Vegan Norwich!

[HelenSD]

Right.. i grew up in Norwich, i know it extremely well... but only as an omnivore! Sinve ive been veggie/vegan i havent been there so i have never had reason to look around for vegan cafes/restaurants.

but im visiting my parents in a few weeks, so does anyone know anywhere good?

[xaaronx]

There is a place behind the castle mall, near that huge model car/plane shop, if you walk down the hill abit as if you were heading towards the train station. On your right there will be a vegan Chinese restraunt [you will be able to smell it :D], its take away buffet.

You pay a set price, get as much as you like and they put it in a container. They also sell various chinese vegan food.

I'm going to Uni there in September so if you find any other places out let me know!

[gertvegan]

Maybe www.vegfolk.co.uk can help Helen.

[HelenSD]

ooh i like the sound of the buffet.. thanks for the link! i know most of those places already, didnt know they sold vegan food though, so cheers!

i'll have a good hunt around when i go down in a few weeks..

[Spud Addict]

There is a place opposite the church at the marketplace called Rainbow wholefoods that now do fresh vegan sandwiches, and a delicious spicy pizza bread available on wednesdays or fridays (if I haven't gotten there and eaten them first :D )

That's if you're after a light snack, anyways. :)

[xaaronx]

What other shops is it near?

[I don't know Norwich too well] :p

[HelenSD]

are you sure its opposite the market square church? i can only think of WH Smiths and the T-Mobile shop!! do you mean opposite the guild hall?

i found this place (http://www.greenhousetrust.co.uk/) on vegfolk.co.uk.... (click on 'shop, cafe & services' on the left) seems pretty easy to find, just walk down the left side of City Hall and its on the right.

im in Norwich Mon-fri next week... so i'll post my findings!
Norwich Area

Butlers
98 Vauxhall Street, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 2SD
Phone/Fax: 01603 665066
Refer to the restaurants page (http://www.vegfolk.co.uk/butlers.htm).
www.ButlersOfNorwich.co.uk (http://www.butlersofnorwich.co.uk/)

City Farm Stores
30 Magdalen Rd, Norwich, Norfolk
Phone: 01603 665982
Open: Tue-Sat 8:45 - 6pm, closed Sun & Mon.

Diane's Pantry
8 Market Place, Reepham, Norwich, Norfolk, NR10 4JT
Phone: 01603 871075

G.N.C.
3-5 Orford Place, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 3RU
Phone: 01603 628359
Open: Mon-Sat 9 - 5:30, Sun 10:30 - 4:30
www.GNC.com (http://www.gnc.com/)

The Greenhouse
42-46 Bethel Street, Norwich, NR2 1NR
Phone: 01603 631007
Open: Tue-Sat 10am-5pm
www.greenhousetrust.co.uk (http://www.greenhousetrust.co.uk/)

Holland & Barrett
19-21 White Lion St, Norwich, Norfolk
Phone: 01603 762955
Open: Mon-Sat 9 - 5:30, Thu late closing at 8pm, Sun 10:30 - 4:30
www.HollandAndBarrett.com (http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/)

Julian Graves
Unit 16, Royal Arcade, Gentleman's Walk, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 1NQ
Phone: 01603 616713
Open: Mon-Fri 9:30 - 5, Sat 9 - 5:30, Sun 10:30 - 4:30
www.JulianGraves.co.uk (http://www.juliangraves.co.uk/)

Julian Graves
Norwich Railway Station, Thorpe Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 1EF
Phone: 01603 219197
Open: Mon-Sat 7:30am-7pm
www.JulianGraves.co.uk (http://www.juliangraves.co.uk/)

Natural Food Store
4 Exchange Street, Norwich, Norfolk
Phone: 01603 613228
www.shop-naturally.com (http://www.shop-naturally.com/)

Naturally
Row D 84-85, Provision Market, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 1ND
Phone: 01603 766723 (Colin Stephenson)
Open: Mon-Sat 8:45 - 4pm, closed Sunday.

Simply Soaps
Norwich, Fri/Sat outside The Guildhall/Tesco
www.simplysoaps.com (http://www.simplysoaps.com/uk/)

Rainbow Wholefoods
Old Fire Station Stables, Labour in Vain Yard, Guildhall, Norwich, NR12 1JD
Phone: 01603 625560

[HelenSD]

xaaronx, you'll be pleased to know that Norwich is very vegan-friendly. Places i recommend visiting:

Rainbow - this is a great little organic supermarket/healthfood store.. its down an alleyway down the side of the Guild Hall (that checkered building next the market) great selection of tofu, vegan wines/beers, seeds and dried fruit.

Pulse cafe - this is next to Rainbow and (i presume) run by the same people.. the menu is rather good, all veggie with about 50% vegan (also labels the things that can be made vegan). I didnt eat there, as the menu was a bit 'fussy' for my boyfriend, but the prices looked good and id definately go there some other time.

The Green House Trust - a very interesting place, a charitable trust, situated just beyond the police station (up on the left side of city hall). i got some £1 plamil bars, and The Animal Free Shopper in their small but interesting shop, and ate in the cafe. the menu was smaller than Pulse (soup of the day, savoury bakes, filled rolls, moussaka) and £5 seemed alot for a savoury roll and salad, but the roll was packed full of a gorgeous nutty filing, and the salad was probably the best salad ive ever had in norwich - 2/3 plate ful of waldof salad, bean salad, pasta salad, beetroot, carrot, spinach and rocket... with the soup they give a choice of wholemeal, rye, or rice crackers which i thought was also impressive... also a selection of ethical living magzines to read.

I noticed a little sandwich bar up pottergate, that advertised sandwich rolls £2.50 - meat, fish, veggie and vegan choices - i didnt get the chance to check it out though.

On the market there is a stall (i think its 'Naturally' in the list above) that specialises in natural foods and spices - they had all the spices and herbs id ever heard of, plus more, in jars that you can buy by weight.. as well as a huge selection of spreads, grains, pulses and fruit for very good prices. Also on the market make sure you stock up on locally grown seasonal fruit and veg (including the norfolk speciality, Samphire in July).

[xaaronx]

Sounds awesome, will have to check out all those shops. I'll be in Norwich on saturday for a gig.

Also I might be living in Norwich from this September.. when I go off to Uni.

Thanks for the info!

[Cherry]

My sister lives in Norwich. Rainbow wholefoods is groovy.

[Orange-powered]

yay this is great, am going to be living in Norofolk for the next 6 months and Norwich is nearby, I dont think Norfolk is amazing for vegans, at least not Downham Market where I'm going, as I think its pretty small, so will definitely be checking out Norwich.

[HelenSD]

i hadnt finished.. got interrupted. was also going to add some places to buy toiletries:

The soap stall on the market (on the right hand side) does gorgeous Lush-like soaps for a much lower price.. i spoke to the woman on the stall who said all the soaps were handmade by her husband, and vegan, and the naturals range contained a large proportion of fresh fruit. nice!

L'Occitane en province - New shop opened between Virgin and Past Times (where Thorntons used to be). its a chain store and its expensive, but their products are luxurious and smell amazing. Look out for honey and milk on the ingredients list, but otherwise everything else is animal-free.

Head in the Clouds/Feet on the Groud - just a quick mention as they stock fair-traded hemp clothing and leather-free cheap shoes.

The cafe in the Forum has no vegan food, but they will give Soya milk with tea/coffee if you ask.. useful if your going for coffee with mates and dont want to take them somewhere obscure.

Some other recommendations - The pottergate fish bar does the best chips in Norwich (fried in vegetable oil), and in.di.go tattoo/piercing studio is on lower goat lane - opposite fat face!

[Pansypuss]

I went to uni in Norwich and lived there for many years after that. That was 15 years ago now. There was the most fantastic veggie cafe over the Rainbow health food shop. It had a really good selection of vegan food and was always packed. The people in there were not all v*gan, it was just a case of the food being really great. I heard that it closed down and couldn't understand why, it must have been a viable business making a good profit. I'm sure many people were very disappointed when it closed. On my occasional visits to Norwich I always looked forward to going in for coffee/lunch. Does anyone from Norwich know why it closed down? Someone mentioned Pulse next to it but it sounded quite a bit different from the old Rainbow cafe I remember.

[Nutkinmc]

Treehouse cafe, which used to be above Rainbow before it moved, has now closed down unfortunately. It's a big loss to the city, as their vegan desserts were to die for.

The Pulse cafe doesn't have many vegan desserts, otherwise I'd go there more. Although the food is nice, it isn't as "wholesome" if that makes sense?!?

Vegeland is the Chinese buffet place and is brilliant. They now do vegan burgers and hot dogs too. Their mini spring rolls are my favourites - yum!

[xaaronx]

Yeah thats the one vegeland! The food smells so good.. everytime I walk past there on the way to the train station.

Anyone need/looking for a flatmate in norwich.. Im looking for a room for uni! - PM me :)

[Spud Addict]

Where exactly is vegeland? Is it far from the train station?

Oh and Helen yes I did mean the guild hall, i thought it was a church lol. I've only just noticed what you said back there.

[Nutkinmc]

Vegeland is at the top of Rose Lane - if you walk from the train station towards the castle, staying left instead of walking up Prince of Wales Road. About 5 mins walk.

[Nutkinmc]

Also Take 5 on Tombland serves some vegan food and lots of nice vegan beer and wine. Definitely worth a look if you're in the area.

[Spud Addict]

Thanks :)

[Spud Addict]

Just went to Vegeland today, YUM!

I had a little bit of everything, and a hot dog. Needless to say I was stuffed afterwards lol. :D

The lady in there was really nice, and telling me how it is very difficult to make any profit with the business, and that she does it only to provide for other vegans. :)

[Nutkinmc]

It is great value for money, and the food is all really nice. I've got many of my non-vegan friends to eat there.

[xaaronx]

I got my house sorted in Norwich for UnI.. it's on Waterworks Road. Im moving in sometime during September.

Can't wait to try out all the vegan shops!

[Spud Addict]

Oh I almost forgot. There is a pub about 2 miles or so out of Norwich at Plumstead called the Brick Kilns.

It has vegan options on the menu and the ones that I have tried were very nice. They are always busy though and I had to book 4 weeks in advance for a meal there.

Not entirely vegan I know, but nice to have an extra option if you want to go somewhere with omnis ;).

Good luck with your move and settling in, xaaronx. :)

[Nutkinmc]

Best of luck xaaronx, always good to have more vegans in our Fine City!

[Lex Vegor]

For all you Norwich people, I've just published a book Vegetarian East of England, where Norwich is the absolute hotspot, the new Brighton (cute shopping streets and loads of veggie cafes).
www.vegetarianguides.co.uk/products/vegetarianeastengland.shtml
Take a look at page one of the Look Inside and you'll find a list of all the veggie cafes there and the two veggie B&B's, plus surrounding counties.
Feedback from people in the region very welcome.