5 of the best vegan restaurants in Brighton

I visited Brighton for a weekend many years ago, when I was a fully fledged omni. My impressions mainly ran along the lines of “oh, pretty, many pretty shops, and the sea, oh this is nice…” Can I remember anything about the actual food? Does a vegan just eat salads? Of course not! Because my borderline obsession for revolving an entire trip around my taste buds is something that only started in 2012.

So let me tell you my impression from this trip.

“Vegan food! Vegan food! Vegan food everywhere! Wait, what? A vegan perfume shop? Oh the lovely smells! And more vegan food! Vegan donuts, what? Vegan cake? I can eat everything everywhere this is incredible!”

Vegan food as far as the eye can see

I am very sad to say that this isn’t a definitive list of all the vegan food in Brighton. I think I would need a month and a far more elasticated waistband, and so this is only five. But oh my, what a five. Each has something that makes it shine, and you won’t regret choosing any one of these to eat at when you’re down for a day on the beach.

FOOD FOR FRIENDS – BRIGHTON’S ORIGINAL VEGGIE RESTAURANT

Food for Friends is Brighton’s oldest vegetarian restaurant. Dating all the way back to 1981, it’s been on the planet far longer than I have (I’m not telling you how much longer though, nosy) and is a testimony to how deeply entrenched vegetarianism is in Brighton’s soul.

For some reason I couldn’t find the door, and so I wandered round the building pushing hopefully at everything door-shaped for quite a while until I got in. I’m infamously bad with doors so this has probably never happened to anyone else, but if you find yourself equally baffled then it’s on the right-hand side, past the first door-like thing.

Once in we ordered starters of satay tempeh skewers with a chilli, mango, bean sprout and herb salad, and tofu pockets stuffed with stir-fried shiitake, spring onions and brown rice, served with marinated pak choi, pickled ginger, wakame and hot Gochujang pepper sauce. Now say those five times fast without taking a breath.

I was not expecting strength of the pepper sauce in the tofu pockets, which clearly shows how closely I read menus, but both were excellent. I’d pick the skewers over the pockets as my preference, as I don’t see tempeh done well on menus very often. The real show stopper though was the fig salad with pickled ginger crisps and toasted pine nuts in an agave mustard dressing.

I’m always hesitant when I see “cheese can be replaced by tofu for vegans” on menus, as I usually imagine it’s a bit of an afterthought. I don’t know how these smoked tofu cubes were cooked, but I’m pretty sure they could convert even the most hardcore tofu-hater. They’ve been on my mind ever since.

Pros:

A beautiful restaurant and friendly staff.
Complimentary sparkling water.
Beautiful presentation.

Cons:

I would have liked a few more vegan options on the menu.
I don’t have a constant supply of that smoked tofu.

Price range:

£20-£30 per person for two courses and drinks.

ROOTCANDI – THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK TAKING THE VEGAN WORLD BY STORM

If you’re one of my more loyal and devoted followers (and if you’re not, why not?) then you’ll remember that back at the start of this year I came up with the mildly ludicrous concept of asking other bloggers where they thought the best vegan meal in the entire world was. Amanda Burger, resident blogger and vegan burger connoisseur at Burger Abroad, thought that Rootcandi deserved this title. Naturally, it’s been pretty high up on my to-do list ever since to check this out for myself. Strictly in the name of research, of course.

They’re the UK’s first all-vegan tapas restaurant, but they’re tapas with a twist as you pick a theme – Asian, European, Indian, or a mixture of all three. You’re recommended to pick a mixture of six, which comfortably feeds two people. It’s the perfect date restaurant, as long as you’re okay with sharing food, that is. Having been in Andalusia, the home of Tapas, earlier this year, it was nice to see Garbanzos con Espinacas nowhere on the menu.

We plumped for the European menu, although I could have quite happily gone for any of them. What particularly impressed me about Rootcandi was that each mini-dish was a mini-masterpiece. Almost too pretty to eat. Each one was bursting with flavour, and my personal favourite had to be the asparagus with asparagus cream, little pastry puffs and cherry tomatoes. The flavour combination was absolutely on point.

Dessert was a winner too. It the first time I’ve had vegan meringue (made from aquafaba) and it was so good it reminded me I really need to give making it myself a go. I still haven’t, although last night I dreamt I was making them for my family who weren’t my real family, but midway through making them I lost the thing I was using the squeeze out the mixture, and then my entire family suddenly got evacuated, and I was left in a room with crumbles of vegan meringue everywhere panicking about where everyone was. I went to a backroom and there were piles of pictures I’d drawn as a teenager that were weirdly really good, and I packed them up to take with me for when I too was evacuated, because I thought well I may be alone but at least I can decorate with memories of the past, and then I also packed the meringues I’d already made for the road.

Don’t ask.

But Rootcandi was incredible. They can definitely remain on the list of the world’s top vegan meals, and they’re one of the best places I’ve eaten for sure.

Pros:

The food is amazing, creative, delicious…
Unique menu and dining experience.

Cons:

What my subconscious dreams up for me at night.

Price range:

£25-£35 per person for two courses and drinks.

GREEN KITCHEN – THE BREAKFAST SPOT OF CHAMPIONS

Am I the only one who feels like hearty vegan breakfasts and brunches are an underdeveloped scene? Green Kitchen has it sorted in Brighton, at this gorgeous little cafe a short walk or 10 minute bus out of the centre. I finally got my pancake fix of vegan bacon with maple syrup on pancakes – don’t knock it till you’ve tried it – and a full English.

The vegan bacon is made by Sgaia’s Vegan Meats, which is the first time I’ve heard of them. They’re one of a few artisan vegan meat companies I’ve seen popping up in the past year, and their bacon was remarkably delicious. It wasn’t trying too hard to be bacon, and allowed itself to be tasty in its own right, which I really appreciated. The same can be said of the menu: it’s creative and interesting, without trying to be too fancy. I was spoiled for choice.

If you’re visiting Brighton, try to find an AirBnB near here so you can set yourself up for the day before heading out to sightsee. Using my code that’s off to your right in the sidebar will just about get you a free night’s stay, and you can toast me in the morning with your soy latte. The cafe is also dog friendly, something I always appreciate.

Pros:

Good portions, delicious food, friendly owner.
Dog friendly.

Cons:

A bit of a wander from the centre.

Price range:

Under £10 for a meal and a coffee.

BEELZEBAB AT HOPE AND RUIN PUB – I’LL HAVE THAT DEEP FRIED PLEASE

If it’s been more than a month since your last deep-fried-food-coma then you should get yourself down to Beelzebab, a kitchen that’s being run out of a caravan at the back of Hope and Ruin Pub. Especially with the nights getting colder and darker, it’s full on proper vegan comfort food that’s just what the doctor ordered.

When we arrived they offered us the special of deep fried vegan mac & cheese. I’m not sure how you deep fry mac & cheese, but they did it and it tastes pretty damn decent. The thousand island fries came buried under a mound of sauce and melted cheese, and the hot dog was also groaning under the weight of seitan, cheese, mustard. Ohhhhh it was good. So good. My one mild niggle was the kebab could have done with a bit more sauce, as if it doesn’t get as much of its contents smeared across your face as you manage to put in your mouth then I don’t consider it’s doing its job right.

We didn’t get to try the desserts this time, as the thought of more food was a bit much, but it’s somewhere I’ll definitely be back to next time I’m in Brighton, to finish eating my way through everything on their menu.

Pros:

Good people, good place, good food.

Cons:

The triple bypass required afterwards.

Price range:

£10-£20 for two items and a drink.

LOVING HUT ON THE LEVEL – CHANGING THE WORLD ONE MEAL AT A TIME

The lovely owner of this particular Loving Hut has taken the concept of Loving Hut – vegan fast food – and made it fly. She’s left the typical Asian theme of the Loving Huts, saying it’s not what she’s familiar with, and has chosen to do the sort of food she can do well. She definitely does do it well, too, walking away with VegFest UK’s best vegan restaurant award in 2015. It’s not priced out of a range that students can afford, which I really appreciated, remembering my own student days when eating out was several days of food budget.

I tried a few things from the menu, but the winner dinner for me was the vegan fish and chips. I’ve had battered tofu and chips before, and was always vaguely disappointed. This one tasted unerringly like the real thing, though, but if anything nicer. Apparently a few weeks before a man had come in and ordered it. He can’t have realised it was vegan because after finishing it he asked “that was really good, what type of fish was that?”

I also tried the cake, and the coffee and walnut is delicious. Especially the frosting. It’s properly buttery and thick and substantial. The type that goes perfectly with a cup of coffee in the afternoon.

Pros:

Affordable, quick, tasty.

Cons:

Closes early (but does take out).

Price range:

£10-£20 for two items and a drink.

I had less than 48 hours on this trip, and I ate and I ate and I ate. Brighton, I’ll be back for round two, and I’m coming for your vegan food. Where isn’t to be missed? Where are your favourites? Let me know in the comments below.

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Surviving sexual assault/rape while travelling. What to do, and how to get through

*Deep breath in, deep breath out.*

You never know how something like this will feel until it happens to you. I had glimpses before – physical harassment, groping, mild assault. And then something big happens, and it changes you, and changes how you will interact with the world for a long time, maybe forever. And you’re travelling, maybe alone, maybe long term, and you have to pick up the next morning, and keep going, and keep meeting new people, feeding yourself, getting on the right bus, getting through the day as well as you can.

If you’ve come to this page because this is you, I’m truly sorry. I’ve been there. If the worst has happened, you now have the question “what do I do if I’ve been raped while travelling?” It’s in no way a nice question, but there are things to do, and ways to cope. I’ve given my own experience here of the things I wish I’d known at the time, and the things that I found through trial and error that helped me get to where I am today. Of course, this is very subjective, but I’ve tried to be as honest as I can with my experience in the hope that you can relate and get some help or at least comfort.

THE DAY AFTER

My emotions: guilt, shame, denial, shock.

Steps to take: Is there any chance you can have been drugged? Was it violent? Go to the hospital, get medical help, get blood tests and swabs taken. Go to your embassy (but with the precautions below). Take the morning after pill if necessary.

When I returned to the UK and had a full checkup at a sexual health clinic, which included me having to give a full report of what had happened. They told me I should have reported it to X country’s embassy anyway, as it then goes on a list of statistics about safety for travellers. However, this wasn’t my priority at the time (and he wasn’t a national of that country) and I understand if it’s not yours. Again, put yourself and your needs first.

Try and take a bubble bath, or a bath with essential oils, or just a bath. I’m not normally a bath person, but in the week that followed they really, really helped.

THINGS TO CONSIDER

Are you in a western country? What are the laws for women? If you’re in the UAE, parts of Africa, or apparently even Ireland (where I’m now based) you can actually be prosecuted yourself. In which case, avoid your embassy, avoid the police, and look after yourself. Get back to your country if possible, and go from there.

Remember: 97% of rapists never receive any punishment, and 54% are never prosecuted. I’m not telling you not to prosecute if possible, I’m just saying that it’s not usually that simple.

A common reaction when I started opening up to friends, especially male friends, was did you go to the police? Why didn’t you go to the police? You should go immediately! I felt attacked. While I realise they were only trying to help and look out for me, the man in question was nomadic, wasn’t a national of the country in which it had happened and wasn’t a national of a country that supports women. I didn’t know his real name, I didn’t know have a way to find him, and I also didn’t have evidence. My word against his in the court of a country which would definitely not have put the woman first? Ha. It would have caused me a huge amount of emotional distress, when what I needed was to look after myself. Again, although the first response might be to want an eye for an eye, consider if it’s a) even possible and b) going to cause you yourself more harm than good. I’m sure I’ll get some heat for saying that prosecuting isn’t a priority, but consider the country, the situation, and the collateral damage for yourself before running to the police. Do some research if necessary. Look at the Stanford swimmer case recently (which, incidentally, was ridiculously triggering and caused me to temporarily leave social media). The amount of victim blaming that happened was insane, and that’s in a case with cast iron evidence. Men – if a woman is unconscious, throwing up, falling over… leave her the fuck alone. Simple.

IF YOU GO TO A HOSPITAL

I waited a little too late, until an awkward stage – too late to test for anything in my system in the 24 hours after the incident, too early to test for STIs. They could check me over (I had been hurt and had a strange pain for several months afterwards) but that was about it.

I ended up in an Italian hospital. It was chaotic and stressful and took an entire morning. I know it needed doing, but trying to communicate what had happened to me through Google translate to a random staff member is making me tear up just thinking about it.

Italy, and many other countries in the major cities, have a hotline to call when they get this sort of case, and they will refer you to a women’s clinic with a lawyer and a psychiatrist. Because I wasn’t in Italy when it happened, the lawyer wasn’t a thing for me. And in fact I never went, because I didn’t especially trust that there wouldn’t be another very stressful language barrier.

Can you fly home? While my first instinct was to keep going and not let this affect me or my plans, which were already in motion for the next few months, a week back in the UK to be properly checked over would have helped. Nearly half a year later, I still have (thankfully mild) PTSD that I’m finally having to turn around and deal with, and I’m thinking maybe I should have done this sooner. Don’t take what’s happened to you lightly, and don’t be afraid to reach out for help.

THE FIRST WEEK AFTER

My emotions: guilt and shame subsided to confusion and immense sadness about why anyone would want to make another human being feel this way. I had barely spoken or made eye contact with anyone else for 5 days. Eventually, this turned into anger. Honestly, although I’ve largely recovered I’m still immensely, burningly, incomprehensibly angry. I think of all the emotions it’s the healthiest, though.

IN THE FOLLOWING MONTHS

Stay off social media as much as you can. It’s too unpredictable. You can be scrolling down your newsfeed: cute cats, food, recipes, and then boom a triggering article or video about rape/sexual assault jumps out at you with no warning. It can wreck your whole mood for the day, and just isn’t worth it for the cute cat videos.

Avoid people who have a negative influence on you. This is good life advice, but now more than ever. In the months following the incident, when I met people with personality types opposite to my own I would normally have ignored them, perhaps become a little irritated. Instead, I started experiencing panic attacks, insomnia, and shaking with fear when I allowed one of these people into my life for too long. When travelling, it’s difficult to control your environment and who you meet. If you need, stay in one place or find a way to get into the countryside away from people.

People often ask me when they hear the sh** that’s happened: “Will you travel alone again? Will you travel again?” My answer is always the same: “Hell yes!” I have had so many amazing, life changing experiences through travel and through my style of travel, and I would never, ever want to lose any of those to also lose the negative things that have happened to me. At the end of the day, they’re a chance for me to grow, develop and become stronger.

TALK TO FRIENDS, TALK TO PEOPLE, TALK ONLINE, ASK FOR HELP

I absolutely cannot emphasise this enough. Thankfully, I have an amazing network of friends all over the world who were incredibly supportive and really pulled me through in the first few weeks. One flew in to be with me for a few days in Rome, and in the days before that a woman I had never met – the friend of a friend – invited me to stay with her and her parents in their apartment in very rural Tuscany. I’m very lucky in that this was what set me on the road to recovery, but this would never have happened had I not started opening up to people and asking for help.

More than that, the more I talked to people about what had happened the more I realised it was not my fault. It was not me. I in no way should ever blame myself for what had happened. It allowed the anger to start, and for me to feel strong again, and not broken.

I became weirdly efficient at updating people on what had happened to me, casually telling them over a Facebook message, WhatsApp, or in person over a catch up lunch when I came back. There is simply no good way to tell people if it’s something you want to share when they ask: “so, how are you?” No one is prepared to hear it, either. I often found myself reassuring them. It’s a weird, surreal, and very uncomfortable situation, but each close friend I had in the loop was another ally and a weight off my chest.

If you don’t feel comfortable telling people you know, reach out to people online. I’ve seen posts in Facebook groups before from women who’ve had an incident on the road. They’ve been met with huge amounts of support and love, and offers of help. For every one person who’s the scum of the earth who did this to you, there will be 500 others who want to help you and raise you up again. Allow yourself to trust human nature again. Just do it. Believe me, telling people will be such a relief.

And remember – as mentioned above, 54% of rapes are not reported. And 1 in 5 women in the US has been a victim of rape. You will be shocked when you start opening up by the number of people who say oh yes, me too. While it’s horrible to hear that others have suffered in the same way you’re suffering, it means that empathy is there, and support is there. Do what you need to find it. Look after yourself.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I found myself worrying a lot that I wasn’t responding how I ‘should’ be to what had happened. For example, I landed myself in a relationship which didn’t last long and which I soon realised I was in for the comfort, the safety, and to avoid being seen as ‘available’ by ‘dangerous’ men. (For context, I’ve been happily single and independent for 2 1/2 years, so suddenly entering a monogamous relationship is very out of character).

I was ashamed and embarrassed to admit I was dating again already, as the response from one female friend was ‘I wouldn’t be okay with a man touching me for at least a year!’

I understand now that this was my personal coping strategy. This was my way of finding a way through. Do what feels right for you, and get the help that you need. Equally, I’ll think I’m doing fine, and then find myself having a panic attack, or ridiculous levels of anxiety. There is no timeline of recovery. I have to remind myself this regularly.

Resources:

50 actual facts about rape *triggering*

Hotlines:

For America: https://www.rainn.org
For Ireland: http://www.rapecrisishelp.ie
For the UK: http://rapecrisis.org.uk

Still don’t know who to contact?

I check my emails regularly. I’m not great at replying to people asking me for English Teaching career advice, but I will reply to you as soon as I physically can if you email me on this topic needing help. And I will never judge. [email protected]

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SHARE?

This is just my from my personal experience. If you’ve had something happen and you found something really helped you through that I haven’t mentioned, please let me know and I would love to add it to the end of this post to give more help and hope.

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The more I can get this post out and shared, hopefully the more I can help.

Image: Stock photo by Himanshu Singh Gurjar

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5 unusual things to see in St. Petersburg, Russia

Everyone and their grandmother, or in my case, mainly my grandmother (we’re a culture-cramming sort of family) can give you the rundown of what to do in Saint Petersburg. You go to the Hermitage for some art, the Russian Museum for some history, the Summer Palace for some wondering at the amber room. In the evening you go to the ballet to watch some of the finest dancing in the world.

But what if you want to see a different side of St. Petersburg, while still getting in music, art and culture? What are the unusual, offbeat and alternative things to see in do in St. Petersburg, that will really get you under the skin off the city?

Skip the Hermitage – head to the General Staff Building

Everyone’s heard of the Hermitage, and if you go (at least in the peak times of year) you’d better suit and boot up in full American football style gear to have any chance of getting near the art and exhibits. What fewer people know is that they’ve moved a lot of their collections – the impressionists, the post-modernists, their Matisses, Rembrandts, Monets, Gaugins and so on into a more discreet building opposite the Hemitage itself. There’s also a Faberge collection and historical clothing, if that floats your boat. Entrance will set you back 300 roubles, and you can enjoy the art without tripping over tour groups. Although the building is a little confusing (for me at least – somehow I ended up on the top floor in the realists first) eventually a logic appears.

My favourite Matisse

Nearest Metro: Admiralteyskaya

Visit the Etagi Loft project

Situated in an old bread factory, the Etagi Loft project has grown from being an exhibition space to having small shipping containers stretching out behind it filled with cafes (including many vegan ones), coffee shops, bakeries, alternative bookshops, thrift stores… and so the list goes on. It’s the largest exhibition space in the city for contemporary art, and has four exhibition spaces as well as a hostel attached to it (which also allows pets!). Especially as a vegan in St. Petersburg, if I had to choose a hostel I’d stay here, because almost of the cheap and delicious vegan places are in the Etagi Loft Project too. Actually, and here’s a confession, I think I got so distracted by the food the first few times I was here that I totally forgot to explore the rest of it, and it was only in my finally week I discovered it has so much more than food.

Nearest Metro: Ligovsky Prospekt

Hang out in the mosaic courtyard

The courtyards in St. Petersburg are worth exploring anyway, as they’re often rambling, and filled with stray cats, abandoned buildings, and other surprises, but this one has to be the best. This much less known attraction is just across the way from the Summer Garden – a mosaic courtyard which rambles on for quite a while, created by an artist and then developed into a youth project. New parts are appearing constantly – there’s now a fountain, and the children’s playground has also been decorated. You’ll probably encounter a Russian woman or two grouting some brightly coloured tiles. It’s a wonderful place to people watch, as the locals have just accepted it into their lives and go there to relax and catch up.

Nearest Metro – Chernyshevskaya

Dance to the buskers

One of my favourite things about St. Petersburg in the summer is the live music that’s everywhere. Outside almost any metro in the centre, and stationed at intervals along Nevsky Prospect and in the gardens you’ll find buskers galore. It’s not the buskers themselves that are so special, though – it’s the people who get lost in the moment and dance like no one’s watching. From women with their eyes closed dancing freely, to elderly women waltzing with their grandchildren, it’s one of the most free and unselfconscious things I’ve seen in a country that’s infamous for their stoicism. Take some time out of your sightseeing to join the crowds and enjoy some live music, and some dancing, on your way to your next place.

A brass band in the Summer Gardens.

Pushkinskaya 10

Also known as The Museum of Non-Conformist Art, I first discovered Pushkinskaya 10 on International Museums’ night, where many of the museums in the city open for free until 6am. It was my second weekend in Russia, and it was cold, and pouring with rain. Despite this the streets were buzzing and the queues for all the museums stretched around the block, even at 1am. Although it’s been open for many years now, the museum still provides studio space for a number of working artists, and so you never know whether the room you walk into will be an exhibition, a studio, an installation, a stall where you can buy something… I like the way it keeps you guessing. It’s large and rambles on through many rooms connected by small cramped corridors, and it’s all worth investigating – even the graffiti that stretches up to the top floor and gets weird and creative. It’s a mixture of Post-Soviet and modern art Check out more pictures and information here.

Late night museum fans in Pushinskaya 10.

Nearest Metro – Ploschad Vosstaniya

On my wishlist for a return visit:

The Street Art Museum.

The Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines.

Have you been to St. Petersburg and done something a little off the usual tourist trail? Let me know in the comments below.

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Top 10 vegan restaurants in Rome

This is possibly my favourite city guide that I’ve done (and one of the biggest, crikey!). Rome, one of my favourite cities in the world, plus some of the best vegan food I’ve ever eaten? Heaven. So without further ado, on to the food, because as Caesar would say: veni, vedi, cenavi – I came, I saw, I ate.

Fine Dining

Ranging from the extremely high end to the price of a nice meal out, this is my selection of vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Rome that are something special, and not to be missed.

HOTEL RAPHAËL – vegetarian

At the end of 2015 Hotel Raphaël turned the hotel eco and organic, and the restaurant became entirely vegetarian. The restaurant is on the terrace, and in nice weather you can sit out and look over one of the best views in the city. Not only that, but the menu was designed in the style and with the help of Pietro Leeman, one of Italy’s most renowned vegetarian chefs and the creator of Joia. Each dish is so beautiful that I wanted to frame it and hang it on my wall, but luckily I overcame that urge and ate the food instead. It was as delicious as it looked, and I especially liked the addition of pansies on each of the dishes to tie them all together.

The beautiful view from the terrace.

If you want to stay the night as well as eating lunch or dinner there, then you can book a room here. Each floor has a different design, and the whole hotel is also eco and organic – right down to the toiletries in the rooms which are vegan and cruelty free. The breakfast bar is a thing of awe and wonder. Everything is organic, and although it caters for the carnivores there are more than enough vegan options. No staying here and having to survive on the fruit platter in the morning! There’s a huge juicer and a fresh orange juicer, too, so you can get your nutrient fix first thing.

Gazpacho with Russian salad, and an actual salad

Tempura (left) and artichoke with grilled tofu.

Pumpkin ravioli with pear (left) and almond creme with raspberry sorbet.

A meal for two: €100-150 without drinks.

Happy Cow | Facebook | Website

LA CAPRA CAMPA – vegan

La Capra Campa opened 4 years ago as a vegetarian restaurant and changed to vegan almost immediately, alongside the owner’s personal shift. It’s a small but cosy restaurant with outside seating, a little outside the city centre and the tourist attractions but well worth the trip out. The menu is inventive, offering vegan versions of traditional Italian dishes and even homemade nut cheeses that have been seasoned for a month. You can also buy these in blocks. The food was exceptional – some of the best I’ve had – especially the seitan dishes. Even though we were stuffed we managed room for dessert, and I was particularly impressed by the cardamom and bergamot cream.

Nut cheese platter.

Homemade seitan.

Amazing desserts.

A meal for two: €50-80 without drinks.

Happy Cow | Facebook | Website

BIBLIOTHE – vegetarian

One of Rome’s longest running vegetarian restaurants, Bibliothe serves Ayurvedic food and runs events and readings on Ayurvedic and Indian philosophy. If you’re not familiar with the concept of Ayurvedic food, then it’s a little different to what we think of as Indian food. It’s created to be balanced for the body, rather than overloading with spices and flavour. When I went around 1pm, it was packed with locals on their lunch break, all eating the Thali which is a plate of rice and several small dishes. It was served with a bowl of bread, which was homemade and delicious. The menu is a mixture of vegetarian and vegan, but the cakes are almost all vegan. I tried the zucchini cake with spices and toasted almonds, and the apple crumble. Thinking about that zucchini cake now makes me want another piece, here… mmm. I wish I could make them like that. If you’re in Rome and want a break from pizza and pasta, Bibliothe is the perfect choice.

The Thali plate (left) and apple crumble.

A meal for two: €30-50 without drinks.

Happy Cow | Facebook | Website

IL GECOBIONDO – vegan

Il GecoBiondo (a clever name that includes the words eco and bio, look closely) opened in 2007 and turned vegan in 2008, and so claims the title of being the oldest fully vegan restaurant in Rome. It’s a Trattoria, which means the dishes change day to day, so there’s no menu – you just choose how hungry you are (the second option comes with pasta) and then the dishes start rolling out. Because it’s more buffet style the presentation left a little to be desired, but the food was very good nonetheless. Like several of the other restaurants on this list, it’s not very central but if you’re hungry after a long day of sight-seeing, then it’s worth the visit as the food is tasty, healthy and filling. It’s also all locally sourced and organic – even the alcohol.

Salad (left) and seitan with tofu cream, capers and nutmeg, jerusalem artichoke and chicory.

Roman gnocchi (left) and zucchini with apple cider vinegar.

A meal for two: €40-50 without drinks.

Happy Cow | Facebook | Website

Buffets

Rome boasts 2 totally vegan buffets, one pay by weight, one all you can eat. Both are fresh, creative and delicious.

PASSIONE VEGANE – vegan

Passione Vegane is a fully vegan buffet that’s a little out of the city, close to Ciampino airport. Many of their customers are omnivores wanting to eat more healthily who go there on their lunch break. Unlike Ops! below, which is a pay by weight, Passione Vegane is all you can eat, so make sure you’re hungry. In the evening it costs a little more, and you get a few extra options like seitan and a different pasta dish. There are gluten free options, but there’s contamination in the kitchen so it’s not suitable for severe coeliacs.

The desserts are extra, but are amazing. They served me the first creme brûlée I’ve eaten since I went vegan, and it was perfect. The biscuits, too, are exactly like the non-vegan Italian biscuits I used to eat as a child when I went for Sunday morning coffees across the road in the Italian coffee shop with my dad. If you’re on your way to Ciampino, or if your hotel’s a little out of the city, then it’s a perfect place for lunch and dinner.

A meal for two: €40-50 without drinks.

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OPS! CUCINA MEDITERRANEA – vegan

If you’ve heard vegans who’ve been to Rome talking about the restaurant options, then you’ve probably heard of Ops! already. It’s a pay by weight buffet close to the centre of Rome, not far from the Borghese. If you go, make sure you’re hungry as there were so many delicious looking options I couldn’t help but fill up my plate with food.

A meal for two: €40-50 without drinks.

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Pizza

There are pizzerias all over Rome, but relatively few with vegan cheese. Of all of them, there’s one that stood out.

RIFUGIO ROMANO – veg-options

The only pizzeria where I found a decent number of vegan options with vegan cheese, Rifugio Romano is run by a family, most of whom are vegans. They still serve meat, there seem to be more vegan options appearing all the time – and impressively the menu has tempeh, tofu, vegan cheese and vegan desserts. It’s not in the prettiest area, but it’s very conveniently located as it’s right by Termini, so very central. The pizza was good, and the cake afterwards was to die for.

A meal for two: €40-50 without drinks.

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Cafés

Rome has a coffee culture, but not a coffee shop one. So if you want to find somewhere vegan to chill with a coffee between sight-seeing, you’re a little short of options. There is an amazing one, though (although it’s actually a bistro), and it has cats.

ROMEOW CAT BISTRO – vegan

Finally a cat café makes it onto one of my vegan food guides! I generally avoid animal cafés as they’re a form of animal tourism that’s often overlooked on the lists of things you shouldn’t support. The cats in most cat cafés are pedigrees, bothered and hassled during the day and locked in cages at night. Adopt don’t buy, and don’t support businesses that buy either. But… Romeow, like some others now popping up, is a cafe with rescue cats where the customers aren’t allowed to force the cats to come to you. The staff clearly genuinely love the cats, too, and seem very happy in their feline-filled workspace. There are 6 cats, and you can watch them wandering along the walkways and sleeping in the sunny spots as you drink your latte and eat a piece of cake. I did try the food, and it was good (although small portions) but the desserts… oh the desserts… were incredible. My personal favourite of the ones I tried was the chocolate mousse cake that had a caramel layer between the base and the mousse. Oh so good. So so good.

A meal for two: €40-50 without drinks.

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Gelato and desserts

This is something Rome does particularly well, and you won’t be short of options if you have a sweet tooth. Two in particular stood out.

OLIVE DOLCI – vegan

Most gelaterias offer sorbets, and a few even offer soy options, but if that’s not your cup of tea (or cone of ice) then head down to Olive Dolce, where they’ve replaced milk with… olive oil. This is one of those things that made me raise my eyebrows to start with and go: “what?! Olive oil gelato?” but once I tried it I was sold. You’ve got to taste it to believe it. They’re experimental with their flavours, and the mild flavour of the olive oil allows them to really shine through and be much stronger than with regular milk. I tried black tea, baobab, goji and naranjilla. I could have easily returned every day.

4 scoops in a tub: €4.50

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GREZZO – vegan

Grezzo, tucked away in the cute little alleyways of the Monti neighbourhood, is the first pastry, chocolate and gelato shop in the whole world to serve fully raw, vegan and gluten-free recipes using only organic ingredients. Looking at the counter and the beautiful creations on offer, I couldn’t quite believe that is was all raw and vegan. I could have easily eaten half their stock, but I was restrained and tried just one orange and chocolate cake. Next time, my lovelies, next time.

One cake: €6

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Oil, bread, and tomatoes – Vegan in Andalusia – Plant-Powered Nomad

Spain isn’t a country that most think of as being a haven for vegans, especially being vegan in Andalusia, where I fled to in February when Ireland and the UK got too cold for me. Unfortunately it was still cold in Andalusia, but without the benefit of central heating. Oops. Didn’t think that through, did I. Some day I need to go and learn lessons from seals on how to grow blubber under my skin to stay warm.

Luckily, food was something that was still in my life, so I might have been freezing but at least I wasn’t starving too. And although the main fair for vegans in Andalusia is tostadas con tomate y aceite (toast with crushed tomato and oil), a regional breakfast that you can ask for anywhere, there are plenty of other vegan options too. Here are my vegan adventures in Andalusia.

TARIFA

In off season Tarifa is small, sleepy, and very pretty. As the kitesurfing season kicks off, tourists and part-time residents flood in and it becomes a kitesurfer’s haven. It was quiet, but I loved it in February as it was just starting to warm up and there were lots of opportunities for windy beach walks and hikes.

The EcoCenter – vegetarian

Tarifa EcoCenter is a restaurant with an organic shop at the back where you can buy things like seitan, tempeh, and various healthy type foods. For €10 you can also order an organic seasonal vegetable box that comes every Tuesday.

Everything I ate at the restaurant was excellent, from their pizzas to their salads. It’s mainly vegan, but it’s worth checking.

Cost: midrange.
Taste: yummy
Would I return?: for a nice dinner, definitely!

Chilimosa – vegetarian

I was so excited to discover that Chilimosa was right next-door to my first apartment in Tarifa… only to discover that they’d gone away on holiday for a month. Visiting Tarifa in off-season definitely has its downsides!

Cafe Azul – serves meat

If you’re looking for a place that does a good, cheap soy latte (caffe latte con leche de soja) and a tostada con tomate y aceite, then look no further than Café Azul. It’s not got wifi, and it closes in the afternoon for siesta (like everywhere else), but if you want somewhere to meet for breakfast it’s perfect.

CADIZ

Cadiz definitely isn’t as vegan friendly as Tarifa, but it’s an extremely pretty town to walk around for a day. A little bigger than Tarifa, there are lots of winding streets that all look the same and are easy to get lost in. If in doubt just follow the sound of the sea.

La Isleta de la Vina – serves meat

They may not be veggie, but they have a clearly labelled vegan tapas menu and their food was good. As it’s tapas one won’t fill you up – we split 5 between two of us and it was a decent amount of food. They have hummus, falafel, and a ‘burger’ which is more like a vegan quiche thing.

SEVILLE

Seville has some pretty amazing vegan food, and even… gasp… vegan cake! It’s not too big a city, so take the extra time to get to the vegan friendly places rather than relying on regular restaurants, or you’ll be eating a lot of espinacas con garbanzos (chickpeas with spinach), the vegan friendly tapas that’s on almost every menu.

Bar Cardomomo – vegan

The owner is one of the sweetest women I’ve met, utterly enthusiastic and friendly. I popped in there at the end of the day and we spent quite a while using google translate to have a conversation. I only tried one tapas – the burger – because I was curious what a tapas burger was like. It turns out it’s a really really tiny vegan burger, but a tasty one. I tried a piece of cake too, and it was decent.

Cost: cheapish.
Taste: like tasty home cooked food, miniaturised.
Would I return?: sure, but mainly for the owner’s company.

Veganitessan – vegan

This is my favourite place on the list, hands down and no contest. It’s a small stall in an indoor market, but there are plenty of options on the many and an amazing selection of cakes and pastries. We tried two of the burgers, which were tasty and the potatoes that came with them were amazing. I know it’s a little odd to rave about the potatoes, but they were some of the best I’ve ever had. I took away a chocolate croissant to eat on the bus the next day, but ended up eating it at 1am instead… it was calling to my from my bag, and my willpower caved.

Cost: cheap.
Taste: burgers were good, desserts were amazing.
Would I return?: definitely, and in fact I did later that day.

Bar Ecologico Gaia – vegetarian

Attached to a giant health food shop, Bar Ecologico Gaia is a more upscale restaurant than the others on this list and is well established in Seville as a vegetarian restaurant. About 50% of the menu is vegan, and there are some interesting options. I tried the bulgar wheat which was delicious and was a nice change from the oil and bread.

Cost: moderate.
Taste: delicious and healthy.
Would I return?: for a nice meal out, yes.

Mama Ines – serves meat

Best (and cheapest!) breakfast I had in Andalusia of tostada, latte and orange juice. I would have gone here every morning if it was closer to where I ended up staying. The tostada bread was light and fluffy with a crusty outside, and the tomato was thick and tasty. The tostada, orange juice and latte cost €2.50.

Cost: cheap.
Taste: mmmmm… *daydreams*
Would I return?: definitely.

Have you been to Andalusia? What did you find to eat that wasn’t bread and oil?

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