Vegan Manchester: The Low-Down on the City’s Vegan Scene
The Veggie Capital of the UK…
In 1847 the Vegetarian Society was founded in Manchester by the aptly named Reverend Cowherd. It was the first organisation for the promotion of meat-free living in the UK, and one of the first of its kind in the world. Since then, Manchester’s veggie credentials have gotten stronger and stronger.
The vibrancy of the city’s vegetarian and vegan culture should really come as no surprise. After all, Mancunians are famed for creatively pushing the envelope, and the city has a stellar reputation when it comes to ethical causes.
(We even have the People’s History Museum, which is dedicated to the ideas of equality, social justice, cooperation, and crafting a fairer world for all.)
But sitting harmoniously alongside good ethical credentials, vegan diners want to be assured of awesome food, don’t they? Fortunately, Manchester’s dozens of veggie and vegan restaurants offer tons of exciting, delicious choices.
In fact, it was this variety that inspired us to design our own Vegan Manchester Food Tour. Whether your visiting Manchester for a short stay, or are a local hoping to find new culinary experiences, the eight tastings included in our tour are sure to provide something for everyone.
Veganism in Britain: A Food Revolution!
Veganism has been positively booming in recent years. At the beginning of 2022, over 600,000 people signed up to take part in the UK’s annual Veganuary, where participants are encouraged to go vegan for the month of January.
The growth of plant-based diets, though, is not only linked to short-term initiatives. The long-term growth of veganism within the UK is no less impressive. In 2014, around 0.25% of the British population were vegan; today, 1.16% identify as vegan! And 42% of vegans polled said that 2018 was the year they adopted the diet.
Yes, an increasingly health-conscious and green-focused British public has embraced a plant-based lifestyle like never before. For foodies, this means one really important thing: lots of more choice when heading out for dinner!
The Manchester Vegan Scene
From high-end restaurants to street food trucks, Manchester has a wealth of vegan options!
Bundobust in the city centre has been producing some of the most amazing Indian vegan flavours for years. Bringing together flavoursome, colourful vegetarian Indian dishes, and refreshing local craft beers, Bundobust has found a winning formula! With food this good and an ace atmosphere, you might end up becoming a regular.
Vegan pizzas are all the rage at Four Side Pizza. Detroit style pizzas sold whole, or by the slice, and everything is 100% vegan! The concept of vegan pizzas has had its fair share of doubters over the years, but you can be assured of a tasty meal at Four Side Pizza – they’re the best at what they do. As former Manchester resident Friedrich Engels would no doubt remind you, it’s all a matter of supply and demand. With veganism expanding as it is, the quality of veggie goodies just gets better.
At Black Leaf, they’re all about the use of seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients to make really exciting plant-based dishes. You can always expect plates that are as nutritious as they are delicious, so you come away feeling full and revitalised. This is vegan cuisine at its healthy, unprocessed best.
Over at V Revolution, meanwhile, the order of the day is comfort food! V Revolution owner Dom Moss and his staff are constantly pushing the boundaries. So a vegan burger or portion of vegan Mac & Cheese will never carry the rich, heartiness you crave? Think again. At V Revolution you’ll find a menu full of decadent, classic pub dishes, all prepared totally free of animal products. A great choice for those who’ve recently switched to a plant-based diet and miss some of their old go-to dishes.
Explore more veggie eateries over at Happy Cow.
Yes, Manchester is most definitely a city celebrating vegan food….
So, why not join us for our ultimate vegan food walking tour. On the tour we’ll explore some of Manchester’s back streets, taking in the stories and legends that make this city so great.
Led by one of our local vegan food experts, every tour will take in six different vegan stops and over eight different vegan tastings.
Meet the chefs and producers, hear their stories, and share their love and devotion for a vegan Manchester.
Not Just for the Vegan Foodie
While we’ve been discussing our vegan food tour and the veggie scene we love, we are always keen for as many non-vegans to come along and see what all the fuss is about. We’re not trying to convert anyone but if we can introduce a few new flavours and ingredients to your life then we’re doing our job.
The tour is every Thursday and Sunday starting at 11.30 am and it takes about 3 hours. We keep the group to a maximum of ten.
If you’d prefer your own private vegan food tour for just your group, send us an email at manchester@bitestours.com
Alternatively, you can explore our full selection of Manchester foodie walking tours on our website.
Guided food tour of Manchester. Why it’s the best way to explore our city.
Guided food tours are an amazing way to explore new cities. Not only do you have your very own local to show you around, you also get to try the best in local delicacies. Here’s 5 reasons you should take a guided food tour of Manchester.
Be guided to the best food on your tour.
Manchester is constantly changing. New bars, restaurants and eating places are always popping up here and there. Our local food team is always on the look out for new hot spots that you just can’t miss. On our guided food tour we will always take you to our favourite eating spots. The places that tell the story of Manchester. Some of these are really hard to find. Even some locals struggle to find them. Taking a guided food tour takes this stress off you.
Support local food businesses.
All of our food tours support only locally owned and run businesses. This means that your money is going straight back into our food heroes. 2020 has been really tough for many of these businesses. So why not show some support when you visit a new city.
Avoid the tourist traps.
None of us want to fall into the tourist traps but it is sometimes easier said than done. Taking a Manchesterbites guided food tour will get you away from the busy hotspots on the main strips. We want to take you to our favourite places. The places that tell a story, the places that are part of Manchester folklaw.
It’s not just food
All of our guided food tours are full of lots of fun and fascinating info. Our friendly guides are all well versed in Manchester’s history. Our food tour passes by historical spots and even some film sets. As our guided tour winds its way through the back streets you’ll here famous local stories and legends. Great fun for everyone in the group.
The most authentic experience
Our guided food tours are all run in small groups. We want to blend in with the locals. Each tour is led by a local food and Manchester loving guide. As a result you are guaranteed an authentic Mancunian experience. You’ll be sat down with Mancs, eating what us Mancs love to eat and hearing the stories we are so proud of.
If you’d like to book a guided food tour of Manchester head over to www.manchesterbites.com/tours
If you have any questions please contact us info@manchesterbites.com
Tour of Manchester. Some recommendations of the best tours.
Taking a tour of Manchester is a must do for any new visitor to the city. Here in England we love our story telling and Manchester is full of some of the best. It’s also an ever changing city so even if this isn’t your first trip here, a tour is a perfect way to get underneath the skin.
A few reasons to book a tour of Manchester.
Like many of the UK’s cities, Manchester can be tricky to get around. We don’t rely on the grid systems that are commonly seen in more modern city centres. Some of our streets date back to Roman times. A tour of Manchester is a perfect way to get your bearings when you first arrive here. It will save you a lot of time and effort for the remainder of your stay.
Another reason to tour the city is that it is full of ever changing shops, bars, restaurants and other businesses. Meaning that if it’s your first visit to Manchester for a while, it has definitely changed. Our food tours of Manchester are a prime example of this. We are constantly keeping pace with new restaurants and eateries popping up, moving location or closing. Our food tour will show you places you may never have known existed. Or even places you knew before but have since moved.
But of course the main reason to take a city tour in Manchester is for the history and culture. Manchester has one of the most fascinating stories of any city. From our Roman beginnings, through the Industrial revolution to the modern metropolis we are today. We are a city that explodes with passion when it comes to music. Our sports teams are (sometimes) the envy of the world. We have changed politics on a global scale and invented more things than we can remember. Taking a tour of Manchester is always going to be full of amazing facts and stories.
Some of the best Manchester tours.
Well most visitors to Manchester flock to the footballing Mecca that is Old Trafford. You can enjoy a stadium tour that also takes in the museum and trophy room.
John Costerdine runs Manchester taxi tours. You can hire him and his taxi and do his rock and goal tour which takes in some iconic music and football sites.
If you really want to go deep into the music side check out https://manchestermusictours.com/. They were set up by the drummer of Inspiral carpets Craig Gill.
And of course our Food that feeds the city tour is a must for all you foodies whether visiting or locals. You can find our more details here.
If you’re planning a trip to Manchester and need some help, drop us an email at info@manchesterbites.com.
