Veganism in the UAE: best restaurants for vegan bites

For vegans in the UAE, finding the right place to eat can be difficult based on their dietary restrictions. Vegans typically eat a diet that excludes meat, eggs, dairy products and other animal-derived ingredients. While they may not be easy to find, there are indeed restaurants and cafes in the UAE that are catering to veganism. In honour of the day, we’re rounded up a few places that offer impressive vegan options. Menagerie, Dubai The cafe in Mirdif offers some tasty vegan options that include the gluten-free Mac No Cheese, raw falafel and tajine (consisting of aubergine, zucchini and sweet potato) served with cauliflower rice. They also offer breakfast pancakes that are completely vegan as well as portobello on toast. The desserts are all gluten- and dairy-free, which allows for a yummy treat afterward. IL Donaccino, Dubai For those with a sweet tooth, a good vegan option includes Il Donacinno in JLT. The donut shop offers an impressive array of vegan donuts including Lotus Biscoff, Glaze Cinnamon, D'Original, Glaze Coconut, Hello Berry and Apple Cider Glazed. Simple Café, Abu Dhabi The newly opened café in Zayed Sports City is a health lover’s dream, and offers vegan, gluten and dairy-free meals. From smoothies and sports fuels to juices and energy bites, the entire menu is vegan-friendly. Most of the main meals consist of tofu, quinoa, and various vegetable, while snacks range from mango chia pudding to banana bread. Tawa Bakery, Abu Dhabi Located at Al Muneera Plaza, the bakery that’s known for being gluten-free also offers a special vegan menu that includes soups, salads, veggie burgers, pasta, and more. They also offer a vegan version of the popular Arab dessert legaymat as well as chocolate donuts and brownies. Pinza Pizza, Abu Dhabi and Dubai The restaurant offers five vegan pizza options including the El Padrino, Mother Earth, The Faux Meat Lover, Oh My Vegan Pinza, and Truffled Vegan. They also have a “build-your-own” section that includes options of vegan sausage as well as vegan organic cheese. Circle Café, Abu Dhabi and Dubai The cafe has just recently released a new vegan menu with options that include cauliflower and BBQ chickpea flatbread, brown rice noodles and edamame, pumpkin and tomatillos with roasted almonds, and the vegan sandwich (consist of slow cooked mushrooms) and served with sweet potato fries. The Raw Place, Abu Dhabi and Dubai Raw is known for its super-healthy drinks, but also give vegans another good option for food. Besides salads, the pad Thai noodles are made entirely of vegan ingredients as are the mushroom aranchini, pesto knoodles, and mushroom risotto. Dessert consists of lemon-berry cheesecake, almond fudge, coconut parfait, and more. _______________________ Read more: _______________________