When you hear that a much loved restaurant is closing its doors you can’t help but be saddened by the news. Finding out Cafe Zonzo was no more was a huge blow to many, but discovering that a vegan bistro/store was taking over its spot softened the blow for me at least!
Little Green opened last weekend on Goldspink Lane as a brand new venture from husband and wife team Gareth and Sarah. Gareth is a nutritionist and the focus of the menu is very much healthy plant-based eating. Food is prepared using locally sourced and seasonal produce, while gluten-free is also accommodated where possible. No burgers, chips or calorie-laden treats were amongst the dishes featured. I was actually pleased to see a dedicated children’s section too, something often overlooked by local vegetarian and vegan establishments and something we as parents feel is an issue when we’re out with the kids.
We were amongst the first to try out Little Green on Saturday after its doors officially opened. Having kept an eye on their Instagram I knew pretty bowls and plates of food would be the order of the day. But how did they taste?
The breakfast offer is a work in progress according to staff and, once service and the kitchen have ‘bedded in’, this will be a available soon. There are also plans for evening supper clubs, too. There was a selection of homemade cakes and protein balls on display in a cabinet whilst the savoury options were listed on the menu.
I ordered the Mac & Cheeze, while Gavin settled on Sharing is Caring. My friend was also there at the same time which allowed me to photograph her food and get her opinion on this new venture.
The kids shared a Margherita Pizza which was hand prepared and topped with Follow Your Heart Mozzarella. As these children aren’t vegan I wasn’t living in hope they’d eat it but surprisingly they did! Maybe it was because we didn’t make a song and dance about the lack of dairy that made it more palatable to them, or the fact FYH do a decent cheese substitute? Either way it was a clean plate and a win for Little Green.
My Mac & Cheeze didn’t feature any dairy free alternatives and was made using potatoes and carrots blended together. I actually liked this method, although I found it heavy going after a while. I’m not always keen on cheese substitutes which taste like coconut, as many do, so this is a great way to avoid the calories and fat from them too. Thankfully Gavin helped me finish it off so we didn’t let it go to waste.
His sharing platter was a little lacklustre, especially the beetroot hummus. It really needed something to elevate its earthy flavour. My friend said that her Turtley Bowl was good, although she said the black beans needed to be cooked in something to make them less bland. She stated the tangy lemon and cashew dressing really brought the dish together, although she thought the £9 price tag was on the high side.
Staff were lovely and Little Green definitely had a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere. I agreed on the prices as I felt £8 for my Mac and Cheeze was a tad excessive given the size of the bowl. That said, when considering what health food cafes like Dirt in Heaton also charge around the £8 mark for their main course options.
Little Green also has a small store area stocking ethical and vegan products like dairy free cheese, toiletries, cleaning products, and snacks. For those in the Sandyford area that struggle to find cruelty free items this will be a handy place to pop into to restock on essentials.
We wish the Little Green team success and think it’s great to see another dedicated vegan place to eat in Newcastle.
Thanks for reading,
Pip x
*Update* Since visiting we have received a message from the owners saying that our feedback had been taken on board and some revisions to the menu and dishes have been made. We’re looking forward to popping back to try out more on offer.
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