Birmingham’s Top Vegetarian Restaurants and Cafés

---

About the author: Hi! My name is Tamara Greatrix, but I usually go by Tam, and I’m a 3rd year BA English Literature student at the University of Birmingham. I am currently the Print & Features and Culture Editor for Redbrick Newspaper and writer for The Tab. In my spare time, I ride horses and love visiting the theatre.

High-quality and affordable vegetarian spots can be hard to come by, especially when you’re finding your feet in a new city. There’s always that feeling of slight dread when you’re scanning the menu at a new restaurant, wondering which unappealing mushroom dish you’ll end up picking at.

Luckily for you, I’ve spent the last three years scouring out the best veggie spots in both Selly and Brum, and as a six-year strong vegetarian, I can confidently say you don’t have to sacrifice flavour to avoid eating meat. Here are some of Birmingham’s best vegetarian places that have been on my rotation recently.

The best vegetarian spots in Selly Oak

Hey Brew Espresso ☕

Right in the heart of lively Selly Oak, Hey Brew is the perfect spot for an indulgent midweek treat that won’t break the bank; and the best part is, almost everything can be made plant based! The menu is packed with fresh, wholesome options, offering a welcome break from the typical student staple of pesto pasta. I usually go for the smoothie bowl; it’s vegan-friendly and piled high with granola, blueberries, and raspberries, all topped with a generous serving of Biscoff.

My best friend swears by their matcha, but if that’s not your thing, there’s plenty to choose from. With vegetarian bagels, brownies, and a variety of coffees and teas (all available with dairy-free milk) you’re positively spoilt for choice!

📍 Address: 552-554 Bristol Road, Birmingham, B29 6BD

–

Yakinori 🍜

If you’re looking for a local sit-down restaurant with plenty of vegetarian options, Yakinori is the ideal choice. The Selly Oak branch is located on Bristol Road and offers authentic Japanese cuisine, and their vegan menu has tons of different options, which you can view in advance here! They have indoor and outdoor seating and offer a 20% student discount Monday to Friday, making it a budget-friendly way to have a hearty meal!

If you live nearby, keep an eye out for their free samples! I frequently walk past on the way back from campus and once managed to snag a free miso soup on a very rainy, cold evening, which was delicious.

📍 Address: 520 Bristol Road, Birmingham, B29 6BD

–

Cantina (University Centre) 🌯

Lots of University of Birmingham students tend to overlook the University Centre Cantina, but there is so much choice. It’s also extremely convenient for those long study sessions when you need a pick-me-up.

My favourite stall in the Cantina is the Burrito bar, and their vegetarian options are great. It is a bit on the pricier side, ranging from £5-£6, but it’s worth it for a treat after a hard day studying for finals. They have three different veggie fillings, plant-based mince, refried beans, endless vegetable choices, and vegan cheese!

📍 Address: University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2GG

–

The best vegetarian spots in Birmingham city centre

Rudy’s 🍕

Rudy’s is an authentic Italian pizzeria, with one of their branches being based just off New Street. It’s surprisingly easy to get to from Selly Oak, either by a 15-minute bus or a 10-minute train journey. The restaurant is beautifully adorned with fairy lights and is the perfect cozy spot for date night or an evening out with friends.

What sets Rudy’s apart from many other Italian restaurants in the city centre is their dedication to creating a great meat-free dining experience. Each month, their chef creates a new vegan pizza, curated with plant-based meats and designed to reflect traditional Italian flavours. Their tiramisu is also incredible for the sweet-toothed readers out there!

📍 Address: 9-10 Bennetts Hill, Birmingham, B2 5RS

–

The Botanist 🍸

The Botanist is a great spot to grab a few drinks while eating some hearty vegetarian food. While it sits on the pricier side of this list, its location on Gas Street Basin, near Brindley Place, more than makes up for it. Plus, you can get some great Instagram photos while you’re there (and if aesthetic pics are your vibe, check out my blog post on the most Instagrammable places in Birmingham).

The restaurant caters well to plant-based diners, with an ever-expanding vegan menu with lots of unique options I’m yet to find elsewhere in the city – including vegan kebabs and halloumi skewers. My standout dish on the menu is the halloumi skewers, but there is plenty to choose from and you won’t feel hard done-by compared to your meat-eating mates!

📍 Address: 12 Bridge Street, Birmingham, B1 2JR

–

Blank Street 🍵

I’m fully aware I’m embarrassingly late to the trend on this one, but Blank Street Coffee has quickly become my favourite coffee spot in Birmingham city centre. They have the largest variety of vegan matcha options you’ll find in the city, and with matcha’s proven benefits to cognitive function, it’s the perfect treat while you’re studying in central. I’m already planning my return to try their Strawberry Shortcake Matcha.

The coffee chain offers plant-based milk at no extra cost and has a small range of vegan sweet treats to try, from cinnamon buns to banana bread. It is worth noting there are no plant-based savoury lunch options, so it’s best suited for a quick pit stop, rather than a full meal.

📍 Address 1: 80 New Street, Birmingham B2 4BA

📍 Address 2: Bullring Shopping Centre, Moor Street, Birmingham B5 4BU

📍 Address 3: 42-44 Waterloo Street, Birmingham B2 5QB

–

Next time you’re out in Selly Oak or Birmingham, you can rest assured there are plenty of great veggie-friendly spots to try, no matter the occasion. At risk of sounding like a cliché uni student, you haven’t lived until you’ve tried a matcha latte from Blank Street, so take this as your sign to treat yourself!

Find student accommodation in Birmingham

Whether you're after a student house in Selly Oak or Edgbaston, UniHomes works with letting agents all over Brum to bring you a wide range of student accommodation options in Birmingham (all with bills included). Check out our range of student properties here!

Already found next year's home-away-from-home? Sort your utilities with UniHomes' student utilities packages. We take the stress out of student bills by bundling them into one easy payment that's split fairly between you and your housemates – get your quote here today!

This post is part of the UniHomes Content Ambassador programme, where current students across the UK share tips about student life in their city to help you make the most of your time at uni. Like these guides? Add UniHomes as a preferred source in Google with just one click by checking the box to see more expert content from our student writers!

The views and opinions expressed in these blogs are those of the UniHomes Content Ambassadors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of UniHomes. UniHomes accepts no liability for the content of these Student Blogs.