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Pie and mash is a comforting British staple, and now vegans in Essex can tuck into this British institution once again as an all-vegan pie and mash shop opens in Essex.
A vegan pie and mash shop, Acorn Pie and Mash Restaurant, has opened its doors in Leigh-on-Sea to meet the growing demand for meat-free eateries, but encouragingly according to owners Samantha and Jim Anderson estimate that roughly half of the patrons at the restaurant are meat eaters that just enjoy good food and are looking for something a bit different.
The Acorn is the latest venture from the owners of the Oaktree Restaurant which opened in 2013 as a sandwich and soup-style bistro. However, the couple quickly realised that demand for vegan food was growing so rapidly that they realised they needed to grow to keep up with demand.
At the end of last year, they decided to open a second restaurant – the Acorn Pie and Mash Restaurant where they served up traditional pie and mash dishes… with a modern vegan twist!
The Acorn is based a mile away from the Oaktree in Old Leigh in a beautiful 120-year-old building in the old town, and boasts a more relaxed vibe than the original restaurant.
The Acorn is fully licensed and offers both indoor and outdoor seating for those who’d like to enjoy the meal al fresco. The menu boasts 4 main pie options such as the seitan “Steak’ and Ale pie and the Broccoli and Cauliflower “Cheese” pie.
They also offer a daily special which they try to have fun with to create something uniquely delicious such as the “Frank and Beans”, which is a pie with hot dogs with a selection of beans. There’s even an “all day breakfast” pie that proved very popular with patrons!
Everything is cooked fresh and they pride themselves in using the best ingredients to show how good vegan food can be. They like to offer a mixture of vegetable based “wholefood” dishes and slightly more indulgent “fake meat” dishes to make sure everyone can find something to enjoy. As long as its plant-based, they’re happy!
Speaking about their journey over the past few years, the owners said in a statement sent to Vegan Food & Living: “Its been a crazy 6 year journey to get to where we are. We started with Sam and I, 3 staff and a tiny cafe with 12 seats. We now have 2 restaurants, 36 staff, and nearly 130 covers across the 2 sites!!
“We are proudly 100% vegan and we are loving the growth of veganism as a whole. As more and more people embrace the change, we hope to be able to evolve and grow with them.
I would say 50% of our customers are vegan, but an equal number are meat eaters that just enjoy good food and something a bit different. Everyone is welcome!”
The Acorn Pie and Mash Restaurant joins the likes of London-based vegan pie and mash shop Young Vegans which opened in Camden in 2017.
The Acorn is open from 11am until 10pm Wednesday to Saturday, and 11 until 5pm on Sundays at 11-13 Leigh Hill, Leigh on Sea, SS9 2GD.
www.acornpieandmash.co.uk
