Vegan Bakeries in the UK
Fifteen years ago a vegan cake usually meant a dense carrot slab in a health-food shop. Today plant-based bakeries across the UK are making laminated croissants with plant butter, custard doughnuts, towering birthday cakes and New York-style cheesecakes made with cashews. Many customers are not vegan at all – they simply come for the doughnuts – and the best bakeries make a point of baking things nobody would guess were egg- and dairy-free.
Below you will find vegan bakeries and bakeries with substantial vegan ranges, drawn from open data. Tap 'Find near me' to see the nearest first. Some are entirely plant-based; others are mixed bakeries that label vegan items clearly. If you avoid animal products strictly, or need to avoid milk or eggs for allergy reasons, the differences matter, and they are explained below.
Find vegan bakeries near you
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Vegan Bakeries by city
Popular vegan bakeries 1–30 of 193
The Courtyard Coffee Shop - Bake180
Units 4-6, Middleton Hall Craft Centre, Tamworth Road, Tamworth B78 2AE
The Hazelmere Tea House & Restaurant
The Hazelmere, 1-2 Yewbarrow Terrace, Grange-over-Sands LA11 6ED
How vegan bakers replace eggs and butter
Eggs do several jobs in baking: binding, raising, setting and adding richness. Vegan bakers swap in different tools for each one.
- Aquafaba (chickpea water) – whips like egg white for meringues and macarons
- Plant butter blocks – for flaky laminated pastry and buttercream
- Oat, soya or almond milk – for sponges, custards and glazes
- Apple sauce, banana or flaxseed – for binding and moisture in muffins and loaf cakes
- Cashews and coconut cream – for cheesecakes and rich frostings
- Vinegar plus bicarbonate of soda – for lift in light sponges
Vegan is not the same as allergen-free
A vegan bakery avoids animal products, but it may still use plenty of nuts, soya, wheat and sesame – sometimes more than a conventional bakery. If you have a milk or egg allergy, a fully vegan kitchen is a good start, but check whether the business can guarantee no cross-contamination. In mixed bakeries, vegan items may be made alongside butter and eggs, which is acceptable to many vegans but not safe for those with allergies.
Tips before you go
- Ask whether the bakery is entirely plant-based or has a vegan range – it matters for both ethics and allergies.
- Check refined sugar if you are strict: most UK sugar is not processed with bone char, but some imported sugars may be.
- Gelatine, honey, carmine (E120) colouring and shellac glazes on sprinkles are the hidden non-vegan ingredients to ask about.
- Vegan buttercream can soften faster in heat, so keep celebration cakes cool.
- If you are ordering for a mixed group, a good vegan cake is often the easiest way to cater for everyone.
Fun fact: The word 'vegan' was coined in 1944 by Donald Watson, who co-founded the Vegan Society in Leicester that November by taking the first three and last two letters of 'vegetarian'.
What to order
- Filled doughnutVegan doughnut shops have become a destination in their own right, with custard and jam fillings.
- Plant-butter croissantLook for clear, honeycomb layers – a sign the lamination is well done.
- Cinnamon bunEnriched dough without eggs or milk can still be soft and sticky.
- Chocolate fudge cakeDense and rich, it rarely betrays its vegan credentials.
- Baked 'cheesecake'Cashew or plant-based cream cheese gives a surprisingly authentic texture.
- CookiesChewy, oversized cookies are a staple on most vegan counters.
- Sausage rollPlant-based sausage rolls have gone mainstream and are worth trying from a craft baker.
Typical prices in 2026
| Item | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Filled doughnut | £3.00–£4.80 | Speciality flavours at the top of the range |
| Vegan croissant | £2.80–£4.20 | Plant butter blocks cost bakers more |
| Slice of cake | £3.50–£5.50 | Raw or cashew cakes cost more |
| Cookie | £2.20–£3.80 | Stuffed or giant cookies higher |
| Vegan sausage roll | £2.50–£4.20 | Often warm at lunchtime |
| 8-inch celebration cake | £40–£90 | Custom designs and tiers extra |
Guide prices across UK independents and chains; London and specialist bakeries often sit at the top of the range.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the nearest vegan bakery to me?
Press 'Find near me' to sort vegan bakeries by distance from your location. Fully plant-based bakeries are most common in larger cities and university towns, but many independent bakeries, doughnut shops and cafés now carry a clearly labelled vegan range, so it is worth checking those listed nearby too.
Are vegan cakes safe for people with a milk allergy?
A vegan recipe contains no milk, but the cake may have been made in a kitchen that also uses dairy, so trace contamination is possible. A fully vegan bakery is lower risk. If the allergy is severe, ask about how ingredients are sourced and whether the bakery can provide written allergen information.
Do vegan cakes taste different?
A well-made vegan cake should be hard to tell apart from a conventional one. Modern plant butters, oat milk and aquafaba give good structure and richness. The differences, if any, tend to show in very egg-dependent bakes such as sponge rolls or meringues, or in buttercream, which may be a little softer.
Can I order a vegan birthday cake near me?
Yes – vegan bakeries and many general cake makers offer plant-based birthday cakes. Allow around a week for a decorated design, and confirm that sprinkles, food colourings and any chocolate decorations are vegan as well. Sizes and prices are similar to standard celebration cakes, roughly £40–£90 for an 8-inch cake.