Gone are the days when veggie and vegan options were tucked away in a bland corner of the menu. Awareness of the benefits of plant-based foods has soared over the last five years, and with it vegetarian and vegan options have transformed from limited to colourful, flavourful, showstopping dishes at the front and centre of many restaurant and café menus.
And it’s not only those who follow a strict diets who appreciate these tasty dishes – as growing numbers of people opt to reduce meat intake for environmental, ethical and dietary reasons, we now officially live in the age of the ‘flexitarian’.
So, with plant-based options firmly rooted on menus across the city, we thought we would round up a few of the must-try dishes at independents in Leicester.
Have you had something you think should be on this list? Please let us know – discovering and shouting about new food options is our favourite thing to do! Send your suggestions to our Facebook or Instagram @independentleics
Orso, Market Place
For a delicious start to the day, head to this independent coffee shop near Leicester Market. The cosy, friendly environment has a choice of great breakfast foods with vegan options aplenty on their weekly-changing menu.
Healthy Louisa, Belgrave Gate
We have put Healthy Louisa in the breakfast section, but as you’ll see on the door as you enter, they have “no food rules” – lunch for breakfast, breakfast for dinner… it’s up to you! Order what you want, when you want, safe in the knowledge the food is delicious, fresh, locally sourced and plant-based, so you have a whole menu of goodness to choose from.
There are plenty of traditional breakfast dishes with a variety of toasts and toppings, porridges and granolas. So many options I must confess we haven’t tried them all! But more than once we have been tempted by the caramelised banana porridge. Creamy oats with a milk of your choice, caramelised bananas, blueberries, roasted hazelnuts for crunch, and topped with agave syrup… we’re salivating just thinking about it!
The Pantry, Loseby Lane
The Pantry is located right in the centre of the city in the Old Town, serving up a delicious range of vegan and vegetarian food. The menu changes daily and has Asian influences, with Thai and Indian flavours in the dishes on offer… we are always popping in for a cheeky samosa!
The Good Earth, Free Lane
A lot of places are called hidden gems, but we think The Good Earth fits the criteria. The entrance to the café is tucked away off Halford Street and if you didn’t know it was there you wouldn’t be blamed for missing it entirely. But once you’ve discovered it, you’ll be glad – there’s a reason it’s been open for over 50 years!
Herb, Granby Street
We love Herb as they serve up exclusively veggie and vegan food inspired by the Kerala region of South India where food preparation is rooted in using healthy, herbal, healing ingredients. The food of the region – and the restaurant – is delicious and diverse, using an abundance of fresh ingredients, herbs and spices.
It might be cheating slightly, but our pick from Herb has to be the special thali. Enjoy eight varieties of spiced vegetable curry dishes, served with rice and bread. Vegan options available on request.
Queen of Bradgate, High Street
Everyone loves a good pub dinner, right? Of course. And Queen of Bradgate have been knocking out quality food since they opened in 2014. But now they’ve poured their first-class food knowledge into an incredible vegan menu, giving the real pub experience a plant-based twist.
You can enjoy three courses of vegan delights, and they often have vegan beers on draught to go along with your meal. There are so many dishes we could have picked out – a big shout out to the Pulled Jackfruit Chilli – but we’ve settled on the gorgeous Almond Milk Panna Cotta. If anyone ever dares to say vegan desserts can’t be as good as their non-vegan equivalents, send them here. This beautifully presented dessert comes with honeycomb and raspberries, and is the sweetest end to a meal out.
Currant Affairs, Loseby Lane
Ever find yourself hungry between meal times? Yep, us too… like, five times a day. So when you need a little snack, savoury or sweet, to keep you going, we recommend making a beeline for Currant Affairs. An independent wholefoods store for over 40 years, Currant Affairs stock a variety of plant based groceries, snacks, freshly made pastries, cakes and treats. The friendly team are always happy to chat about foods and they welcome everyone, be they vegan, veggie, or just curious.
If you’re looking for a healthy smoothie stop, look no further than Detox Shack. They pride themselves on serving fresh, raw food and smoothies, with locally sourced, fresh ingredients. There are plenty of different flavours of smoothies and shakes, using alternative milks and a variety of different fruits and vegetables. They also sell Detox Boosts – shots of good stuff to cleanse the body.
Because vegetarians and vegans like a special, indulgent treat as much as anyone else!
Afternoon tea at Prana Café, Horsefair Street
We quite easily could have include Prana Café in every section of this blog post, their menu is that great! This 100% vegan café will keep you full any time of day and a special mention to their beautifully decorated and mouth-wateringly good cakes. That is why one of our favourite vegan treats in the city is their afternoon tea.
Tasting menus at World Peace Café, Guildhall Lane
World Peace Café is a vegetarian café within a Buddhist meditation centre. The café, which is run by volunteers, is open during the day offering meditation cafes and a vegetarian meals, many of which can be made vegan on request.
