Mildreds

Central London institution Mildred’s dates back to 1988, an era when vegans were shunned, reviled and closeted, which is perhaps why it wears the 100% plant-based nature of its offering so lightly: it’s just a classy, casual-ish restaurant with a diverse, international menu that happens to include no meat. The Covent Garden branch has launched a pre-theatre menu, which is gleefully eclectic and rampantly globe-trotting. Spinach gyoza! Sweet potato tortelloni! Sri Lankan curry! Grilled artichoke caesar! Korean fried chick’n burger! But there’s something quite endearing about how lightly it wears its free for all nature. They’re just fans of tasty vegan stuff, who needs a wider philosophy? If there is a common denominator it’s that it’s all unabashedly hearty fare.