One of the greatest things about traveling full-time is meeting all kinds of amazing people from all over the world. While on a year-long backpacking trip through Latin America, I met a British guy named Julien and we hit it off, traveling with each other through Bolivia before parting ways in Peru. I later told him that I’d be heading off to the U.K at some point and he invited me to come by Sheffield to check out his university town and hit the pub for a few pints.
I quickly learned that “a few pints” never really means a few and that Rugby Socials are hands down the craziest events on this planet. I also learned that the Vegan scene in Sheffield is absolutely booming.
In my 5 days in Sheffield, I was lucky enough to photograph 5 of the top vegan and veggie restaurants in the area. Here are their stories and some photos from the trip.
Want to follow along? Check out my vegan-photo-filled Instagram @DropEverythingAndTravel
Located just south of The University of Sheffield, Humpit is the place in town to get your weekly required fill of hummus. They offer a well-priced menu catering to students and locals alike. The flavors are a hit and they’ve got a mango curry sauce that will send you to straight up to hummus heaven. I coordinated a photo shoot with Simon, one half of the father/son ownership duo and he told me that they’ve been graced with fantastic growth and even won the 2015 Virgin Foodpreneur contest, which helped them get their name out across the country. They even got to meet Richard Branson! It was amazing to see them doing so well. They currently have three locations in the U.K with plans to open many more in the next few years.
If you’re in Sheffield and looking for a solid vegan burger, Burgerlols is the place to be. Boasting a bright pink interior and serious punk rock styling, you’ll feel like dying your hair a questionable color and starting a garage band while chomping down on some of the best burgers that the U.K has to offer. I tried the All Day Breakfast burger with hash browns, baked beans, sausage, seitan bacon, and tofu scramble…all on top of a seitan patty, in case there wasn’t already enough on the burger. How I managed to eat it all is unknown to me, but it was less of a struggle than you might think.
DANA Coffee House & Vegetarian Café
DANA Café is a great place to get a mean breakfast and a delicious coffee or cup of tea. I met with Martin, one of the owners and chefs and he told me that since their opening in May 2017, they’ve seen an amazing influx of locals in the community and that once they’re turning a profit, they’ll be donating all proceeds to the local Buddhist monestary. I was treated with the amazing Vegan Full English Breakfast and had to be rolled out of their shop. It was AMAZING. The café is vegetarian as they serve eggs and dairy products, but they have many vegan options available.
As the name suggests, this vegan café delivers gorgeously plated, cruelty-free food in a cozy little restaurant that you’ll never want to leave – no bones attached. A small kitchen in the back is whipping out several vegan delights including avocado bbq wings, home made desserts, and tasty Italian entrees. I took two omnivores along with me and we all left seriously impressed. Make No Bones also makes their own nut cheeses, which are used atop their flatbread pizzas and pastas. Also, three words: peanut butter cheesecake.
I was lucky enough to work with Wild Leaf Café on my last day in Sheffield before heading to London. I met with the owners Anne-Marie and Luke who showed me around their place including an all-vegan café and a fully-equipped hot yoga studio. Luke is the chef in the café and is creating some really amazing all-vegan eats. While I was there I was graced with a roasted pumpkin and fresh greens salad, cauliflower curry and mango chutney sandwich, green power smoothie, and a setian panini that blew my mind. We all sat around for an hour or so talking about the rise of veganism in Sheffield and got incredibly hyped on the future. Cheers to that 🙂
About the author: James is a full-time traveler and vegan restaurant photographer that offers free photo sponsorships to plant-based restaurants all around the world, helping them spread their cruelty-free crusade to the masses. James is currently on his second year of travel and is making his way through Europe as we speak. You can follow his adventures on Facebook and Instagram @theveganveggiebond.
