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The best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Singapore

Going on a plant-based and meat-free diet has never been this easy

Written by
Time Out Singapore editors
,
Fabian Loo
&
Pailin Boonlong
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There's more to vegan and vegetarian grub than an uninspiring mountain of leafy greens and raw vegetables. Whether you have dietary restrictions or just prefer greens and grains, these kitchens in Singapore are churning out wholesome meat-free meals without compromising flavour. Far from sad salads and countless carbs, these spots pack flavour and character into plant-based dishes. With cuisines ranging from Korean and Peranakan to Japanese and Italian, vegans and vegetarians have tons to choose from. Time to ditch the bland salad life!

RECOMMENDED:  The best vegetarian local food in Singapore and the best healthy restaurants in Singapore 

Best vegan and vegetarian restaurants

  • Restaurants
  • Vegetarian
  • Raffles Place

This cosy vegetarian food court at Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is still pretty much under the radar. A total of four stalls serve up affordable healthy meals. Eat your way through mixed rice, noodles, and desserts. And while it may seem like there is plenty of variety in their menus, both the noodle and dessert stations follow a strictly scheduled menu that features just one dish a day. For instance, there are the popular char siew wanton noodles ($5) on Tuesdays and laksa ($5) on Wednesdays. 

  • Restaurants
  • Indian
  • Rochor
  • price 1 of 4

Making vegetables sexy is something this restaurant does very well. Sexy Indian, yes that’s its name, is a plant based, GMO free, gluten free, wholesome food restaurant at the Vagabond Club. Indulge in the best possible ingredients to satisfy your cravings for Indian food in the most healthy way. With fast and efficient service that does not compromise on quality, Sexy Indian also offers Indian influenced cocktails using spices like tamarind, cilantro and masala to heighten your experience further. Infused in dark red decor and gold accents, the restaurant oozes a sexiness to lure you in and stay for more.

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  • Restaurants
  • Sentosa

Meat-alternative restaurant Casserole at Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa is a haven for all vegans or vegetarians with an entirely meat-free menu. What makes Casserole stand out is that it follows a family-style dining concept: a rotating menu of casserole dishes are part of the chefs’ specials, showcasing a variety of cuisines such as Asian, Western, and Indian. Try the Banana Leaf Dry Braised Beef Rendang ($28) or the Middle Eastern Spiced Kebab & Falafel ($24) for a delicious start to meat-free dining. Casserole also offers organic wines and unique cocktails, featuring fresh sprigs of garnish that have been grown in-house.

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  • Restaurants
  • Vegan
  • Geylang

While vegetarian restaurant Loving Hut closed its doors in 2022, VeganBliss quickly opened in its place. This joint prides themselves on tasty renditions of hawker fare – all dishes are allium-free and fully vegan. For a simple meal, tuck into noodle dishes like char kway teow ($8.90), Hokkien noodles ($5.90), or satay bee hoon ($7.90). They do also serve up specials like Peking crispy duck (from $24) and buah keluak ($26), a hearty Peranakan dish. 

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  • Restaurants
  • Rochor

Going vegan or vegetarian? Give your diet a boost with homely meals from Create Healthy Lifestyle, a café tucked away in Fortune Centre. They don't use garlic, onions, or eggs here, and you won't mind much mock meat either. Instead, get fresh and filling meals ranging from economical style rice dishes to noodles, soups, burgers and sushi rolls. 

  • Restaurants
  • Cafés
  • Tanjong Pagar

Over at Cultivate, they check all the boxes when it comes to quality vegan nosh: they’re plant-based, GMO-free, and even gluten-free – all while keeping the menu purely vegan. After all, they believe that “pure food” is what you need to cultivate your best self. There’s every reason to head down, considering that this vegan café in Maxwell Reserve Hotel also has a picturesque library-themed setting, with shelves of books all around. 

Expect only the freshest of ingredients here, with an emphasis on the seasonality of produce, with the menu featuring the likes of white asparagus, Turkish figs, and Sicilian green olives. You’re spoilt for choice here, with a solid range of vegan sandwiches, poke bowls, salads, and superfood earth bowls. They also have a grab-and-go counter where you can easily pick up some of their bakes, such as a flaky croissant or one of their many patisseries.

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  • Bars and pubs
  • Cocktail bars
  • City Hall

More than just a cocktail bar, Analogue's plant-based menu extends to its food as well. Meatless plates that come loaded with flavour: jackfruit tacos ($26 for three) hide hearty, meaty rempah-spiced filling between crispy shells; while poutine fries ($20) makes for a hearty sharing plate with mushroom miso and vegan cheese. Wash it all down with a drink or two.

  • Restaurants
  • Vietnamese
  • River Valley

The Kind Bowl serves up belly-warming meals that are friendly on the waist and environment. This plant-based Vietnamese eatery uses sustainable, ethical ingredients to create its menu of pho, banh mi, and salads. Try The Kind Pho ($11.80), with comfy broth topped with shredded seitan, grilled oyster mushrooms, sprouts, and herbs; or slurp up the BBQ Delight ($13.90), a tangy, dry noodle variant that is just as hearty.

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  • Restaurants
  • Vegan
  • Raffles Place

Who says you have to give up local cuisine once you decide to embrace the vegan lifestyle? A cosy joint at Havelock II, Genesis serves up delicious plant-based, dairy-free local fare at affordable prices. The ingredients here are carefully selected for their rich nutrient values while still remaining delicious and flavourful. Try out their famous dumplings with capsicum sauce ($6.60/6 pieces), made with mock meat, mushrooms and spring onions. There's also the bak kut teh ($11.90) with tofu, mushrooms, mock meat and potatoes. Don't forget to round off your meal with a delicious and creamy tofu cheesecake ($5.90). 

  • Restaurants
  • Vegetarian
  • Bukit Timah

While this isn't a strict vegan establishment (the place serves "white meat" like fish), the menu is largely made up of vegetable-forward dishes. You’ll be amazed by how extensive the choices are, proving that eating clean doesn’t need to be limiting. There are raw food entrées like zucchini pesto pasta ($18) and taco boats ($18) packed with guacamole, mango salsa and "meatballs". You can even chow down on burgers and wholemeal pizza without the guilt – or hunger – pangs after. And don’t forget to pop by the retail space on the second floor to stock up on more healthy eating essentials. 

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  • Restaurants
  • Chinatown

Hip, cool and raw – that's what this eatery at Keong Saik Road is all about. Its evolving menu of vegetarian, mostly-raw, plant-based food is clever and creative. We recommend the Smoked Stack Burger ($23), a full-fledged veggie patty with purple cabbage slaw. For dessert, go for the raw cheesecake ($15) that serves cashew cream on cashew crust. The dishes don’t attempt to mimic the "real thing", and are delicious for its wholesome, earthy flavours.

  • Restaurants
  • Geylang

Burger joints are a dime a dozen in Singapore. But there’s possibly only one which is VeganBurg that, like its name suggests, offers vegan burgers. The fast-food vegan joint doesn’t let the plant-based ethos limits its range, instead, you’ll be offered a variety of seven burger mainstays, plus other seasonal offerings. Other sidekicks to complement your meal include vegan hot dogs, crispy fries drenched in awesome sauces, and even char-grilled broccoli sticks if you’re laying off on carbs.

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  • Restaurants
  • Vegetarian
  • Tanjong Pagar

This Michelin Bib Gourmand winner on Peck Seah Street serves up a curious mix of Thai and Peranakan vegetarian dishes. Its recently refreshed interiors sport emerald green walls, more seats and a better ventilation system – all for your dining pleasure, of course. Order a bunch of dishes to share – but be sure not to miss the Nonya curry ($21). The hearty Peranakan style curry is served with minced mushrooms that resemble meatballs and potatoes. Other vegetarian takes on zi char staples include sweet and sour "pork" and crispy handmade yam rings stuffed with capsicum, celery, cashew nuts and king abalone mushrooms.

  • Restaurants
  • Vegetarian
  • Chinatown

With more than half a dozen outlets under its belt, Elemen breathes new life into boring vegetarian dishes. Devoid of mock meat, the restaurant’s intercontinental menu offers people-pleasers of pizzas and pastas, but we urge you to give the Asian delights such as the seaweed tempura tofu with "unagi" roll ($15.80), curry with crispy roti ($12.80), and truffle broth ramen ($15.80) a try. Stay for dessert – Elemen offers the likes of a classic tiramisu ($8.80) and double-boiled lemongrass with peach gum ($7.80).

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  • Restaurants
  • Indian
  • Rochor

The history of one of the city’s oldest restaurants stretches back to 1924, when a Brahmin family opened up a joint along Selegie Road serving traditional Indian vegetarian dishes. That original branch is still dishing out all manner of flatbread and curries, but now it has four sister outlets, thanks to the late MK Ramachandra. The second-generation owner – and well-documented cat lover – is responsible for transforming his dad’s restaurant into the chain it is today.  On the food front, the prata (from $2.30) is a safe bet, but our pick goes to the onion rava masala thosai ($5.50): potato curry wrapped in a crispy shell of the fermented pancake that’s studded with onions. 

  • Restaurants
  • Indian
  • Rochor

At Kailash Parbat Restaurant, its interiors are as busy and chaotic as its menus. But don't be overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices, here's how to narrow it down. Among its signature dishes, the chole bhature ($12.50) is a hands-down favourite while the restaurant's chickpea curry served with puri is spicy yet sinfully good. Other favourites include the Punjabi samosa ($9) which is stuffed with potatoes, chickpeas, chopped onions and coriander. 

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  • Restaurants
  • Vegan
  • Orchard

All of its outlets boast zen-like interiors and a menu of Asian and Western dishes that are all vegetarian, mostly vegan and some even gluten-free. Ingredients are sustainably sourced and largely organic. Even its choice of beverages offer plant-based ingredients, like the butterfly pea and pandan tea ($8) and dairy-free probiotic drinks like a homemade kefir ($7).

  • Restaurants
  • Indian
  • Rochor

Franchise or not, we like the basic-but-effective Komala Villas, which has been open since 1947 and has branches on Race Course, Buffalo and Serangoon Roads. The food comes in hearty sets on metal trays – go for the whopping vegetable biryani set ($10.50), which comes with chapati, papadum, saffron rice, veggie curry, daal, raita and a whole range of pickles and sauces. If you're there for breakfast, then the masala dosa is a must-have – a long crispy thin crepe stuffed with potatoes and onions and comes with an assortment of sauces. Who needs meat?

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  • Restaurants
  • Ice-cream parlours
  • Orchard

Kind Kones dishes out a variety of healthy, vegan and mostly gluten-free sweet treats. All their ice cream and desserts are made from scratch with natural and chemical-free ingredients that are unprocessed. Head for a single scoop of standard ($5.90/scoop) or premium ($7.90/scoop) ice cream; or try desserts like the Brownie Sundae ($11.50). The signature flavour is Blue Planet, with green matcha cake bits and a base made up of coconut, cashew and almond milk And yes, thanks to a natural blue pea flower dye, it is a startling shade of blue. 

  • Restaurants
  • Toa Payoh

If you cannot think of Korean fare without barbecued meats and fried chicken, a visit to this meatless Korean restaurant will change your mind. Here, sauces and bases like kimchi and gochuchang are made from scratch and ingredients are flown in from Korea to keep flavours authentic. Its dolsot bibimbap ($13) tastes decidedly healthier as it's packed with raw veggies and the jajangmyeon ($10.90) is still umami-laden even though it's meatless. Note that the restaurant uses eggs and dairy in its dishes.

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  • Restaurants
  • Vegetarian
  • Bukit Timah

Established over a decade ago, this veggie restaurant has been serving upscale, vegetarian Middle Eastern fare ever since. It whips up ample share plates like the Mezze Platter ($27) with hummus, pumpkin and carrot dip, baba ganoush, tzatziki, falafel and ciabatta bread.

  • Restaurants
  • Fusion
  • Orchard

Vegetarian food is placed on a pedestal at Joie, one of the few restaurants that solely focus on a multi-course vegetarian menu. It’s undoubtedly a special occasion type of place, with elegant decor and thoughtfully plated dishes. Here, try the six-course dinner menu for $68 per person. You’ll get to choose from mains like truffle risotto, grilled summer mushroom steak, or eggplant terrine with wild rice. 

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  • Restaurants
  • Jurong East

With its numerous outlets islandwide, you are never too far from a quick and convenient vegetarian meal. It’s Asian fusion food and the core ingredients include soybeans, konnyaku, mushrooms and vegetables. The clever ways in which it imparts "meaty" flavours are by using gong bao mushrooms to replicate beef in rendang, and mock prawns and fish balls are made from konnyaku jelly. The food here is also onion and garlic free and there are vegan options too.

  • Restaurants
  • Vegetarian
  • City Hall

Nutrient-dense whole foods served in creative ways are what you can expect at this Taiwanese chain’s Singapore outpost. Sufood’s menu is peppered with fruit and vegetable salads, hearty soups and Italian-inspired mains with Asian touches. There's its Star Pizza ($17.80), which has both cream cheese and wasabi tomato sauce. The five-grain rice with mushrooms and black truffle ($19.80) with its nutty flavours and heady truffle aroma, is highly recommended.

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  • Restaurants
  • Rochor

Unlike any Japanese restaurant in town, Teng serves vegan sashimi. Try its 5 kinds platter where prawn, salmon, squid, scallop and tuna are served moriawase-style – all made of konjac jelly but look exactly like the real thing. The rest of the menu is packed with salads, mains, noodle and rice dishes and delicious appetisers like a mushroom gyoza ($11).

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