With the Vegetarian Festival underway, there’s no better time to cut meat from your diet and go for fake bacon and mock chicken! With a large selection of tasty meatless fare on offer, there’s no excuse not to take the veg pledge.

KOKO

The place: KOKO is far from chic, yet it is always packed with the trendy crowds of Siam Square. The tables are so close to each other that you can hear other people’s conversations.

Selection and prices: Actually, KOKO serves up both normal and vegetarian food . But during the Vegetarian Festival the eatery switches to pure vegetarian with no MSG and excess oil. The prices range from B60-B130.

Must-haves: Sun-dried beef (B100), which is actually made from mushroom, is the star. Spicy sausage salad (B100) and kraprao hed (spicy stir-fried mushroom with basil leaves, B120) are also worth trying. Come prepared with time and patience, since the service tends to be slow and the waiters often mix up orders.

Where and when: 262/2 Siam Square Soi 3, 02-658-4094. Open daily 11am-9pm.

Tamarind Café

The place: Tamarind Café offers a top-notch ambiance. The bright gallery-like dining area is spruced up with the art works from rotating artists, and a spiral staircase leading up to the al fresco rooftop terrace.

Selection and prices: Its “new world vegetarian” menu offers a harmonious balance of different cuisines from Thai to Mexican. Every dish is presented as if it were a piece of art: The food comes in tiny portions and is a bit pricy (ranging from B90-B300), but you get what you pay for. The staff speaks English fluently as the majority of diners are foreign.

Must-haves: As a special for the Vegetarian Festival, Tamarind Café whips up a selection of new dishes such as Siberian Pelmen (stuffed ravioli served with sauce) and Provence crumble of tomato and eggplants. Also, the tried-and-true favorites like wild mushroom steak will never disappoint.

Where and when: 27 Sukhumvit Soi 20, 02-663-7421, 02-663-4261. Open Mon-Fri 11am-midnight, Sat-Sun 9am-midnight.

Glow

The place: Glow shines with its simple Zen décor. Sleek and clean-cut, this 48-seat eatery is decorated only with potted plants standing in a straight line.
Selection and prices: It’s all about organic food at Glow. The menu includes anything from organic wines to organic vegetarian dishes such as Garden Green salad with ginger miso dressing (B280). As a rule of thumb, Glow doesn’t fry anything, so everything you get here is poached, steamed or grilled.

Must-haves: Forget the food—Glow’s drinks are what you should stop by for. There is a vast selection of freshly blended juices, with Blood of the Earth (apple, ginger, celery and beetroot) and Pink Delight (watermelon, ginger) as definite highlights.

Where and when: 2/F, The Metropolitan, South Sathorn Rd., 02-625-3333. Open daily 10am-9pm.

Kwan-Imm-Jae

The place: Kwan-Imm Jae's unfussy décor is accented with Chinese touches, such as red paper lanterns and a Kwan-Imm statue adorning the dining area.
Selection and prices: Vegetarian owner Boonmi has wowed vegan diners and fooled meat lovers with dishes like fried goose meat (B120), deep-fried fish topped with chili sauce (B100) and tom yum noodles (B50).

Must-haves: Bestsellers include braised goose meat with Chinese kale (B120), braised mutton soup (B90) and DIY suki. Also definitely worth trying is larb ped (spicy minced duck salad, B60), which packs quite a punch.
Where and when: 6/12 Sukhumvit Soi 24/1, 02-259-6466, 02-259-4531. Open daily 11am-2pm, 5:30-11pm.

Im Boon

The place: This family-run restaurant only has 18 seats, often occupied by office workers. Don’t expect fancy décor or you’ll be disappointed.
Selection and prices: While it’s not the most stylish place in town, you can count on Im Boon’s food. The menu boasts over 70 meatless dishes such as tord mun (deep-fried spicy fish cakes, B50) and pork satay (B70). Vegen ice cream is on offer to wash down the meal.

Must-haves: The gruff owner, who is also the cook, would tell you to “just order” since everything on the menu is delicious, and you can trust her on that. Try khao pad nam lieb (fried rice with Chinese salty olives, mock chicken and mixed veggie, B32) and mushroom balls (B35), which are so pleasant you can hardly tell they are vegetarian.

Where and when: Chula Soi 11, Rama 4 Rd., 02-215-4296. Open Tue-Sun 9am-7pm.

Zgi Café

The place: Decked out in red and black, this two-month-old café features both air-conditioned and outdoor areas. The glass windows offer a view of the bustling soi downstairs, which makes it a good place to chill and indulge in a little people watching.

Selection and prices: Zgi Café churns out “eggless, meatless and gelatin free” meals. Imported frozen pizzas and organic meals make the busy life of an urban vegan a lot easier. Prefer something fresh? Zgi Café also provides homemade pastries and wraps.

Must-haves: Kraftkorn Wrap (Italian sausage, mustard and pesto sauce, B95) and Cheese Chili Wrap (spicy wrap with smoked ham and salad, B95) are recommended. For a light meal, pair a sesame bagel (B25) with your favorite cream cheese (B15).

Where and when: 2/F, Asa Garden, Sukhumvit Soi 24, 02-258-9682. Open Mon 11am-10pm, Tue-Sun 7am-10pm.