Best Vegan Dumplings in Scotland — Our Complete Guide
Last updated: March 2026. All venues reviewed independently. No paid placements.
Scotland’s plant-based dining scene has matured considerably in recent years, and its dumpling restaurants have followed. Vegan dumplings — once an afterthought on menus built around pork and prawn — are now a serious category in Edinburgh’s food scene. Several kitchens now produce plant-based dumplings with the same technical attention given to their meat counterparts: handmade wrappers, properly seasoned fillings, and cooking methods that deliver real texture and depth.
This guide covers the best vegan dumplings available in Scotland, with a focus on Edinburgh where the scene is most developed. We have assessed each venue on four criteria: flavour, authenticity, texture, and value — applied equally to vegan options as to everything else we review.
🥇 Best for Vegan Choice: Dumpling Queen X Dai Jou Bu
52 Blackfriars Street, Old Town, Edinburgh · £10–20 · Rating: 4.8/5
The standout venue for vegan dumplings in Edinburgh — and the one with the most dedicated commitment to plant-based cooking. Dumpling Queen X Dai Jou Bu operates a dedicated vegan menu alongside its main Hong Kong-style menu, and crucially, the vegan dishes are designed with the same care as the rest of the kitchen’s output.
The plant-based dumpling selection includes steamed and pan-fried options with vegetable-based fillings that are genuinely well-seasoned — not simply meat removed from an existing recipe. The Spicy and Sour Noodles on the vegan menu have become one of the restaurant’s most-ordered dishes across all customers, not just those eating plant-based. This is the mark of vegan cooking done properly: food that stands on its own merits.
The kitchen uses fresh, made-to-order preparation and natural, biodegradable packaging — a sustainability commitment that extends through the whole operation. The restaurant also happens to be Edinburgh’s highest-rated dumpling venue overall (4.8/5 from over 325 reviews), which gives the vegan options credibility beyond the plant-based bubble.
Vegan highlights: Plant-based steamed dumplings, Spicy and Sour Noodles, dedicated vegan menu available on request.
Best for: Vegans eating with non-vegan friends — the menu works for everyone. Groups, visitors.
Note: Ask staff for the vegan menu specifically. Walk-in preferred. Book ahead for weekends.
🥈 Best for Vegan Jiaozi: Five Dumplings
311 Leith Walk, Leith, Edinburgh · £10–20
Five Dumplings on Leith Walk is one of the few Edinburgh venues where vegetarian and vegan dumplings are a genuine priority rather than a menu footnote. The kitchen produces a Mixed Vegetable Jiaozi (12 pieces, £10.90) — handmade, boiled Northern-Chinese style — alongside a selection of vegetarian soups and sides that make a complete plant-based meal possible.
The vegetable jiaozi here are properly filled — not sparse or watery as plant-based dumpling fillings often are — and the wrapper quality is consistent with the meat versions. The Vegetarian Hot Sour Soup (£4.50) is an excellent accompaniment. The kitchen also offers a Mixed Vegetable Spring Roll for those who want a fried option alongside.
The venue is BYO drinks, which helps keep costs down for a full plant-based spread. Small space, no frills, serious cooking.
Vegan highlights: Mixed Vegetable Jiaozi (12 pieces, £10.90), Vegetarian Hot Sour Soup, Mixed Vegetable Spring Rolls.
Best for: Vegan diners who want authentic Northern Chinese-style dumplings at honest prices.
Note: Opens from 5pm. BYO drinks. Arrives early — limited seating and fills quickly.
🥉 Best Vegan-Friendly Option: Noodles & Dumplings
23 South Clerk Street, Southside, Edinburgh · £10–20 · Rating: 4.5/5 (952 reviews)
Noodles & Dumplings is primarily a meat-focused kitchen, but its vegetable dumpling and noodle options are worth noting for plant-based diners who want something simple, filling, and genuinely good. The hand-pulled noodles can be ordered with vegetable broths, and the kitchen produces a vegetarian dumpling option on request. As a cash-only, no-frills canteen that serves Edinburgh’s Chinese community, the food here is reliable and unpretentious.
Best for: Flexible plant-based eaters who don’t need a dedicated vegan menu. Budget-conscious diners.
Note: Cash and bank transfer only. Confirm vegetarian/vegan options with staff when ordering.
Also Worth Knowing: The Khukuri Nepali Restaurant
8 West Maitland Street, Haymarket, Edinburgh · Vegan-friendly
For a different style of vegan dumpling, The Khukuri in Haymarket serves stuffed veggie momos — the Nepali equivalent of the dumpling, steamed and served with a spiced tomato chutney. The menu is well-marked for vegan and gluten-free options, and almost everything on the vegetarian menu is vegan-compatible. Momos are culturally distinct from Chinese jiaozi or xiao long bao but deserve recognition in any comprehensive Scottish vegan dumpling guide. The filling here — vegetable-based, warmly spiced — has a character entirely its own.
Vegan highlights: Stuffed Veggie Momos, Daal, Spiced Potatoes.
Best for: Those who want to explore the broader dumpling family beyond Chinese styles.
What Makes a Great Vegan Dumpling?
Vegan dumplings fail for one of three reasons: an underfilled wrapper, a bland or watery filling, or a cooking method that doesn’t compensate for the absence of meat fat. The best plant-based dumplings solve all three.
Filling density: The filling must be packed tightly and hold its shape when cooked. Mushroom, firm tofu, Chinese cabbage, and glass noodles are the most effective bases — they hold moisture without releasing excess water during cooking.
Seasoning: Plant-based fillings need more aggressive seasoning than meat fillings because they lack the natural umami of pork or prawn. Soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, ginger, and fermented black bean are the seasonings that do the work.
Cooking method: Pan-fried (potsticker) style is often the best format for vegan dumplings — the crisp base adds texture and the Maillard reaction develops flavour that compensates for the absence of meat. Steamed vegan dumplings are more technically demanding to get right.
For a full breakdown of dumpling styles and cooking methods, see our complete guide to dumpling types.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find vegan dumplings in Edinburgh?
The best options for vegan dumplings in Edinburgh are Dumpling Queen X Dai Jou Bu (52 Blackfriars Street, Old Town — dedicated vegan menu), Five Dumplings on Leith Walk (Mixed Vegetable Jiaozi), and The Khukuri in Haymarket (stuffed veggie momos). See our full rankings above.
Are vegan dumplings available across Scotland, not just Edinburgh?
Edinburgh currently has the most developed vegan dumpling scene in Scotland. Glasgow has a growing number of vegan-friendly Asian restaurants but fewer dedicated dumpling venues. This guide will expand as we review more venues across Scotland.
What types of vegan dumplings are available in Scotland?
The most common plant-based dumpling styles in Scotland are Chinese jiaozi with vegetable fillings, Hong Kong-style steamed dumplings, and Nepali momos. Gyoza with vegetable fillings are also available at some Japanese restaurants in Edinburgh.
Are vegan dumplings gluten-free?
Standard dumpling wrappers are made from wheat flour and are not gluten-free. Some venues can accommodate gluten-free requests — always check with staff directly. Rice paper wrappers (used in Vietnamese-style rolls) are the most common gluten-free alternative.
How do vegan dumplings compare to meat dumplings in terms of flavour?
When well-made, vegan dumplings are genuinely satisfying — not a compromise. The key is aggressive seasoning and the right filling ingredients. The best plant-based dumplings in Edinburgh at Dumpling Queen X Dai Jou Bu are ordered regularly by non-vegan customers who simply prefer them. See our Edinburgh dumplings guide for our full restaurant rankings.
Know a vegan dumpling spot in Scotland we haven’t covered? Get in touch with the Dumpling Guide team. We update this guide regularly as the scene evolves.