Last checked: 8 November 2026, against each chain's own website and menu. Festive menus change, some dishes vary by restaurant and prices can differ by location, so always confirm when you book. We'll update this page as chains add or change their Christmas dishes.
Christmas is when eating out as a vegan can feel most like an afterthought: set menus with one token option, gravy you can't have and a dessert you have to ask about. Some UK chains get it right, though, and a couple of much-loved vegan festive specials haven't come back this year.
The quick answer: for a full vegan Christmas dinner, Toby Carvery and Zizzi both have vegan choices for every course, and Mildreds is fully vegan. On the go, Costa has a vegan mince tart and Greggs has vegan-friendly mince pies. The Greggs Vegan Festive Bake isn't on the menu so far, and Pret has no vegan Christmas sandwich this year.
Vegan Christmas options at a glance
| Chain | Vegan Christmas options 2026 | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Toby Carvery | Vegan soup, mushroom tart or vegan carvery, and vegan options on the crumble and Christmas pudding | 11 Nov to 1 Jan |
| Zizzi | Vegan choices for every course on the festive set menu | 17 Nov to 4 Jan |
| Pizza Express | Vegan Loaded Snowball Dough Balls, plus the regular vegan menu | Christmas menu now on |
| Mildreds | A fully vegan Christmas menu (London) | Check when booking |
| Costa | Gluten Free Vegan Mince Tart and Vegan Ham & Cheeze Toastie | Christmas menu now on |
| Greggs | Vegan-friendly Sweet Mince Pies. No Vegan Festive Bake so far | Christmas menu now on |
| Pret | No vegan Christmas sandwich this year | Christmas menu now on |
Vegan Christmas menus at restaurant chains
Toby Carvery
Toby Carvery's festive menu runs from 11 November 2026 to 1 January 2027, at two courses from £14.79 or three from £18.79. It's one of the easiest places on the high street to get a full vegan Christmas dinner.
- Starter: Carrot, Maple & Ginger Soup, served with toasted rosemary focaccia (VE)
- Main: Portobello Mushroom & Spinach Tart (VE), or the Vegan Carvery: ask for freshly steamed vegetables and vegan gravy
- Pudding: the Apple & Rhubarb Crumble and the Christmas Pudding both have a vegan option, served with vegan custard or vegan ice cream
- Kids: Honeydew Melon with raspberries (VE) as a starter
The menu only confirms the steamed vegetables and gravy for the vegan carvery, so ask which roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings and trimmings are vegan before you help yourself.
Zizzi
Zizzi's festive set menus are available from 17 November 2026 to 4 January 2027, from £24.95, with the three-course festive set menu from £29.95. Zizzi is open on Christmas Eve but closed on Christmas Day. These dishes are marked vegan on the festive set menu:
- Starters: Bruschetta Classica, Aubergine Fritti
- Mains: Vegan Margherita, Vegan Pomodoro, Vegan Lentil Ragu, Vegan Baked Gnocchi and Aubergine Parmigiana with vegan MozzaRisella
- Desserts: Raspberry Collins Cheesecake and Fudge Cake
Some of these share a name with the non-vegan versions, so say you're vegan when you order.
Pizza Express
Pizza Express is running an offer of any starter and any main for £20 this Christmas. Its new festive dishes aren't vegan: the Dough Balls in Blankets come wrapped in pancetta, the Christmas Crackler pizza has pulled pork and the Festive Five Cheese pizza has burrata.
The festive vegan dish is the Vegan Loaded Snowball Dough Balls, a dessert of dough balls topped with chocolate sauce, dusted with cinnamon and icing sugar and served with a chocolate dip. Everything on the regular vegan menu is still available too, so a vegan starter and pizza both fall within the £20 offer. Our full Pizza Express vegan menu guide lists every option.
Mildreds
If you'd like a Christmas meal out where you don't have to check anything, Mildreds' London restaurants are serving a fully vegan Christmas menu at £45 for two courses or £50 for three. Dishes include crunchy fried Brussels sprouts, arancini alla vodka, a Christmas skewer, cauliflower vol-au-vent, sticky toffee pudding, dark chocolate mousse and bread and butter pudding, with nibbles and sides shared across the table. Check dates when you book.
Vegan Christmas food on the go
Greggs
The Vegan Festive Bake isn't on Greggs' menu as of 8 November 2026. Only the regular Festive Bake is listed, with a new recipe this year, and it isn't vegan. If the vegan version comes back, we'll add it here.
For now, Greggs' Sweet Mince Pies are labelled vegan-friendly, and the Vegan Roll Pork-Free is on the menu all year. The other Christmas specials, including the Festive Feast Baguette and Pigs Under Blanket Toastie, contain meat.
Pret
There's no vegan Christmas sandwich at Pret this year. The 2026 Christmas menu includes the Christmas Sandwich, the Christmas Baguette, a new Christmas Hot Baguette, the Pigs in Blankets Roll and a Brie, Pistachio & Cranberry Baguette for vegetarians, but nothing vegan. The festive drinks are finished with chocolate whipped cream, so stick to Pret's regular vegan range.
Costa
Costa's Gluten Free Vegan Mince Tart is marked vegan, and so is the Vegan Ham & Cheeze Toastie, made with Quorn vegan smoked ham slices and plant-based mayo. The Festive Flatbread, Festive Feast Toastie, Festive Spice Muffin and Black Forest Yule Log all contain milk or egg. The festive lattes and hot chocolates are listed as vegetarian rather than vegan, so ask whether yours can be made with plant milk and without the toppings.
How to book a vegan Christmas meal out
- Say you're vegan when you book, not just when you order. Set menus and party bookings often need pre-orders, and the kitchen may need notice.
- Ask about the trimmings. Roast potatoes can be cooked in animal fat, Yorkshire puddings contain egg and milk, and stuffing and gravy often include meat stock or butter.
- Check the dessert sauce. Custard, cream and brandy sauce are usually dairy, so ask for a vegan custard or ice cream instead.
- Don't assume "vegetarian" means vegan. Festive vegetarian dishes often rely on cheese.
- Get the free checklist. Our Before-I-go checklist covers what to check before any meal out.
Allergies: vegan isn't the same as allergy-safe. If you have an allergy, tell the restaurant when you book and ask to see its allergen information.
After Christmas: Veganuary 2027
Once Christmas is over, chains turn their attention to Veganuary, with new vegan dishes and offers from early January. See our Veganuary 2027 guide to every UK chain's vegan menu, updated as each one announces its plans.
Vegan Christmas eating out FAQs
Here are quick answers to the questions vegans ask most about eating out at Christmas.
Is the Greggs Vegan Festive Bake back in 2026?
Not so far. When we checked Greggs' menu on 8 November 2026, only the regular Festive Bake was listed, and it isn't vegan. Greggs' Sweet Mince Pies are labelled vegan-friendly, and the Vegan Roll Pork-Free is on the menu all year. We'll update this page if the Vegan Festive Bake returns.
Does Pret have a vegan Christmas sandwich in 2026?
No. Pret's 2026 Christmas menu doesn't include a vegan Christmas sandwich. The festive sandwiches and baguettes contain meat or cheese, and the festive drinks are finished with chocolate whipped cream, so stick to Pret's regular vegan range or ask in store.
Does Toby Carvery do a vegan Christmas dinner?
Yes. On the 2026 festive menu you can start with the Carrot, Maple & Ginger Soup, have the Portobello Mushroom & Spinach Tart or a vegan carvery with freshly steamed vegetables and vegan gravy, then finish with the crumble or Christmas pudding, which both have a vegan option, with vegan custard or vegan ice cream.
Does Zizzi have a vegan Christmas menu?
Zizzi's festive set menu, available from 17 November 2026 to 4 January 2027, marks vegan choices for every course, including Bruschetta Classica, Vegan Baked Gnocchi, Vegan Lentil Ragu and a vegan Fudge Cake. Say you're vegan when you order so you get the vegan versions.
Are the Pizza Express Christmas pizzas vegan?
No. The Christmas Crackler pizza has pulled pork and the Festive Five Cheese pizza has burrata. The festive vegan dish is the Vegan Loaded Snowball Dough Balls dessert, and the regular vegan pizzas are still on the menu.
Where can I get a fully vegan Christmas meal out?
Mildreds, which has restaurants in London, serves a fully vegan Christmas menu, with two courses for £45 or three for £50 per person. Elsewhere, Toby Carvery and Zizzi have vegan choices for every course on their festive menus.
Eat out with confidence, all year round
Festive set menus are where vegans most often get 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.
Sources: Toby Carvery festive menu, Zizzi festive set menu, Pizza Express Christmas, Mildreds Christmas menu, Greggs menu, Pret Christmas menu, Costa menu (all checked 8 November 2026).
Run a restaurant, café or pub yourself? See our Veganuary guide for venues.