Book Reviews: Viva Vegetarian Guides

Viva Vegetarian Guides

Published by Viva (Vegetarians International Voice for Animals), Bristol, UK

Vegetarian and Vegan Guide to Bristol & Bath
(paperback) £2.99

Guide to Vegetarian Brigthon
(paperback) £2.99

The Vegetarian Guide to the Lake District
(paperback, published annually), £1

All three titles can also be ordered direct from Viva, or from Amazon UK (click on the links above).

Viva have published a set of much-needed vegetarian guides to three of Britain's popular tourist destinations. Although it's easy to find veggie meals just about anywhere the UK these days, it can be hard to track down genuine vegetarian hotels and restaurants where the staff take a pride in using fresh organic ingredients and in producing imaginative meat-free dishes. That's why these new guides are especially welcome.

The largest of the three books covers the cities of Bristol and Bath, along with Weston Super Mare, Bradford on Avon and several neighboring communities. It lists over 200 hotels, B&Bs, restaurants and cafes, of which 25 are exclusively vegetarian and two totally vegan.

The Bristol listings include the three best veggie eateries in that city: Café Kino, in Ninetree Hill, a great place for snacks and lunches, but unfortunately not open for dinner on weekdays; the nearby One Stop Thali Café, which, as its name suggests, serves Thali-style Indian dishes; and, my personal favorite, the café in the Fresh & Wild shop in Queen's Road. Although not 100 percent veggie, its self-service salad bar and hot-food counter provide excellent light meals at any time of the day or evening.

When reviewing any restaurant guide, it's easy to quibble at some of the editors' choices. Personally, I would have left out Zizzi (the book lists two branches of this chain, both in the Clifton area), as over half their pizza and pasta dishes contain meat, fish or seafood, and those that don't are not flagged as being vegetarian (some of these contain Parmesan made with animal rennet, but this is not obvious from the menu).

Conversely, I question the exclusion of Wagamama, always a safe bet for vegetarians who like Asian food (the chain's Bristol branch is in Queen's Road). Wagamama offers vegetarian versions of all their main courses, all clearly marked as such on the menu, and all capable of being made vegan on request. Even their dessert menu includes V symbols where appropriate, so you can confidently order the cheesecake, knowing that it will be free of gelatin.

Happily, Wagamama does make it into Viva's Brighton guide, along with around 120 other restaurants and cafes, and some 40 hotels. Most are in Brighton itself, but the guide also lists a view establishments in Hove and Lewes.

I was glad to see a listing for the excellent Food for Friends, which is in The Lanes in central Brighton. By day, this is a delightful café, serving a range of tempting salads and snacks. In the evenings, it goes slightly up-market, with candle-lit tables and a menu featuring a selection of unusual vegetarian and vegan dishes. I can't comment on any of the other places listed in the Brighton guide, but if even a few of them are as good as Food for Friends, it will be good news for any veggie visitor to the Sussex coast.

While Brighton and Bristol are well served by restaurants and cafes of all varieties, the more rural north west of England is not. In fact, Viva's Lake District guide only manages to recommend 24 places to eat. Surprisingly, these include a couple of establishments that demand advance notice for veggie meals - hardly what I would call veggie-friendly in a country where every village pub seems to offer at least a token vegetarian option.

The Lake District guide does include my two personal favorite Cumbrian eateries: Kendal's excellent Waterside Café (unfortunately, not open in the evenings), and the superb Zeffirellis, adjoining the cinema in the center of Ambleside. I've eaten in Zeffirellis several times, and have never failed to enjoy a meal there. Interestingly, the restaurant is completely meat-free, but the word "vegetarian" does not appear anywhere on its menus or in its advertising.

The book also lists 30 Lake District hotels and B&Bs, of which seven are exclusively vegetarian and two are all-vegan. There are also some 20 wholefood shops listed, including the famous Village Bakery in Melberby - not exactly in the Lake District, but worth a visit if you're in the neighborhood, if only to sample their wonderful bread. Village Bakery products are gradually becoming available in shops throughout northern England and southern Scotland. Be sure to look out for them.

Despite the minor quibbles mentioned earlier, all three of these guides provide an excellent resource for visitors to the regions covered - and to local residents too. For each of the places listed, they show the full address, phone number, web site address, opening hours and, in many cases, sample items from the menu. It's worth remembering too that many of the businesses listed in the guides offer discounts to Viva supporters. Clearly, these books are well worth every penny of their modest purchase price.