A Vegan's Guide to Dundee Restaurant Week

Monday, 26 June 2023

Dundee Restaurant Week is nearly here! For 11 days from the 29th June - 9th July, there’s a whole host of venues to visit and enjoy dining discounts at. Simply sign up and get your free digital pass here, have a wee browse of the participating restaurants and get planning.

Dundee Restaurant Week sent us to Mexican Grill* to see what they had on offer. Their Restaurant Week deal is 2x courses for £17.95 or 3 x courses for £20.95. We opted for a pineapple mocktail and a deliciously refreshing virgin mojito. Sadly there weren’t any vegan starters for us to try, but we thoroughly enjoyed our main courses. The staff were clued up on what could be made plant-based and told us they could make their burrito and fajitas vegan (without cheese). These were both so flavoursome and I loved the dramatic sizzling plate of veggies for the fajitas. The portions were very generous, so we shared a lovely orange sorbet for dessert.

Mexican Grill is taking part in Dundee Restaurant Week

Mexican Grill might not be the most obvious vegan-friendly dining choice, but it just shows how many plant-based options you can find these days. The good news is, I’ve done the research for you to create an A-Z of the vegan-friendly Dundee Restaurant Week venues. There may well be more, but these are either eateries we’ve previously visited, or have clearly marked vegan options on their online menus.

Andreous

(20% off)
Andreou’s have lots of vegan options including roast veg gyros, and hot and cold meze such as vegan halloumi fries, patatas bravas, chickpea stew, falafel and grilled veg skewers.
118 Nethergate / @andreousdundee

The Barrelman

(brunch and mimosa for £13)
There’s one delicious sounding option on their brunch menu - black bean chilli tacos with bean chilli, sweet potato, chipotle mayo, pico de gallo, avocado & pickled slaw. Yum!
100-108 Commercial Street / @thebarrelmanbar

Brewdog

(pizza and a pint of beer or any medium glass of wine for £14.50)
Their pizza options include vegan spicy meaty (Temple of Seitan strips, wild mushrooms, chilli fl akes, fresh red chilli, smashed Napoli tomatoes & vegan mozzarella) or the hero (Wild mushrooms, courgette ribbons, pine nuts, smashed Napoli tomatoes, rosemary).
Chamber Building, Panmure Street / @brewdogdundee

The Cannon

(any sandwich/wrap/toastie and soup for £7)
There’s an old school vegan option on their menu - avocado, red pepper hummus, tomato and rocket sandwich or wrap.
11 Union Street / @thecannondundee

EH9 Espresso

(bagel and coffee for £6)
They have a lovely vegan bagel named “The Betsy”; hummus, sun-dried tomatoes, carrot ribbons and rocket. If you’re in making the most of this offer look out for the cinnamon scrolls too.
248 Perth Road / @eh9.espresso

FIKA

(Large hot drink & cake for £6)
Vegan cake is usually available along with plant milk.
75 Perth Road / @fikadundee

Frankie & Benny’s

(family meal deal for 4: £35.99, or pasta meal deal for 2: £21.99)
They offer plant based pasta, pizza, salad, burger, hot dog and sides.
Overgate Centre / @frankienbennys

Gallery 48

(£18 for 3 x tapas of choice or £25 for 3 x Tapas & Glass of Sangria - Saturdays until 6PM)
Vegan tapas options include chickpea stew, tenderstem broccoli and chargrilled vegetables - though these are actually less than £18 for three anyway.
48 West Port / @gallery_48

Giddy Goose

(any pizza or pasta for £9)
Choose from two vegan pizzas: Margherita or Garden Heat (peppers, shallots, jalapeños & sweetcorn)
2 Perth Road / @thegiddygoosedundee

Innis & Gunn

(£35 for 2 - 2 starters, 2 mains and a drink each)
Starters are KFC cauliflower or butternut squash hummus, and choose from moving mountains burger or vegan shepherd pie for your main.
10 South Tay Street / @innisandgunndundee

Little Things Cafe

(Hand-crafted drinks and a cake for £5)
You’ll usually find vegan cupcake options, and a vegan and gluten free salted caramel brownie to go with your hot drink.
35 Reform Street / @littlethingscafe

Loco Ritas

(Any 3 dishes for £15)
Fully vegan Mexican Cantina! You can read our previous blog post here. Shout out to the cheeseburger loaded fries.
Old Hawkhill / @loco_ritas_dundee

Malmaison

(2 x courses for £22 or 3 x courses for £27)
Starters are cauliflower & coconut soup and Cobb salad, or Cobb salad can be had as a main. There’s also a black bean burger.
44 Whitehall Crescent / @malmaisonhotels

Mas Mexicana

(4 dishes for £16 - usually £26)
Choose from vegan quesadillas, tostada and tacos. They also have apple pie tacos with vanilla ice cream for dessert!
304 Perth Road / @mas_mexicana

Mexican Grill

(2x courses for £17.95 or 3 x courses for £20.95)
See above, items can be made vegan.
24 Castle Street / @mexicangrilldundee

Parlour Cafe

(10% off)
Soups, salads, sandwiches, mezze - lots of seasonal produce means the menu changes but there’s always vegan options.
58 West Port / @parlourpeople

Reboutique 

(Cup of Tea & Cake £4)
Cakes are all vegan! Usually lots of choice too.
Reboutique: 33 Castle Street / @reboutique_dundee

Serendipities

(Cup of tea & cake £4, iced tea or spritzer £2, homemade pie, wedges & house salad £5.50, quesadilla, homemade cake & any drink £11)
Fully vegan!
Serendipities: 12 Union Street / @serendipities_dundee

Tahini

(15% off before)
Lebanese small plates set menu, tell them you’re vegan when you book and you’ll be in for a treat!
11 Bank Street / @tahinidundee

Taza

(15% off, excluding drinks)
Lots of vegan options including traditional curries, and even naan breads.
City Quay / @tazadundee

The Flame Tree Cafe

(Rainbow bagel BLT and coffee for £7)
Bagel can be made with vegan Sgaia rashers for £1.50 extra. Alternative milks available for coffee.
20 Exchange Street / @theflametreecafe

The Selkie

(3 tapas for £10)
Lots of clearly labeled vegan tapas options including vegan meatballs, seared sweet chilli tofu and homemade veg chorizo in red wine.
27 Exchange Street / @theselkiedundee

The West House

(2 main meals for £17.50)
They have a couple of vegan pizzas including a Margherita and Verdura (tomato, not-zarella, spinach, onions, peppers, chillies and mushrooms), as well as an arrabbiata pasta.
2 West Port / @thewesthouse

Lots to choose from! If you’re feeling inspired to visit some local restaurants make sure you sign up for your free pass today. You can also make a donation to pay it forward to one of Dundee’’s community cafes.

Remember to mention restaurant week when booking and tag @dundeerestaurantweek to share your favourite foodie finds.
https://www.dundeerestaurantweek.co.uk/

*This post is in partnership with Dundee Restaurant Week. All opinions are my own.

Angus Grill & Larder

Tuesday, 20 June 2023

Angus Grill & Larder recently launched their new summer menu and kindly invited* us along to see what vegan treats were on offer for lunch. Just off the A90 before Brechin, Angus Grill & Larder serves fresh food with an emphasis on locally sourced produce. With plenty of seating (indoor and out), a wee doggy park, and to-go service, it’s a handy stopping point - but worth making the trip just for a visit too.

We’d actually been here before when we got a flat tyre on our drive back from the Blue Door Walk in Edzell. Luckily for us, we were able to wait for the recovery vehicle from the comfort of the outdoor area with a coffee by the fire pit that day. It was great to come back under nicer circumstances and actually enjoy a meal this time.

After being shown to our table by the friendly front-of-house team, we found there were lots of Scottish brands on the drinks menu, like Bon Accord and Nuisance. I chose a refreshing Summer House raspberry lemonade which was perfect for a hot day. We were very excited to see that they offered a vegan milkshake; made with vanilla ice cream, oat milk and Oreos. It was served in a traditional steel malt cup and was deliciously thick.

To eat, we decided on the vegan dog and club sandwich. There were also vegan wings and a falafel burger which could be made vegan on the menu. The food was quick to arrive and the portions were very generous.

The herby vegan dog came grilled, in a pretzel bun with freshly fried onions and fries. David really enjoyed this, though it was missing the mustard which would have made it even better. We both agreed that the club sandwich was our favourite. Toasted ciabatta, stuffed with vegan bacon and chicken, plant-based cheese, avocado, lettuce, tomato and vegan mayo. It was such a tasty combo and great to see something a bit different. I opted for fries but you could have this with the house salad instead, which might have been a better idea as we were both so full.

Angus Grill & Larder has quite a minimal but modern interior vibe, so it’s a fun surprise to find the colourful art gallery toilets (“lavatoriums”). There are three, each painted by a different local artist, and finished with eco-friendly products. Pictured here is Arbroath Adventures by Laura Darling, the other two are Fields of Forfar by Louise Kirby and Pamela Scott’s Bonny Brechin.

As well as using local suppliers in their kitchen, you’ll find some fab products in their larder area. These shelves are filled with goodies such as drinks (I spied Angus Alchemy!), jams, candles, coffee and soap. We picked up a jar of Dip Club Rasp-beret Chipotle salsa which I’m very much looking forward to opening soon.

One thing worth noting is that although Angus Grill & Larder is dog-friendly, dogs aren’t allowed inside the restaurant. There’s Hallie and Maple’s doggy play park which is a secure area for letting them off the lead, and you can have them in the outside seating area too.
You can find Angus Grill & Larder at Balnabriech, Brechin, DD9 6RN
https://angusgrillandlarder.co.uk/
@angusgrilluk

*Angus Grill & Larder gifted us our lunch, all opinions are my own.


Dundee Espresso Lab

Friday, 2 June 2023

Dundee Espresso Lab opened on Commercial Street towards the end of last year. We’d been meaning to visit, and after messaging to see if they had vegan food options, we popped in for a light Sunday lunch after wandering around the waterfront with guests we had staying for the weekend.

The coffee shop is bright and welcoming with exposed brick walls and tungsten-style bulbs - a mix of vintage and industrial aesthetics that works nicely in the space. The window seat was taken when we arrived but it looks very inviting, I do love a people watching spot and it would be ideal for that - or cosy to look out from on a rainy day. Espresso Lab is dog friendly so we brought our two along (spot Izzy peeping out on that last photo!).

We ordered a selection of coffees and some fresh orange juice which is squeezed to order - delicious and refreshing. The mocha (or hot chocolate) can be made vegan if you order with plant milk which is always good to know, it’s disappointing when places only stock a chocolate powder with milk in it. I had an oat flat white which is always a great way to test the coffee and I can confirm that it was perfect. They also sell coffee beans by the bag if you want some Espresso Lab blend for home.

The lunch options are labelled vegan on the chalkboards, there was a choice of greek pies or soup of the day. The pie options were olive, tomato and pepper, or herby leek - we had one of each and they came with side salads. The flavours were great, very rich and Mediterranean, it was nice to have something a bit different to the usual offerings.

They did have one vegan cake which was an apple and almond one, it was on the crumbly side as it was also gluten free but tasted lovely. I’ve had a brownie from here since, and that was nice and sticky. I would absolutely love to see vegan cannoli - we had at Purezza in Manchester and wish there was somewhere that sold them locally!


If you’re looking for something to do on a Thursday evening, Dundee Espresso Lab has been opening from 6-8pm for a craft club. It’s fab to have more options for week night hang outs, especially for a creative get-together. 


Find Dundee Espresso Lab at 31 Commercial Street, DD1 3DG
https://www.dundeeespressolab.co.uk/
@dundeeespressolab 

Rascals / Perth

Wednesday, 24 May 2023

Have you been to Rascals in Perth yet? If not, you’ll want to plan a visit soon! This fully vegan eatery is tucked around the corner from the river with an easy to spot green exterior complete with a silhouette of Rascal the dog. The menu is full of tempting comfort food and I’m sure you’ll be spoilt for choice.

We were given a warm welcome and shown to a window table. Rascals is dog friendly, so we brought Daisy the chihuahua with us and she was offered water on arrival which is always appreciated. The interior is simple and bright with pops of green and flowers on the table, and there’s a counter covered in sweet treats under glass domes. 


It’s so nice to have another fully vegan cafe in Perth, since 269 Vegan sadly closed. There’s lots to choose from on the menu with a mix of classic comfort dishes and some more unusual offerings. There are light options including open sandwiches with ‘happy tuna’ and sweetcorn, coronation chic’n with crispy fried onions, or a BLT.


We went for more indulgent mains - I had the Thai fish cakes with chips and tartar sauce and David went for the mac and cheese loaded fries. The fish cakes were made with banana blossom which kept them light and they had a lovely delicate flavour. David loved the mac and cheese (me too - I had this on our second visit!), it was rich and creamy, and very moreish. On our more recent visit, David had the Rascals house burger which he has not stopped talking about - he wouldn’t even let me try it as he wanted it all to himself!

Back to our first visit, we had a pot of tea and a hot chocolate to drink, and even though we were very full we had to try some of the sweets. After much deliberation, we shared an apple and cinnamon mini loaf and a hazelnut Danish pastry. These were incredible, though our eyes were bigger than our bellies, so had to take the rest home as a treat for later! They also had their own homemade Jaffa cakes which I hope to try another time.


Since Perth is just 30 minutes away it’s definitely worth popping over for a weekend lunch, you won’t regret it! I’d recommend booking though, as it filled up quickly when we were there on a weekday lunchtime.

Rascals is part of Starting Step, a social enterprise set up to work with the harder to reach young people, people with convictions, their families and those socially isolated from society. You can find out more about their mission here. 

Find Rascals at 13 George St, Perth PH1 5JY

Nooch Bar & Kitchen / Stirling

Tuesday, 16 May 2023

When we saw that Fletcher’s Hotel had an off-season offer for a two night stay it was Nooch which sealed the deal for us. Just a 2 minute walk from our accommodation, Nooch Bar & Kitchen is Stirling’s only fully vegan eatery. It opened in December last year and is one to add to your list for vegan fine dining at affordable prices. We managed to squeeze in two visits on our short stay and I’m so glad we did!

First off, we popped in for a pre-dinner cocktail (we had dinner included at our hotel) but spotted the small plates, so treated ourselves to a wee snack too. We each had an espresso martini which were the perfect balance of creamy with a coffee kick and came served in beautiful vintage glasses. We had some posh chips, and whipped feta and beets and knew right away that we had to book dinner for the next night to try more of the menu.

The next evening was their weekly quiz night so we were advised to book. That evening there was a full on blizzard as we ran from our hotel, but Nooch was super cosy. The interior is all mismatched retro furniture and fairy lights and it just felt so welcoming on that freezing cold night. The quiz was a lot of fun, the questions were a nice level and the crowd was friendly - plus we didn’t totally embarrass ourselves which is always a bonus!

We chose a bottle of wine and ordered a mix of dishes to share - ‘crab’ dip and sea crackers, haggis bon bons, Mac and cauliflower cheese, and a Korean fried mushroom burger. The crab dip was a standout; it’s so great to see something different on a vegan menu. My favourite was the Mac and cauliflower cheese, it was deliciously rich and creamy and one of the most authentic vegan macaroni dishes I’ve had. We couldn’t manage dessert sadly but when we were leaving at the end of the night David couldn’t resist grabbing a Bahn mi from the deli counter for later.

Nooch is also dog-friendly and accessible which is fantastic. We can’t wait to visit again soon. Follow @noochbk for menu updates and let us know if you go!
Find Nooch Bar & Kitchen at 44 Upper Craigs, Stirling, FK8 2DS
https://www.noochbk.co.uk/

Think Thursday

Monday, 8 May 2023

delicious food and drink at Parlour Cafe
rickshaw at City Square
Louise Kirby's interactive art mural
Last week we headed into town for the evening, to see what Think Thursday is all about. There’s so much happening on Thursday nights in Dundee now, with lots of local businesses and attractions open 5-8pm offering deals, events, and workshops.

I hopped on a bus to get a head start, David would be meeting me after work but I wanted to cram in as much as I could in the three hours. There are discounts on buses and £1 parking available after 4pm which is a great idea - though I don’t have anyone under 22 to travel with on the bus so that offer didn’t apply to me.

I’d had a look at the directory of businesses taking part and made a wee mental route to wander. I started at City Square where there were hourly performances by Shaper Caper, the Who Is The Designer? exhibition as part of Dundee Month of Design, the chance to add colour to murals by artists Whimsical Lush and Louise Kirby, bubbles and rickshaws! It was fab to see the spotlight on 18 local designers and I did manage to doodle a little on Louise Kirby’s artwork despite how busy it was.

The Botanist & The Bee
The Mantuary
Next up, I headed along to check out some of the shops taking part. The Botanist and The Bee (Whitehall Street) is such a lovely spot bursting with greenery, they were hosting a plant care and propagation workshop later that evening. Upcoming Thursday workshops include macrame, terrarium, and repotting. I went around past a couple of other businesses which were listed but unfortunately not open (I think they had workshops on later), so I thought I’d have a nosy at The Mantuary (Commercial Street). It’s such a cool space which I’ll definitely have to send David to so we can get it up on Wee Dundee.

Double Door Studios shop
marbled mirror workshop at Double Door
Spex Pistols
Spex Pistols
After that, I popped into Double Door Studios (Ward Road) where they are hosting a series of artist talks and workshops - the marbled mirror workshop which was on looked like a lot of fun! I then wandered along to the iconic Spex Pistols shop (Johnston’s Lane), their offer was 10% off for the evening and I was very tempted by some sunglasses. We also visited the Newport Bakery (West Port) where they had a vegan coffee cake that David bought for later - I forgot to take a photo but you’ll spot it in my reel on Instagram.

vegan mezze board at Parlour Cafe
The highlight of our evening was a delicious vegan mezze platter at Parlour Cafe (West Port). Instead of a menu, you simply let them know any dietary requirements/dislikes, and your food is freshly made. They are offering mezze and a drink for £15 per person - we didn’t have long so we had a condensed experience but it was such a treat. Just loads of gorgeous salads, dips, and flatbreads with falafel and some homemade vegan sausage rolls too.

rickshaws at The McManus
Can't You See the Sea Changing? exhibition at DCA by Zineb Sedira
V&A & RSS Discovery
The Adventure Begins... at Discovery Point
On the first Thursday evening of the month, you can grab a bargain with 50% off tickets to the Dundee Science Centre, Discovery Point & RSS Discovery, and the V&A. The McManus (which usually has free entry) will be open too with free activities and the DCA gallery is open late too. We had a quick look in at Discovery Point at the end of our evening but had run out of time to see the ship so it’s on my list to go back soon.

I’m amazed at how much we got done in an evening, it really made it feel like the weekend started early, and was wonderful for town to have a buzz about it. You can check out the Think Thursday website to find out what’s happening soon or take a look at @visitdundeecity on Instagram for weekly updates. Think Thursday will be happening every Thursday until 29th June so make sure you pop along to make the most of your city centre.
https://think-thursday.co.uk/
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