Chain guide

Vegan options at Pizza Express: the full vegan menu

Pizza Express is one of the easiest UK chains to eat at as a vegan. Here's everything that's currently vegan, plus tips for ordering with confidence.

By Naomi Jardine, founder of Your Vegan Customer

Last checked: 12 October 2026. Menus change, so always confirm with your server on the day.

There are six vegan pizzas, five of which also come on a gluten-free base, plus vegan dough balls, vegan garlic bread, two mains and two vegan desserts. Vegan dishes are marked VE on the menu, so they're easy to spot, and you can eat a full three courses rather than settling for a side salad.

Starters

  • Vegan Dough Balls, served with vegan garlic & parsley spread
  • Vegan Dough Balls Sharer: a double helping with vegan garlic & parsley spread, houmous and smoky tomato harissa
  • Garlic Bread with vegan mozzarella alternative
  • Marinated Green Olives
  • Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

Vegan pizzas

Romana pizzas (bigger, thinner and crispier):

  • Vegan Harissa Melanzane: chargrilled aubergines with vegan mozzarella alternative, marked as spicy
  • Vegan Funghi di Bosco: chestnut mushrooms with vegan mozzarella alternative
  • Vegan Padana: caramelised onions and spinach with vegan mozzarella alternative

Classic pizzas:

  • Vegan Margherita
  • Vegan Giardiniera: artichoke, mushrooms, red onion and black olives

Leggera (under 600 kcal):

  • Leggera Vegan Giardiniera: a pizza with a hole in the middle, filled with fresh salad

All five Romana and Classic vegan pizzas also come on a gluten-free base. Pizza Express serves gluten-free pizzas with a purple pizza slicer, so if yours doesn't arrive with one, check with your server.

Naomi's pick: it has to be the Vegan Padana. The caramelised onions are a game changer, sweet and rich against the spinach and vegan mozzarella. Start with the vegan dough balls and you've got a proper meal out.

Salads and mains

  • Vegan Buddha Bowl: balsamic roasted beetroot, mixed grains, chickpeas, tomatoes and spinach
  • Vegan Peperonata: penne baked in a garlic and tomato sauce with chilli flakes (also available gluten-free, made with fusilli)

Sides and dips

  • Mixed Salad
  • Dips: Garlic & Parsley Spread, Italian Tomato, Houmous and Pizzanaise

Desserts

  • Sicilian Lemon Delight: a zesty lemon sorbet
  • Stem Ginger Cake: one of the Dolcetti mini desserts, served with a coffee or tea

Drinks

Good news here: almost the whole drinks menu is marked vegan.

  • Wine and prosecco: every wine on the list, including both proseccos, is marked VE.
  • Beer and cider: Peroni (including gluten-free and 0.0%), Meantime Pizza Pale, London Pride and both Cornish Orchards ciders are all marked VE.
  • Cocktails and gin: the Strawberry Mimosa, Passion Fruit Martini, Espresso Martini and Rhubarb & Raspberry G&T are all marked VE.
  • Coffee and hot chocolate: lattes, flat whites, cappuccinos, macchiatos, mochas and hot chocolate are all listed as oat drink versions as standard, with no plant milk surcharge shown.
  • Soft drinks and juices: all marked VE, including the Crodino Spritz, kombucha and lemonades.

Kids

The Piccolo kids' menu is three courses for £8.50: dough balls, a pizza, pasta or salad, a dessert and a Bambinoccino. Only the Innocent juice drinks are marked VE online, so ask your server which Piccolo dishes can be made vegan.

How to order with confidence

  • Always say "vegan", not just "no cheese". Vegan pizzas use different ingredients, so ordering a regular pizza without cheese isn't the same thing.
  • Order from the vegan section of the menu. It's clearer for the kitchen than building your own swaps.
  • Ask about the dips and dressings. Dips are easy to mix up when they arrive at the table, so check you've got the vegan ones.
  • Ask about shared ovens and surfaces if it matters to you. In most pizza restaurants, vegan pizzas share ovens and prep areas with everything else. Most vegans are comfortable with that, but staff should be able to tell you honestly.

Allergies: vegan isn't the same as allergy-safe. If you have an allergy, tell your server and ask to see the allergen guide.

Pizza Express vegan FAQs

Here are quick answers to the questions vegans ask most about eating at Pizza Express.

Are Pizza Express dough balls vegan?

The Vegan Dough Balls are. Order them by name rather than the standard dough balls, and check your dip is a vegan one, such as the garlic & parsley spread.

Does Pizza Express have vegan cheese?

Yes. Its vegan pizzas and garlic bread use a vegan mozzarella alternative.

Is there a vegan dessert at Pizza Express?

Yes, two: the Sicilian Lemon Delight sorbet and the Stem Ginger Cake, which comes as a mini dessert with coffee or tea.

Does Pizza Express charge extra for plant milk?

Not on the current menu. Its coffees and hot chocolate are listed as oat drink versions as standard, which is exactly what vegan customers hope for.

Are there gluten-free vegan pizzas?

Yes. The Vegan Harissa Melanzane, Funghi di Bosco, Padana, Margherita and Giardiniera all come on a gluten-free base, and there's a gluten-free Vegan Peperonata too. If you have coeliac disease, ask about their allergen procedures.

Make every meal out a good one

Pizza Express is one of the easier chains, but plenty of places still leave vegans with one token option. The Vegan Eating-Out Toolkit shows you how to check any venue in five minutes, spot hidden animal ingredients and ask staff the right questions.

Get the Vegan Eating-Out ToolkitGet the free checklist

Run a restaurant, café or pub? See how your venue measures up for vegan customers.