Bristol’s vegan foodie scene has been a powerhouse when it comes to changing the way many diners and eateries in the city have thought about food in the past. Speciality vegan and vegetarian tasting menus and other offerings have been created by some of the industry’s top chefs in the city.
What’s more, famed roast dinners, afternoon teas, and brunches have been concocted with purely plant-based diners in mind. And there are some restaurants in Bristol, like Root and Koocha, which cater exclusively to the vegan diet.
But, while there still boasts an array of options for vegan dining here, in the past year the city has seen a vast number of incredibly popular vegan cafe and restaurant venues close their doors for good. It comes among a sizable list of bars, restaurants and cafes serving all types of food and drink, which Bristol lost in 2024 alone.
And it seems that this is not just an issue locally, but rather something which is affecting the country as a whole. BirminghamLive reported its own vegan closure at the start of the year, with one vegan restaurant owner saying: “I think why restaurants are failing is because there are not enough vegans in the city to support them.
“You can’t get away from the fact that vegans haven’t grown beyond about four per cent of the population. Including vegetarians, it’s about ten per cent. I think it’s failed to grow. It was gathering momentum and it’s stalled.”
Of course, it could also be argued that the current climate for local cafes and restaurants is a tough one, with rising energy costs, rent and other outgoings making it difficult for many businesses to stay afloat. Speaking with BristolLive recently, the owner of the Hatter House Cafe – which now has two sites in the city – said: “We need to treat small businesses differently, whether it’s less rent or less expenses, we need more opportunities to be in the right locations. It’s difficult for any small business.”
The Not Found Kitchen, located on Whiteladies Road, announced its closure back in January, calling the past couple of years ‘chaotic’ and adding that it would still be producing its vegan cakes from sister site 404 Bakes, which would be available from cafes ‘all around town’ after the cafe closed. It also said it would be hosting events at its site, which houses the bakery, later in the year.
Another popular cafe in the area, Eden Cafe in Clifton, announced its closure back in November 2024 “with great regret”. The cafe, which was located on Waterloo Street, made a name for itself serving up a range of plant-based dishes as part of its mission to ‘showcase everything vegan food can be’. Popular items on the menu included breakfast bowls ‘sprinkled with superfoods’, ‘cheese’ and ‘bacon’-loaded full English breakfasts – and even a vegan afternoon tea.
Back in October, BristolLive reported how customers feared Pastan on Prince Street had closed for good – and it turns out that was the case. Pastan, a popular vegan pasta restaurant which opened in January 2023, was listed as ‘permanently closed’ on Google, with its website displaying an error message and the restaurant’s phone number signalling that a call could not be put through.
In an article by Restaurant Online, dated August 21, Pastan’s Brighton branch had reportedly closed its doors permanently, after having only opened in January of that year. The plant-based food brand, which specialises in vegan and plant-based pasta, had previously offered a pop-up on Gloucester Road in Bristol, before opening its city centre restaurant.
It also boasted a restaurant in Manchester, which has since closed, as well as sites in London, Barcelona and Malaga.
Meanwhile, Cafe Kino in Stokes Croft launched a Crowdfunder to help raise money to save it from closure back in December. According to the Crowdfunder, the team behind the cafe said they were now “at a crossroads” and urgently needed the help of the community to “help secure its future”. They said: “The pandemic hit us hard, leaving us with mounting debts, rising costs, and increasing overheads.”
As a workers’ cooperative, Cafe Kino is collectively owned and managed, and it serves up locally sourced, homemade veganfood and drinks, while hosting events that include workshops, book clubs, film screenings, live music, and more. On February 1, 2025, the Crowdfunder reached £45,601 with 727 supporters in 52 days, and was continuing to collect donations from supporters as the team said “every little helps”.