
There's a vegan section on the main menu with traditional pub favourites including Thai green curry, chili con carne, meatloaf and more.
Leonards Delicatessen, Ruthin
Sandwich shop
Vegans are catered for with a variety of plant-based options on the standard menu. These include hummus & peppers or hummus, falafel & peppers sandwiches and salad box with vegan options. They also have hot vegan specials such as Moroccan vegan koftas & quinoa and red lentil & beetroot veg bites with tomato relish & fried onions.
Ruthin Tandoori, Ruthin
Indian takeaway
Most dishes on the menu can be adapted for vegans if asked.
The Berwyn, Llandrillo
Pub
There aren't actually any vegan options on the menu as standard, but a number of the dishes can be easily adapted for any vegan diners - either call ahead or ask when you order and they'll do their best to accommodate.
The Talardy, St Asaph
Pub
here is a separate vegan menu with starters of jackfruit wedges, balsamic mushrooms and buffalo cauliflower wings. Mains include curry, pie, vegan burgers and racos. There's a good selection of vegan desserts and the vegan friendly drinks are also listed.
Flintshire
The Plough Inn, Queensferry
Pub
There are a couple of vegan options on the menu as standard - a highly rated spinach and no ricotta cannelloni and a pine nut gnocchi. But if these options don't take your fancy, they will often make up a suitably vegan alternative.
Druid Inn, Holywell
Pub
There are two hearty vegan mains available; winter root vegetable stew in red wine & thyme stock, topped with herby breadcrumbs and spiced chickpea & coriander patties with salad. The garlic bread can be made vegan and the chunky chips are also suitable for vegans.
El Tomate, Mold
Tapas
The menu labels dishes vegetarian and dairy free. if you inform the staff that you are vegan, they can tell you what dishes are suitable and what they can adapt to be suitable.
Raj Balti, Flint
Indian restaurant
Lots of choice for vegan diners with most dishes adaptable on request. Highly rated by most diners.
The Piccadilly Inn, Caerwys
Pub
If you ring in advance, they will discuss vegan options and can even provide a suitable dessert. The vegan dishes are also highly recommended by local vegans.
Shared Olive, Hawarden
Mediterranean
There's a labelled vegan main, and several suitable sides on offer for vegans. They also make a few meals that aren't on the menu to give vegans more choice and will adapt where able.
Cibo, Mold
Bistro
There are two labelled vegan dishes on the menu but they may be able to adapt other meals to be suitable. They also stock soya milk as standard for drinks.
Bwyd Enaid, Mold Farmers Market
Street stall
tall at the Farmers' market providing vegetarian food. A small amount of the produce is vegan but they will happily provide more if given notice. They also offer outside catering.
St Pio's Cafe, Pantasaph
Cafe
Cute little cafe with a really good selection of vegan options on their standard menu including a full breakfast, hummous with warm pitta fingers, vegan pate, falafel and more.
Pizza Hut, Queensferry
Pizzeria
Vegan pizzas are available at all Pizza Hut restaurants. The pan, American thin & flatbread bases and the tomato & BBQ sauces are suitable and Violife dairy-free alternative to cheese is available as an upgrade. The sides of oven cooked chips and oven cooked onion rings are also vegan. There's also the unlimited salad bar which has plenty of vegan options too.
Wrexham
Harvest Vegetarian Kitchen, Bradley, Wrexham
Vegan Chinese
The menu at this Chinese takeaway is completely vegan and includes appetisers, soups, ribs, side portions and mains.
They have vegan meat substitutes, including versions of duck, king prawn, chicken, beef and barbecued pork made with wheat and soya. The main dishes are several options each of curry, chop suey, sweet & sour, mushroom, bean sprout, pineapple, tomato, cashew nut, mixed pepper & black bean sauce, satay, sweet chilli, Szechuan, sweet brown sauce, kung po, hoi sin, chow mein and fried rice dishes.
There are also two specials; veggie chicken skewers and crispy chilli veggie beef
King Street Coffee Company, Wrexham
Coffee shop
Independent coffee shop that usually have at least one vegan cake on offer and stock coconut, oat and soya non-dairy milk options for coffees and cold mikshakes.
Nando's, Wrexham
Restaurant
The following dishes are suitable: Houmous with peri-peri drizzle, spicy mixed olives, peri-peri nuts.
weet potato & butternut burger, supergreen burger (In pitta or wrap, the burger bun contains milk; ask for no mayo in the pitta and no yogurt in the wrap.).
Vegan sides are garlic bread, chips, peri-salted chips, mixed leaf side salad, chargrilled veg.
The mango gelado is also vegan-friendly.
Lot 11, Wrexham
Cafe
The labelled vegan options on the menu include homemade beans on sourdough toast, smashed pumpkin on a toasted bagel and jacket potatoes with homemade beans or beetroot hummus. The soups are always vegan.
The Boathouse, Chirk
Pub
There's a good selection of vegan options on the menu as standard - three starters and three mains to choose from and a selection of vegan cakes. You will also find vegan options on the Sunday lunch menu too.
Wynnstay Arms Hotel, Wrexham
Pub
There's a fairly good selection of labelled vegan dishes on the menu - three mains, three sides and a dessert.
Pizza Express, Wrexham
Pizzeria
There is a vegan menu including starters, pizzas, a pasta dish, desserts and the list of suitable drinks.
Pizzas can be topped with vegan mozzarella alternative and include the vegan puttanesca with jackfruit. Two flavours of sorbet and carrot cake are the vegan desserts available.
Bank Street Social, Wrexham
Coffee shop
The suitable food options are vegan cheese toasties, toast/crumpets with dairy free butter and two cakes. One of the cakes is a super dark chocolate brownie. Coconut, oat and soya milk alternatives are available for drinks.
The Acton Park, Wrexham
Pub
There are labelled vegan options on the menu. The mains are lentil & spinach pie, roasted butternut squash & sweet potato salad (also available as a starter) and roasted cauliflower curry. The desserts are Bramley apple pie served with coconut milk ice cream, iced caramel parfait and coconut milk ice cream.
The Elihu Yale, Wrexham
Pub
They have a specific vegan menu with options such as curry, chilli, a noodle dish, salad, houmous & roasted vegetable wrap and chips. Pizza without cheese is on offer in certain pubs. The breakfast menu (served until 12 noon) includes a cooked breakfast (with Quorn sausages but no beans or spread on the toast) and smashed avocado muffin.
Soya milk is available for filter coffees and teas and they have a list of all their vegan friendly drinks.
Anglesey
Sopna, Menai Bridge
Tandoori restaurant and takeaway
Number of Vegan dishes: 25+
Emphasise you are vegan and they will prepare your food without butter ghee. The vegetable samosas are vegan and they will also do fried rice without animal products. There's a varied menu available for both eat-in and takeaway.
Bocca, Menai Bridge
Italian restaurant
Number of Vegan dishes:
3+ Starters, 2+ Mains, 5 Sides, 1 Dessert
Caters for vegans but they suggest calling in advance before arriving. They stock vegan cheese as standard and a wide selection of plant based pizza toppings, pasta dishes and soups.
The vegan-friendly side dishes are fries, roast new potatoes with garlic & rosemary, polenta fries, garlic spinach (without parmesan) and mixed green salad. Vegans can have the lemon sorbet for dessert.
The Lastra Farm Hotel, Amlwch
Hotel restaurant
They will happily provide vegan meals and all food is cooked from scratched so can be adapted where required. However it could be helpful just to call ahead to give notice that you'll be ordering a vegan meal.
Harry's Bistro, Beaumaris
Bistro
They will tailor a menu for vegans, if given notice, or adapt dishes from the menu as required. Examples of vegan dishes they have prepared in the past are:
Stir fried vegetables & cashew nuts, chilli, ginger & soy sauce, steamed basmati rice & tempura of pak choi.
Saffron, pea & tarragon arancini (risotto cakes), tomato sauce & confit garlic.
Patatas Bravas (potatoes in a spicy garlic tomato sauce), chargrilled asparagus, herb crumb, red wine glaze.
Antonio the Cheerful Mexican, Holyhead
Mexican Restaurant
Vegan options available and as all food is made to order, items can be adapted accordingly.
Standing Stones, Holyhead
Pub
There is a separate vegan menu with starters of jackfruit wedges, balsamic mushrooms and buffalo cauliflower wings, mains of tikka masala, button mushroom bourguignon pie, Moving Mountains B12 burger, buffalo cauliflower tacos and aubergine, butternut & pepper bake and desserts (all served with vegan vanilla ice cream) of raspberry jam donut pudding, chocolate & cherry cheesecake and rhubarb & ginger pudding. It also lists the vegan friendly drinks.
Catch 22, Valley
Brasserie
Many of the dishes can be adapted; if you inform the staff you are vegan, when ordering. Vegan friendly ales are available.
