Meal for 6 vegan restaurant

[Upcyled]

Going out for an evening meal 6 people a week on Friday.
1 person is vegan so has suggested we go to a vegan restaurant.
I'm not against veganism and have family that are vegetarian and vegan which is great their choice.
I am struggling with a vegan restaurant as a choice to be honest. If it were vegetarian I'd be fine with it but vegan seems too much to expect. Obviously the drinks will also be vegan.
I've eaten at great vegan places for lunch not an issue just a whole 3 course meal has annoyed me a bit. Vegan butter, vegan cheese etc (they're not butter or cheese)
So I guess AIBU to suggest a vegetarian restaurant as a compromise?
I guess I don't want to come across as 'the awkward one'

Lots of meat eaters have diets which are full of UPFs and lack essential nutrients.

A vegan diet might include no, a bit, a lot, or loads of UPFs.
Just like a vegetarian diet.
Just like a pescatarian diet.
Just like a diet which includes all animal products.

Yeah this would annoy me too! I mean I don’t mind eating veggie but I wouldn’t want to pay for a meal that I wouldn’t enjoy. Most places cater for vegans, find a few options that have good vegan choices and suggest instead? I find vegan stuff like tofu, quorn, beans etc gives me a stomach ache and a lot can be junk!

Yeah, Im probably the first person on this thread who said that. I don’t eat sausage rolls. I grow most of my own veg, meat I tend to buy local. Most stuff in my pantry is pretty easy to recognise. I’m sure when I go to restaurants that there are highly processed ingredients in many of the dishes I eat- I am not militant to my dietary preference of avoiding highly processed dishes. But the idea of those fake meat burgers really turns my stomach, as does vegan cheese and cream etc.

Plenty of people have non-rational food aversions. That’s mine 🤷🏻‍♀️

It'll be our first meal out together in two years. I imagine it'll be £50 ish per person. I feel people are feeling sorry for the vegan friend and I know this is not kind but veganism in this case is a choice and not an allergy etc.
I don't want to post the name of the restaurant as it might be outing. I have been previously when it was vegetarian and was great, just looking at the menu now its fully vegan doesn't really appeal in fact I wonder if the others even know it's changed.

This. Have you and the others seen the menu OP? Or have you just dismissed it because it's vegan?

I'm not even vegetarian yet my favourite restaurant is a small local Indian chain that has a nice restaurant and a few street food bars. All the food is vegetarian and over half the food is vegan, but apart from bread rolls, free from UPFs because it's just vegetables, rice, pulses, spices then some paneer and eggs.

Snap! Or a we go for Indian, that usually works for everyone.

Cross posted on the menu but if it's £50 a head, surely it's 'proper cooking' so good quality, rather than UPF franken food?

@Upcyled when it was vegetarian and was great, just looking at the menu now its fully vegan doesn't really appeal

Yes, and this is really the problem. I've no idea why so many chefs/restaurants have completely dropped standard veggie food. They're losing customers like me. Perhaps a chef/restaurant worker who is reading this could explain?

Vegan, vegetarian, pescetarian, meat-eating are all choices. Very few people are vegan because of allergies.

Just tell the vegan friend that you don't like any of the items on the restaurant menu, and could you agree on somewhere else then suggest somewhere that has similar standard of vegan options as well as vegetarian or meat options.

I second the Lounge chain , they have a good choice of meat , veggi and vegan all at a decent price.
I also love all the artwork they have

Just say that you can’t find anything on the menu that appeals to you. Easy peasy.

The fact that you have been before OP gives you a free pass according to everyone on this thread. There are some of us saying don’t go anyway, and others saying try it - or it is fine as a one off. But you have tried it- and because you have been before it is not a one off. Suggest something else that caters for everyone

Compromise is the key, & that includes the solitary vegan.

Perhaps s/he can suggest a vegan restaurant that has vegetarian & carnivorous options ? 😀
If not, find a place that caters for all .

If it's a proper specialist vegan restaurant the food may well be amazing - I would have a look at the menu and see what it's like. It would be nice for you to facilitate your friend going somewhere where they have the same opportunity to pick anything on the menu for this meal, as expect usually when you go out they are restricted to a couple of options.

I feel you were joking with your vegan restaurant that serves meat comment, but…https://confidentials.com/manchester/vegan-restaurant-to-serve-meat-in-order-to-survive

I find this tricky. Closest friends, 1 is vegan, other is vegetarian. When booking restaurants, I have found I don't actually like some vegan food.

It's just food. If you don't fancy the menu suggest somewhere else.

Some have suggested veggie Indian restaurant this would be great but vegan friend doesn't like onion or garlic so would find it tricky.

Oh ffs. No meat, dairy, eggs, honey, onion OR garlic? Sorry but your friend is being ridiculous, people are bending over backwards to accommodate her.
vegan food by and large is crap, IMO. I would struggle to enjoy a three course meal entirely vegan. A veggie restaurant is a fab compromise. YANBU. I bet everyone else will be relieved you’ve suggested it!

OK then. If they're that fussy, good luck. Sounds miserable all round.

What sort of things are on the menu they are suggesting? What do you want? What do the group like?

I expect with this information we can find the best fit.

Gosh he's a fussy bastard isn't he... Would he actually be able to eat anything at the vegan place?

Is that why it’s been 2 years since the last group meal?! What a pain! Does that even work with the vegan restaurant they’ve suggested? If it were me I think I’d be suggesting a drinks only meet up!

You lost me with the "kind" comment. Would you say of someone who eats Kosher, Halal or Jain vegan "its not kind but they don't have an allergy so they suck it up and drop £50 on a meal they won't like". Even if not lifelong vegetarian or vegan its part of an ethical choice for those who make the change.

Have you asked the vegan to recommend a restaurant or look at menus in non vegan restaurants with decent vegan choices? What is on the menu at this great vegetarian restaurant which suddenly is awful so that not one item on the menu appeals to you? Its seems odd that a previously good restaurant suddenly has absolutely nothing you want.

Its seems odd that a previously good restaurant suddenly has absolutely nothing you want.

Why does that seem odd? Several vegetarians on this thread alone have said places they've eaten at in the past they now don't go to because the food offerings are vegan and don't appeal.