You might know people who are on vegetarian diets for religious reasons, but a vegan diet is different from a vegetarian diet. A vegan diet cuts off not only animal meat, but also animal produce like eggs and milk.

We know, we know. What would I do without fried chicken? While meat isn't bad for you, with many people not being able to go without it for health reasons, an occasional vegan meal is good for your body as it can decrease your risk of heart disease and lower your blood sugar levels!

Source: Vegan People

What people don't really know is that switching to a vegan diet is good for the environment too! Switching to a vegan diet can reduce your carbon footprint by up to 73%! Even if you don't decide to go full vegan, the occasional vegan meal or maybe doing a Meatless Monday doesn't hurt.

That being said, here are five restaurants that serve vegan food so good that you won't even realise that there's no meat in it:

1. Nourish by Kenny Hill Bakers

If you're thinking a vegan dish here would just be a Caesar salad, you'd be mistaken! From dishes with eggplant, asparagus and avocado being its centrepiece, the food here is prepared with condiments like dukkah and harissa, making it a unique dining experience.

For a tea-time treat, try their lattes! They have special ones like hojicha, sweet potato and beetroot lattes that you can have with your choice of milk- lactose intolerant foodies, rejoice! Nourish also serves meat with only the most organic ingredients.

2. Sala

This restaurant makes use of hericium- a mushroom which is used a lot in Chinese vegetarian cuisine as a meat replacement for its high protein content and chewy texture! At Sala, it's used in their Sarawak laksa and cooked rendang-style for their nasi lemak.

They're also creative with their Taco Tuesdays, where you can expect fillings like asada mushrooms and jackfruit, which has also become a popular substitute for pulled pork. For a refreshing drink, get the kombucha sold there too!

3. Rawsome

Rawsome's goal is not just to serve good food, but to encourage people to live a healthier lifestyle! Aside from selling food, they also host yoga classes at affordable prices. While they're not a fully vegan restaurant, they have a special vegan menu which include buddha bowls and wraps.

What stands out for their vegan selection by far is their tempeh prepared rendang style, served alongside some sambal, rice and veggies. Some of their desserts are also vegan, and if you're watching your intake, the website shows you the calories that are in each dish.

4. Fittie Sense

While Fittie Sense serves a variety of fish, chicken, lamb and beef, they also have a delicious array of vegan dishes. From cauliflower 'rice' dishes to zucchini noodles and burgers, the ingredients you'd use for a non-vegan meal are substituted well, with cheese that comes from yoghurt and a chilli stew with beans instead of meat.

For options that are not in the daily menu, their daily specials also boast vegan dishes. On Mondays, they serve veggie skewers in harissa sauce and on Sundays, they serve vegan briyani! 

5. Kind Kones

Surprise! It's an ice cream shop- because vegans need dessert too. Kind Kones serve only vegan ice cream, using all-natural ingredients, including molasses sugar and coconut milk. The ice cream also comes in flavours that change every once in a while, so check back regularly to see what they come up with next!

Besides ice cream, they also serve a variety of cakes and drinks which are all vegan-friendly and totally yummy! They have a huge selection, so check out their website for more info.

Weekend meal plans settled! Where will you be going?

All photos from individual shop websites (tagged in shop names)
Cover source: Unsplash