We love pasta here at Secret Bristol. Pasta for lunch. Pasta for dinner. And what about Pasta for breakfast? You know it! We’ll eat it any time of the day. But as anyone that has been trying Veganuary or made the full-time switch to a plant-based diet will know, it rarely has the same pizzazz without parmesan. Or any dairy for that matter. Because what is pasta without cheese?
Well we have just stumbled across the outlier in Bristol. A brand new vegan pasta restaurant has arrived on Prince street. Pastan serves only plant-based, handcrafted pasta with a few other Italian nibbles alongside. And trust us when we say, just one bite will make you forget its all 100% vegan.
Pastan believes you should not “compromise freshness or flavour when you eat food that respects the planet,” and its menu reflects that. Italian classics like cacio e pepe and carbonara are faithfully recreated as vegan-friendly. But where Pastan best shines is when it downplays meat and dairy alternatives. Instead choosing to throw focus on its perfectly cooked pasta and high-quality ingredients.
Our favourites at Pastan include the pumpkin and sage tortellini which explode with pockets of flavour in your mouth, gently dressed in a sage “butter” and served with a herby salad. While the Catalonia-style tomato sauce, zhuzhed up with apricot harissa, is intensely rich and satisfying. We also started our meal with a bowl of loaded crispy gnocchi – carbonara-style – which was just as comforting as it sounds.
This is Pastan’s third permanent location after their restaurants in London and Manchester. But it’s not the first time we’ve seen the vegan pasta restaurant in the South West. Back in the summer of 2021, Pastan had a pop-up on Gloucester Road and we’re so glad it has returned on a permanent basis.
It offers both lunch and evening dining, with mains costing roughly around £15. While a selection of starters and desserts are available too. To finish, we suggest the homemade tiramisu. We imagine Pastan will attract vegans and non-vegans alike going forward, making it a perfect destination to appease everyone’s tastes. We’ll be visiting long after Veganuary ends too. To learn more head here.