It would have been unthinkable to cut meat or dairy from our diets ten years ago. At least for many of us. Nowadays, however, all supermarkets’ stock meat alternatives and most restaurants cater to veganism. Often without a bean burger in sight! From fast-food to fine dining, Bristol is blessed with many vegan-friendly restaurants these days. But does it have the best in Britain? It may well do.
Nominations for the fourth annual British Restaurant Awards have been announced. And Bristol’s very own Root has been nominated as one of the very best vegan-friendly restaurants in the country. The modern, veg-led eatery first opened its doors in 2017, on the bank of Bristol’s harbour in Wapping Wharf, with an ethos of ‘more veg, less meat’.
Root specialises in small plate dining, championing local suppliers and producers, and creating forward-thinking dishes. Food that makes diners reconsider how to handle veg-based meals. Be it a grilled courgette ragu or confit tomatoes, tempura spring onions and jerk carrots, Root’s chefs know how to make their key ingredients sing.
Not everything is completely vegan, however. Expect various cheeses and other dairy products to pop-up on the menu now and again. Some fish and meat may appear too. But they never swamp the menu. And due to the stunning simplicity of Root’s dishes, many can be altered to meet most dietary restrictions.
Root faces some stiff competition in the British Restaurant Awards, however. Kokedama in Brighton and Simpsons in Birmingham have both been nominated for best vegan-friendly restaurant too. As well as, The Juice Smith (Surrey), Stem + Glory (Cambridge), Vegan E (London), HRiSHi, (Windermere), Belmond Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons (Oxford) Gidleigh Park (Chagford) and Holy Carrot (Knightsbridge).
Root has also been nominated, as you might expect, in Bristol’s best restaurant category. This also includes Namak, Tomo No Ramen, Yafo, Adelina Yard, Wilson’s Restaurant, The Ethicurean and Casamia. To see all the restaurants that have been nominated in all categories, as well as to vote for your favourites click here.