Eating Vegan At Chain Restaurants - UK Edition

14:03 Soph 10 Comments


Arguably one of the hardest things about transitioning to a vegan lifestyle (and consequently the thing I get asked about most) is finding vegan options if you go out for dinner with friends or family. When I became vegan my parents were adamant that this would cause inconvenience to family dinners and special occasions where we would usually go to a restaurant as I wouldn't be able to eat anything. This of course wasn’t the case as there are actually so many vegan options and veggie options that can be veganised at chain restaurants making it pretty easy to be vegan and still go out for meals occasionally! As I am currently living in England, all of these options are either English chain restaurants or the options that appear on the menu in the UK but if you are living in the US there is a comprehensive list here of options at American chain restaurants and if you live in Australia I have done a post on my favourite vegan cafes there if you want to check that out here. 


ITALIAN CUISINE

BELLA ITALIA

Italian food is always the easiest to find vegan options from as there are so many vegan friendly pasta dishes out there and pizza dough is almost always vegan so you can get so many delicious toppings and just opt for no cheese! Bella Italia is great for vegan options because you can create your own pizza with any toppings that you like meaning there are numerous combinations (my favourite being mushroom, peppers, red onion and spinach) and if you load up on the spinach or rocket then your pizza won’t look bare without the cheese, and its so much healthier! Bella Italia also has great pasta options and you can also get the bread selection for starter and ask for oil & balsamic dip or you can get the bruschetta! They also have a new AMAZING chocolate dessert, a vegan chocolate cake with a rich chocolate sauce! Check out their full menu here. 


- Bruschetta 
- Olives
- Pane Bella (with olive oil & balsamic rather than the mascarpone dip)

- Create your own pizza (no cheese)
- Mille Colori pizza
- Pomodoro pasta
- Lenticchie pasta
- Portabello Mushroom burger (no goat's cheese or mayo)
- Insalata Verde
- Chips
- Roast Mediterranean Veg
- Mixed Salad
- Green Beans
- Marzanini Vine Tomatoes
- Morello Cioccolato

ZIZI'S

I had heard such good reviews about this place as they have recently introduced a vegan menu featuring their own vegan cheese!! I believe that they are the first UK chain to actually do this so I was very excited to try it out! I had the vegan cheesy garlic bread (which was INCREDIBLE - you have to try it!), the vegan pizza with red onion, mushroom and their version of vegan mozzarella (its so good!) and they have recently brought out a chocolate and praline torte which is INCREDIBLE! The service is wonderful, the food is delicious and it is definitely somewhere I would recommend  You can view the full vegan menu here.  

- Zizzi Mixed Olives
- Nocellara Giganti Olives
- Vegan Bruschetta 
- Vegan Garlic Bread
- Vegan Spaghetti Pomodoro 
- Vegan Lentil Ragu
- Vegan Margherita 
- Tenderstem Broccoli
- Mixed Leaf, Tomato & Spring Onion Salad
- Green Beans
- Italian Naked Slaw
- Fried Herby Potatoes
- Coconut & Chocolate Swirl Gelato
- Lemon Sorbet
- Strawberry Sorbet
- Sticky Chocolate and Praline Torte

 
 


PIZZA EXPRESS

Another great option for Italian food is Pizza Express, if you are into the authentic style pizza then this is the place for you! Although they don’t have as big of a range as Bella Italia, I personally prefer the pizza a lot more and they even have a pizza option that is made specifically without cheese - the Pianta (mushroom, rocket, spinach, artichokes, rocket, chill flakes and garlic) which is so delicious and definitely my go-to choice if we are going out for pizza! The dough balls here are also so tasty and vegan and if you get the sharing plate the tomato based dip is also vegan - you can also ask for garlic or chill oil instead! There are also other starters and a salad that can be veganised as well as any other pizza combination without cheese so you have plenty of choice, if you want to bring your own vegan cheese (as long as it is in a sealed packet) they can even make your pizza with that! Check out their full menu here. 

- Pianta Pizza (Classic or Romana)
- Bruschetta
- Dough Balls (sub garlic butter for garlic / chilli oil)
- Other pizza combinations (no cheese)
- Raspberry Sorbet with Chocolate Straw 
- Roasted Tomatoes 


PIZZA HUT 

If you are into to the more American style pizza then Pizza Hut may be more up your street & good news, some of their pizza bases are vegan (the pan base & all american thin base) You can pick your own toppings once again so you can create any style of pizza that you want! The salad bar also has a few vegan options (listed below) and you can get a variety of sides too. The options listed below are vegan both in Pizza Hut restaurants and via the Pizza Hut Delivery stores and their full menu can be seen here. 

- Garlic Bread & Garlic Bread Fingers
- Potato Wedges
- Chips 
- Texas BBQ Sauce / Ketchup / Sweet Chilli Sauce / 
- Crispy Onion Rings
- Create your own pizza - ONLY ON A PAN BASE & ALL AMERICAN THIN BASE (no cheese)

SALAD BAR : 
- Tomato Basil Cous Cous 
- BBQ Pasta 
- ALL fresh salad options 
- Bacon Bits 
- Plain Tortilla Chips 
- Crispy Onions
ASK ITALIA

I had only visited here a handful of times before I went vegan but since they have just brought out a new entirely vegan menu I had to go try it out and it did not dissapoint! Their range of vegan options is extremely impressive, including dough balls, pizzas with their own VEGAN CHEESE, pastas and even a blood orange and chocolate torte! Definitely check this one out if you are into italian food and it would be a great place to take your non-vegan friends and family on a special occasion! Their full vegan menu can be viewed here.

- Vegan Italian Olives
- Vegan Rosemary & Sea Salt Bread
- Vegan Mixed Nuts
- Vegan Baked Dough Balls
- Vegan Bruschetta
- Vegan Prima Pizza (add your own toppings)
- Vegan Fettuccine Con Melanzane
- Vegan Fettuccine Con Verdue
- Vegan Spaghetti Al Pomodoro 
- Vegan Mixed Grain Salad
- Vegan Mixed Salad
- Vegan Zucchine and Rocket Salad
- Vegan Roast Charlotte Potatoes
- Vegan Sorbetti (Raspberry, Mango or Lemon)
- Vegan Blood Orange & Chocolate Tart 


THE STABLE 

 I first visited The Stable it in Birmingham, on the day they started serving vegan cheese and it was amazing! I have been back a handful of times since in different cities and its always as good as when I first visited! They now have a whole vegan menu with 4 types of pizza, salads and garlic bread, you can view their full menu here. My favourite is 'The Hazel Nutter' which has spinach, caramelized onions, asparagus, mushrooms and vegan cheese! You can check out their full website here : www.stablepizza.com 

 - The One Potato Two Potato Pizza
- The Allo Aloha Pizza
- The Bute Island Blazer Pizza
- The Flower Power Salad
- The Sooper Dooper Salad
- Vegan Garlic Bread 


ASIAN CUISINE
WAGAMAMA

Wagamamas has become one of my favorite places to eat out as their vegetable gyoza are just so delicious! My favorites are the garlic & chill salt edamame, the yasai pad thai with no egg, the itame vegetable curry and the yasai gyoza, which are all so tasty, and I would recommend them all if you are planning on visiting. When you go into the restaurant just ask to see the nutritional list and say that you are vegan as they will provide you with a booklet listing the nutritional info for each dish and whether it is suitable for vegans or not, making it significantly easier to order. The other great thing I liked about this place is you get FREE GREEN TEA with unlimited refills, is that not the best thing!!! Check out their full menu here.

- Edamame (plain / with salt / with chili garlic salt)
- Wok-fried greens 
- Steamed Gyoza Yasai 
- Itame Yasai Curry
- Yasai Pad Thai (no egg)
- Yasai Cha Han (no egg)
- Yasai Yaki Soba (no egg & on rice noodles / udon)
- Sien Soba (on rice noodles / udon or rice)
- Yasai Samla Curry
- Warm Tofu Salad
- Steamed Rice
- Sticky Rice
- Miso Soup & Japanese Pickles


YO SUSHI 

Sushi just isn't really my thing…there I said it feel free to judge me! But really I haven't ever seen the appeal so its probably not a shock to you that I have only visited Yo Sushi once since being vegan. I got the vegetable gyoza, which admitably aren't as good as the ones fro wagamama but still are alright, and the miso dumpling ramen soup which was SO good! They have a pretty extensive range of vegan options and on their website they have a listing of vegan dishes that is pretty long so if you're into sushi or Japanese food in general then this may be the place for you! Be sure to ask the servers about each dish as some of these have to be cooked to order as opposed to being able to grab from the conveyor belt, for the full list and nutritional info click here.

- Miso Soup
- Miso Dumpling Ramen Soup (Rice)
- Sumo Miso Dumpling Rice Soup
- Vegetable Firecracker Rice 
- Tofu Katsu Curry
- Sumo Tofu Katsu Curry
- Pumpkin Katsu
- Vegetable Gyoza
- Miso Baked Aubergine
- Pumpkin Katsu Curry 
- Inari Pocket (Nigiri)
- Kaiso Gunkan 
- Cucumber Maki
- Edamame Salad
- Kaiso Salad
- Aubergine Salad
- Sunomono Salad
- Fresh Fruit

ENGLISH / MIXED/ OTHER CUISINE

BOSTON TEA PARTY

This place is the perfect brunch spot as it does amazing breakfast foods and smoothies! Also the food is so aesthetically pleasing that it will not only look great on your instagram feed but will taste great too! They do a range of vegan breakfast and lunch options so be sure to check them out if there is one near you! Their full menu can be viewed here.

- Veggie Breakfast (ask for vegan)
- Portobello Mushrooms on Sourdough (ask for vegan)
- Mushroom and Roast Tomato Bap (ask for vegan)
- Smashed Avocado on Organic Pumpernickel Rye (ask for vegan)
- Spelt Granola with Banana & Soya Milk
- Yoghurt with Spelt Granola, Raspberries and Blueberries (ask for vegan)
- Brown Rice Porridge 
- Porridge with Soya Milk (& selection of toppings)
- Toast (with a section of spreads)
- Super Salad
- Vietnamese Banh-Mi Sandwich 
- Veggie Burger (without feta, tzatziki, coleslaw)
- Soup (if vegan that day)
- Chips 
- Smoothies


HANDMADE BURGER CO

 One of my favourite ever burger places for vegan options is Handmade Burger Co, as they have an array of not only burger options, but chips and VEGAN MILKSHAKES too! My favorites include the veg mex burger, rosemary salt chips and the oreo/peanut butter milkshake!! They also cater very well for non-vegans so this is the perfect place to visit with your non-vegan family and friends! You can check out their full menu here: http://handmadeburger.co.uk/HBC-Main-Menu.pdf

 - Cajun Vegetable & Bean Burger
- Veg-Mex Burger
- Sweet Potato & Bean Burger
- Thai Vegetable Burger
- Fresh Cut Chips
- Seasoned Fresh Cut Chips
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Mixed Leaf Side Salad
- House Salad
- Vegan Shakes (ask for vegan option - vanilla, banana, strawberry, chocolate, oreo, peanut butter)


GOURMET BURGER KITCHEN (GBK)

 Another burger chain that offers a few vegan options, but isn't up to the standard of handmade burger co (in my opinion) is GBK, they have a few burger options, as well as fries and some sides. You can view their menu here : https://www.gbk.co.uk/menu#Veggie

 - Mixed Olives
- Monkey Nuts
- Chargrilled Corn
- Fries (may be some issues of cross contamination but don't contain non-vegan ingredients)
- Dippy Hippy Burger
- Californian Burger (without cheese or mayo)

LAS IGUANAS 

I recently visited Las Iguanas and not only is the food incredible but the chefs are so accommodating to vegans! They have a separate veggie & vegan menu that will be given out upon request and there are a large range of vegan options, check out the vegan menu here.

- Taco Sharing Tray (ask for vegan)
- Holy Guacamole (ask for vegan)
- Totopos (ask for vegan)
- Habas Y Kikos (ask for vegan)
- Mixed Salad
- Tortillas
- Taco Plank (ask for vegan)
- Fiesta Ensalada (ask for vegan)
- Veggie Chilli (ask for vegan)
- Moqueca De Palmitos (ask for vegan)
- Beetroot, Avocado and Cranberry Ensalada
- Refried Beans (ask for vegan)
- Latin Dips (ask for vegan)
- Quinoa Ensalada (ask for vegan)
- Three Mushroom Fajita (ask for vegan)
- Burrito (ask for vegan)
- Alphonso Mango Sorbet
- Tembleque 

NANDOS 

Nandos is somewhere I always used to go with my friends before I was vegan (or even vegetarian) and I must admit I have only been back once since giving up meat as I assumed there wouldn't be any vegan options. However after doing some research I have discovered there is actually quite a few things that are vegan friendly (after some alterations) and Nandos have stated on their website that they ensure cross-contamination doesnt occur as long as you let them know that you are vegan! Even though this wouldn’t be my first choice to go for a meal out these options may tempt me to revisit more in the future sometime if I was invited along by some friends as I tried the veggie burger with the mango and lime seasoning and it was so good! Check out their menu here.

- Veggie Pitta / Burger / Wrap (no mayo)
- Corn on the Cob (without butter)
- Garlic Bread
- Chips / Peri Salted Chips
- Mixed Leaf Side Salad
- Chargrilled Veg

TOBY CARVERY 

Once again I haven’t actually visited Toby Carvery since ditching the animal products however recently I have heard great reviews about their vegan options! I used to love going out for a carvery on a Sunday with my family so I am keen to try this out soon & I will let you know what I think! There are a fair few vegan options (including a dessert) and you can also just have all the trimmings without the meat so they definitely are vegan conscious! The menu can be viewed here.

- Portobello Mushroom Bullseye Tart
- Spiced Carrot and Chickpea Wellington 
- Meat Free Carvery
- Allotment Pie
- Vanilla Rice Pudding
- Vegetables (ask to be steamed separately as usually they may be cooked in butter)
- Roast Potatoes 
- Vegetarian Gravy
- Sage & Onion Stuffing

THE LOUNGERS (eg Seco Lounge - Plymouth)

I believe that the exact names of the restaurants in The Loungers chain vary for each location so you can check if you have any near you by clicking here. I have been to a few different locations in this chain of restaurants but every single time I am astounded by the quality of food, as it is all absolutely delicious! They will give you a separate vegan menu upon request that is jam packed with tasty vegan options, my favourites being the tapas (I adore the hummus, potatas bravas and falafel), the vegan breakfast and the veggie burger but there are so many options that are all delicious! Check out the menu here.

- Avocado Brunch
- Toast
- Vegan Breakfast
- Porridge with Soya Milk
- Falafel and Hummus Wrap
- Butternut Squash, Lentil and Coconut Curry
- Vegan Falafel Salad
- Falafel Burger
- The Big Lounge Salad
- Tapas (Potatas Bravas, Hummus & Ciabatta, Avocado, Tomato & Chilli Dip)
- Fries
- Little Lounge Salad
- House Slaw
- Ciabatta
- Dark Chocolate & Ginger Torte
- Fruity Flapjack


WETHERSPOONS 

Always a place to visit out of convenience (as they seem to be EVERYWHERE) Wetherspoons is great for a cheap meal with friends or family. According to their website they now have a vegan menu for you to download - which can be viewed here - scroll down to the bottom of the page (though I don’t know if this is available in every store) and which also included the vegan alcohol they serve! They seem to have added quite a few options from when I last visited and you can check out their full menu here.

- Fresh Fruit
- Smashed Avocado Bagel
- Build Your Breakfast :
- Tomato
- Mushroom (asked to be cooked without butter)
- Hash Brown
- Baked Beans
- Superfood Pasta
- Naked Burrito with Five-Bean Chilli
- Five-Bean Chilli
- Jacket Potato with Beans & Side Salad (no butter)
- Sweet Potato, Chickpea & Spinach Curry with Pilau Rice (without naan bread)
- Chips
- Vegetables
- Side Salad (without dressing)
- Large Onion Bhajis
- Bombay Potatoes 
- Vegetable Samosa 
 -Two Mini Corn-on-the-Cobs (without butter)
- Small or Large Nachos (without cheese or sour cream)

I hope this post has been somewhat helpful to you and I promise to update it if I visit any other popular restaurants with vegan options! If you know of any more vegan options, or if you believe some of this information is untrue or out of date please let me know on twitter or instagram (@positivesoph), leave a comment or email me at positivesoph@gmail.com as I want to keep this as up to date as possible!!

ALSO A COFFEE SHOP EDITION OF THIS POST WILL BE UP SOON FEATURING STARBUCKS, COSTA, PRET & OTHERS !!

Keep your soul happy - Sophie :)

10 comments:

Vegan Valentine's Treats

11:18 Soph 3 Comments


Whether you are spending the day with that special someone, hanging out with your friends or just giving yourself some self love this Valentine's Day what better way to spend it than with an abundance of vegan treats??!! Whilst there is a cloud of controversy surrounding the 'consumeristic atmosphere of Valentine's Day' nowadays, I personally still adore the holiday as it gives you the excuse to eat chocolate and watch romance movies  all day (or you know actually go on a romantic date with your loved one but aren't they basically the same thing...) Whatever you get up to this Valentine's Day I'm sure having some vegan treats will make your day just that extra bit special! You can even package these up as a present for your valentine (or you know...yourself)! 

'HEALTHY' OREO BROWNIES

Okay so the keyword 'healthy' is used very liberally here BUT I did make some adjustments to my go-to recipe to attempt to make these a bit healthier and honestly I couldn't even  taste the difference! You can use caster sugar rather than coconut sugar but taste before cooking as you may need to adjust the measurements to get the right sweetness! 

Yields 9 Brownies
Ingredients
170g self-raising flour
200g dark vegan chocolate
3 tsp cacao powder 
80g coconut sugar
4 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
230ml non-dairy milk
1/2 - 2/3rd pack of oreos 
pinch of salt

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius and grease a square/rectangle baking tin with greaseproof paper
2. Sieve the cacao powder and flour into a large bowl, add the coconut sugar and mix
3. Melt the chocolate and add it to the mixture along with the coconut oil, non-dairy milk, vanilla bean paste and salt, mix to combine
4. Break the oreos into pieces and stir them into the mixture before spooning it into the tin and baking for 20-25 minutes 
5. Leave to cool slightly before cutting into squares and enjoying warm with vegan ice cream or non-dairy custard!!! 

CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES

Okay so this is probably the easiest and most straight forward recipe ever but honestly I feel chocolate covered strawberries are SO underrated!!! Whip these up in 5 minutes for a last minute romantic snack whilst you watch Netflix in bed (with or without someone else...)

Ingredients
strawberries
vegan dark chocolate 
desiccated coconut
cacao nibs
any other toppings!!

1. Melt the chocolate
2. Coat the strawberries 
3. Roll in the toppings of your choice!
4. ENJOY 

CHOCOLATE & VANILLA CUPCAKES 

 Adapted from one of my absolute favourite vegan websites www.ohsheglows.com these cupcakes are light, fluffy and absolutely delicious! With the addition of a vanilla buttercream on top these will be sure to impress any Valentine you may have or act as a perfect snack whilst watching your favorite romance movies on Netflix. Original recipe here.

 Yields 12 Cupcakes
Ingredients
1 cup almond milk
1 cup caster sugar
1/3 cup coconut oil (melted)
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
1.5 cup plain flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder 
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt

 1/2 cup vegan butter 
(such as the Stork block - not the tub)
3 cups icing sugar (sifted)
1.5 tbsp almond milk 
1 tsp vanilla bean paste

 1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius and line a cupcake tray with cases
2. Add the almond milk, caster sugar, melted coconut oil, cider vinegar and vanilla paste to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until combined
2. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder and add the salt. Mix everything together until well combined before spooning the mixture into the cupcake cases
3. Bake in the oven for around 20 minutes or until cooked through
4. Once cooled completely (I left mine overnight) add the vegan butter, icing sugar, almond milk and vanilla paste into a food processor and mix for 5-10 minutes or until light and fluffy
5. Using a piping bag (or sandwich bag) and nozzle ice the cupcakes and then top with raspberries, strawberries or anything else you desire!
6. ENJOY !!!

EASY CINNAMON ROLLS 

 This is my favourite new discovery - the Jus-Rol pre made pastries that also happen to be VEGAN!! They are so simple and easy to prepare and they taste just like fresh pastries from a bakery, I would highly recommend!

 You Will Need
1 Pack of Jus-Rol Cinnamon Swirls 

 1. Remove the dough from your Jus-Rol Cinnamon Roll tube and slice it into 6 equal pieces
2. Place the cinnamon rolls onto a lined baking tray and bake in the oven at 180 degrees celsius for 11-14 minutes
3. Once cooked, combine the icing sugar provided with 1 1/2 tsp of water and drizzle over your cinnamon rolls (you should wait for them to cool completely before you do this but I couldn't wait!)
4. ENJOY !!

EASY PAIN AU CHOCOLAT

 Another product from the Jus-Rol pre made pastries line, these require a little bit of assembly but are equally as easy, quick and delicious! These would be perfect for a Valentines Day breakfast as they only take 5 minutes to prepare and taste so much better than the ones you buy just to reheat in the oven! 

 You Will Need
 1 Pack of Jus-Rol Pain Au Chocolat 

 1. Unroll the dough from the tube and separate into pieces along the perforations 
2. Place 2 chocolate sticks at the ends of each piece of dough before rolling the ends in and pressing down on the seam
3. Place them seam side down onto a lined baking tray and bake in the oven at 180 degrees celcius for 12 minutes
4. ENJOY WARM!! 

If you make any of these Valentine's treats then please let me know via my instagram or twitter (@positivesoph)! Have a magical Valentines Day and I'll see you back here for more posts next week!

 Keep your soul happy! - Sophie :)

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