Best vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Singapore for meat-free feasting
PHOTO: Instagram/afterglow_sg
PUBLISHED ONFebruary 20, 2023 8:28 AMByJolene Hee
Post-festive season feasting, and healthy new year resolutions are calling for a significant change in our diets. Whether you’re just trying to lower your meat-intake or making the big switch, vegetarian food is far from boring old salads and flavourless bites these days.
If you’re on the hunt for restaurants that don’t skimp on flavour, here’s our veggie-forward guide to the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Singapore.
Vegetarian Restaurants in Singapore
Green Common
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Embracing the concept of mindful living, Green Common is a one-stop plant-based eatery & grocery concept store. Keeping healthy and wholesome food choices in mind, here you’ll find dishes with low cholesterol and saturated fats, made from non-GMO, organic ingredients.
The menu brings to fore a harmonious blend of scrumptious Asian and all-time favourite Western dishes. Sink your teeth in the Omnituna And Sweet Corn Gunkan (S$9), an alternative that includes OmniTuna with egg-free mayo, avocado, sushi rice, shichimi powder, and the deep-fried Omni Assam Golden Fillet With Buah Keluak Rice ($17) with tangy tamarind gravy.
Green Common is located at VivoCity, 1 HarbourFront Walk, #01-169/170, Singapore 098585, p.+65 6513 5808. Open daily 11am-9pm.
Original Sin
Despite the name, there’s nothing sinful on the menu of this Holland Village gem. Named after Michelangelo’s famous fresco, Original Sin serves up artful vegetarian plates with unique Mediterranean and Middle Eastern touches.
Indulge in the Spanakopita ($32), a fusional mix of vegetable ratatouille and filo pastry, or get tipsy on the Absolut Pasta ($31), a penne pasta flamed with Absolut vodka. Many dishes can also be prepared vegan or gluten-free – just give your friendly servers a heads-up about what you’ll need.
Original Sin is located at Blk 43 #01-62 Jalan Merah Saga, Singapore 278115, p. +65 6475 5605. Open Mon-Sun 12pm–2.30 pm, 6pm–10.30 pm.
The Boneless Kitchen
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Rediscover your favourite Korean dishes in vegetarian form over at The Boneless Kitchen. This homely eatery makes its own sauces from scratch, ensuring that they’re completely free of meat, seafood, and alliums.
Stew lovers can slurp their fill of the Kimchi Jjigae (packed with enoki, radish, and seaweed) or the Korean Army Stew, while the Kimchi Pancake and Soybean Paste Hotpot are great for sharing.
The Boneless Kitchen is located at 1 Irving Place #01-31, The Commerze @ Irving, p. +65 8457 6464. Open Tues-Sun 12pm–9pm. Closed on Mon.
Analogue
Spearheading the modern bar and restaurant culture, Analogue is all about future – from 3D-printed bar top, to tables made from recycled plastic and a 100 per cent plant-based menu.
Keeping things just as extravagant, aesthetic and flavour, pair cocktails with bar bites like flavourful Xiao Long Bao ($20) with tom yum consommé, Thai basil, spring onion, or the Jackfruit Tacos ($26) with crispy taco shell, butterhead lettuce, and micro coriander.
Complete the meal in true Singapore style with an Ice-cream Sandwich ($12) boasting incomparable flavours of roasted almonds, pickled green apple coulis and more.
Analogue is located at CHIJMES, 30 Victoria Street #01-31, Singapore 187996, p. +65 8518 1882. Open Tues-Sun 5pm-12am.
Elemen
Where else would you find ramen, Lok Mee, curry with roti, and pizza all in one menu? Elemen brings together a daring assortment of Asian and Western fare under one vegetarian flag, with options to satisfy every meatless craving.
The Sizzling Brown Rice with Red Quinoa ($16.80) is a savoury winner, while the Tempura Tofu with Avocado Roll ($15.80) is an inventive take on sushi. There’s also new bento’s specially made for the working-crowd.
Elemen has various outlets throughout Singapore. See here for more details.
Kailash Parbat
Indian cuisine is easily one of the best options when it comes to vegetarian food offering both versatility and flavours. One of our personal favourite, Kailash Parbat has left its footprint in India, Singapore, UK, USA, Canada, Australia and Hong Kong since its humble beginnings in the 1940’s.
At the vegetarian restaurant take a big bite of elevated Chaat delights including Pani Puri ($8), filled with filled with spiced mashed potato served wiith spiced mint water and tamarind sauce. For dinning, signatures include Pav Bhaji from Mumbai, a mixed vegetable curry served alongside pillowy buns and low calorie Veg Biriyani.
Kailash Parbat has various outlets across Singapore. See details here.
Sufood
One of the peskiest myths that vegetarians face is how we don’t get enough protein, and that’s a myth that Sufood is keen to bust. Its Italian-inspired menu focuses on protein-rich, nutrient-dense foods like potatoes and macademias, transforming them into power-packed creations.
An indulgent 5 Grain Rice with Black Truffle & Mushroom or some Cheesy Pita Pockets with Potatoes & Carrot Curry are sure to keep you going for hours.
Sufood is located in #02-19 Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Rd, Singapore 179103, p. +65 6333 5338. Open daily 11.30am–3pm and 5.30pm–10pm.
Teng Bespoke
If you can’t give up your sushi and sashimi, Teng Bespoke has just the vegetarian fix for you. This Japanese restaurant does a mock meat 5-Kind Sashimi Set with all the freshness and chewiness of the real thing, along with Japanese Gyoza dumplings filled with springy mushrooms. Star sushi options include the Avocado Maki, a delectable mouthful of creamy avocado overlaid on mock prawn.
Teng Bespoke is located at 91 Bencoolen Street, #01-50 Sunshine Plaza, Singapore 189652, p. +65 6337 7050. Open daily 11.30am–3pm and 5.30pm–9.30pm.
Vegan Restaurants in Singapore
Cultivate Cafe
A plant-based, GMO-free, and gluten-free vegan restaurant, Cultivate Café has captivated us not just with its menu selection, but also its incredible interior. Complementing its luxe dark academia aesthetic, expect quality vegan grub that boasts a balance of creativity and deliciousness.
The organically-farmed Crispy Fried Kale Leaves with Salted Chilli Spice ($17) are irresistibly addictive. while the Smoked Onion and Asparagus Risotto with Grated Lemon Rind ($40) sports a tasty Mediterranean twist. Wash it all down with freshly pressed juices, kombucha, cocktails, beers as well as coffee and teas.
Cultivate Café is located at Maxwell Reserve, Autograph Collection, 2 Cook St, 078857, p. +65 8866 0159 (WhatsApp). Open daily 7pm-9pm.
Afterglow
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This Keong Saik eatery is bringing sexy back to veggies with its colourful creations, made using locally-sourced and eco-friendly ingredients. Its gluten-free, dairy-free cuisine draws inspiration from an eclectic mix of cultures – from Afterglow Kimchi Avo Rolls ($14) made with almond sushi ‘rice’ to ‘Mac and Cheese’ Cauli Bites ($10) slathered with cashew ‘cheese’ sauce.
There’re plenty of chilled options as well, such as the Raw Crispy Lasagne ($25) featuring zucchini sheets brimming with cherry tomatoes, marinated spinach, shiitake mushrooms, and walnut ‘minced meat’.
Afterglow is located at 24 Keong Saik Rd, p. +65 6224 8921. Open Mon-Sat 12pm– 10pm. Closed Sun.
VeganBurg
Meatless doesn’t mean tasteless, as VeganBurg is out to prove. This San Francisco-based chain brings to Singapore its signature organic buns and soy-based patties, way juicier and more succulent than the stuff you’d get at McDonalds. Get your comfort food fix with hearty burgers like Char-Grilled Satay and Hawaiian Teriyaki, and make it a meal with a side of Chik N’ Tenders or Creamy Garlic Fries.
VeganBurg is located at 44 Jalan Eunos, Singapore 419502, p. +65 6844 6868. Open daily 11.30am–10pm.
Whole Earth
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A proud awardee of the Michelin Bib Gourmand, Whole Earth also bears the distinction of being Singapore’s first and only Peranakan-Thai vegetarian restaurant. Signatures here include the XO Rice, which has all the spice of traditional XO sauce with none of the seafood, and the Handmade Yam Treasure Ring, a treasure trove of healthy greens like lily bulbs and celery.
Whole Earth is located at 76 Peck Seah St, Singapore 079331, p. +65 6221 6583. Open Tues-Sun 11.30am–3pm and 5.30pm–10pm. Closed on Mon.
nomVnom
Who says fast food can’t be healthy? Vegan burger joint nomVnom provides tantalising ‘fast food’ to feed your clean cravings, with burger buns homemade from all-natural ingredients and patties crafted from plant bases like soy, potato, or mushroom. And yes, you can still have your side of fries – nomVnom offers no less than three wholesome types of sweet potato fries, along with Yam Fries with Date Dip ($6.50)
nomVnom has various outlets throughout Singapore.
This article was first published in City Nomads.