7 places to enjoy vegan meals in Dubai

With the growing popularity that veganism has seen over the last few years, many people are becoming curious – if not convinced – about the benefits this food trend has to offer. Once pushed to the sidelines, the discourse around veganism has now found its place in the mainstream, becoming an active part of the discussions around creating a more sustainable future.

Going plant-based encourages us to move away from the excessive consumption of animal products as a way of course correction, leading to more favourable conditions. With vegan lifestyles finding its way into the mainstream, the food and beverage industry has also started to reflect this shift, with more vegan joints opening up and existing restaurants trying to include vegan options on their existing menus. With complete plant-based ranges, to plant milk, vegan cheese, and mock meat varieties, going green in the city has never been this easy. We take a look at the emerging vegan scene in Dubai.

With a menu that is fully vegetarian and almost two-thirds plant-based, VEGO Cafe detaches itself from unhealthy and non-organic food choices, just as its name suggests. While there are a number of vegan options to feast on, such as Tofu Florentine and The Vego Uttapam, some of their non-vegan dishes, like Avo Toast and Bombay Grill sandwich can easily be swapped for plant-based ingredients. VEGO Cafe's menu is an expanse of a variety of sandwiches, sliders, vegan desserts and much more, including gluten-free and refined-sugar free options. The bestseller, however, is the vegan burger (seen below) that many claim will compel you to switch to the plant-based version.

Location: Mankhool, Dubai; Average Cost: Dh 85

If the name isn't enough, we shall let the menu do the talking. A food paradise for all the plant-based eaters or even those that are looking to just switch things up a little, with innovate dishes, this is the one place you cannot skip. With an aim to make vegan food widely accessible, affordable and approachable, Just Vegan was born in 2017 and now has restaurants in the Middle East, USA, UK and Southeast Asia. Their vegan menu, which is a spin-off on 'meat' dishes, include a range of plant-based pastas and pizzas and mock-meat burgers that the vegans can savour, guilt-free. And if that isn't enough, the lush green decor is sure to transport you into an alternate vegan universe.

Location: Dubai Marina and Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai; Average cost: Dh 180

If a vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free menu is on your mind, then Bounty Beets is the place! From healthy breakfast options to soups, burgers and bowls, all their unique dishes are made with a twist of creativity to tease the taste buds. You can't miss out on their Son of a Chic, which is a chickpea and spinach omelette stuffed with vegan cheese, asparagus, tomato, mushrooms and cashew avioli on the sumptuous Chia Bowl and Avo Toast, which is spread on gluten-free bread. Their Blue Mermaid Bowl, pictured below, has already acquired a following of its own.

Location: Le Méridien Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina, Al Sufouh; Average Cost: Dh320 (without house beverages)

Indian cuisine is probably one of the most vegan-friendly cuisines in the world, simply due to the fact that a large part of the population in the subcontinent is vegetarian. So, its only natural to expect the most authentic and flavourful vegan options at My Govinda’s, which is an Indian vegan and vegetarian restaurant. Taking veganism a notch here, if you're a food lover, who wants to enjoy the irresistible flavours without compromising on plant-based ‘saatvik cuisine’, ditching onion and garlic, this is the place for you. Their food is made from fresh vegetables and fruits, preferably organic and the menu includes low-calorie, high-protein, vegan, gluten-free and even oil-free options.

Location: Al Karama; Average cost: Dh 150

With a variety of hues, textures, flavours, aesthetics, and aromas this earthy restaurant believes in the magic of “goodness of the earth”. Their website specifies that they are committed to using innovative techniques to craft healthy meals and outstanding culinary experiences. Named the best Vegan Restaurant – Zomato User’s Choice Awards 2018, this restaurant brings to the table, delicious vegan dishes including their vegan brownie and Zesty Spaghetti. Zen-like ambience, exuding a burst of greens, adds to the allure of the restaurant.

Location: JLT, Cluster J; Average Cost: Dh 135

More than a restaurant, Wild & The Moon is a lifestyle movement created by a group of chefs, food-lovers and naturopaths, bringing together the holistic dimensions of foo consumption, all under one roof. An urban, trendy restaurant offering pure, nutritious plant-based cold-pressed juices, smoothies, salads, soups, desserts, superbowls and snacks. Wild & The Moon’s uses organic, local, ethically sourced ingredients with no refined sugars, no additives or chemicals, no GMOs, no gluten and no dairy. This Ramadan, Wild & The Moon is also bringing you the Wild Supper Club - Iftar Edition, featuring Asian-inspired wild-crafted dishes, that include varieties of plant-based sushi, for you to savour!

Location: Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz; Average cost: Dh 170

The elite French-owned organic café and boutique has a great selection of plant-based menu that changes daily according to harvest, with sugar-free, dairy-free and vegan options. Comptoir 102 won the What’s On Award for the best healthy café in Dubai and creates food with age old techniques of pre-soaking, fermenting, cooking at low temperatures, steaming and dehydrating, to optimise the taste, digestion and assimilation of nutrients. In the hotter months, it is the intimate and cosy interiors of the restaurant that make for the perfect ambience.

Location: Jumeirah 1, Dubai; Average Cost: Dh 190

One of the key contentions around consuming vegan food, once you pass the initial apprehensions of nutritional intake and diet repercussions, is the often the price-point at which the vegan meals are normally positioned. The notion that vegan restaurants tend to be slightly more expensive, could also be a deciding-factor when one has to make the choice of going completely vegan. Recently, though, F&B sectors have been taking note and are making an effort in making vegan food more widely accessible. Namaste Vegan DXB is an all vegan restaurant with an Indian touch. The restaurant comprises all the classic Indian dishes that food lovers may want, but with a vegan twist. Whether it's vegan soya chaap biryani or tofu biryani or vegan vegetable korma, this food joint has got you covered! They even do specially curated food deliveries to work as your weekly meal-plan fix, if you're looking to eat clean at home.

Info: Order online from Noon.com or Zomato.com

• Dubai