Veganuary is a charity inspiring people to try vegan for January and throughout the rest of the year. There are many reasons to try being vegan – health, a love of animals or a personal challenge, if you a looking to try veganism this January, we’ve got some great suggestions for places to dine.
A recent survey by England’s Vegan Society indicates that the number of vegans in Great Britain is rising. The survey shows that over the last 10 years the number of British vegans has risen 360 percent to over half a million people. This indicates, the Society says, that veganism is one of the “fastest growing lifestyle movements” in Great Britain.
Everything at The Monument is vegan, including all drinks and bar snacks. Customers can enjoy their regular pub meals, but they will be made from mock meat and plant-based substitutes.
The owners say: “I think a lot of people are scared of the vegan food and it puts them off. We say try the food and see how nice, easy and non-scary it is.”
Canterbury has an active vegan community, playing host to the Kent Vegan Festival, and the change in menu at the popular pub is “going down well with everyone”, he added.
He said: “It is the only wholly vegan pub in Kent. We have double checked with breweries and wine makers which means people will not have to Google if a pint of cider is vegan friendly or not. People can come here and literally have everything. Even people who are not vegan are saying it’s a great idea.”
Asparagasm, Nailsworth, Cotswolds
Asparagasm has introduced a fresh style of vegan and gluten-free dining to Nailsworth. With creative plates that look just as delicious as they taste, smiley service and an inspiring cocktail list, you’ll be more than happy to eat your greens here. The cheery team is on-hand to talk you through the menu, their passion for the food served immediately evident. The hip and quirky setting adds to the venue’s charm – think wooden furniture, flowers in bottles and plenty of plants.
Celebrating its second year, Anna Loka is proud to be Cardiff’s first 100-per-cent vegan café. The welcome is extended to everyone, not just vegans, as the team is on a mission to redefine the way people think about vegan fare. With a creative menu that follows the latest trends, the exciting, ever-evolving dishes delight diners. Anna Loka roughly translates to ‘health planet’ in Sanskrit, which reflects the chefs’ ethos of whipping up nutritious, flavoursome dishes that pack a punch. It’s also a café with a conscience – they do their best to help the environment and encourage loyal followers to bring their own cups.
Food for Friends is Brighton’s award-winning vegetarian restaurant in the historic South Lanes. Their ethos is tasty, affordable and honest cooking using the freshest produce, totally homemade, whilst supporting local suppliers where possible. Cooking without meat relies more on flavour and unusual combinations, which is why Food for Friends is so popular with all lovers of fabulous food. They cater for people with special dietary needs, with vegan and gluten-free options for many dishes on the menu.
Chia Naturally Healthy, Hitchin, Hertfordshire
Chia Naturally Healthy is a café with a conscience. Here it’s all about the healthy, clean, plant-based movement and on the menu you will find food that is beautiful and brightly coloured as well as high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Stunning food is served in a cosy, friendly environment.
This pub is a vegetarian’s dream – every dish on the menu is meat-free. That’s not to say vegetarian and vegan diners shouldn’t bring their carnivorous companions along too, though; the dishes are so downright tasty that they’ll impress even the most devoted meat-eater. The bar stocks an excellent range of local ale and wine to accompany your vegetarian feast. We plumped for the famous burger, which was full of flavour and more than a match for its meat counterpart, and an Indian platter featuring delicately spiced curry, basmati rice, poppadoms, mango chutney and salad. We finished up with a great craft beer at the bar. With lots of other tempting dishes on the menu to try – including flatbread calzone – many more visits to The Gardeners Arms are certainly on the cards.
Acorn Vegetarian Kitchen, Bath
When you picture Bath in the mind’s eye, Acorn, and its off-the-beaten-track location, is exactly the kind of spot you would imagine. You’ll head down lesser-known streets, through a cobbled courtyard containing a lone plane tree before carrying onwards to this vegetarian’s haven. Acorn proudly serves only vegetarian cuisine – another road relatively unexplored by the masses – but many of its dishes can easily be altered to be vegan friendly and gluten-free as well.
Guided by a field-to-fork principle, the restaurant champions traceability and provenance, and always offers a social menu that is perfect for sharing. Equally admirable are the fantastic service and the friendly, welcoming staff. Natural wine forms part of a new and eclectic drinks list, so whether it’s a light bite, midweek lunch or a celebratory dinner, there’s always a delicious tipple to suit the occasion. The venue’s contemporary look, relaxed atmosphere and ideal city-centre location combine to make this a fantastic choice for your next meal out.
