Albany Road, Cardiff
029 2049 7703 / www.anna-loka.com
Being a newly converted vegetarian, finding great veggie food in Cardiff that isn’t a sloppy risotto, or a salad that consists of a head of lettuce and a tomato, is quite a challenge. But now all the vegetarians and vegans of Cardiff can rejoice! Anna-Loka is the first 100% vegan restaurant to open in Cardiff, so pop on a Morrissey shirt, slam a Paul McCartney track on and head down to Albany Road to veggie nirvana.
As soon as you walk into Anna-Loka you’re greeted with brick walls, wooden floorboards and plenty of smiles from the staff. We first tried the mixed berry and ginger-infused mocktails, which were the perfect way to prepare ourselves for the onslaught of delicious food. Choosing our mains was one of the most difficult decisions we’ve ever had to make. Should we go for the raw tacos or the beetroot burger? We finally decided on pulled ‘pork’ sliders, made from shredded barbecue seitan on fresh crispy buns. We also went for the all-day breakfast pizza, which was chock full of avocado, tofu sausage pieces and cherry tomatoes. With every bite, you would be hit a pocket of flavour, and by the end of it you didn’t have the shameful feeling you usually have when you demolish one from Pizza Hut.
When we thought we couldn’t stuff any more great food into our stomachs, pudding arrived: a chocolate peanut butter dessert placed on a smearing of banana pureed sauce. It almost gave me a religious experience and melted my tastebuds. Not only is Anna-Loka the best veggie/vegan restaurant in Cardiff, it’s one of the best places outright to grab breakfast or brunch.
words JAYDON MARTIN