#veganbrixham

Vegan Friendly Brixham

03Jul

VEGAN FRIENDLY BRIXHAM

With the rapid rise in veganism in the UK, many restaurants  in Brixham have some really great vegan options popping up on their menus, which makes me very happy being vegan myself!

Whilst on my trips to Brixham staying at Forget-Me-Knot Cottage I try to get out to as many eateries as possible, I am a self proclaimed foodie and nothing makes me happier than discovering a new restaurant serving a tasty vegan dish.  

I have noted below the Vegan friendly Brixham Restaurants I have visited and I hope you enjoy trying them as much as I did!

 

Curious Kitchen

Almost every visit to Forget-Me-Knot Cottage I visit the Curious Kitchen, normally for tea and cake and sometimes lunch, the menu changes seasonally as do the cake options available but they have things like avocado on toasted sour dough bread with toasted seeds, roasted lemon & coriander or harrissa baked beans on sour dough toast with spring onions, dairy free milkshake, brownies & cakes. It really is a great place for a tasty brunch or lunch.

 

The Rockfish

On a visit earlier this year to Brixham I discovered where I could get vegan friendly chip shop chips!  The Rockfish restaurant have a fryer dedicated to chips which makes them vegan friendly and gluten free, I happily devoured 2 bags from the takeaway on that trip! On my next visit I went into the restaurant upstairs where I had the vegan burger and chips which was nice although I’m not personally big on meat replacements which the burger was, if you like that you won’t be disappointed! And when you run out of chips they bring more over!

 

On The Rocks

One of my favourite places to eat whilst in Brixham is ‘On the Rocks’ which is just down the steps opposite the cottage and one of the first places you come to on the harbour side.  They always have some really delicious options, I never know what to have! The accompaniments that come with them too are always really tasty!  The chips are seasoned well (and have their own fryer), the burgers are always good, on my last trip down I had the vegan tacos with violife cheese – they were excellent! Good views of the harbour if you are near the window and really great food, perfect Brixham dinner spot!

Vegan Tacos at On The Rocks, Brixham

Vegan Burger at On The Rocks, Brixham

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Old Market House 

The Old Market House on the harbour didn’t have any vegans options when I first became vegan back in 2016, however this year they have some really nice options on their menu, I have had the sweet potato and chickpea curry with rice and garlic naan which was absolutely delicious and the burger with chunky chips and houmous which again was really nice.  There are amazing views of the harbour from here and the option to eat on the upstairs balcony if the weather is good and if its winter time a cosy log fire downstairs.

 

The Guardhouse Cafe 

The Guardhouse Café on Berryhead has a good selection of vegan cake and some vegan lunches, I recently went walking on Berryhead with a friend and her lab, we stopped off before heading to St Marys Bay.  I had vegan chocolate cake and a cup of tea, even Ben the lab was given dog biscuits from the counter – absolutely perfect on a long walk to keep you going!

 

Bombay Mix

Bombay Mix Indian takeway, when I visit with my mum and my cousin we always have Indian takeway one night – I explain to them I am vegan and what  cannot eat on the phone, I usually have vegetable curry with vegetable rice, chapati and maybe a chana dish, it’s always really tasty and nice if you want dinner delivered at home (these guys are take away only).

Vegan Sweet Potato and Chickpea Curry, The Old Market House, Brixham

Vegan Chocolate Cake, The Guardhouse, Berryhead, Brixham

Vegan Curry, Bombay Mix, Indian Takeaway, Brixham

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Railway Inn

The Railway Inn (was Weary Ploughman) just outside of Brixham has some good vegan options although the chips are not vegan friendly, they do a really nice vegan Sunday roast; it includes a spiced apple nut roast, herb roasted potatoes, spiced red cabbage and seasonal vegetables with a cider gravy. They also do pizzas and some other tasty sounding vegan meals.

 

The Breakwater Bistro 

The Breakwater Bistro is another one I have only just noticed have vegan options, food is pretty good although the chips aren’t vegan friendly so you get a jack potato instead, great views from here and your doggos are allowed in too! 

 

Oats Healthy Living Store

Oats Healthy Living Store, I always visit here for some vegan and organic shopping, grab my teas and nibbles for my stay. They also do vegan lunches and cream teas which I haven’t tried yet but I hear they are good and are on my vegan hitlist! 

 

Simply Fish

I have also heard that Simply Fish Takeaway & restaurant (in front of you to your left when you come down the steps) are going to have a dedicated chip fryer soon so another place to enjoy a bag of vegan chips in Brixham! I was also told they currently serve a vegan curry in their restaurant which is meant to be really nice.

**update – sadly they kitted out their new restaurant but still no dedicated chip fryer so Rockfish for chips still!

 

I am sure there are plenty of other places I haven’t yet discovered that have delicious vegan options on their menus, I shall write about those as and when I find them, if you find them before me please do let us know 🙂 

 

Happy eating in Vegan friendly Brixham!  🌱

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

South West Coast Path Adventures – Brixham & Beyond

23May

South West Coast Path Adventures – Brixham & Beyond

 

I recently had a stay at my lovely Cottage in Brixham ‘Forget-Me-Knot Cottage’ with my friend Susan and her black lab Ben, we explored the South West Coast Path over 2 days and I have shared our adventures below!

 

The adventures of two female intrepid explorers and a black lab named Ben…

Brixham Pirate Festival

We arrived in Brixham on a sunny but cloudy Tuesday afternoon and after a cup of tea and me giving Susan the grand tour of pretty ‘Forget-Me-Knot Cottage’ we quickly unpacked our things and took Ben the Black Lab out for some fresh sea air and exploring in the sunshine. We headed down to the harbour via  Temperance place steps, meandering past the remnants of Brixham Pirate Festival weekend which had ended the day before, we stopped and grinned at the skeleton figure hanging in a basket over the harbour – ‘poor dear soul didn’t make it out’ we joked as we made our way around the quayside.

Susan my holiday companion hadn’t been to Brixham in some 20 years so it was a trip of memories and discovering the changes over the past 2 decades.  We wandered past the marina, admiring the beautiful boats and yachts, onto breakwater beach marvelling at the crystal clear waters lapping up at the shore and on past Shoalstone outdoor swimming pool which was about to be renovated ready for another busy summer season.  We decided as it was approaching tea time it would be nice for a refreshment and walked onto Berryhead hotel where we sat outside with Salcombe South Devon Gin & tonic watching the beautiful clear waters glistening below and taking in all the lovely fresh sea air.

 

Brixham Marina

G&T at the Berryhead Hotel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That evening we (and Ben the lab) all enjoyed a meal at the Rockfish restaurant at the end of Brixham harbour, sampling some Plymouth Devon Gin and the first chip shops chips I have had since becoming vegan some years back!

 

Berryhead & Beyond

On our first morning we woke to glorious sunshine, we packed our rucksack and set off for a day of exploring the south west coast path, we walked south through Brixham and on to Berryhead National Park.  Ben loved running around the ruins and the views were just spectacular, the highlight being the lighthouse built in 1906 at the end of the cliffs where you can see out to sea for miles in every direction (Dogs need to be on leads at this point for obvious reasons!).  Walking back with slightly rumbling tummies we decided we would head to The Guardhouse Café which is situated on Berryhead, after learning about local wildlife from the lovely lady in the information centre we went into the café, I was delighted to find they had several vegan cake options for me and even biscuits on the counter for Ben the lab!

Doggy treats at The Guardhouse Cafe

Vegan cake at The Guardhouse Cafe, Brixham

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After our elevenses we headed on for St Marys Bay, enroute we saw Guillemots nesting on the rocks. It was quite some walk with some stunning views and as we finally made our way down a fair few steps we arrived at beautiful St Marys Bay, Ben had a celebratory run round the empty beach and whilst we were looking out to sea we were lucky to see porpoise in the waters!

Enroute to St Marys Bay

St Marys Bay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arriving back to the cottage Susan tells me from her fitbit we had walked some 7 miles!  We decided this deserved a hearty meal so we (and Ben) headed out to The Old Market House on the harbour for a lovely meal to round off a lovely day.

 

Vegan Curry at The Old Market House, Brixham

 

Fishcombe Cove

Waking up on Wednesday to another lovely sunny day, it was our last day to explore so decided to go north on the south west coast path, we had a route semi planned and after breakfast we set off.  We walked to the other side of the harbour and headed for Fishcombe Cove, Susan teaching me names of trees, plants and birds all the way.  Once we arrived it was as beautiful as I had remembered, we sat at the Beachside café and had a hot drink and they made Ben a hot doggy sausage snack following his swim.  The wind was up a little so we decided to carry on to our next destination.

 

Fishcombe Cove

Swimming at Fishcombe Cove

Brixham Battery Gardens

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Getting Lost!

We had planned to go to the next cove around the coastline which is Churston Cove however we got ourselves completely lost in ancient woodland (which was not a bad thing as it was truly beautiful!) and somehow ended up on Churston Golf Course! After a nice chat with the greenskeeper who sent us in the right direction we finally ended up at Churston Cove, I think this has to be my favourite cove – it is so very beautiful and peaceful with crystal clear waters.

Ancient Woodland Churston

Churston Cove

Ben admiring Churston Cove

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elberry Cove

Heading onto Elberry Cove surrounded by woodlands and fields and the Elberry Bath house ruins built for Lord Churston in the 18th century, we strolled past Broadsands beach and headed for our final stop ‘Goodrington Beach’, this final trek required a degree of fitness as you encounter more steps than I have ever seen! But it was certainly worth it, it was a great walk, we sat and rested while watching the steam train come past, saw some very unusual flora and finally after 5 hours and 9 miles we made it to Goodrington Beach where we sat at the Inn on the Quay Pub and shared a late lunch, we decided as we didn’t want to be walking back until dark that we should catch a bus back to Brixham – Ben’s first Bus journey!

 

How many steps..?

Dartmouth Steam Train passing through

Elberry Cove

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We rounded the final night off with a truly delicious meal at ‘On The Rocks’ at Brixham harbour, sadly Ben the lab wasn’t allowed into this restaurant, although after such a busy day of walking many miles, he was more than happy to curl up and have a nap at the cottage.

Vegan Burger and chips at On The Rocks, Brixham Harbour

 

Something I haven’t mentioned which I think I should is that Susan is in her 70s!  We walked lots of miles (at her request), she has more energy than me in my 30s – she is just amazing!  Also every Brixham restaurant and eatery mentioned caters for vegans very well which made refuelling for me after all the trekking a culinary pleasure!

A wonderful trip with amazing memories x