The Den at 23

Minories

A Vegans guide to
Colchester Town
Eating and drinking as a vegan in the town of
Colchester

Sloppy Joes

Waiting Room

The Playhouse

Remember that restaurants and cafes may change their menus or ingredients so if you are uncertain of a dish please check with the staff that it
is suitable. Opening times are also subject to change.

Introduction
Over these last few years, Colchester has become an excellent
place for vegetarians and vegans. Many vegan businesses have
opened as well as existing businesses adapting and offering suitable options.
This guide will help you take advantage of all the different choices, give yourself flexibility when picking a place to eat and show
non-vegans just how easy it is to eat vegan out!

Chain eateries with vegan options

The Foresters Arms

The Cells
North Hill Noodle Bar
Pizza Express
Subway
Burger King
Mcdonalds
Sloppy Joes
El Guaca
Wimpy
Slug and Lettuce
The Batte-Lay Tea Room/
Minories
Nandos
Caff Nero
The Chickpea Curry Stall
Starbucks

Viet Kitchen
Costa Coffee
Shakeaway
Caf 21
The Den at 23
Vinnys
LUNCH
Albatta
Decouverte
The Purple Dog
Caffe Sala
Zizzis
The Playhouse
The Nourish Co
Jenkins Caf
The Waiting Room

Completely vegan eateries

The Den at Twenty Three Vegan comfort food that both vegans and non-vegans will love! From 1/4lb burgers to waffles
and ice cream. 23 Crouch Street . Opening times: 10:30-16:00 (TuesFri), 10:00-16:00 (Sat), 11:00-16:00 (Sun), Closed Mon.
The Nourish Co Healthy ethical vegan meals, snacks and drinks
available to take away or eat in. Many items are suitable for a raw
vegan diet. Sandwiches available to quickly eat on the go. 36 St
Johns Street. Opening Times: 8:30-16:00 (Mon-Fri), 9:00-16:00 (Sat),
Closed Sun.
Dcouverte Shop and Organic Caf A small caf selling organic vegan food on the ground floor and beautiful vintage style
items on the first floor. 6 Sir Issacs Walk. Opening times: 11:0016:00 (Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon, Tue). Closed Wed/Thurs.
The Waiting Room (#V Catering) #V Catering (a vegan catering company) visit this building on Fridays to provide fresh organic vegan food available to sit in and takeaway. Its worth noting that #V Catering offer a vegan takeaway service if you dont
fancy leaving the house! The Old Bus Station, Queen Street. Opening
times: 18:00-21:00 every other Friday. (Take away open 12:00-22:00
(Mon-Sat).

Non-Vegan eateries (day time only)

The Minories/Batte-Lay Tea Room A tea room owned by
Wilkin & Sons with a beautiful garden and folly. Offers vegan hot
drinks, and sweet snacks such as scones, cupcakes and brownies.
Provides vegan milk and butter alongside Tiptree Jam for the
perfect cream tea. 74 High Street. Opening Times: Summer: 9:3017:00 (Mon-Sat). Winter: 9:30-16:00 (Mon-Sat). Closed Sunday.
LUNCH An American style takeaway with a small seating area.
The vegan options are bulgar wheat salad, Mexican bean salad and
curried chick pea salads. 47 Sir Issacs Walk Opening Times: 8:0015:00 Mon-Fri), 8:00-16:00 (Sat). Closed Sunday.
Caf 21 A caf providing food from local produce. Vegan options
include aubergine bake, mushroom and potato curry, mushroom
and pepper ciabatta, roast vegetable salad and soup. Also provide
soya milk. 21 Trinity Street. Opening times: 9:00-16:00 (Mon-Sat).
Closed Sunday.
Caffe Sala A caf providing many vegan lunch options:
Sandwiches and paninisPesto, olive and sunblushed tomato or hummus, rocket and red onion with dairy free spread
and white or granary bread

Soup of the day

Jacket potato with beans, hummus, red onion or salad

Hummus board

Vegan cakes of the day

5 Eld Lane. Opening Times: 8:00-18:00 (Mon-Sat), 10:30-16:30 (Sun).

Caff Nero A coffee shop offering soya milk and a few vegan food
options: Falafel and hummus wrap, falafel tabbouleh, vegetable arrabbiata, porridge made with soya milk. 6 Culver Street. Opening Times;
7:30-18:00 (Mon-Sat). 8:30-5:30 (Sun).

Wimpy A fast food restaurant that offers a few sides that can be
put together to make a mealjacket potato, baked beans, mushrooms, chips, onion rings, peas and jalapenos. 112 High Street.
Opening Times: 7:45-20:00 (Mon-Sat), 10:00-19:00 (Sun).

The Chickpea Curry stall offering Bombay potato and chickpea

dahl with rice suitable for vegans to takeaway. Colchester Market, Culver
Street. Open Most Fridays and Saturdays.

Non-Vegan eateries (day and night)

Vinnys Provide a vegan fry up of vegetable sauces, hash browns,

beans, tomatoes, mushrooms and toast (no spread).1 Headgate. Opening times: 7:30-17:00 (Mon-Sat), 9:00-15:00 (Sun).
Jenkins Provide a vegan fry up of vegetable sauces, mushrooms,
beans, hashbrowns, bubble and bubble and squeak. 42 St Johns
Stereet. Opening times: 7:00-18:00 (Mon-Sat), 9:00-16:00 (Sun).
Shakeaway A milkshake chain that provide soya milkshake and a vegan list either on display or on the counter. 23 Sir Issacs Walk. Opening
times: 10:00-18:00 (Mon-Sat). 10:30-16:30 (Sun).
Costa A coffee shop chain that provides soya milk. The chocolate
powder is not vegan. Food includes toast, crumble slice, fruit salad,
crisps and popcorn.
29-31 Head Street Colchester. Opening times: 10:00-0:00 (Mon-Sat), 10:0023:00 (Sun)
5 Culver Street. Opening times: 7:00-19:30 (Mon-Sat). 9:00-18:00 (Sun)12
Lion Walk. Opening times: 7:00-19:30 (Mon-Sat). 8:30-18:00 (Sun)
Starbucks A coffee chain with soya milk. Make sure to leave out
whipped cream, Java chips, protein powder and caramel drizzle. Food
options include porridge with soya milk, mezze salad, fruit, nuts and
crisps. 25 Culver Street. Opening times: 6:30-19:00 (Mon-Fri), 6:30-19:30
(Sat), 8:30-18:30 (Sun).

Pizza Express A chain pizzeria offering a 3 course vegan meal.

If you bring in your own sealed packet of vegan cheese, the chef
will put it on your pizza for you. Options are:

Dough balls with olive oil instead of garlic butter

Vegetable pizza without cheese, or the Piantaa vegan pizza

Raspberry sorbet
1 St Runwalds Street. Opening Times: 11:30-22:30 (Mon, Tues, Weds,
Thurs Sun,). 11:30-23:00 (Fri, Sat).
Zizzis An Italian chain restaurant offering vegan cheese and vegan options clearly marked. Options include:

Mixed olives, Vegan garlic bread or vegan Bruschetta

Vegan Rustica or classic Margherita Pizza and vegan spaghetti Pomodoro

Coconut and mango swirl, lemon sorbet or strawberry sorbet or nectarines with coconut and mango swirl.
12 Headgate, Opening times: 11:30-23:00 (Mon-Thurs). 11:30-:23:00
(Fri, Sat). 11:30-22:30 (Sun).
Sloppy Joes Can cater for vegans with a few days advance
notice. Options include:
Vegan pizza

Burrito or enchilada with vegan cheese

Spaghetti Bolognese with vegan mince

Chilli with vegan mince

36 High Street. Opening Times: 10:00-21:00 (Sun-Thurs). 9:00-22:00
(9:00-22:00).

Subway A build-your-own sandwich/salad chain restaurant.

6 inch or foot long Italian, Hearty Italian or wheat bread

Veggie delite (not veggie patty), toasted if you like

Vegetables and sauce (BBQ, hot chilli, sweet onion, teriyaki,

mariana, sweet chilli, mustard, ketchup and brown sauce )
156D High Street. Opening times: 7:00-0:00 (Mon, Weds), 7:00-3:00
(Tues, Thurs), 7:00-3:30 (Fri, Sat), 10:00-23:00 (Sun)
43 Sir Isaacs Walk. Opening times: 7:00-18:00(Mon-Sat), 9:00-17:00
(Sun).
Nandos although this is a chicken restaurant, it is a good option
if you have non-vegan friends. Also offers vegan wine. Options
include:

Hummus with PERi-PERi drizzle, Pitta and red pepper dip,

PERi-PERi nuts, mixed olives or garlic bread.

Veggie burger, wrap or pitta with no mayo. Portobello

mushroom burger, warp or pitta with no halloumi cheese or
mayo. Mediterraean salad with no feta cheese. Mixed leaf
salad or supergrain salad with no avocado and buttermilk
dressing. All sauces vegan except Perinaise.

Passion fruit Gelado

11-13 Head Street. Opening times: 11:30-22:30 (Mon-Thurs). 11:0023:00 (Fri-Sat). 12:00-22:00 (Sun).

El Guaca A vibrant Mexican restaurant where many dishes can

be adapted to be vegan:
Nachos with guacamole, Pico De Gallo or Chlli Sauce (no
cheese)
Vegetarian tacos
Sizzling courgette and mushroom fajita (without cheese and
sour cream)
Burrito/chimichanga/enchilida with vegetarian bean chilli
(without cheese or sour cream
118 High Street. Opening Times: 12:00-22:30 (Mon, Tues Weds, Thurs,
Sun), 12:00-00:00 (Fri-Sat).

Viet Kitchen A Vietnamese restaurant where many meals can be

made with tofu or mushrooms instead of meat. Starters include
vegetable spring rolls and papaya salad. All noodles are non-egg
based. 1st floor, 25 Head Street. Opening Times: 11:30-23:30 (MonSun).
North Hill Noodle Bar A Chinese restaurant offering vegan
options and adaptions including tofu miso soup (with rice noodles rather than egg), vegetable miso, chilli udon noodles with
mushrooms, coconut vegetable rending, spicy crispy tofu, stir
fried veg and tofu and pak choi. 2 North Hill. Opening times: 12:0022:00 (Mon-Sat). 12:00-21:30 (Sun).
Albatta A middle Easter restaurant. Options include:

Lentil Soup

Hummus with pita, moutabal babaghanouj, Falafel, Foul

Moudames, spicy tomatoes, stuffed vine leafs, spinach fatayer, fries vegetable

Tabbouleh, fattoush salad

Hummus and tomato sandwich, moutabal babaghanoush

sandwich or falafel sandwich
Can also prepare okra with plain rice, rice with vegetables and
Moroccan couscous with vegetables with advance notice.
18A Sir Issacs Walk.. Opening times: 11:00-23:00 (Mon-Sun).
The Cells The Cells is a unique dining experience where you
dine in one of 6 cells each with a different theme such haunted
and a Victorian cell. Options include:
Olives, onion rings or hummus and pitta

Soup, vegan spring rolls and vegan risotto of the day

Sweet potato, chickpea and spinach curry, vegan risotto, vegan Sheppard's pie or Veggie burger

Sorbet or Summer fruit sundae.

65 West Stockwell Street. Opening times: 12:00-23:00 (Mon-Fri), 12:000:00 (Sat). Closed Sun.

The Playhouse A Wetherspoons which offers a number of

cheap vegan meals:
DIY Vegetarian breakfastbeans, tomatoes, hashbrowns,
mushrooms and toast (no butter on mushrooms) or fruit salad with no yoghurt
Pasta Pomodoro or Superfood pasta without pesto
Side Salad without dressing, Nachos and salsa (with no cheese
or sour cream), chips, onion hajis, vegetable samosas, avocado, corn on the cob (no butter)
Jacket potato with beans
Chickpea and sweet potato curry (swap naan for poppadum)
Burrito without cheese or sour cream
Apple crumble with strawberry and blueberry sauce rather
than custard or chopped banana
4 St Johns Street. Opening Times: 8:00-0:00 (Mon-Thurs), 8:00-1:00
(Fri-Sat). Closed Sunday.

The purple dog An old pub dating back to around 1647. It offers the following vegan options:

Falafel and Spinach burger or wrap

Spinach and chickpea curry with vegan naan

Chips, onion rings, garlic bread or soup.

42 Eld Lane. Opening times: Food served until 7pm. 11:00-23:00 (MonWeds), 11:00-1:00 (Thurs), 10:00-1:00/2:00 (Fri/Sat). 11:00-23:00
(Sun).
The Foresters Arm a pub with live music and a warm atmosphere. Offers:

Vgan Sunday lunch - nut cutlet roast potatoes, vegetables

and gravy

Veggie chilli, baked potatoes and beans

1-2 Castle Road. Food served: 12:00-15:00, 18:-00-20:00 (Tues-Fri),
12:00-17:00 (Satt, Sun). Closed Mon.

Slug and Lettuce

Options include:

Toast (no butter), beans, tomato, mushroom

Ciabatta and wheatbran wrap with olives

Superfood salad, noodle salad and Khichdi

Bear battered onion rings, olives and spicy rice

111 High Street. Opening times: 9:00-23:00 (Mon-Thur), 9:00-1:00 (Fri
-Sat), 9:00-22:30 (Sun).
Mcdonalds Did you know you could still eat here as a vegan if
you wish? Your options include:

Plain toasted bagel or hash brown

Veggie burger or wrap (spicy or normal) but specify no

sandwich sauce

Chips , carrot sticks or garden side salad

Apple pie. Or fruit bag

SaucesKetchup, salsa, sweet chilli, BBQ, Sweet & sour

and Sweet Curry.
35/37 High Street. Opening Times: 6:00-21:00 (Mon-Weds). 6:00-0:00
(Thurs). 24 hours (Fri-Sat). 0:00-5:00, 6:00-21:00 (Sun).
Burger King The veggie patty burger and bean burger are vegan if you exclude the cheese and mayo and the fries are also
suitable. 11B High Street. Opening Times: 11:00-23:00 (Mon-Sun).