Vegetarian and Vegan Indian Food in Glasgow: What to Order
Indian cooking has never treated vegetables as an afterthought. It has treated them as the main event.
That is good news if you are looking for vegetarian Indian food in Glasgow, with vegan options too. At Madras Cafe, in the city centre, the menu has a whole section dedicated to plant-based cooking, plus a full paneer section for vegetarians, and vegan dishes marked clearly throughout. This guide walks you through what is on offer, where the dishes come from and how to put a proper meal together.
Vegetarian or vegan: what is the difference?
The two get mixed up, and in Indian food the gap matters. Vegetarian food contains no meat or fish, but it can include dairy such as paneer, cream, butter and yoghurt. Vegan food goes further. According to The Vegan Society, vegans avoid all animal foods, including meat, fish, dairy, eggs and honey.
That is why paneer dishes are vegetarian but not vegan. Paneer is a fresh cheese, so a Palak Paneer is a great choice for a vegetarian and the wrong one for a vegan. Madras Cafe marks its vegan dishes on the menu, so you can spot them at a glance, and the team is happy to guide you if you are unsure about anything.
The vegan dishes at Madras Cafe
The vegetarian section of our menu opens with a line about India's enduring heritage of plant-based cuisine, and most of the dishes in it are marked vegan. Here is what to look for.
Dal Tadka.
Orange-yellow lentils studded with red tomato and green coriander, flavoured with cumin, garlic and whole red chillies. The word dal comes from a Sanskrit root meaning "to split", because dal is made from dried, split pulses. Researchers have dated the preparation of split dal in the subcontinent as far back as 800 to 300 BC. The tadka in the name is the fried garnish of spices that goes over the cooked lentils at the end, which is where most of the aroma comes from. Cumin seeds, mustard seeds and dried red chilli are all common in it.
Chana Masala.
Chickpeas cooked in the traditional Punjabi style with onions and tomatoes. Chana masala is a staple dish of North India, and it is often eaten with bread, including deep-fried bhatura, puri or flatbreads such as kulcha. The chickpea itself is one of the oldest cultivated legumes in the world. The chickpea was domesticated about 10,000 years ago, and the oldest archaeological evidence comes from Syria. India is now the world's biggest producer by a long way, accounting for around three quarters of global production in 2023.
Chana Aloo Saag.
Chickpeas, potatoes and fresh greens with warming spices. It is hearty, filling and one of the best dishes on the menu for a cold Glasgow evening.
Okra Kuzhambu.
A Tamilian dish of okra fingers tossed in a well-spiced masala of tomato, onion and fennel. If you think you do not like okra, this is the dish to change your mind.
Kerala Vegetable Stew.
Assorted vegetables simmered in coconut milk with curry leaf, mustard and green chillies. It is mild, gentle and creamy without any dairy at all, so it is a good pick for guests who do not want much heat.
Madras Potatoes.
Spiced potatoes tossed with sun-dried herbs, cumin, Guntur chilli flakes and fresh coriander. It is marked hot as well as vegan, so treat that warning seriously.
Tawa Subzi.
A speciality from rural India: a mix of fresh vegetables tumbled with crushed spices, peppers and herbs. It is marked vegan and hot, and it tastes simple and complex at the same time.
Vegan starters and sides
You do not have to wait for the main course. Two starters are marked vegan:
Punjabi Samosa. Pastry triangles stuffed with potatoes and peas in true Punjabi style.
Aloo Tikki. Homemade potato fritters with cumin, ginger and coriander.
Sides are just as easy. Our Laal Pyaaz (red onion, green chilli, lemon and red chilli powder) and Desi Salad are both marked vegan. So are the rice dishes: Saffron Basmati Rice, Jeera Fried Rice with cumin, Coconut Rice and Mushroom and Pea Rice. On the bread side, the Plain Naan, Garlic Coriander Naan, Tandoori Roti, Malabar Paratha and Mango Peshwari Naan are all marked vegan on the menu.
Dosa, idli and vada
The South Indian dishes on our menu are a good option for plant-based guests. The dosa is a golden, paper-thin crepe made from a fermented blend of rice and urad dal, and it comes with coconut chutney, beetroot pachadi and sambar. The Idli and Vada section works the same way: soft steamed rice cakes and crisp lentil doughnuts, served with the same accompaniments.
Both sections carry the note "vegan options available", so check with your server when you order. The beetroot pachadi is made with yoghurt, which is worth knowing if you are vegan. Try the Masala Dosa, which wraps potatoes seasoned with curry leaves, mustard seeds and crushed black pepper inside the crepe.
The vegetarian favourites
If you eat dairy, the menu opens up even more. Paneer is the star, and our kitchen serves it four ways:
Paneer Tikka. Chunks of paneer marinated in a punchy hot and sour tandoori masala and grilled with peppers, tomatoes and onions in the clay oven. It is the vegetarian answer to chicken tikka, and we tell that whole story in our piece on how a tandoor works.
Paneer Butter Masala. Soft chunks of paneer in a silky, buttery tomato sauce, cooked on a cast iron skillet.
Palak Paneer. Cubes of paneer stewed with fresh spinach, mustard leaves and fenugreek.
Punjabi Paneer. Paneer with peppers and green chillies. It is marked hot.
Malai Kofta. Deep-fried soft paneer dumplings in a delicately spiced creamy tomato sauce.
Not everyone agrees where paneer came from. Some historians point to ancient India, others to Persia or Afghanistan, and one theory suggests the Portuguese introduced the acid-curdling technique to Bengal in the 17th century. What everyone agrees on is how it is made: hot milk is curdled with something acidic, such as lemon juice, and the curds are drained and pressed.
Elsewhere on the menu you will find Veg Pakoda and a Paneer Frankie Roll among the starters, and the Vegetable Biryani, which is served with house raita.
How to order a vegan meal for two
If you are not sure where to start, here is a simple plan that works for two vegan guests:
Share a Punjabi Samosa and an Aloo Tikki to start.
Choose two mains, for example the Dal Tadka and the Chana Aloo Saag, or the Kerala Vegetable Stew if you prefer something milder.
Add a Saffron Basmati Rice and a Garlic Coriander Naan.
Finish with a Laal Pyaaz salad on the side.
For vegetarians who eat dairy, swap one of the mains for a Palak Paneer or Paneer Butter Masala, and start with the Paneer Tikka.
Vegetarian Indian food in Glasgow city centre: find us
Madras Cafe is at 120 Stockwell Street, Glasgow G1 4LW, a short walk from Glasgow Central Station. You can look through our menus, book a table or order online. If you have an allergy or a specific dietary need, please tell us when you book so the kitchen can guide you properly.
Frequently asked questions
Does Madras Cafe have vegan options? Yes. Several starters, mains, rice dishes and breads are marked vegan on the menu, including Dal Tadka, Chana Masala, Chana Aloo Saag, Okra Kuzhambu, Kerala Vegetable Stew, Madras Potatoes and Tawa Subzi. The dosa and the idli and vada sections also list vegan options.
Is paneer vegan? No. Paneer is a fresh cheese made from milk, so it is vegetarian but not vegan.
What is the best vegetarian dish for a first visit? Paneer Tikka is a good place to start if you eat dairy, and Dal Tadka is a classic that works for both vegetarians and vegans.
Are there mild vegan dishes? Kerala Vegetable Stew is cooked in coconut milk with curry leaf and mustard, and it is one of the gentler dishes on the menu. Heat levels are marked on the menu, and our team can advise on any dish.
Is the naan vegan? The plain naan, garlic coriander naan and mango peshwari naan are marked vegan on our menu. If you have any doubts, ask your server.
Where can I find vegan Indian food in Glasgow city centre? Madras Cafe is on Stockwell Street in Glasgow city centre, and the menu includes vegan dishes marked throughout.
Come and try it
Whether you eat plant-based every day or just want a lighter meal, the vegetable cooking of India has something for you. Book a table at Madras Cafe, and for more stories like this one, visit our Food Stories page.