Herts &amp; Beds

<p>Absolutely gorgeous food in Mudlarks &#8230;<br />
Always treat myself to lunch here when working in Hertford</p>


<p>Green Earth Cafe, St Paul’s Sq, Bedford</p>


<p>Mudlarks in Hertford and Vutie Beets in Letchworth</p>



<p>Whether you&#8217;re a committed vegan or just keen to cut down your meat intake, there are plenty plant-based options across Herts &amp; Beds to try. But that doesn&#8217;t mean eating rabbit food&#8230; check out these brilliant local finds for delicious and creative vegan and veggie grub. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-veggie-crush-bedford"><a aria-label="Veggie Crush (opens in a new tab)" href="https://veggiecrush.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Veggie Crush</a>, Bedford</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Veggie-Crush-2-1000x1000.jpg" alt="Veggie crush bowl food healthy vegan" class="wp-image-82208" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Veggie-Crush-2-1000x1000.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Veggie-Crush-2-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Veggie-Crush-2-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Veggie-Crush-2-525x525.jpg 525w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Veggie-Crush-2-500x500.jpg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Veggie-Crush-2-1100x1100.jpg 1100w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Veggie-Crush-2.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Run by a bona fide veggie and vegan nutritionist &#8211; so you can be sure that everything you order is packed with good stuff &#8211; this is more of a meal delivery service, ideal if you need a boost to get you on the right track for the New Year. It goes big on salads, smoothies and soups, and provides weekly healthy menus (based on veggie, vegan or a mix or the two), clearly showing how many calories are in each option and what your targets should be whether you want to lose weight, have an active lifestyle or just a balanaced diet. They deliver to Bedford and the surrounding areas. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lussmanns-hertford-st-albans-harpenden-hitchin-and-berkhamsted-also-opening-in-woburn-in-2024"><strong><a aria-label="Lussmanns (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.lussmanns.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lussmanns</a>, Hertford, St Albans, Harpenden, Hitchin and Berkhamsted</strong> (also opening in Woburn in 2024)</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Lussmanns-1000x667.jpg" alt="Lussmanns rice and veg dish" class="wp-image-82192" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Lussmanns-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Lussmanns-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Lussmanns-788x525.jpg 788w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Lussmanns.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Ok so this one&#8217;s not strictly vegan &#8211; call it our wild card. It&#8217;s well-known for its fish dishes but it is also passionate about sustainability. In fact, founder, Andrei Lussmann is a pioneer of sustainable dining, championing local, organic produce and high-welfare farming as well as running his restaurants on green energy and recycling 100% of their waste. It&#8217;s no surprise that they have won awards for it. So if you do opt for the Pescetarian option you can do so safe in the knowledge that you&#8217;ll be eating only MSC-certified fish. Plus there are always interesting veggie and vegan option on every menu, including ingredients like Vegan Nduja and North African spiced lamb style mince flatbread.  </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-thompson-st-albans"><strong><a href="https://www.thompsonstalbans.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Thompson</a>, St Albans</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Thompson-1000x1000.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-82193" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Thompson-1000x1000.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Thompson-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Thompson-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Thompson-525x525.jpg 525w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Thompson-500x500.jpg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Thompson-1100x1100.jpg 1100w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Thompson.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>There&#8217;s no need for veggies to miss out on the fine dining experience at this&nbsp;3 AA Rosette restaurant, where Head Chef Phil Thompson has created both veggie and a completely plant-based tasting menu (for vegans), alongside his regular menu. All dishes are created with locally sourced, seasonal ingredients from Phil&#8217;s black book of trusted suppliers. There are seven and nine course options (from £115 per head) with optional paired wines available, and intriguing dishes like Confit Kohlrabi with Wasabi and Lemon Grass, and Oat &amp; Thyme Mousse with Clementine and Macadamia. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vutie-beets-letchworth-garden-city"><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.vutiebeets.co.uk/" target="_blank">Vutie Beets</a>, Letchworth Garden City</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="548" src="https://herts.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/11/Vutie-Beets.png" alt="" class="wp-image-67225" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/11/Vutie-Beets.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/11/Vutie-Beets-300x164.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/11/Vutie-Beets-720x395.png 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/11/Vutie-Beets-900x493.png 900w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Founders of Vutie Beets, Paul and Harry, are dedicated to showcasing plant-based food and creating a more sustainable community. The fully vegan menu is small but perfectly formed. Pop in for breakfast or brunch and try the Spanish Scramble with crispy tofu &#8216;chorizo&#8217; on toasted sourdough or, for lunch, plump for the Black Bean Quessadilla with sunflower &#8216;cheeze&#8217; sauce. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-green-earth-cafe-bedford"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/greenearthcafeuk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Green Earth Café</a>, Bedford</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Green-earth-cafe-1000x1000.jpg" alt="Healthy vegan bowl food green earth cafe" class="wp-image-82206" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Green-earth-cafe-1000x1000.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Green-earth-cafe-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Green-earth-cafe-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Green-earth-cafe-525x525.jpg 525w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Green-earth-cafe-500x500.jpg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Green-earth-cafe-1100x1100.jpg 1100w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Green-earth-cafe.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>This 100% vegan café also hosts vegan events from craft shows to music nights. On the menu you&#8217;ll find hearty breakfasts to nutritious bowl food, focaccia and wraps, jackfruit burgers and soups and even their famous plantain waffles. Open Weds &#8211; Sun from 9.30/10am &#8211; 4/4.30pm. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nourish-letchworth-garden-city"><strong><a href="https://www.nourishcafe.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nourish</a>, Letchworth</strong> Garden City</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="932" src="https://herts.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/01/Nourish.png" alt="" class="wp-image-57539" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/01/Nourish.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/01/Nourish-300x280.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/01/Nourish-536x500.png 536w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Based at the Sadie Centre for complementary theraps, this wholefood café is all about fresh, nutritionally balanced fare. Everything on the menu is veggie with a wide range of vegan options too (many being free-from things like gluten, refined sugars and dairy). Plus it works with the horticultural therapy charity, Growing People, which provides crops of herbs and vegetables to the café, with a &#8216;plot to plate&#8217; ethos. You&#8217;ll find breakfast, brunch and lunch options with dishes like Spinach Pancakes with Lime and Chilli Butter, and the Nourish Buddha Bowl with vibrant veg, pickles, tofu and whole grains. They even serve Sunday Roasts too with all the meat-free trimmings. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-albero-lounge-bedford-cassio-lounge-watford-cultivo-lounge-letchworth-rosso-lounge-biggleswade"><strong><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://thelounges.co.uk/albero/" target="_blank">Albero Lounge</a>, Bedford</strong>, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Cassio Lounge (opens in a new tab)" href="https://thelounges.co.uk/cassio/" target="_blank">Cassio Lounge</a>, Watford, <a href="https://thelounges.co.uk/cultivo/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Cultivo Lounge (opens in a new tab)">Cultivo Lounge</a>, Letchworth, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Rosso Lounge (opens in a new tab)" href="https://thelounges.co.uk/rosso/" target="_blank">Rosso Lounge</a>, Biggleswade</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="971" src="https://herts.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/11/albero-lounge.png" alt="" class="wp-image-67227" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/11/albero-lounge.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/11/albero-lounge-300x291.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/11/albero-lounge-515x500.png 515w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/11/albero-lounge-541x525.png 541w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>This group of &#8216;lounges&#8217; makes a real point of catering for <em>all </em>dietary requirements, with a particularly impressive vegan menu. Albero Lounge is housed in an old school building on the banks of the river Great Ouse, while the red-tiled Rosso Lounge is just off Biggleswade&#8217;s Market Square. These quirky and laid-back café bars have not a measly one or two, but plentiful plant-based options to take you through the whole day, from &#8216;bacon&#8217; butties to burgers and hearty salad bowls. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-monstera-canteen-luton"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/monsteracanteen/?hl=en-gb" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Monstera Canteen</a>, Luton</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="833" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Monstera-833x1000.jpg" alt="Monstera canteen vegan plant-based food" class="wp-image-82198" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Monstera-833x1000.jpg 833w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Monstera-667x800.jpg 667w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Monstera-1280x1536.jpg 1280w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Monstera-438x525.jpg 438w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Monstera.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 833px) 100vw, 833px" /></figure>



<p>If it&#8217;s &#8216;naughty&#8217; food you&#8217;re after (that&#8217;s still vegan of course!) check out Monstera Canteen, with its menu of burgers, wraps, curries and sweet treats. This cool, colourful café with a jungly skater vibe (ie it&#8217;s decorated with lots of greenery and skateboards!), is open Weds &#8211; Sat (10am &#8211; 4pm or 8pm) for eat in or takeaway. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plantopia-st-albans"><a href="https://www.plantopiavegan.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Plantopia</a>, St Albans</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Plantopia-1000x1000.jpg" alt="Plantopia vegan hot dog" class="wp-image-82203" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Plantopia-1000x1000.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Plantopia-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Plantopia-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Plantopia-525x525.jpg 525w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Plantopia-500x500.jpg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Plantopia-1100x1100.jpg 1100w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Plantopia.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Founders of this vegan takeaway, Alessandro and Nabil, are committed to making plant-based food more accessible and exciting, offering more than just one or two measly options. On their menu you&#8217;ll find Beyond Meat burgers, Tofu skewers, Posh Dogs, Phish and Chips (made with banana blossom), Chick&#8217;n&#8217; wings, Katsu curry, Chilli non carne and more. </p>



<p><em>Have we missed any? Let us know in the comments below.</em></p>


Plant power: Where to eat vegan and veggie in Herts & Beds

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