EATING VEGAN IN... SHREWSBURY

Many people reading this will have never have heard of Shrewsbury. I’ll save you the google search; it is in the West Midlands, about an hour from Birmingham and on the border of Wales. Despite Shrewsbury (my hometown) being a relatively small place, it is actually a hidden gem for vegan restaurants. Here are my favourite vegan restaurants located in my favourite town.

Italian

Zizzis/Ask/Pizza Express

Shrewsbury actually has all three of these popular chain restaurants, and they are all within a three-minute walk from each other. I have grouped them all together as I am certain they all use the same vegan cheese, so the pizzas are not all that different. I won’t spend too long talking about these, as I’m sure many of you have tried at least one of these Italians, even if you have never visited Shrewsbury.

My personal favourite out of the three is Pizza Express. Despite there being only one vegan pizza, for me, it is the nicest vegan pizza I have ever eaten. The base is crisp, the cheese is runny and it has that greasy feel to it, (which I love). You can also switch the toppings up if you ask your server, so your choice is not all that limited.

Vegan Giardiniera Pizza
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Osteria Da Paolo

This is not just my favourite Italian restaurant in Shrewsbury, it is my favourite Italian restaurant EVER, and I have been to Italy. I have been going to Paolo’s since I was a very young meat eater, and I have always loved it there. I went for the first time as a vegan last July. As soon as I walked through the door, the head chef greeted me and asked if I was a vegan. He told me after that his daughter was a vegan and explained he can spot us from a mile off, (the unwashed pink hair and the septum piercing must have given me away). He reassured me that he could cook me anything I wanted, from a creamy pasta, to a coconut pudding. It is so nice to be able to fully put your trust is a chef and know that he really does care about your dining experience.

From the menu, I have tried the bruschetta, a creamy mushroom pasta and a tomato pasta. They usually have a special on that can be made vegan too, meaning the choice of vegan food is always different.

Vegan Bruschetta
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Mushroom Bruschetta
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Indian

Café Saffron

Most Indian restaurants are able to cater for vegans if you just tell your server what you can and can’t have. I particularly love Café Saffron, as when I told my server I didn’t eat dairy, eggs or meat, he sat down with me and went through everything I was able to eat on the menu. He made me feel very welcome and I did not feel like a burden at all, which happens a lot in restaurants that do not advertise themselves as vegan.

I went for the vegetable bhuna and shared some rice and chips with my boyfriend Joe. It was delicious, and the portion sizes are huge, (we definitely did not need two sides).

Vegetable Bhuna, Rice, Chips, and an Onion Bhaji
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I don't actually have any photos of my food from Cafe Saffron, however, the photo above is from Shrewsbury's Curry House, which is equally as nice. 

Japanese

Itadaki Zen

This is another one of my favourite restaurants Itadaki Zen is a fully vegan Japanese restaurant, which has a branch in London and Shrewsbury. The menu is huge, and easy to navigate yourself around as everything on the menu is completely vegan.

At lunch time, they do a special bento box, containing sushi, spring rolls, green beans and some other small bites. For dinner, they have a different menu, which you can browse on their website. You are able to choose from a set menu (four courses), or you can order a dish individually. I have loved every dish I have eaten here, and I really do not have anything bad to say about the place. A bonus is that on Wednesday’s students get 50% off (!!!), meaning your meal usually comes to less than £10. Cheap and cheerful.

Spring Rolls, Tofu Steaks, Sushi Rolls, Garlic Pak Choi and Green Beans
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Emmyeon (rice noodles in a soya milk soup, topped with tofu, seaweed spring onion and courgette)
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Spring Rolls, Green Beans, Tofu Steak, Sushi Rolls and Bean Sprouts
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Vegetable Balls, Sushi Rolls and Spring Rolls
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Tempura Veg
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Top: Tofu Lemon Cheesecake
Bottom: Tofu Chocolate Mousse Cake
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Tapas

The Olive Tree

This is cheating a little bit, as I have never actually tried this restaurant, however, I have heard great things. They do lots of little dishes such as bruschetta, olives, mushrooms, couscous etc. The great thing about The Olive Tree is that the dishes are clearly labelled vegan on the menu, which we LOVE.

Olive Tree Menu (VE) = Vegan Options
Taken from olivetreeshrewsbury.co.uk

French

Bistro Jacques

Again, this is one I have not yet tried as a vegan. I used to go here all the time when I ate meat and it was one of my favourite restaurants. My mum went here around a month ago and while she was there she saw they now have vegan options available. Bistro Jacques change their menu weekly, which means you will not be stuck with just one option per visit. I will be sure to try their menu soon.

Bistro Jacques Current Menu. (VE) = Vegan Options
Taken from Bistro Jacques' facebook page.

Chinese

The China House

Chinese is something I have always really struggled with since going vegan. My favourite dish as a vegetarian was a chow mein and to this day I have not found anywhere that does not use egg noodles. However, the China House is my go to Chinese delivery when I am at home. I came across their menu online, and I saw that they did tofu, (which is a rarity in Shrewsbury), so I rang up and asked them what I could/could not have. I actually found I could eat a lot of things on the menu. So far, I have tried the tofu in black bean sauce, sweet and sour tofu, and the tofu curry, (which is amazing and I cannot believe it is vegan!!). The chips are also cooked in a separate fryer to the meat dishes, and you can also have the vegetable spring rolls, which they assured me are not coated in egg.

Vegan Tofu Curry, Rice, Chips and Veggie Spring Rolls
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Tofu in a Black Bean Sauce with Rice, Chips and Veggie Spring Rolls
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Sweet and Sour Tofu with Rice, Chips and Veggie Spring Rolls
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Café

The Birds Nest

Located in the market in town, The Birds Nest is a cute little café with a menu that changes very regularly. They always have at least three or four vegan options, and the ones that I have tried have been incredible. The people who work there are so lovely, and it is a really quirky, cosy place, where you feel right at home.

Indian Flatbread with Cauliflower, Walnuts, Coriander and Butternut Squash
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Butternut Squash, Walnuts, Roast Potatoes and Maple Syrup on a Flat Bread
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Red Hot Chilli Pepper
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Chickpea and Red Pepper Sandwich with Tortilla Chips
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They also do oat, almond and soy milk for your coffee which is a bonus.

Oat Milk Latte
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These are just a few places that you can eat vegan in Shrewsbury. We may be a small town, but our vegan options are impressive. 

Emma xx