Once upon a time, one of the hardest things about going vegan was giving up all those decadent desserts and creamy ice creams. Fortunately, times they are a-changing, and now, if you know where to look, there’s a slew of Abu Dhabi restaurants and cafés serving up plant-based dishes that will still hit the spot – sweet treats included, of course. To give you a helping hand, we’ve rounded up some of the best vegan desserts in the capital and where you can find them.
Alba Terrace
Go to Alba Terrace for sundowners and stay for the dessert. The stylish Mediterranean spot in the uber-luxe Abu Dhabi EDITION is the brainchild of Michelin-starred Tom Aikens so you already know it’s good. This vegan mixed red berry pudding is a dreamy combination of chia seeds, almond milk, cardamom, agave, and vanilla served with mixed red berry purée made up of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, lemon juice, and gluten-free oats. Fresh berries, cashew cream, a sprinkle of pistachio and dairy-free pistachio ice cream seal the deal.
For Time Out’s full review click here.
Open daily 7am-11pm. Abu Dhabi EDITION, Al Bateen, albaterrace.com (02 208 0000).
Bloom Vegan Kitchen
The perfect British summertime treat, Eton Mess is synonymous with crunchy meringue and whipped cream. But not Bloom Vegan Kitchen’s Eton Mess though, which substitutes all that usual dairy with soya yoghurt, Lotus biscuit, mixed glazed berries and pistachios. One of Abu Dhabi’s only 100 percent vegan kitchens, the delivery-only service caters to various locations across the city, making it perfect for a late-night indulgence. If you’re going the whole hog, kick your meal off with vegan mac & cheese – you won’t be disappointed.
For more delicious delivery, click here.
Delivery only. bloomvegankitchen.com (02 800 83426).
Wild and the Moon
We love a slice of banana bread to satisfy those post-dinner sugar cravings – and even more so when it’s a guilt-free indulgence. Luckily, the thoughtful people over at Wild and the Moon whip up a mean plant-based version of our favourite lockdown treat, and you’d never know the difference. It’s the perfect accompaniment to their iconic super food bowls.
For Time Out’s full review click here.
Open Sat-Thurs 9am-8pm; Fri 10am-10pm. Qasr al Hosn, wildandthemoon.ae (56 188 4073).
Café 302
It’s hard to whittle down Café 302’s menu to the best of the desserts, but if we had to choose, we’d go for the homemade vegan lemon cheesecake. Housed in Al Maha Arjaan by Rotana, this award-winning café is one of the most vegan-friendly in town – it has a completely separate vegan menu and often hosts various plant-based promotions and theme nights. It is one of our favourite spots in the city to while away an afternoon with (guilt-free) vegan cake, coffee and friends.
For Time Out’s full review click here.
Open daily 8am-11pm. Al Maha Arjaan by Rotana, rotanatimes.com/almahaarjaanbyrotana/dining (02 610 6666).
House of Pops
If you didn’t think the words “healthy” and “ice cream” could go hand-in-hand, you’ve obviously never heard of House of Pops. Not only are its popsicles 100 percent vegan and natural with no refined sugar, they are high in fibre. The frozen vegan treats come in a whole host of flavours, from coconut and strawberry to banana, mango and chocolate. With super-fast delivery when ordering online or through the ‘gram, they’re perfect for a post-dinner snack on the sofa.
For more frozen treats, click here.
Open Sat-Thurs noon-midnight; Fri 11am-6pm. Al Mushrif, houseofpops.ae (58 892 0063).
Healthy Patisserie
If you’re looking to cater for a special occasion and there’s vegans in the house, Healthy Patisserie is famous for its vegan and paleo naked chocolate cake that’s free of gluten and refined sugar, too. Yes, you read that right. Made from almond and gluten-free flour, organic agave, egg replacer, cacao and vegan secret whipping cream, it’s even topped with strawberries and blueberries for extra health. We challenge you not to eat it before your guests arrive.
For more healthy takeaways, click here.
Order online. healthy-patisserie.com.
Black Tap
A guilt-free homage to Black Tap’s iconic towering milkshake, the Black ‘n White CakeShake is a thing of magic. Popping up after years of requests for a dairy-free, vegan option, this soy-based chocolate shake has a house-made vanilla frosting rim (made with almond milk), vegan chocolate chips on the side and is topped with a thick slice of Black ‘n White cake, which swaps in applesauce instead of dairy. It’s finished off with a rice-based whipped cream and chocolate drizzle that will satisfy even the strongest sweet craving. Sadly, its Yas Mall branch closed recently, but there’s a new outpost in Mamsha Al Saadiyat opening very soon.
To find out more about Black Tap’s jumbo burgers and iconic shakes coming to Abu Dhabi, click here.
Mamsha Al Saadiyat (opening soon), blacktapme.com
CocoAsia
Specialising in pan-Asian cuisine and healthy bowls, this friendly little eatery also does a mean vegan coconut ice cream that is the perfect palate cleanser for its crispy tofu salads and dreamy vegetable pad Thai. Made in-house, it comes served in an authentic wooden bowl that will transport you direct to Bali, and the vegan dessert is sprinkled with the most glorious coconut topping. If you’re feeling lazy, it is available on Deliveroo, too.
For the best vegan and vegetarian food in Abu Dhabi, click here.
Open daily 11:30am-10:30am. 3rd Street, Al Khalidiya, cocoasia.ae (02 622 5554).
No Dough Bakery
Home of healthy, guilt-free tasty treats, the lovely chaps over at No Dough Bakery are also well versed in keto recipes too, so all bases are covered. Their vegan chocolate chip cookies are some of the best in Abu Dhabi. They are sweetened only with dates, which means they are basically fruit (or so we tell ourselves). Be sure to order in advance, though – this local business is still growing and often need a day or two to deliver. Trust us, it will be worth the wait.
For all things vegan in Abu Dhabi, click here.
Delivery only. instagram.com/nodoughbakery.
wagamama
wagamama has been dabbling with vegan recipes for a while now, but they’ve really gone and knocked it out the park with this vegan mango passion “cheese” cake served with a scoop of pink guava sorbet. Cheese in hyphens because, obviously, there’s no cheese. A low-sugar, no-bake crowd pleaser, the fresh mango flavour is the perfect complement to the tart guava sorbet. It will leave you seriously wanting more. The cake is plant-based and guilt-free though, right, so what’s the harm?
For more about wagamama’s ladies’ cooking classes, click here.
Open daily noon-11pm. Third floor, Abu Dhabi Mall, wagamama.ae/restaurants/abu-dhabi-mall (02 679 7466).
For more vegan options, including the best vegan burgers in Abu Dhabi, click here.
