Plant-based pub food to try this Veganuary 

You’ve probably heard of Veganuary by now. But in case you haven’t, Veganuary encourages people to eat a vegan diet throughout the month of January. We’re here to help keep it fun, make sure it doesn’t impact your social life and, importantly, to keep it tasty.  

Around 3,000 people took part in Veganuary when it launched in 2014. Ten years later, in 2024, an estimated 25 million people took on the challenge.  

Essentially, Veganuary has done more than a decade of heavy lifting to get more greens, beans and all-round good stuff on our plates.  

Finger licking without the chicken 

So, are you ready to guac ‘n’ roll with Greene King? Because we’re ready to tickle your tastebuds and open your mind to the plant-based possibilities on our menu this Veganuary and beyond.  

Once upon a time, vegans had to tough it out with soggy side salads and cold chips as their only options when stepping out. But no more. Lettuce leaf all of that behind us and explore the tantalisingly tasty plant-based beauties at your favourite Greene King pub. Can we get a kale yeah?!  

Full of beans 

A meal doesn’t need to be meaty to be hearty. Or lip-smackingly delicious.  

Our pleasing plant-based treats mean you can try something tasty without forgoing taste. Let’s tuck in. 

January can be a cold and bleak month, so we’ll start with a selection of winter warmers. This three-course meal comes from the Norwood Arms in Cheltenham. Cheltenham is full of family-friendly fun - just like our pubs – and makes for a great day out.  

To start, we’re ordering the Vegan Plant-Based Meatballs. They’re cheesy, come in a rich pesto sauce and with toasted bread on the side. Pure plant-based perfection. Moving on to our main, and, as it’s January, it’s got to be a pie. Vegan Mushroom & Ale Pie, to be precise. Slathered in gravy and served with chips or new potatoes and oh, we can’t contain ourselves. But we’re not curtailing ourselves. Not now we’ve seen a Vegan Caramelised Cheesecake served with vegan ice cream is up for grabs. 

Perhaps that was a little too rich, after the Christmas indulgence? Don’t worry, we’ll take a lighter turn now.  

Next, we’re heading to Buxton for beautifully stunning winter scenes. And delicious pub food that won’t require you to break your Veganuary vow! These menu choices come from the Old Club House.  

Houmous is tempting to start dipping into, but soup is such a wholesome winter classic that we’re opting for that. The Chickenless Katsu Curry is a standout tasty main dish but, if you want something lighter still, there’s always the Tomato & Pesto Salad.   

Take a turn further north to the historic city of York, and the Golden Lion is serving up even more ways to veg-out for Veganuary. This time, we’re starting with something from the Small Plates: Plant-based Nuggets (and opting for the Texan BBQ sauce for dipping). The Beyond Meat Burger is a solid choice for a main but then again, the smashed avocado that comes with the Pulled Mushroom Chilli sounds like a real treat! The zingy Lemon Tart with fresh raspberries and vegan ice cream has put pudding firmly back on the menu. We did try to keep it light!  

Phew, we’re feeling soy full after all of that.