The Green House

The Green House in Altrincham is a vegetarian restaurant but you can still find one or two vegan options. There are plenty of salads to choose from and the soup was vegan. Check out my review at Weekend Notes: http://www.weekendnotes.co.uk/greenhouse-vegetarian-restaurant/

An eco-friendly piece of Cake

 What's better than take away cake? Only take away cake in biodegradable container. This delicious cake from V-Revolution in Manchester came in a container than can be added to your food waste bin as it is biodegradable. I am a big fan of using less plastic packaging and being eco-friendly although it is not always easy as most places use lots of plastic and packaging which ends up in the land fill. Of course this vegan business is leading the way in disposable packaging. It means you can save the planet whilst eating cake! 

Dairy Free Pizza at Dough

Dough, Manchester is a great place for vegans. The pizza restaurant in Manchester's Northern Quarter is great at catering for vegans. You can add vegan cheese onto any vegetarian pizza to make it vegan, they also add on a dairy free card so you can rest assured it is made with the right cheese. 

This pizza is my favourite it is a wild mushroom pizza with dairy free cheese and it tastes amazing! I don't eat out often so it is nice to go somewhere that has vegan options and delicious food. The vegan cheese is very creamy and filling so you might struggle to finish but they also do takeaways so you can take any left overs home in a box and this pizza was even nicer cold. 

Dough is definitely a place to visit if you are in Manchester. The Northern Quarter is also very vegan friendly with a lot of the places catering for different diets. Check it out if you are in the city. 

Vegan Travel- The Vegan Passport App

If you are about to go on an adventure travelling to distant places and exploring new cultures you may be thinking about how to be vegan in a foreign country. 

It's not always possible to fill your suitcase with vegan food and if you are travelling for a long time you need to be able to find vegan food and recognise what is safe to eat. It can be a big worry for people going on holiday as you don't want to compromise your beliefs or struggle to find something to eat. Luckily there is a way to take the stress out of travelling as a vegan and all you have to do is download an app. 

The Vegan Passport App from the Vegan society is perfect for travellers. It contains a phrasebook for asking for vegan options, making it easier to eat out when abroad. It can be scary going to a new country and not knowing what to ask for, so this app takes the worry away from travelling leaving you to free to focus on what clothes to bring and how much money you will need. 

The app is available to downloads now and if you prefer an actual travel book this is set to be released on 1st July 2016. Just in time for the summer holidays. 

Happy travelling and find out more here: https://www.vegansociety.com/whats-new/news/new-vegan-passport-app-now-available

Handmade Burger Co Vegan Options

So I'm not the biggest fan of eating in non-veggie places (vegans have trust issues!) but it's nice to know that more and more places have vegan options. 

The Handmade Burger Co is not somewhere I thought would cater for vegans but I saw that as of a few days ago they are now serving vegan ice cream at their restaurants. This is great news for vegans and anyone who is lactose intolerant as you now have a dessert option. 

I also checked out their menus and found that they have a few vegan meal options on the menu. I really didn't expect this burger chain to have anything other than meat on the menu so I am pleasantly surprised. You can add it to the list of vegan friendly restaurants. 

Check out the veggie menu here: http://handmadeburger.co.uk/menu/#ffs-tabbed-917

The Cosy Club Manchester

The Cosy Club in Manchester's Corn Exchange is a great place to stop for a bite to eat day or night. With a full, separate vegan menu it is so easy to order vegan food and it means you can go out to eat somewhere with your non-vegan friends and family. You have to ask for the separate menu however it is also available online so you can see the range of options here: http://www.cosyclub.co.uk/uploads/1246.pdf

The vegan options are actually quite impressive and not just the standard salad or chips which some places serve, there is a vegan breakfast along with other breakfast items, panini's, a burger or tabbouleh as mains and plenty of sides or tapas items. All in all it is quite impressive and allows a vegan to have options which is often unheard of!

The actual restaurant is nicely decorated (with the exception of the animal heads why?) It has a vintage, eclectic feel and you can choose to eat in the living room style bar area, the restaurant or outside if there is ever any Manchester sun. One thing that sets this place apart as well is the selection of games, making it a really cool place to come with friends and it is great day or night from breakfast to after work drinks this place is very versatile and has a relaxed atmosphere. I guess it has to with a name like the Cosy Club!

I've been here a few times and have recommended it to friends and family who have all liked the food and there has always been great customer service.

These pictures are from the first time I visited the Cosy Club and had lunch. The portions were huge, the falafel sandwich was delicious and along with chips it is definitely a filling lunch! The prices are good too so you don't have to spend a fortune. I definitely recommend this as somewhere for vegans to eat in Manchester and The Cosy Club have restaurants in other cities too so you might find one near you. The relaxed atmosphere and separate vegan menu make this place a winner, add it to your list of places to visit. 

Find out more here: http://www.cosyclub.co.uk/ 

More Vegan Menus Please

It's exciting to see so many restaurants now having a separate vegan menu. Recently the pub chain Weatherspoons announced they had taken certain things off the menu like the Sunday Roast but were adding a whole new Vegan menu. 

This is great news for vegans eating out and about. This chain of pubs is in most cities and is a popular and cheap option. Knowing that they now have vegan options makes it easier when eating out especially if you are on a budget. 

It seems to be setting a trend as well as more and more places now have not just a few options but dedicated vegan menus. It shows how veganism is gaining not only in popularity but in recognition. Restaurants are catering for people instead of losing business. 

Whereas some people will still prefer to eat in a vegan restaurant it does mean it is easier to eat out with non-vegans and gives you more choice. Let's hope it's a trend more places take notice of. The days of having a side salad or chips as the only vegan option will hopefully be a thing of the past. 

Vegan Cake at Manchester Craft Centre

As always it's nice to see Vegan options everywhere I go. This delicious Vegan Chocolate and hazelnut brownie is from Manchester's Craft Centre. They always have vegan options and lots of loose leaf teas to choose from. Hopefully more places will follow suit making it easier to eat out. They also have a vegan option on the menu- a toasted sandwich and sell Fentimans soft drinks where many flavours are vegan friendly. 

This is definitely one to visit if you are in Manchester: http://www.craftanddesign.com/

Vegan option at Costa

There is finally a vegan option at Costa! This fruity crumble is labelled vegan. This is a nice change in the coffee chain which before only had vegetarian options. Hopefully this is the start of more options to come, the fact that the bar is certified vegan by the vegan society is great as it makes it safe to eat and shows that Costa is recognising the need to have choices for vegans. They are good at having soya milk as an option for drinks so perhaps there will be savoury vegan food in the future. The cafe chain have apparently listened to social media responses asking for more vegan options. It is great to see a company listening to the demands of vegans and recognising the growing number of people turning to veganism. 

Now there is another place you can grab a drink and a vegan snack when out and about. Costa is a place on most high streets so it is great to know being vegan is getting easier. I am planning to email Costa and ask if they are planning more vegan options soon, if more people keep showing demand for products there might be a whole range of vegan options in stores soon! 

Lolos- vegan cafe in Ramsbottom

I recently visited Lolo's vegan cafe in Ramsbottom. I had never heard of this place, a friend suggested it for lunch and I was not disappointed. It has some of my favourite things a 20s theme, vegan food and a vegan shop. I wish I lived nearer to this cafe as it would definitely be my regular place to eat. It should certainly be on your list of places to visit. 

The lunch menu has a nice selection of sandwiches and salads and there is a daily changing menu of cakes and ice cream. 

I tried the Lolo's Club sandwich with chips and an orange and mango drink. The waitress also bought us all water with lemon at no extra charge. 

The food was delicious, it was vegan food done well. The sandwich contained vegan cheese, fake meat, avocado and salad. It was a lovely combination and the combination of flavours went so well together. 

I also got to look around the shop, it is stocked with a great selection from food products to cleaning supplies. The fridge was packed full of vegan cheese and meat alternatives. It is only a small shop but it is jam packed with interesting products. The best part about the shop is you don't have to check the labels to see if it's vegan. I think more vegan places should have a shop attached as it takes the hard work out of finding vegan products. 

This is definitely a place to visit. If you want delicious vegan food done well give it a try. Even my meat eating friends were impressed. I am looking forward to trying the evening menu and sampling some of the cakes and vegan ice cream for sale. 

A vegan option in the countryside

I've been here a week. There are no vegan cafés, no health food shops selling vegan frozen food, no vegan ice cream! But finally I have found something I can eat in the countryside. 

Baked potato and beans with no butter and salad, I didn't eat the coleslaw. Yes it's basic but at least I can enjoy a meal out with my grandad. I had it with my standard green tea- people keep asking me if I want milk with it, so veganism is definitely not well known here yet but maybe one day. Until then at least I can eat. Sadly in some places you will only be able to get basic meals but at least you can adapt options to suit you, by taking away the butter from this option it was made vegan. You can look out for ways to take dairy, eggs and meat out of food options to see if it will be suitable. 

Dough Pizza Kitchen Manchester

It's true Vegan's don't have to live without pizza and dairy free cheese on a pizza can taste amazing! 


If you live in Manchester or are visiting the city Dough Pizza Kitchen is a great place to visit, you can easily add dairy free cheese onto any of their pizzas, so adding it onto a pizza which is already marked vegetarian makes it a vegan option, it means you can dine with non vegans and actually be able to eat something. Gluten free and whole wheat bases are also available making everyone's dietary requirements catered for.