Plant based cafe in central New Plymouth. Serves pies, sausageless rolls, slices, coffee, tea and housemade smoothies from 8am. Hot foods and salads served from 11am with menu including beet burgers, mock salmon & cream cheese bagels, and crispy mock chicken and chips. Also has raw smoothies, fresh juices, soy smoothies and raw slices. Caters for special events such as weddings and birthdays. Previously named Loving Hut. Confirmed closed, Nov '21.
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178 Devon St E, New Plymouth, New Zealand, 4310
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Last update on 09 Nov 2021 by craigmc
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Added by Barleycorn on 11 Mar 2011
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34 Reviews
First Review by Barleycorn
Veganswife
Points +315
Great vegan restaurant in main street - Edit
This was our second trip to New Plymouth for 2015 and we made a beeline for the Loving Hut, having eaten there several times in our last visit. While the lunch menu is a buffet, dinner is a la carte. Husband had a large burger with enemies crunchy chips as his main while I had a brown rice and nut salad with dried fruits and veges. Both meals were enormous. We regretted having ordered a shared starter of tempura veges as this alone would have sufficed! Husband couldn't resist dessert though and gorged on nut cheesecake while the Christmas Santa parade marched past us through the window. Hoards of excited children with their adult minders kept us entertained. There was also a tattoo convention in town, so the restaurant was filled with lively young tattooed vegans. It was great fun.
Read morePros: All vegan restaurant, Fresh variety of choices
Cons: Closed for lunch on Saturdays, Service slow when crowded
Guest
Hsilie
Points +32
Buffet lunch - Edit
Good deal for the buffet lunch, lots of choice including rice, noodles, salads, curries. Chocolate cake was lovely and moist. Staff were friendly too. If I'm in New Plymouth again I'll definitely go back (shame it's closed from today until the 19th January)
Read moreGuest
Yolanda
Points +1898
Great all vegan dinner - Edit
I was in New Plmouth on a Friday night so was lucky enough to go to one of New Zealand's rare vegan restaurants. They were busy so I was glad I had made a reservation.
Read moreThe place is very clean and fresh, lots of pro vegan quotes and magazines and posters on the walls so it is a proud vegan space.
The menu had 3-4 options for starters, mains and desserts plus a juice and smoothie bar. I had tempura vegetables with a dipping sauce for a starter. It was a large portion for only $7 and very good. I had the laksa with noodles and tofu and vegan chicken for a main. This was huge and tasty and only $13. Other options included nachos, tofu and spinach hot plate on rice, and a burger (I saw this being served and it had huge fries and salad with it and I definitely will order this next time I go). For dessert I had the cheesecake with an extra of ice cream. This was also yummy and very filling and cost $7.
Updated from previous review on Saturday November 15, 2014
Pros: Proudly vegan, Inexpensive , Central location
Cons: Only open for evenings 2 nights a week
Guest
myomoto jah nori
Points +33
The Best - Edit
Loving Hut has been under new management for about a year now. The food, the atmosphere, the staff are all so much better. Good, cheap, healthy food. New Plymouth is so lucky to have such a great Vegan Restaurant.
Read morePros: Nice people, Healthy, Good price
Guest
Dmitry
Points +200
Nice place - Edit
I was in town for 1 day and at 4pm with only breakfast inside, so I had 1 large plate of different things, 1 small plate of different salads (with fruits too), a mango smoothie (huge 2 glasses size), carrot juice, pot of nettle tea, a vegan "cheese" cake and a chocolate bliss ball. The big plate had a canelloni (just googled it to spell it right), spagetti with mock chicken, a few curries (one with lentils), potato & vegies, and something kind of aubergenie or else veggy thing (sorry I am not a chef) with help-yourself soy and tomato sauce on everything. So, basically, I nearly stuffed myself. I liked some things more than others (I didn't think any were "greasy"), but it's the only VEGAN place in town, so I am not picky. The cheesecake was yummy and the smoothie great. The place itself was very neat, staff cheerful and the loo immaculate.
Read morePros: vegan, smogasboard, cheerful
Guest
phraser
Points +84
Great - Edit
It's great to find a vegan restaurant in New Plymouth. The staff were friendly, and the options for dining (various bowl and takeaway container sizes, pick what you want from the buffet) are great. However, I found the food quite greasy and a little bland. Also, some of the dishes had been quite heavily picked over - there was only sauce left, no mock-chicken in it - and this was only at 12.30 (so not even close to the end of lunch). The food in the bain-marie was not as hot as I would have liked (it should be hotter for food safety reasons).
Read moreI was sad they were not open for dinner the night I was there.
Pros: Good value, Vegan
Cons: Greasy, Decor is tired
Guest
Barleycorn
Points +18
Found, at last! - Edit
My vegetarian family are tired of doubtful assurances that eating-places use animal-free cooking oils, and of dining with carnivores. So we were astonished, in this city where vegetarians are as rare as hens teeth, to find a vegan one. Previously there were only eight so-called 'vegetarian friendly' ones.
Read moreThey don't even use honey!
Apparently the sole branch of this chain in New Zealand at present, it was certainly bold to expect to flourish here; but they seem to be thriving, and good luck to them.
The advantages of self-service are obvious, no waiting, and getting exactly the meal you want. The food is nutritiously balanced and very healthy, and staff pleasant and helpful beyond mere politeness. A refreshing change from the modern trend towards waiting hours for tiny portions artistically arranged on the plate by 'prize-winning chefs' (or in other words, pretentious and expensive rubbish).
Smallish groups (20 to 30) can meet here by arrangement, choosing their own meals. The attention to detail is not lavished on furniture or decor, but quality of things such as tea and water. The giant milk shakes are a delicious speciality.
This chain has peculiar but rather fascinating spiritual overtones, but these are, like Hare Krishna restaurants, not at all 'pushed'; most diners indeed seem to be unaware of them.
The premises are rather plain and not large, but this does not worry me (as a Libran); the food is delicious and well-cooked. The system of self-filling a bowl of selected size at a low and set price works well. The place is relaxed and informal, and we definitely recommend it, to those who appreciate this image.
It's nice to sit down to a meal without worrying what it died from!
Pros: Clean and hygeinic, A fun place, Excellent value
Cons: Rather crumby Logo, Can't think of any others
Guest
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