I try to promote independent cafes where possible through the pages of Canny Food as this is something I feel passionately about. It is difficult as a vegan, however, as the argument some smaller enterprises use about catering for those with dietary requirements is that it is more expensive to buy specialist products and that the food often goes to waste. This was something I discussed with owner Sue while visiting Vinyl, a small restaurant located in Washington Village.
I’m told Vinyl will happily knock up a vegan afternoon tea with advance notice, something I am keen to try after sampling some of the vegan cakes served up as part of the offer. Sue treated me to a slice of Carrot Cake and brownie after someone cancelled their sitting in the restaurant at the last minute. When such an effort has been made, especially as Vinyl don’t normally have much demand for dairy and egg free cakes, it is a shame to see food go to waste. Small businesses can’t afford to lose money and time like this so it’s important to make sure you cancel your reservation with plenty of notice. I’d have thought that would go without saying, but hey ho.
Anyway, we visited Vinyl for breakfast after discovering they had a vegan breakfast (£5.45) through social media. It isn’t on the menu but is available if you ask. Hopefully they’ll update this in due course. The Teen ordered a Pancake Stack with bacon (which I haven’t included a photo of so I don’t offend other vegans), while myself and Gavin requested the full vegan Monty.
I foolishly forgot to ask for no beans, but I could have perhaps substituted these for avocado. A hash brown would have been a great addition to the plate, as would wilted spinach rather than raw, but the fact Vinyl use Hooba sausages instead of Linda McCartney makes my heart happy. I was confused on first tasting – as I had been at Harissa – because of how realistically meaty these bangers are.
Any business wondering how to adapt your menu to attract more veggies and vegans I’d advise to get this brand on your menu instead of ones from the supermarkets. Not only are you supporting another independent, the price is just £3.85 for 8. Considering Linda M’s are £2.50 for 6, and the standard is far superior, I think many should look at making the switch. You can read my review of Hooba here for more info. Vinyl also sell their burgers, which was great to hear. I’m not a fan of bean burgers so would much prefer something like this as a replacement.
We’ll definitely pop back to Vinyl and I’d be happy to chat more to Sue and her team about the ways they can tempt more vegans to try out their quirky restaurant in Washington Village over city centre establishments. They offer great value for money, a friendly welcome and we hope they continue to thrive.
Thanks for reading,
Pip x
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