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In the past, when making dinner plans, the mention of a vegan attending would be enough to make anyone stay home in front of Netflix instead.

But now, as the number of vegans in the UK has skyrocketed to at least half a million, not only are our favourite high street restaurants catching up to speed but some of the world's best exclusively vegetarian and vegan restaurants have popped up across the country.

The trick is knowing where to look. From ethical fine dining to cruelty-free fast-food, we’ve rounded up the best establishments across the UK, where any vegan can get their fill of tasty and nutritious food without feeling like they have to compromise on style or flavour.

You'll never need to cancel your dinner plans again.

Food For Friends, Brighton

This smart and classy eatery in the heart of Brighton’s historic lanes is part of a newer breed of high-design veggie restaurants in the UK that goes way beyond your average hemp-filled cafe, and is perfect for wining and dining a well-heeled vegan. Its ethos is tasty and affordable food, using the best locally sourced ingredients to produce a seasonally inspired menu - serving up everything from fragrant coconut curries to fresh salads. Book a table for the weekend early because it gets busy.

foodforfriends.com

Terre a Terre, Brighton

For haute cuisine with a relaxed vibe it’s hard to beat a trip to Terre a Terre. This brightly coloured seaside restaurant has long been a favourite for Brightonians (its been in business for over 20 years), serving up world-inspired veggie and vegan dishes with a fine-dining finesse. There’s a set menu to choose from as well as tapas-style sharing plates if you can’t decide on just one dish. Try the blistered padron peppers with Chinese watercress or the brilliant ‘cheese’ and pickle gnocchi. There are several interesting vegan dishes on the menu that go beyond butternut squash and tofu, and plenty of the vegetarian options can be made vegan too.

terreaterre.co.uk

Purezza, Brighton

Didn’t think vegans could eat pizza? Think again. Italian dishes are the order of the day at this animal-free pizzeria, which prides itself on offering healthy and tasty pizzas for those who don’t want to abstain from tucking into a slice or two after a long day at work. There’s an extensive list to choose from - from quattro formaggi (coconut, soya, cashew and almond cheese) to Hawaiian (pineapple and seitan salami), which can all be washed down with an excellent selection of vegan wine and beer from the bar.

purezza.co.uk

Black Cat Cafe, London

If #cleaneating and pushing lettuce leaves around your plate isn’t your thing, head to Black Cat. This all-vegan, volunteer-run cafe in the heart of Hackney has plenty of ‘normal’ grub on the menu to keep even the most hardened of carnivores happy. There’s a cruelty-free fry up, bolognese lasagne, and monstrous beef-style burgers with fries to tuck into. Make sure to wash it all down with one of the excellent almond milkshakes.

76a Clarence Rd, E5 8HB

Vantra, London

The yoga-loving health brigade head to Vantra post-workout, keen to feast on its menu of organic, macrobiotic and raw global dishes that are good for the body, soul and planet (or so it says on its website). While the menu is vast and varied, make the most of the restaurant's buffet; a veritable feast of soups, raw salads and fermented and steamed superfood concoctions.

vantra.co.uk

Mildred's, London

Somewhat of a Soho institution, Mildred’s is as old as she sounds - hailing right back to the late Eighties. But don’t expect dated earthenware pottery and peeling wallpaper, this modern restaurant has been brought slap bang into 2016 with a chic Scandi vibe inside. The menu is international-themed, so there’s something to keep everyone happy - from burgers and salads to larger sharing plates. It’s worth noting that it doesn’t take bookings, so get in early to grab a table.

mildreds.co.uk

Ethos, London

A stone's throw from Oxford Circus, this beautifully designed restaurant offers simple vegetarian soups and salads alongside sweets like doughnuts and cake pops. Be careful: the price is by weight not by dish, so don't go if you're feeling ravenous or you might bankrupt yourself. It's safer to snack here after a day of shopping.

ethosfoods.com

The Waiting Room, London

This hipster hideaway on Deptford High Street is another welcome alternative to the Deliciously Ella effect. Think less steamed kale and more meat-free buffalo hot wings, sticky BBQ ribs and hot dogs. The fridge is well stocked with Brewdog and Beavertown beers and there’s a small community library inside - bring a book along and swap it for one you fancy on the shelf.

waitingroom16.com

The Old Hardware Shop, Liverpool

There are no shortage of veggie restaurants serving up junk food in the capital, but this small family-run business is something of an anomaly in the North West. It’s only been around for a year or so, but it’s already become a hit with the locals of Woolton Village and farther flung areas of Merseyside. Everything on the menu is vegetarian, but pretty much everything can be 'veganised' - from cheese toasties and hot dogs to chocolate peanut butter shakes with lashings of whipped cream and cherries on the top.

theoldhardwareshop.com

The Egg Cafe, Liverpool

The Egg has long been a place of pilgrimage for Scouse vegans, a light and airy loft space with mismatched wooden furniture and colourfully painted beams inside. Expect to see artist, students and bohemian types tucking into their comforting and homely menu.

eggcafe.co.uk

The Art School, Liverpool

Located in a stunning former Victorian orphanage building, this fine dining menu is a meat-free masterpiece offering fixed-price and tasting menus for vegans, vegetarians and pescetarians. Try the warm salad of roasted fig, spring leaves, fennel, wild rocket, red onion with toasted walnuts, almonds and focaccia croutes to start and the brilliant salt baked celeriac with quinoa, roasted sweet potato, shaved fennel salad and charred chicory. If you’ve still got space after your four courses, try to pack in the marinated red berries and sweet tapioca with lemon balm, kikuna leaf, lychee and cinnamon syrup.

theartschoolrestaurant.co.uk

The Warehouse Cafe, Birmingham

The self-proclaimed ‘greenest restaurant in the Midlands’, this community-orientated eatery offers affordable and accessible dishes inspired by seasonal British fruit and veg. There are curries, salads and soups and the cafe recycles everything that it uses, uses a bicycle courier (or foot) for the majority of its fresh produce and buys organic and fair-trade wherever it can.

thewarehousecafe.com

V-Revolution, Manchester

Not a fan of chickpeas and lentils? This strictly vegan restaurant will rewire your thinking. Not only is the menu ludicrously cheap (with prices ranging from £1 to £6) it also serves to highlight that going vegan doesn’t mean going without. This American diner-style cafe in the trendy Northern Quarter offers a decent array of chicken and beef burgers alongside grilled ‘cheese’ sandwiches, loaded nachos, desserts and soy ice cream floats.

vrevmcr.co.uk

The 8th Day, Manchester

Finding life from the roots of a craft exchange and alternative centre, Eighth Day has been a major part of Manchester’s vegan community since the 1970s. On the ground floor you’ll find a shop selling trendy vegan brands and health foods, but venture downstairs and you’ll discover one of the city's best-kept secrets. This bohemian basement cafe is popular with both vegans and gluten-free folk, offering everything from veggie sausage and cider casseroles, lentil and coconut soups and a range of jacket potatoes.

8thday.coop

Earth Cafe, Manchester

This pretty cafe is located in the basement of the Manchester Buddhist Centre is a vegan-friendly retreat with an emphasis on healthy eating. Don’t expect chips and meat substitutes - on the menu you’ll find healthy mung bean curries, tomato and chickpea salads and freshly made smoothies. But if you’re looking to finish off a session of clean eating with something decadent, fear not, because there’s a brilliant array of cakes to sample on the ever-changing dessert counter.

earthcafe.co

Mono, Glasgow

One of the jewels of Glasgow’s gig scene also happens to be one of the best spots to grab vegan grub in the city… not to mention the most trendy. The menu is adventurous to say the least, serving up buffalo cauliflower pizzas, avocado chocolate cheesecakes and to-fish ‘n’ chips. Its ethos is simple: ‘good beer, good vegan food, good gigs and good times'. Sounds good to us.

monocafebar.com

Acorn Vegetarian Kitchen, Bath

From the ashes of Demuth’s, the restaurant that ruled the South West veggie scene for almost a quarter of a century, rose Acorn Vegetarian Kitchen. Set across two floors of a stunning Georgian building, this reasonably priced menu offers hand-prepared, locally-sourced, seasonal vegetarian food, as well as stunning panoramic views of Bath Abbey and beyond from its large sash windows.

acornvegetariankitchen.co.uk

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David Bann, Edinburgh

David Bann’s eponymous restaurant is a well-deserved, if obvious, inclusion in any vegan-friendly recommendation list that’s venturing up north for ideas. The veggie menu has plenty for dairy-free eaters too, with a globally inspired menu of fusion dishes from the Med to the Pacific.

davidbann.com

The Vegetarian Food Studio, Cardiff

Owner Neil Patel set up the Vegetarian Food Studio in 2003, and has since attracted a cult following from both the South Wales Indian community and those from further afield seeking their first taste of authentic vegetarian and vegan foods from Asia. This cheap and cheerful Indian is popular with locals and tourists, serving up traditional vegetarian curries that won’t make you miss the meat. There’s Gujarati and South Indian-inspired dishes to try as well as Indo-Chinese dishes, and a good selection of breads and rices to go alongside.

thevegetarianfoodstudio.co.uk

Follow Liz Connor on Twitter: @lizconnor_