Vegetarian & vegan round-up, summer 2017 – take 2

When I wrote a vegetarian round-up a couple of months ago, I asked you to tell me what I’d missed. As a result, I have three restaurants to add. Thank you to everyone who made recommendations!

'Crab' cake with potatoes, kale and dill. Mmm.

‘Crab’ cake with potatoes, kale and dill. Mmm.

Harmonium

60 Henderson Street

Harmonium was the very first suggestion I got when the other post went out. It took a while to get there but we went there for lunch the other week. Note: they get busy in the evening so you’re best booking.

From the same people who run 78, Mono and Stereo in Glasgow, Harmonium has taken the unit opposite the SMWS in Leith, the unit that used to house VDeep and a range of other restaurants. It’s a restaurant and pub that offers plates of different sizes, perfect for fix and matchers like me. I had the special carrots (both beautiful and yum with feta-style cheese, pistachios and warming chilli-scented oil), and the crab cake (which I think had artichoke hearts in them – a stroke of genius).  Christopher had the burger and, it being seitan, was very full afterwards. It’s bright and cheerful, with eaters of all ages, the service perky to a fault.

We’ll definitely be back for dinner and a pint at some point.

Go here for: dinner, lunch with pals or a pint.

The prettiest carrots in the world? I think they're up there.

The prettiest carrots in the world? I think they’re up there.

Moon & Hare

167 Bruntsfield Place

“They do the best vegan waffles in the world!” a friend of Amy’s told me recently. I heartily agree.

This relatively new addition to the Bruntsfield café/deli scene offers gluten free, vegan breakfast, lunch and take-away. The waffles is a big draw and their savoury waffle – a huge golden affair flavoured with turmeric and cumin and covered in tapenade – is what brings me back. One day, I’ll come early and they’ll still have waffle batter and I can have one. The brown rice bowl is good too, although I like my kimchi on the funkier side, and the avocado wrap is pleasant.

The atmosphere is relaxed and sunny in the front, relaxed and cozy in the back. The cakes are vegan or raw, the coffee fine and there’s a decent range of teas.

Go here for: waffles or lunch.

The waffle of my dreams. Savoury deliciousness that sets you up for the day.

The waffle of my dreams. Savoury deliciousness that sets you up for the day.

The Herbivore Kitchen

65 Clerk Street

A busy cafe behind a bus stop on Clerk Street, The Herbivore Kitchen gets a lot of footfall this time of year. It offers coffee, breakfast and lunch as well as take-away boxes. We were there for the lunch.

I had the tom yum broth with rice noodles which was full of cheerful crunchy veg but didn’t rock my world. Christopher had the veggie haggis pancakes with giant baked beans (aka gigantes and a dish I make at home fairly regularly), fluffy, tall and very filling. I fancy the ones with banana, vegan bacon and maple syrup. Next time! We shared a chocolate and hazelnut cake afterwards. That was really good: dense and rich with nice nutty crunch.

In a double first for me, I had a beetroot latte with oat milk. I had a cold so couldn’t taste the beetroot although Christopher assures me the flavour was there. I think oat milk will become a staple in my kitchen. It’s delicious!

Go here for: pancakes.

The angle doesn't show this stack of pancakes to its best advantage.

The angle doesn’t show this stack of pancakes to its best advantage.

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About Caroline von Schmalensee

Cooking, eating and drinking is fun as well as necessary. I do food for fun and I write for a living. Good food makes the world a more delicious and satisfying place. Good writing, meanwhile, can make the world a less confusing place.

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