Discover some of the best vegan restaurants you can cycle to on the National Cycle Network.
Published on 8 Jan 2019
After the festive period has come and gone and the endless nights out have taken their toll, many look to the New Year in the hopes of wiping the slate clean and starting afresh. And in recent years’, taking up a vegan diet during the month of January has become a popular way to kick start the year ahead with positive changes to your lifestyle and diet.
UK walking and cycling charity Sustrans which is pioneer and guardian of the National Cycle Network – a network of traffic-free paths and quiet on-road cycling and walking routes – shares its favourite vegan restaurants to cycle to on the Network.
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Tibits, National Route 4 in Southwark
Tibits is a stone’s throw away from National Route 4, a long-distance path that runs between London and St.David’s and passes by some of London’s most famous landmarks. Tucked just behind the Tate Modern, the vegetarian and vegan restaurant sells everything from fresh salads and delicious breakfasts to soups and pressed juices.
It’s the perfect pit-stop to pull over and refuel at any time of the day. And if you’re on the go, you can grab a tasty takeaway before continuing on your bike ride. Tuesday’s are completely vegan, but every other day of the week the food bar is at least 80% vegan – perfect for Veganuary.
Jumping Bean
Located just off National Route 14, the Jumping Bean is Durham’s first ever established vegan eatery and is easy to reach when taking in the wonderful Network in the city.
They’re all about creating a variety of scrumptious plant-based takes on all of your fast food favourites. So whether you fancy a vegan hotdog, dirty fries, or nachos all washed down with a vegan milkshake – the Jumping Bean is the place to be.
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Mad Cucumber vegan lounge
National Route 25
Image credit: Mad Cucumber/Facebook
Right in the heart of Bournemouth’s vibrant and quirky Triangle and just a short detour from National Route 25 – which runs south through Gillingham onto the Dorset coast – is the Mad Cucumber vegan lounge.
With a cosy atmosphere and friendly staff, you can order from an array of lip-smacking vegan dishes and finish off with one of their delicious homemade cakes. Serving breakfast burritos, wraps, chilli and curry – you can be certain you won’t go hungry. They also have a selection of delicious daily specials including quiche, stews, nut roasts and their famous sweet potato moussaka.
Namaste India
Image credit: Namaste India
Close by the Marriott’s Way sits Namaste, a family-run authentic Indian restaurant serving a variety of dishes from across India. It’s cosy, intimate atmosphere along with helpful and welcoming staff will make you feel right at home. From northern to southern India, their jam-packed menu will take your taste buds on a mini-adventure, featuring a selection masala dosas, delicately spiced curries and aromatic side dishes. Stop off here after the 15-mile ride from Reepham to Norwich for a guaranteed way to satisfy your hanger.
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Hidden City Café in Derry
Image credit: Hidden City Cafe/Facebook
Close by to the Foyle Valley Cycle Route is one of the best veggie and vegan restaurants in Derry which provides the perfect opportunity to power up for the 21-mile journey ahead. Hidden City Café is a delightful, independent family-run café creating healthy and tasty dishes using organic and local ingredients.
From breakfast plates and salads to soups and sandwiches, there’s a great variety of good quality and hearty food. They sell scrumptious sweet treats too, including tasty vegan cupcakes, muffins and incredible rocky road.
Velocity Café, National Route 1 in Inverness
Just off National Route 1 in Inverness, is the chilled out and quirky Velocity Café, where the staff are friendly and welcoming and the coffee and cakes taste like a slice of heaven.
Open seven days a week, this bike-friendly vegan and vegetarian cafe uses locally sourced and organic ingredients. Fuel all of your breakfast needs with tasty pastries and granola bowls, warm up with a steamy bowl of soup and fresh bread, or just stop by for a coffee and a piece of homemade carrot cake before completing the 15-mile journey to Dingwall. They also have a workshop with experts who can help you give your bike some TLC.
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The Great Oak Café in Llanidloes
National Route 81
Image credit: The Great Oak Cafe/Facebook
With their wholesome and appetising veggie and vegan dishes prepared and cooked from fresh every day, the Great Oak Café in the picturesque market towns of Llanidloes is the perfect pit stop after a long day cycling on National Route 81.
They have a huge range of organic and fair trade coffee, teas and hot chocolate, as well as serving vegan shakes. Couple one of their delicious beverages with a wonderful homemade vegan apricot and date flapjack for a mouth-watering pairing. They also have a tasty and varied menu including soups, lasagne, Thai and Indian curries, pizza and flans.
Voltaire in Bangor
Image credit: Volatire/Facebook
If you’re on the final leg of National Route 5 in Bangor, get yourself over to Voltaire for an incredible, fresh foodie experience. Set in a cosy and intimate venue, Voltaire’s healthy and delicious world menu won’t disappoint. Indulge in a burger and fries with their signature own-recipe sweet hot sauce, get yourself a steaming hot curry, share a pizza and onion ring combo on Pizza Mondays and wash your meal down with an array of colourful ‘mocktails’.
