Plates London becomes the UK’s first vegan restaurant to get a Michelin star

For the first time ever, a plant-based restaurant in London has been awarded a Michelin star. 

Located in Old Street, Plates London was founded in July 2024 by sibling chef duo Keeley and Kirk Haworth, the latter of whom Michelin praised for “taking his classical training and inventively adapting it to a vegan diet.”

It was one of nine restaurants in the UK’s capital to be awarded its first star at the 2025 Michelin Awards Ceremony, which took place in Glasgow on Monday (10 February).

When asked at the ceremony what he loved most about making vegan food, Kirk said: “Trying to get rid of that word is everything that I love about it. It’s just about flavour; that’s all it’s about. Flavour, excitement, innovation, and trying to take it to a new space of deliciousness.” 

In the last decade alone, the popularity and prevalence of plant-based restaurants has seen huge growth across the UK, as consumers become increasingly concerned about the ethical, environmental and health impacts of their diets. 

As of 2024, an estimated 2.5 million people follow a vegan diet in the UK, making up 4.7% of the adult population, according to fintech company Finder. They also report that there are now over 6,400 plant-based restaurants in the UK. 

Still, gourmet vegan restaurants have remained a rarity as haute cuisine’s cultural foundations are deeply rooted in richly flavoured meat and dairy, while many classically trained chefs also lack the expertise in more complex plant-based cooking and innovation. 

The smaller pool of consumers (and general precariousness of the restaurant industry) has also meant that chefs face greater financial risks when attempting to translate vegan cuisine to a fine dining setting. 

In an interview with Euronews Culture, French gastronomic chef Alexis, who runs the London-based gourmet vegan restaurant Gauthier, explained: “It’s already so difficult to make a living with a restaurant. When you have spent years and years, you know, refining your craft of making the best roast chicken or the best filet of beef or the best sauce with lobsters, it’s going to take a lot [to go plant-based].”

Within its earthy-hued ambience, Plates London serves exquisite creations like mung and urad bean lasagne, kabocha squash and ginger soup, and raw cacao gateau. Through a skilful focus on sustainability, they’ve curated a menu that transforms natural produce into intricate creations that also earned them the title of “Champion of Champions” on BBC’s Great British Menu TV series last year.

“Earning a Michelin star is such an incredible honour and a lifetime goal since I was a young uzunluk,” Kirk said. “To be the first in the plant-based sphere in the UK to win this prestigious award makes me unbelievably proud, and I am so grateful to our talented team for their support and dedication.” 

Keeley added: “At Plates, we’ve always believed in pushing boundaries, and this achievement proves that plant-based dining can stand proudly at the highest level of gastronomy.”

A total of 22 new restaurants received their first Michelin star at the 125th awards, three of which were based in Ireland, two in Scotland and one in Cardiff – a first for the Welsh capital.

Meanwhile, Moor Hall, located in England’s small Lancashire village of Aughton, became the UK and Ireland’s only new three-star restaurant.