This year's Michelin Guide award ceremony was not without it's landmark moments. We saw Mark Birchall's Moor Hall become the UK's tenth three Michelin-starred restaurant, and welcomed the UK's first Michelin-starred Greek restaurant in OMA. But the biggest story of all was when Kirk Haworth and sister Keeley’s Shoreditch restaurant, Plates, became the first vegan restaurant in the UK to ever win a Michelin star.
Plates was among the 22 new one-star restaurants announced at the 2025 Michelin Awards. The restaurant, which re-opened on Old Street in July 2024, has quickly risen to prominence for its entirely plant-based menu, as well as Kirk's successful stint on Great British Menu, where he won the competition with his entirely vegan dishes. The concept for Plates emerged after Haworth was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2016, a condition exacerbated by sugar, gluten, and certain animal products.
A classically trained chef, Haworth has adapted techniques in inventive ways to suit vegan, gluten-free diets free from refined sugars. His philosophy focuses on flavour, and innovation, pushing the boundaries of plant-based gastronomy. It takes shape in a seven-course tasting menu, featuring unusual dishes like mung and urad bean lasagna with a miso and chive sauce.
Referencing visits to dine at Plates, a Michelin inspector described it as ‘a wonderful restaurant with Michelin star cooking that could convince the most committed of carnivores.’
Asked at the award ceremony what he enjoyed about cooking vegan food, Haworth 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.’
'This moment has been a long time coming, frankly,' says SquareMeal Restaurants Editor Pete Dreyer. 'We all saw how incredibly talented Kirk is via Great British Menu, and even at the previous incarnation of the restaurant before it moved to Shoreditch, which was also superb. As Kirk alluded to on the night, it does take a special sort of dedication and invention to create great food at this level without being able to lean on proteins and meat-based sauces. That makes Plates all the more remarkable.'
The recognition of Plates London by the Michelin Guide reflects a growing trend towards plant-based fine dining. It joins a select group of vegan and vegetarian restaurants worldwide that have earned Michelin stars, including the three-star Eleven Madison Park in New York City and one-star Seven Swans in Frankfurt.
Searching for the best of the best in every category? The SquareMeal 100 Restaurants in London list for 2025 covers all cuisines, neighbourhoods and price points, making it the perfect starting point if you're looking for your next meal out in the capital.
Image credit: Safia Shakarchi