Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Indian
Organic
Buffet
Take-out
British
Food is vegan except organic cow's milk on request for tea/coffee. Food policy listed on cafe's website. Gluten free and garlic free options. Operates on basis of Buddhist ethics. Located near Arndale Shopping Centre, Northern Quarter, High Street tram stop. Reported closed October 2020.
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16-20 Turner St, Manchester, England, M4 1DZ
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Last update on 10 Oct 2020 by Clare
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64 Reviews
First Review by child of the trees
GraceHammy
Points +90
great food - Edit
Good food and lovely service.
Read moreGuest
Keasta
Points +34
loved it! - Edit
Great food, great friendly service
Read moreGuest
StevieSurf
Points +1895
A good option if you're in town - Edit
Certainly worth a stop - it's a useful venue
Read morePros: Central, Inexpensive , Varied cuisine
Guest
blinki
Points +955
Very Pleasant Place but Not Great Otherwise - Edit
I really like the feel to the place, you don't realise it as you enter but round the back is very nice and chilled. The sort of place to sip and cup of tea and read for ages.
Read moreThe service was pretty poor, not unfriendly just incompetent. I just wanted a bit of cake, it was only slightly busy and it took the better part of 5 mins from entering to sitting down with my cake. The guy didn't know if the cakes had something I'm intolerant off which is fine but I had to tell him to go ask the chef instead of him knowing to try to be helpful. Same guy was mixing up some other people's order.
The cake was fairly average in terms of taste but the sponge texture was a bit off- I'd go with probably over cooked. The price was very reasonable.
I didn't bother trying the mains since the menu wasn't that exciting given the many other vegan options within a few mins walk.
Updated from previous review on Saturday February 07, 2015
Update: Sept 2015
I went back and had cake again, this time the texture was fine and I don't know what the flavour was but it wasn't chocolate like it was meant to be.
I also had mains, the serving size is decent considering it's cheap. I had kofta which was really nice and dal which was totally bland. Overall I'm probably going to give up on Earth
Guest
Gee
Points +37
Manchester visit - Edit
I visited here with my friend who is Vegan while on our trip to Manchester. As a newly vegetarian but full time juicer i was intrigued to see what a fully veg place is like as i have never been to one!
Read moreThe staff where awesome, real welcoming and took time to explain the options that where on offer that day.
I went for a veggie burger and a green juice/smoothie type thing. The burger arrived promptly. It was cheap and cheerful.Bap/Bun and sparsely garnished. I would have liked some more tomato and onion but hey it was like £3 so what do you expect right? It was dam good tho!
The shake was lovely, i asked for added ginger as well i love ginger but maybe it was not enough for me.Maybe im just picky!
I then got some vegan cake and ice cream...it was lovely :) All in all my first trip to a fully vegan place was great and enlightening. I hope to visit many more places like this!
Guest
jennyc32
Points +4052
Cheap and cheerful - Edit
A fantastic lunch option in the city centre. For £6 you can get a huge portion of food and it's always tasty. If you get spicy food here, you can definitely taste the spice! Everything is vegan, and there are always a few tempting options. The dishes change every day and the food is served canteen-style. There are usually about 5 cakes as well, and the hot drinks can be served with dairy or non-dairy milk. The staff are lovely, but it can be very busy during the rush hour.
Read morePros: Hearty portions, Great food, Value for money
Cons: Small restaurant, Busy at lunchtime
Guest
Rio93
Points +66
Yummy food! - Edit
I visited on the 25/2/2015 and thoroughly enjoyed my meal! My boyfriend and I had the freshly squeezed OJ which was delicious and then chose four options for £6. I had the curry with potatoes, rice and the roulade. My boyfriend had the curry with potatoes, rice and polenta bake. We split the roulade and polenta so we could both have a try of each and everything was delicious! Great value for money and we were happily full for the rest of our day spent in Manchester :) staff could be a little more helpful if they mumbled less!
Read morePros: Great value for money, Many options, Tasty
Cons: staff were a little unhelpful
Guest
MickeyRC
Points +47
Wheelchair access - Edit
We visited this place a few years ago, but could not get into it because it has no wheelchair access. I asked them if they would be making it accessible at some stage for wheelchairs, and they said they would be, as soon as is possible. that was about 3 years ago, now November 2014, they still haven't got wheelchair access, and we haven't been able to go into the place.
Read moreCons: Access to the building
Guest
JesseWaugh
Points +415
not the same anymore - Edit
[edit by staff]
Read moreEarth used to be the cleanest, purest, most enlightened place in Manchester - even better than Eighth Day. It felt so good to sit in the back room with the Buddha statue. The food was always super clean and the service was solid.
It's just not the same place any more, which is a shame. I miss it, but won't go back to feel the depressing facsimile of itself that it has become.
Pros: none any more
Cons: hateful service, bad food , not the same Earth any more
Guest
TableForOne
Points +310
Flavourful and inexpensive - Edit
The friendly lady running this place told me everything is totally vegan apart from the option of cow's milk in hot drinks.
Read moreYou pay £6 for a choice of 4 dishes from the counter. I had a chilli with brown rice, koftas with coconut sauce and roasted potatoes.
It made for a fairly big portion and all the elements were very tasty.
Also had the Sunrise juice too. Freshly made and good sized glassful for £3.
All in all, a flavourful and inexpensive meal.
Pros: Tasty, Friendly, Inexpensive
Guest
DaniM
Points +2095
Very good - Edit
I had the "Sunset"-juice which tasted very great. The prices are not too inexpensive but it's worth the money. The staff is friendly. I think the speciality of this eatery is its way of behaving with food. They adjust their menu to the local markets and season and have a extra commitment to the food or rather to prepare the meals.
Read moreGuest
LarissaYoung
Points +38
Great Place to Eat - Edit
The food is delicious, great choice. Cakes are wonderful.The staff are friendly. It has a nice vibe to the place. I highly recommend.
Read morePros: excellent food, friendly staff, good atmosphere
Cons: a bit cramped
Guest
stewlisa
Points +78
Hit and miss openings - Edit
We wanted to try the Earth Café a couple of months ago but found it closed and wondered if it had ceased trading. A few weeks later we thought we would try again and it was open and have been again once more since when again it was open.
Read moreWe have only had cake and coffee when visiting and these have been nice and filling but not fantastic.
If it wasn't for the shortage of vegan places in Manchester we would probably find somewhere more reliable and give this a miss.
Pros: Plenty of choice, Everything is vegan
Cons: Seem to open when it suits
Guest
thetofutravellers
Points +5369
A relaxed place - Edit
I don't understand that this restaurant uses cow milk for drinks if ordered and I think that's rather unnecessary, but apart from this, I really liked it. It is located in the basement of a buddhist centre and has a very relaxed atmosphere. You order your food at a counter where you can decide between different meal deals - I opted for the £6-platter where you can pick two main courses and two sides. It tasted quite good. I only thought that it was a bit small for £6, I was still quite hungry after my meal. Therefore, I ordered a piece of cake for dessert, it was a nut cream cake with soy cream and was sooo delicious - one of the best vegan cakes I ever ate.
Read moreStaff were very friendly but for my feeling a bit TOO relaxed, I waited quite a long time until I was served.
The interior is very nice and bright, it does not feel at all like being in a basement. Altogether, I would go there again!
Pros: Tasty meal & cake, Very affordable, Light interior
Cons: Slow service, Small size of meal
Guest
economydreams
Points +1448
Really good food! - Edit
Good value (£6) for 4 different items. I had the dhal with rice and salad. Really tasty. My boyfriend (meat-eater) had the Earth burger and he really enjoyed it. Will come here again.
Read moreGuest
Stevie
Points +11765
Earth cafe, Manchester - Edit
I had the pleasure of eating here again last weekend and once again it was utterly superb. Great tasting food, decent choice, central location, nice ambience, pleasant staff, not over priced, and joy of joys 100% vegan vegetarian food. For vegan friendliness it is at time of writing the number 1 place to go.
Read moreThis is a well established part of the veg*n scene in Manchester and long may it continue.
Overall sensational. I can't wait to go back.
Updated from previous review on Sunday March 04, 2007
Pros: 100% vegan veggie food, Superb tasting food, Centrally located
Cons: Closed Sundays, Not open late evenings
Guest
amurleopard42
Points +172
Down-to-earth food and friendly staff - Edit
I visited this cosy place with a friend and enjoyed the stay: we both had a plate with almost all hot dishes available that day (roast potatoes and parsnips, red cabbage, Mexican chili pie with sage and onion gravy, and spicy dhal. They make their own chai, and it comes with soy milk. There were cakes behind the counter, but I didn't have space left to try any of them. My food and drink were tasty, and the counter staff was helpful to explain the hot options. The seating area resembles a mixture of a simple canteen and a Buddhist temple. It would be great if the opening times were more generous, particularly since it's so close to the city centre.
Read morePros: Tasty food, friendly staff
Cons: Limited opening times
Guest
JB23
Points +63
Slow death of my favourite cafe...RIP - Edit
Earth Cafe was once the only vegan place in the centre of town - what a legend it became! I looked forward to every trip there (work lunch, place to take visiting friends, a solo treat...so many vegan cakes!). Over the past 11 years I've recommended the cafe to everyone and anyone, as Earth has a great ethos and shows that us vegans eat well too! However, my last two visits (Sept & Nov 2012) have been disappointing. The team work hard to make you feel welcome, they are keeping prices low-mid range (£6 for main meal), but something has gone AWOL. Service was slow (10 minutes for a coffee?), the portions have shrunk, the menu is tired, plus WORST of all the amazing cake receipes have changed to a cheaper (stodge) version. Noooo, how can this be?!
Read moreAs more and more cafes open in the Northern Quarter, offering a range of much more creative vegan food and high quality coffee, Earth is in danger of losing regular customers like me, or of not quite making a good enough impression on first time visitors to make them want to return. It's hard to run a vegan catering business in the town centre, but PLEASE keep things cheap, seasonally fresh and tasty and I will return!
Pros: Vegan, Price, Town centre
Cons: Small portions, Slow service, Menu needs updating
Guest
fire horse
Points +120
Simple but pleasant little place - Edit
Food tasty but portions can be a bit small. A good range of vegan cake. Good and reasonably priced sosmix veggie burgers. The last time I was there it was clean enough but looking a bit shabby around the edges. Staff are friendly and helpful.
Read morePros: nice atmosphere, nearly vegan
Cons: needs redecorating, onion and garlic in most things
Guest
cprisacariu
Points +143
nice and good food - Edit
Is in a basement with self serving from the counter. It has good food and all sorts of good drinks, like tea and juices. Nice and quite place. WiFi (for those that surf and eat :). Too bad it closes at 4pm. I would have gone there in the evenings also. Nice serving personnel.
Read morePros: good food, nice serving, good drinks
Guest
anna900
Points +89
Good grub - Edit
I can't believe I haven't reviewed this place before! It's a favourite spot to go to in Manchester, although it's been a couple of months since I last went. It gets busy on a Saturday and you will probably end up sharing a table with another group of people but that just reflects the laid back atmosphere in here. It's quite canteen-style and obviously you grab your own knives and forks and glasses of water etc. But it's a very welcome retreat when out shopping. Shame it doesn't open in the evenings. The food is good - proper food and none of your fancy stuff. Just what you need for a pit stop and pretty tasty, too. The only negative is that they use cow's milk, which I really don't get. However, you can ask for soya milk instead and they'll do you a hot chocolate etc. with soya milk if you ask. It's a good spot for a rest but I wouldn't recommend it if you are looking for an intimate meal etc...definitely not that kind of place but it doesn't pretend to be, either!
Read morePros: tasty food, good value, close to shops, station etc.
Cons: dairy
Guest
icaldas
Points +103
Good vegan breakfast - Edit
I have tryed the vegan breakfast - it was huge!!!! and very good! Not health food :)
Read moreThe store upstairs is great, also!
Pros: good food, good store, huge portions
Cons: none
Guest
CottageCupcakeCo
Points +61
Lovely Chilled Out Vegan Eats - Edit
For those of you looking for an veggie burger/cheese tastic type lunch, look away now! For those of you who like yummy, healthy vegan grub in a relaxed cafe environment, this is for you. A substantial savoury dish and a hot drink and (vegan) pud for around £10 sounds ok to me. Lovely wholesome food, lovely cakes, lovely staff!
Read moreGuest
preppyvegan
Points +117
Good for vegans! - Edit
One of the few fully veggie places in the city centre and is reasonably priced for its location. I always enjoy the soup which changes daily and is served with a huge piece of bread. The cakes with vegan cream are also good. Relaxed atmosphere, does not stay open late so is best for lunch.
Read moreGuest
mikebinos
Points +165
Definitely not the best choice in Manchester - Edit
Manchester, for the size of the city, has quite a few veggie cafes. Earth Cafe is in a nice location in the Northern Quarter, but it's underground location makes people watching or sitting outside on a nice day impossible. Eating underground isn't the best atmosphere. The staff is friendly. The four-choice meal is now up to 6 pounds instead of 5 (the change happened sometime between October '11 and April '12), but it's not worth complaining about 1 quid. That rice or a salad counts towards the 4 choices is understandable, but if you want a grain or raw fresh greens you're really limited to 3 choices. Food is okay but not spectacular. Beetroot cake is a nice choice, and something more places should do. If we like carrot cake beetroot seems like a logical next step, and colorful.
Read moreGuest
Caryne
Points +301
Tasty vegan food, pity about the cow's milk! - Edit
All the food at the place is vegan, it's just a pity that they seem to feel the need to offer cow's milk for drinks and butter for bread, this really lets the place down. However, the food is cheap and plentiful, £6.00 for a choice of any four items from the main menu (I had veg curry, rice, roast potatoes and a salad) is not a bad price. The food is basic, hearty, vegan grub but I would recommend it for anyone looking to eat cheaply. Not for those looking for somewhere stylish as it's down a bit of a dingy flight of stairs (no good for those in wheelchairs and quite awkward for those with pushchairs) and it's all basic tables, cafe style where you choose and pay for your own food at the counter, help yourself to cutlery etc. If you want anything smart then look elsewhere but for a friendly place to eat vegan food near the city centre you can't go wrong. They have some lovely vegan cakes too and also do takeaways, I bought a lovely vegan sausage roll for my train journey home.
Read moreWould have given this place five stars if they were totally vegan.
Pros: Vegan food, Good value, Friendly staff
Cons: Cow's milk for tea, Steps tricky for disabled/pushchairs etc, Can get crowded
Guest
Alex82
Points +75
Great Food, Great Value - Edit
The food at the Earth Cafe is fantastic. For only £5 you can fill your plate with four delicious foods. The only problem is saving room for a lovely vegan cake!
Read morePros: Good Value, Great Food, Cakes!
Cons: None
Guest
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