Coach & Horses in Soho and Smithfield Tavern in the City are London's first vegetarian pubs
The Coach & Horses in Soho and the Smithfield Tavern in the City have become the first fully vegetarian pubs in London.
Following a trial period, head chef Lahiri Gregorio Balloni has redeveloped the menu, which now offers a variety of vegetarian and vegan dishes. The aim is to encourage customers to look beyond the "hole on the plate where the meat should be" and appreciate vegetarian food.
Alastair Choat, landlord and co-owner of the pubs, commented: "We need to be more responsible, more sustainable and lose the ridiculous prejudices and negative attitudes towards vegetarian and vegan food.
"We are very proud to be the first London pubs to switch to a vegetarian and vegan menu. We feel that offering food that is better for our environment and customers is a vital first step towards becoming a more sustainable business."
Mark Linehan, managing director of the Sustainable Restaurant Association, added: "The Coach and Horses was one of our founding members and had the foresight to see the importance and value of sustainability. This move for both of Alastair's pubs to a vegan and vegetarian menu is both ground-breaking and innovative and we applaud his approach - one of many that restaurants can adopt to be more sustainable."
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By Kerstin Kühn
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