Chennai's vegan community shares more than just their dietary choices – they share personal stories of change, compassion, conscious living, and recommend where you can savour the best of vegan cuisine.
Chennai's vegan community recommend where you can savour the best of vegan cuisine. (iStock)
A recent nationwide survey conducted by YouGov’s India panel revealed an inclination among Indians towards adopting a plant-based diet. The survey, conducted concurrently with the ongoing Veganuary campaign, highlights that 59 % of respondents are highly likely to consider embracing a vegan lifestyle in the near future.
Additionally, as per the Good Food Institute India’s Smart Protein Market Size Study, the Indian vegan food market is poised to reach a valuation between ₹11,270 crore and ₹30,134 crore by 2030.
This increasing interest in vegan, plant-based diets reflects a shift, particularly in dietary choices, where many individuals are turning to veganism to promote eco-friendly and cruelty-free lifestyles.
In line with the global Veganuary campaign, which encourages individuals worldwide to try veganism in January, South First connected with Chennai’s vibrant vegan community.
The city’s prominence in the vegan scene is hard to ignore, especially since PETA awarded it the title of the most vegan-friendly city in India in 2018.
As members of the community share their journeys into veganism, we also discover their top picks for places in the city that offer delectable vegan options.
Tanmay Prabhudesai made an important decision in December 2019, switching to a vegan/plant-based lifestyle. Reflecting on his journey, he shares, “As someone who grew up eating meat and really enjoyed it, switching to a plant-based diet was a big leap. I loved my meat, but, ironically, like most people, I also loved animals.”
Tanmay Prabhudesai. (Supplied)
Despite concerns about meat addiction, dining options, and protein sources, Prabhudesai credits the documentary Game Changers for dispelling myths about the need for meat to build strength. Since then, his health has improved, and he no longer feels guilty passing by a butcher shop.
“I stopped consuming dairy products as well because dairy is just as cruel (if not worse) as meat. I watched multiple documentaries, did my research and discovered the horrors of the meat and dairy industry. One quote that hit me hard was: ‘Your 20-minute lunch is an animal’s entire lifetime’,” he adds.
Restaurant recommendations
B’Veg, Gopalapuram (offer veg and vegan options)
Nomad Pizza, Velachery (Offers really good plant-based pizzas)
Biggies Burger – Multiple locations (Offers plant-based meat burgers)
Little Italy, Nungambakkam (Offers great vegan pasta and pizzas)
Top vegan delight
“I personally love the Mushroom 65 Biryani from B’Veg, and I think everyone (vegan or non-vegan) should try this!” he says.
Dr Lakshmi Sundar. (Supplied)
Dr Lakshmi Sundar, a lifestyle medicine physician, embraced veganism in 2014 and adopted a whole food plant-based lifestyle in 2017. Sharing her journey, she says, “I have not worn silk or leather since the late ’90s because of my love for animals.” Overcoming a perceived challenge, Dr Sundar adds, “Curd was something I thought I would not be able to give up.”
Her motivation to switch intensified due to concerns about her weight, admitting, “I was obese and had to stop dairy just to control my consumption of ice-cream.” One fine day, she decided to give up all dairy products. “I have been a vegetarian since birth and that was the only thing I had to give up,” she shares.
Restaurant recommendations
The Viridian Plate, Thiruvanmiyur; Eko-Lyfe, Alwarpet
Top vegan delight
“I love the open sandwiches at Eko-Lyfe and the Chettinadu tofu at Viridian Plate,” she shares. Her all-time favourite is the plant-based menu crafted by Chef Jesu at Savera, featuring dahi (cashew curd) wada and carrot halwa, without any use of oil, ghee, or sugar.
Kunal Mutha. (Supplied)
“I switched to a vegan lifestyle on 8 October, 2019, which was also my birthday,” shares Kunal Mutha, founder of Only Earth.
“I just wanted to feel good by doing good for the animals. Since then, there’s been no looking back. I haven’t had a single cheat day. I avoid any dairy-based products. Most of my cravings disappeared due to strong moral reasoning for me to switch,” he shares.
Restaurant recommendations
SOWL (Nungambakkam and Alwarpet), is currently his favourite eatery.
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Top vegan delights
“They have many vegan-friendly options; I particularly love their sandwiches,” he says.
Yashwanth Srinivas, a software developer, has been wholeheartedly committed to a vegan lifestyle for nearly seven years.
One day, during a routine meat purchase at a butcher’s, he was confronted with the harsh reality of the treatment inflicted upon chickens. “The substandard living conditions, physical assault, and death, all for a fleeting moment of sensory pleasure, deeply troubled me,” he says.
Yashwanth Srinivas. (Supplied)
Faced with this reality, he couldn’t “justify contributing to such needless cruelty especially when there are abundant and cruelty-free plant-based options available.”
“Choosing a vegan lifestyle soon became the most impactful decision I’ve ever made,” he shares.
Restaurant recommendations
The Viridian Plate is one of Yashwanth’s favourite spots to eat in.
Top vegan delights
“They (Viridian Plate) are a 100% vegan restaurant run by two passionate ethical vegans (Shankar and Gayathri),” he says. Their mock meat dishes are out of this world. Their Chettinad plant-based chicken and plant-based chicken biriyani are great!” he adds.
Dr Nrutya Subramanyam, a family physician and board-certified lifestyle medicine practitioner, along with her husband, has been adhering to a vegan lifestyle since 2021. “We follow a whole-food, plant-based eating pattern, limiting oil and sugar while avoiding processed and ultra-processed foods,” she explains.
As a family physician, Dr Subramanyam participated in an online medical conference during the pandemic, where a presentation on lifestyle medicine inspired her to pursue board certification in the field. “During my training, I adopted a whole-food, plant-based diet and experienced positive changes, which I have continued,” she shares.
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Restaurant recommendations
For vegan dining, she recommends Taaze in Alwarpet, Pumpkin Tales and SOWL, which offer vegan menus.
Top vegan delights
“Rajma Bowl and Lotus Biscoff Brownie from Taaza, all the meal bowls from Pumpkin Tales, and the Chocolate Orange Gelato from SOWL.”
Neelima Sriram, a multifaceted professional as a plant-based chef, food consultant, food stylist, and educator, has been a vegan since 2017.
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Motivated by a desire to prevent diabetes, a condition prevalent in her family, Neelima made the conscious choice to adopt a vegan lifestyle. She shares, “I just hated the idea of me getting diabetes at some point in my life; hence, I went vegan.”
Neelima Sriram. (Supplied)
Restaurant recommendations
Eko-Lyfe, Lyfe by Soul Garden Bistro at Alwarpet, Pumpkin Tales at Alwarpet, Savera Hotel, Mylapore; ITC Grand Chola, Guindy.
Top vegan delights
“Eko Lyfe serves up fantastic ramen bar dishes, and their chocolate gelato is an absolute delight. At Soul Garden Bistro, the Tofu Tikka and pizza are superb. Pumpkin Tales offers a delicious Laksa bowl, and their chocolate cake paired with vegan Cappuccino is a personal favourite. Additionally, ITC went the extra mile, curating a special vegan Italian dinner for me on my birthday upon request!” she shares.
Smuruthi Kesavan, the founder of Crumbheaven, a plant-based home bakery, has been actively following a holistic plant-based lifestyle since 2020. Her approach is simple: consume more plants and plant-based products. As someone who is lactose intolerant, Kesavan emphasises the positive impact adopting a vegan diet has had on her overall well-being.
“This lifestyle is cruelty-free and also has the least environmental footprint, as factory farming is the leading cause of climate change, even more than the entire transportation and fossil fuel industries,” she shares.
Smuruthi Kesavan. (Supplied)
Encouraging a gradual transition, Kesavan advises those considering a plant-based lifestyle to start small. “Reducing meat and dairy consumption incrementally can be a manageable approach,” she suggests.
Restaurant recommendations
Kesavan recommends exploring accessible and affordable breakfast places that offer decent vegan options – Sangeetha, Hot Chips, Ratna Cafe, Vasantha Bhavan and Geeta Cafe are some of her favourites. For a special treat, however, she suggests Lola’s Pizzeria in Alwarpet, Chennai.
Top vegan delight
Lola’s Pizzeria’s delicious vegan pizzas.
A lover of Indian food, Kesavan highlights the abundance of vegan options in South Indian cuisine, making it easier for her to gravitate towards plant-based choices. “The majority of all South Indian foods are vegan, from our staples at home like rasam, sambar, dals, parotta kurma, idli, dosa (except ghee dosa), vada, parathas (except paneer and cheese), pani puri, bhel puri, sev puri, and so much more. Indian cuisine, unlike others, has more plant foods, and the emphasis is on focusing on those plant foods,” she adds.
(South First neither promotes nor endorses any particular diet or cuisine. The aforementioned story is derived from surveys and the viewpoints expressed by the individuals interviewed.)
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