Vegetarians and vegans: What is the best meal that you’ve been served in a restaurant?

[EasterLunch]

I know that vegetarian and vegan options are so often disappointing but what’s the best that you’ve enjoyed in a restaurant or cafe?

TIA

I went to a restaurant as a walk in and it was quite late. There was one vegetarian option but it was something I didn't like.

The chef came out to see me and asked what kind of things I liked.
I wanted something quick and simple but as long as it it didn't have a certain ingredient in i didn't mind what he made.
He made the best pasta dish I've had in my whole life.
It was a few years ago and I can't remember what was in it, just that it tasted so good!

Hypha in Chester. Very expensive but absolutely gorgeous.
Isn’t Hypha shut down?

Not one meal but we stayed for a week at the Celestia Grand in Santorini. It was just after Covid and we got it for a song.

Every morning we had a freshly made vegetarian breakfast. Fruit, pastries, yoghurt, toast, and then something cold like a Greek salad and something hot, often egg based. This was all laid out on the terrace. It was amazing. We didn’t need to eat really for the rest of the day.

On the subject of restaurant offering, I wish they would realise that vegetarians and vegans always look at the menu in advance. If the menu looks crap we won’t go. Then they will say that they don’t have much call for veggi food. No because we haven’t gone in the first place.

That sounds delicious
Lurking for ideas, I was vegetarian, then went back to eating meat, this year had food poisoning from chicken and now seem to be reverting back to vegetarian again...

I wish they would realise that vegetarians and vegans always look at the menu in advance.
But we don't always. I've been caught out by being recommended somewhere, only to find the food disappointing.

*IdaPrentice · Today 17:43
The hippy bowl in Bill's is really good. Here's the list of ingredients:
Ancient grains, avocado, roasted squash, spicy cherry tomatoes, baby spinach & chimichurri sauce topped with chilli corn ribs & crispy tortillas

That's a standard weekday meal in my house. Minus the avocado as it's not easy to get good ones.

Oh hopefully you can get back to vegetarian again, good luck.

@HereForTheAnimals I think it's pretty likely - I often go for days and realise I've naturally eaten that way without thinking about it

I love any form of cheese!

Personal favourites are the Vegetarian food studio in Cardiff, the best daal

Incafe Cardiff has a great vegan Chinese menu and their mock duck and pancakes were delicious

Koocha in Bristol is our go to for a nice meal out and I've not had anything I don't like there. It's tapas predominantly.

I can't name an indivdual dish, but my hest ever vegetarian dining experiences have been multi-course tasting menus at Tendril and Naif in London, and de Waghals in Amsterdam, plus many amazing Buddhist vegetarian meals in Japan and Taiwan.

It is now Oak and is still excellent.

Land in Birmingham
Gauthier in London

Not sure it counts as a restaurant but one year the vegetarian option for Christmas dinner at the hospital canteen where I was working was a festive vegetable Wellington. It was absolutely delicious. I can't remember everything that was in it but it definitely included brie, pine nuts, cranberries and mushrooms. The rest of the meal was standard canteen overcooked sprouts and the like, but the actual Wellington is quite possibly the tastiest thing I have ever eaten. I went back and had it again the next day but sadly after that it disappeared never to be seen again. Every Christmas until I retired I hoped they'd do it again, but sadly not.

I had a vegetable tagine last night in a French town which was delicious. I wolfed it down. Usually struggle in France so was very impressed and I shall try to make a vegetable tagine myself when I get home.

Indian/ Bengali restaurants where all the food is vegetarian are usually a good option. There's a cheap and cheerful one in Stroud Green that I've never had a bad meal in.

There's a Thai near me that does crispy chilli tofu curry that's really tasty

Oh yes!

@@AgeingDoc

Your canteen has overcooked sprouts ours has under cooked ones!

Kaseiki meal at Itosho in Tokyo. Omg. Walnut tofu was 😱😱😱😱😱😱

I had an amazing vegan meal at Plates in the summer.full disclosure-it was also one of the most expensive meals I have ever eaten!

I would kill for a battered sausage. In fact, I might try making one.

Miso aubergines. And anything from Bonsai plant kitchen in Brighton!

Had a lovely meal just before Christmas in The Scullery in Huddersfield while visiting family. The main was a beautiful lentil cottage pie with a delicious crushed new potato topping.

The most amazing 8 course veggie tasting menu cooked by Tom Hamblet (Masterchef the professionals winner 2023) at Lainston House near Winchester. It was £££ but the most incredible veggie food

The menu looks good.

I once had a mushroom cappuccino soup at the Criterion restaurant (Marco Pierre White) which was memorable (evidently), although I don't think the main was veggie.

Terre à Terre in Brighton is very good.