Holy Carrot

Just behind Knightsbridge’s bustling Sloane Street, you’ll find Holy Carrot, a contemporary, experimental and one of a kind vegan restaurant that opened its doors between lockdowns in 2020. The menu is bursting with exciting culinary options for plant-based people, with gorgeous cocktails, mocktails and a perfectly complementary vegan wine selection — all ethically sourced and prepared in what they call a “mindful manner”. In addition to being plant-based, all options are also free from preservatives, refined sugar, gluten and additives.

For many vegans living in London, the culinary experience they can hope to have when dining out has improved massively over the past couple of years. But one element that has been sparse among the offerings is a fine dining restaurant; Holy Carrot aims to fill that space. And it really delivers. The menu consists of a medley of complex flavour combinations and experimental formats. Of the cocktails, ‘the Fool’ was a truly delicious vegan take on a pisco sour, with creamy apricot notes, and the alcohol-free Berry Mojito provided a lovely palette cleanser.

Particular highlights on the food menu include the “lobster” mushroom, which is rich, creamy and tangy; the sticky and sweet orange cauliflower, which will make you see this vegetable in a totally different way; and the “crab” burger (we’d recommend ordering the black truffle mayo). The real star of the show, though, is the maki set, which proves beyond reasonable doubt that vegan sushi is very possible and enjoyable, too.

Of the desserts, you can’t really go wrong with the chocolate cheesecake.

The buzz around this place is clear, with queues out the door and excited guests swapping notes on the menu in the toilet. If you’ve ever wanted to show a non-vegan the very best of what can be made without meat and dairy, then Holy Carrot should be top of your list.

Virtuous Holy Carrot is a sleek vegan restaurant found in Knightsbridge, serving a plant-based menu which is free of gluten, sugar, preservatives and additives.

Found inside Urban Retreat, a wellness and beauty destination, guests at Holy Carrot can choose to dine in the restaurant itself, or enjoy some dishes in between their spa treatments. The dining room here is a gorgeous, traditional space complete with calming pale blue walls, an original stone fireplace and an installation of dried flowers which hang from the ceiling.

The menu at Holy Carrot is driven by seasonal organic British produce, although the dishes themselves draw inspiration from across the globe. On your visit, you might enjoy the likes of crispy and holy maki ponzu with a spiced mayonnaise, organic glazed tofu with an aubergine, red pepper and peanut sauce or a raw red pepper burrito.

After your main courses, you can enjoy a selection of tempting sweet treats, including the Homemade Candy Set (a selection of desserts made on site) and the Holy Carrot Cake. To help you wash it all down, you can take your pick from a selection of fresh juices, smoothies and cocktails. If you are wanting to stay away from the booze, opt for the Dream Green, which blends spinach, kale, cucumber, avocado, vegan protein and flaxseed. If you are in the mood for alcohol though, opt for the Rose Negroni: gin, rhubarb liqueur, little rose and rose vermouth.

Talking about the new opening, Irina Linovich, the founder of Holy Carrot, said: “When we came up with the idea to launch a vegan restaurant in Knightsbridge, we wanted to make sure that we brought an element of fun to eating vegan food. The menu is very much led by seasonal organic British produce and we take great care to ensure that the produce is ethically sourced and sustainable.”