When Plates London was awarded a Michelin star in February 2025, it wasn’t just a milestone for the restaurant-it was a seismic shift for British gastronomy. As the UK’s first fully vegan restaurant to receive this prestigious honor, Plates has redefined what plant-based cooking can be, earning praise from critics, diners, and the Michelin Guide itself for its inventive, technically accomplished, and deeply satisfying cuisine.
Located just off Old Street in Shoreditch, Plates is the creation of siblings Kirk and Keeley Haworth. Chef-owner Kirk, whose culinary pedigree includes stints at The French Laundry, Restaurant Sat Bains, and The Square, leads the kitchen with a vision shaped by both classical training and personal transformation. After being diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2016, Kirk adopted a plant-based diet for health reasons, but his ambition was always to elevate vegan food beyond labels. “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,” Kirk said at the Michelin Awards Ceremony. His sister Keeley, Plates’ managing director, shares this ethos: “At Plates, we’ve always believed in pushing boundaries, and this achievement proves that plant-based dining can stand proudly at the highest level of gastronomy.”
The restaurant itself is an intimate, 25-seat space designed in collaboration with east London studio Design & That. Its earthy, tactile ambience-walnut-tinted walls, sculptural lighting, and a hand-carved wooden bar-creates a sense of calm and groundedness. The open kitchen, surrounded by a lively counter, invites guests into the creative process, with diners often interacting directly with the chefs. “The service team at Plates have a knack for seeming fully relaxed yet being constantly efficient and switched-on,” observed a Michelin inspector. “They are friendly, personable and slick, allowing the experience to unfold as smoothly as possible.”
Plates’ menu is a masterclass in modern British vegan cuisine, with dishes like barbecued maitake mushrooms, mung and urad bean lasagna, and raw cacao gateau. Reviewers have been quick to note that the restaurant’s appeal extends far beyond the vegan community. “Since it opened, Plates London has been permanently packed – and not just with vegans. The restaurant is full of curious and discerning diners, who are here not because of their diets but because they’ve heard it’s one of the most exciting new restaurants around,” wrote a Michelin inspector. Time Out praised the restaurant’s “visionary vegetable and plant-based dishes,” noting, “It offers one of the cheapest Michelin star tasting menus in town… There’s a waiting list many months-long to score a spot in this cosy, cottagecore-adjacent Old Street space.”
Livingetc’s reviewer captured the atmosphere: “For a place known for its Russian roulette-style reservation system… Plates London feels refreshingly unassuming. Diners gesticulate widely, laugh, and taste each other’s mains while seated. An L of busy stools surrounds the open kitchen… letting guests not only peek inside of it but almost cheer the brigade up as they rush to finalize their choreographically presented courses.” The review concluded, “If only I knew how to cook plant-based food like Kirk Haworth, I’d live happily ever after without meat.”
The recognition of Plates by Michelin signals more than just a personal triumph for the Haworths. It marks a watershed moment for veganism and sustainability in fine dining. “Sustainability is not just about the earth, the food, or the ingredients – it’s about people, and creating a world that’s sustainable for all of us to flourish together,” Kirk told Livingetc. The restaurant’s commitment to local, seasonal produce and its avoidance of animal products align with growing consumer demand for ethical and environmentally conscious dining.
Keeley Haworth reflected on the broader impact: “I think it’s incredible for the UK to have a plant-based Michelin star restaurant, to really showcase the British gastronomy… It just shows diversity.” With Plates, the boundaries of vegan cuisine have been redrawn, proving that plant-based dining can not only compete at the highest level, but also help lead the way toward a more sustainable, inclusive, and delicious future.
