Scotland: Vegetarian
[This section is in the earliest
stages of development:2 May
2007
]
Edinburgh is well served with places for vegans to eat.
Hendersons
94 Hanover Street, Edinburgh EH2 1DR
Hendersons is an Edinburgh institution that has been serving vegetarian food since time began. The food is solid lunchtime fare, with salads brown rice, and a selection of hot vegetarian dishes. It is not quite as vegan-friendly as it ought to be, but then things weren't in the 1970s. It is low- to mid-priced. It is closed on Sundays, but does start early in the morning the rest of the week. The restaurant is down a steep flight of stairs, and is not wheelchair accessible. When I was last there, tobacco smoking was permitted, which I found upsetting, but I believe that Scottish restaurants are now tobacco-free. There is also a small shop at street level, in which I have never managed to buy anything, and an evening bistro that I have not used.
David Bann
56-58 St. Mary's Street, Edinburgh EH1 1SX
0131 556 5888
info@davidbann.co.uk
www.davidbann.com
Bann's used to be in Hunter Square, just off the Royal Mile, which was lovely. It is now a little more stylish (as is its website), and a little more out of the way. Its world food is very good, sometimes excellent, if a little pricey. A good selection of Scottish vegan beers is sold. It is open from 11:00 seven days/week.
Kalpna
2/3 St. Patrick Square, Edinburgh EH8 9EZ
Kalpna serves very good South Indian vegetarian food, with several vegan dishes (e.g. thali). It is inexpensive. The atmosphere tends to be attentively impersonal, possibly because some of the waiters lack confidence in speaking English. It is used by many Indian families. It is wheelchair accessible, although the doors are a bit tricky to negotiate. I cannot remember whether the toilet is wheelchair accessible.
Anapurna
45 St. Patrick Square, Edinburgh EH8 9ET
Anapurna serves South Indian vegetarian food. However, I have never managed to eat at Anapurna, although I have tried several times. On one occasion, the member of staff on the door indicated that he did not welcome the wheelchair, so we went across the road to Kalpna instead. Other times it turns out that a reservation would have been necessary.
Susie's Wholefood Diner
51-53 West Nicolson Street, Edinburgh
Whilst a little more out of the way for the tourist on foot, Susie's Wholefood Diner is inexpensive. Its menu, ambience and clientele would have better suited me when I was a student than now, as a middle-aged man with a family. It is wheelchair accessible.
A most helpful correspondent, Wendy Brown, has e-mailed me with details restaurants in Glasgow servingf vegetarian food. Although I am unable to vouch for the accuracy of this information, I really am most grateful to her
"There are several very popular restaurants that serve vegan food although they also sell vegetarian food:
Grassroots Cafe`(vegan/Vegetarian organic food)
97 St. Georges Rd (at Charing Cross)
Glasgow
0141-333-0534
Tchai-Ovna (vegan/vegetarian tea shop & cafe`)
Otago Lane
Glasgow
0141-357-4524
The 13th Note (vegan/vegetarian pub food)
50-60 King Street
Glasgow
0141-553-1638
For Vegan only food:
Mono (vegan pub, record store, deli and library & cafe`)
12 Kings Court, King Street (at Argyll Street/City Centre)
Glasgow
0141-553-2400
Stereo (vegan pub)
10-14 Kelvinhaugh Street
Glasgow
Lanarkshire
0141 576 5018
For Vegan friendly deli and groceries:
Tapa Coffee and Bakehouse (Vegan organic food sold, but also other food sold)
21 Whitehill St,
Dennistoun
Glasgow G31 2LH
0141-554-9981
p.g.h@btinternet.com