Vegetarian restaurants that have come and gone

[Sherwil16]

I saw the thread asking about restaurants in London and started thinking about veggie restaurants in London from the 70s onwards when I first became vegetarian. These sprang to mind immediately
Manna in Erskine Road
Raw Deal off Baker Street
Food for Thought Neal St
Some more will come to me, but I'd really appreciate any that you can recall. Most of the old ones have closed or turned into vegan pretend meat places.

Cranks near Charing Cross
The Place Beneath, St Mary-leBow, Cheapside

There was a good one off Tottenham Court Road that I used to go as a student in the 90s. Can't remember the name now.

Mildred's is still around, but has chic'n or bac'n now.

We have one in Plymouth called veggie perrins, strapline ‘i didn't get where am by eating meat’ totally irrelevant to the thread but i found the name funny

If you are ever at a Country Show or outdoor event n the Midlands, look out for the Eat Shoots and Leaves stand. Their falafel and salads combo boxes are amazing.

Mildred’s isn’t all fake meat, they have a couple of those options but they always have curry and other things as well, I seem to recall a few Korean type dishes on the menu the last few times I’ve been. They have another restaurant called Mallow in borough market now too where I had a really good Indian set menu earlier this year.

Nuthouse, London. Near Carnaby Street but I cannot remember the exact location.

Ethos round the back of Oxford circus and Tibits off Regent street.

Both fell victim to covid lockdown. Miss them both badly.

I have been there solely on the basis of its name. Went with a couple of Gen Zers who didn't understand its pure genius.

I have warm memories of Food for Thought, and a brilliant chef I know got his start with Cranks in the 80s.

I don’t live in the UK any more — is Carnevale still there, kind of off Old Street? And the vibrantly pink Rasa on Stoke Newington Church Street?

I loved the Raw Deal.

We'd go as a family for weekend lunch from time to time in the 70s/80s. Dad was veggie. I loved it!' Those hard boiled eggs In they mayo-eysauce, beetroot salad, some kind of wheatgermy stuff, a stodgy, savoury pie. I much preferred it to Cranks.

Does Cranks still exist anywhere? There used to be one at Dartington Glass Centre but last time I went it had been replaced 😢

There was a really good vegetarian cafe underneath RADA off Tottenham Court Road.

Anyone remember Earth Exchange on the edge of Hornsey/Highgate/Crouch End in the late 70s, early 80s? I used to go every weekend as a child.

The Mary Ward Centre cafe in central London, near Holborn, was excellent, but closed down after Covid I think.

Wholemeal cafe in Streatham.

Tangentially, you all might enjoy this thread!
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/food_and_recipes/5017053-old-fashioned-vegetarian-food?latest=0

Also, I gather the Rainbow café in Cambridge is no more, which is a great shame ☹️

I used to have the Cranks cook book.

Way back in early 1980 when I was first living in London, I went to Covent Garden and discovered Neal's Yard, then the preserve of earnest hippy types, or that was my impression, anyway. There was a cafe there which I think sold only vegetarian wholefood. I am not a vegetarian although I really like vegetarian food, and I remember feeling a bit out of place, as I felt I wasn't nearly cool or alternative enough to be there. There was seating upstairs that seemed to be largely floor cushions. No idea how long it lasted.

My brother worked for a bit at the weekends in a similar cafe in Leeds in the 80s. Can't remember where it was but the food was lovely. Very fresh, lots of salads and herbs. First Google hit is this, which sounds as if it might have been the place: https://www.instagram.com/p/C8jh0mRNSub/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Wharf Street Vegetarian Cafe.

Would love any recommendations of London vegetarian restaurants that are still around if you have any?

I’m in my 20s and have only ever been to Mildred’s because the majority of regular restaurants have stuff I can eat these days but would love to try some places where veggie food is the focus.

There are several really good upmarket vegan/vegetarian restaurants in London now if you are looking for an amazing veggie meal that is not fake meat etc: Tendril, Gauthier (main branch is £££ set menus but Studio Gauthier more affordable), Bubala, Edit (in Hackney), Naif in Peckham. My (vegan adult) DCs swear by Tofu Vegan, a small chain of vegan Chinese restaurants.

I lived in London in the 90s and miss the old-school wholefood places like Cranks. I still have the recipe book from there and The Place Below.

When I worked in Leicester, Good Earth was known in my workplace as somewhere people having illicit relationships went to hold hands across their nutburgers.

Totally forgot that we went to this place not long ago. It was very good and we plan to go again. Best to book. https://www.amrutha.co.uk/

Wulf & Lamb near Sloane Square is lovely. Had a wonderful family meal there recently. They also have a branch at Marylebone.

https://www.wulfandlamb.com/