5 Of The Best Places for Vegans in South Wales
Plant-based diets are becoming increasingly popular in the UK. Elouise Hobbs checks out the best spots in the region for diners that way inclined.
VEGETARIAN FOOD STUDIO
Possibly the longest established vegetarian restaurant in Cardiff, this family-run restaurant has become a staple for curry lovers across the city. Specialising in pan-Asian cooking, over the years they have perfected a range of authentic dishes. Don’t miss the Gujarati Thali Special which includes a curry of the day, two starters, basmati rice, daal, roti breads, a poppadum, salad and dessert all for under £10.
115-117 Penarth Road, Cardiff. Info: 029 2023 8222 / www.vegetarianfoodstudio.co.uk/
GOVINDAS VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN CAFE
Govindas’ award-winning vegan menu features dishes inspired by dinner tables across the world. Linked to the Radha Krishna Temple, their speciality dishes are the Indian thalis, salads and sweets. One of their stated passions is making sure that everyone leaves feeling full and happy, which isn’t hard with dishes like the Savoury Pick‘n’Mix, the ‘all you can eat’ and sharers, alongside the impossible to resist dessert menu.
8 Cradock Street, Swansea. Info: 01792 468469 / www.govindas.org.uk
CAFFI IECHYD DA
Hidden down a back street, Caffi Iechyd Da may well be Carmarthen’s best-kept secret for vegan dishes. Set up as an organic vegetarian café, they now cater for gluten-free and vegan diets, with creative dishes that rotate on a regular basis. Their daily specials are always delightful and, in the past, have included everything from raw courgette linguine with coriander pesto to sweet potato and red pepper tofu quiche.
2B Jacksons Lane, Carmarthen. Info: www.caffiiechydda.co.uk
ANNA LOKA
No list featuring the best vegan places to eat would be complete without mentioning Anna Loka. Named after the Sanskrit translation for ‘food, health, world’, the restaurant, which opened in 2015, aims to not only make memorable dishes but also hopes to change the way people think about vegan food. They use locally-sourced ingredients to create dishes that look and taste beautiful – and because the whole menu is vegan, it means you can dine out and pick anything you fancy.
114 Albany Rd, Cardiff. Info: 029 2049 7703 / www.anna-loka.com
BLANCHE BAKERY
If you can’t quite ignore that sweet tooth of yours, then a visit to Blanche Bakery in Cathays should definitely be on your to-do list. From the French toast doughnut, to the raspberry ripple, gone are the days you cannot indulge in the fluffiest, creamiest and most exquisite desserts on the menu. Blanche are committed to being a 100% vegan bakery, as well as offering a range of hot beverages, the perfect accompaniment to your chosen doughnut. Even if you’re already too sweet for all of these desserts, they also offer 100% vegan brunch, from toasties to mac and cheese.
16 Mackintosh Place, Cardiff. Info: www.blanchebakery.co.uk