The 12 best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Durban

Buttercup Vegetarian & Vegan Café is one of the most delicious vegan eateries in Durban, serving delectable food from their renowned KFV burger to the tikka burger, bringing in vegan customers from all around. Mash and gravy is also on offer with meals. The tikka meal is served with roti, chips and sambals. Vegan ‘chops’ make for an interesting meal, served with chips and grilled tomatoes. They also offer meat-free braai packs. This is a marvellous vegan establishment and they even sell frozen vegan Christmas roasts, so that vegetarians don’t feel left out during the festive period.

Location 1: Shop G6 Wheeler House, 10 De Mazenod Road, Greyville, Durban

Location 2: 23 Lagoon Drive Umhlanga Rocks, Same complex as Steers and Ocean Basket, Umhlanga, Durban

Established in 1976, Spiga is a traditional family-owned Italian restaurant located across the Mitchell Park & Zoo in Durban. Their food is authentic and delicious, following age-old Italian recipes with a wide selection of options. Their vegetarian items on the menu range from antipasti to pizzas to pastas. For starters, one should try their vegetarian minestrone soup or the Carciofi Alla Griglia, a grilled artichoke with a marinade served with bruschetta toast. Their vegetarian pastas such as the Pasta Alla Sergio is divine with extra options such as mushrooms. In addition, they offer organic gluten free (corn/rice) pasta and vegan parmesan.

465 Innes Road, Morningside, Durban

Located in Durban’s northern area of Briardene is Vrushik’s Vegetarian Foods, serving both tasty vegetarian cooked meals and vegetarian products. This establishment is a 100% strictly vegetarian and vegan takeaway, serving meals with no onion, garlic, meat, fish or eggs. Not only do they serve paneer cheese but halloumi too. For starters, they have a wide variety of samoosas from cheese and sweetcorn to soya chicken, halloumi and jalapenos. They have a great selection of burgers from soya patties to halloumi burgers to plant-based burgers. They also serve rolls, wraps and sandwiches. Top of the menu is a Bombay Crush at a bargain cost. One may also purchase the pre-packed items and cook for oneself a nutritious vegetarian meal.

Shop no 11, 63 Acutt Avenue, Briardene, Durban

This restaurant has its roots in Durban since the 1980s and has been based in different locations. The vegetarian menu is diverse, with offerings such as bean curries (sugar beans or broad beans), mixed vegetable curry, served as bunny chows, also served with rice or roti. Also on the menu is the vegetarian breyani. Bombay Crush, a liquid dessert, is also on offer. To end it all, they have a divine traditional dessert called Kheer. The food reminds one of a home-cooked meal and is ever so comforting.

123 Problem Mkhize Rd, Essenwood, Durban

This splendid Italian restaurant is located in four main suburbs in Durban; Morningside, Westville, Durban North and uMhlanga. All their pastas are homemade from the fettucine to the penne to the spaghetti, with the options of pasta made with free-range eggs or no eggs. You may also add in gluten-free options. They offer the most appetising vegetarian pastas such as the simple Napoli pasta, the Spinach and Ricotta Panzerotti, the Vegan Artichoke Risotto and the Gardeniera. Not forgetting the delicious gnocchi that is also homemade freshly on-site. Their pizza bases are also homemade and topped with an authentic Italian pizza sauce and cooked in a wood-fired pizza oven. To meet everyone’s needs, a gluten-free pizza base is also on offer. Their classic vegetarian pizzas on the menu are the Margherita, The Amy and The Vegetarian. There are two options for vegetarian burgers, a bun-less Vegan Burger and a Vegetarian Burger. There are also vegetarian options on the kids menu.

257 Florida Road, Morningside, Durban

Pizza Boyz is renowned for making scrumptious authentic Italian pizzas. Their recipes have been passed through the generations. They pride themselves on using locally sourced, GMO-free ingredients. Pizza Boyz offers vegetarian pizzas and pastas. One also has the option of designing one’s own pizza with various toppings and sauces. The vegetarian Pizza Pops are a big hit with a choice of dipping sauces like tzatziki, hummus and spicy tomato salsa. Ciabatta Rolls and Focaccia also are on offer. A unique offering is their 32-slice margherita pizza called ‘The Yard’, that can be shared in a group. The pizza bases are done so well and not forgetting the pizza pops, a unique offering of small bite size dough balls filled with feta cheese and served with a dipping sauce.

150 Florida Road, Morningside, Durban

A prominent pizzeria located on Florida Road, Morningside, Col’Cacchio is known for its genuine Italian-inspired food. From unique pizzas to pastas and salads, you can be sure of good quality and service. The range of salads is predominantly vegetarian, such as their brioso, made with lettuce, rocket, roasted beetroot, green yoghurt dressing, feta, roasted butternut, butternut chips, crispy onion and cranberries. Their pizza menu offers a wide selection of vegetarian options, namely, the Vegan Margherita. One of their best vegetarian offerings is the Norm’s Pralina pizza, made with butternut and tomato base, roasted butternut, chilli, feta, pumpkin seed praline and rocket.

262 Florida Rd, Morningside

Nestled around the corner of Florida Road and Currie Road in Morningside is a quaint Turkish restaurant called Istanbul. The main attraction of course being the delectable food and drinks, from the free Turkish tea served before the meal to the starters, mains and desserts. A delicious starter is the Meremek Corba, a traditional lentil soup served with freshly wood fire baked Turkish bread. The vegetarian menu is scrumptious with the falafel platter offering falafel served with hummus, salsa, fried brinjals, yoghurt sauce, salads and Turkish flatbread. Food and a cosy atmosphere makes Istanbul a much desired restaurant and the cost effective pricing for good, solid, homely food keeps one coming back for more.

245 Florida Road, Morningside, Durban

Caminettos has established itself as a distinct restaurant having created a fusion of world cuisine from Italian and Mexican to Thai - all with a South African flavour. The food is cooked with the freshest and highest quality ingredients. They have a wide selection of vegetarian choices on the menu for each worldly category, from the vegetarian tacos to the vegetarian pizzas and pastas. Their vegetarian specials include a vegetarian Gatsby burger and the Famous Cashew Veg. Their vegetarian tacos are absolutely delicious and made to perfection with grilled mushrooms and a choice of combos such as guacamole, salsa, pickles and sour cream to guacamole, Jalo mayo, red onion and sour cream.

201 Sparks Rd, Sydenham, Durban

One won’t find a more cost-effective spot with wholesome homely vegetarian meals than at Kara Nichha's in North Beach, Durban. Their breyani (or biryani) servings are super cheap, while the roti rolls are priced just as low - and not forgetting Durban’s iconic bunny chow at great prices. The food is delicious and one is offered a wide range on the menu. This is by far the cheapest place to buy plain rotis, samoosas, puri pathas and vedes. Many vegetarians flock to the local takeaway. Kara Nichha's proximity to the beachfront makes it a prime eatery. So when you are feeling peckish, make your way down to North Beach’s prime vegetarian restaurant.

111 Snell Parade, North Beach, Durban

Nothing beats the good food and the calming effect of the sea breeze as an ultimate location. Surf Riders Café does just that, pairing good food with a good location. Located along the Durban beachfront, Surf Riders Café offers both vegetarian and vegan items on the menu, from the halloumi Cypriot breakfast to the Vegan Coconut Tofu. Moving on to the lunch menu one has options such as a Vegan Burger and Fries or a Shroom Burger and Fries. The fries are also amazing with the option of the classic potato fries, zucchini fries or sweet potato fries. Also on offer are the Poke bowls or vegan and vegetarian pizzas. To top it all off, there’s a vegan milkshake made with almond milk.

17 Erskine Terrace, Addington Beach, Durban

Fancy a meal where you can soak up the sunshine and watch the yachts make their way in and out of the harbour? Look no further than Durban’s 9th Ave. Waterside restaurant. It is not just a restaurant but a cocktail bar and events venue. The vegan menu offers up appetisers such as the mezze platter with a selection of three mains such as the Mushroom and Spinach Risotto. On the a-la-carte menu are the Butternut Tortellini, which has a roasted butternut and ricotta cheese filling, candied walnut crumble, crema with garlic parmesan sauce and the Mushroom Tortellini, smoked butter, grilled oyster mushroom, chive crema, truffle oil with parmesan wafer. Yum!

2 Maritime Place, Harbour, Durban