We kind of accidentally wound up for Kent for a while. Our Portugal plan was a bust, and visa time was running low, so we had to leave the EU to buy some time and make a new plan. We loved Fulham, but were having a hard time finding a place we liked enough to call home in our budget, so we started to explore Kent for it’s nature. We had landed in Dover a few times from our ferry ride from France and the drive to London was always very pretty. We even intended on moving to Kent before Holland became an option. If you have ever been to England, as a vegan, it’s kind of like a dream come true. You can rely on almost any major establishment to have at least one vegan option. London is a literal Mecca of vegan fair. From the markets to food halls, to vegan nights and all the exclusively vegan posts, it can get overwhelming, in the very best way.
Once you step outside of London, getting high quality vegan grub can get a little more difficult, admiddently. M&S Food Hall is a great quick and cheap reliable way to always make sure vegan food is near. They have different options depending on which M&S you go to, but they all have a “Plant Kitchen” option in the refrigerated section and sprinkled throughout the dry goods as well. It’s clearly branded and all vegan.
When out and about through Kent, there are a ton of cute towns and a lot of beautiful nature to explore. It’s worth exploring the whole of Kent if it’s possible. We dug around for the best vegan food, and here is what we came up with.
Seaside Kitchen and Cake Parlour, Margate
We went here a handful of times and tasted as much as we could from the high tee, to the “philly” on a bubble wrap. The pastries and sweets are some of the best we have ever had. Each one of us loved everything we got from here, every single time. I highly suggest trying the high tea (call in advance), sausage rolls, the “egg salad” bagel, and all the bubble wrap.
Seaside Kitchen and Cake Parlour is located in a very interesting small town on a strip with some very cute shops. Just down the road you can also find great antique shops for clothes and home goods as well. It’s close to the beach and also a slew of old school arcades and dreamland. I can imagine this town is filled to the brim during warm months.
Beet Bar, Margate
Not too far away from Seaside there is another wonderful fully vegan spot, tucked away at the end of a parking lot. We also visited Beet Bar a handful of times and loved everything we tried. We went for the weekend brunch menu and also their regular daytime menu. All equally good and fresh. Beet Bar has more of a “heath vibe” and also an epic option for picky kids like Atlas. You just pick anything on the menu and they give a small portion on a divided stainless steel tray – perfect for when you kid doesn’t like their food to touch and feels like tofu, apples, carrots, kale chips and sliced tomatoes. They have a great indoor and outdoor space, lovely staff, and fresh delicious food. Prices are great too!
Monument Pub, Canterbury
When we stayed in Canterbury, this spot was the spot we ate at. It’s burgers and dogs at a pub, so we didn’t expect too much, but we were so happy about being blown away. It’s an all vegan pub, well appointed with a burgers-and-dog style menu. I can’t explain why it’s the best vegan hot dog I have ever had, but it just is. It’s massive too.
We loved every burger, gyro, chili cheese covered hot dog and burger we put our lips on. Also, delivery via Deliveroo for those rainy nights.
The Goods Shed, Canterbury
I wanted to love this place because it’s in a cute “shed” and the service was lovely. They have one vegan “plate” which others have raved about, but I found some of the variety great and some bland. They reason I put this on our “go to” list is because in the center the fresh produce is for sale, and it’s very very good and fresh. I can see on another day going and loving my whole meal. It wasn’t super kid friendly, if you have a picky eater like we do.
Lady Luck, Canterbury (Closed)
This was the first place we checked out when we got to Canterbury. It’s a pub that has vegan options and a ton of vegan desserts. They even have vegan options for kids. Everyone enjoyed their food, and Atlas tried vegan fish sticks for the first time. All the deserts we tried, we loved. (Sadly, Lady Luck has closed)
The Sondes Tea House and General Stores, Faversham
I love this place so much. The drive there is simply amazing and you will feel transported back in time. The whole outfit is vegetarian with many vegan options. The tea and coffee selection is amazing and the food is so good. You pick one main and get ALL THE SIDES they made that day. The way the present the food is awesome too. They make it all and lay it out for you to see and then they ring a bell when they are ready for you to order. This place gets packed!
Attached is a little food shop and they also have a bark yard area for warm weather months. It’s mostly street parking, but they are the only business around. I highly suggest experiencing this place, even if just for tea. It’s a treat!
Marley’s, Folkstone
Fried Chicken. This place was a bit of a flash-back to Nashville. I haven’t come across any “vegan fried chicken” in our five months of travel, so this was a treat. They do an incredible “friend chicken” made from seitan over red pepper hummus and cubed sweet potato. It’s a very sweet spot on a great block in the heart of Folkstone’s creative district. I also loved the Full Vegan Brekkie with Sister Seitan’s “bacon”. You can hop across the street to the health food shop and pick up Sister Seitan to make at home, because you will want to eat more of it, trust me.
Planet Earth Kitchen (PEK), Folkstone
Lucky for us, Folkstone had a dedicated vegan spot we loved! Just down the street from Marley’s you will find yourself at this sweet spot. Lots of great vegan options, done well. They made awesome dips and spreads in house to accompany their expansive menu. We went a handful of times and really enjoyed everything. The owners are very nice and accommodating, always with a smile.
Extra bonus stuff to do in Kent:
If you find yourself at Marley’s, stop by Steep Street Coffee House for an oat milk latte, it’s very good.
Kent has a really great skate park, and Atlas took a lesson there. It was truly a great afternoon that was challenging, rewarding and fun. Revolution is worth a visit – you can rent all the equipment.
We missed the exterior of Dreamland when we showed up right as season ended, but we really enjoyed the small arcade and indoor roller rink. If you find yourself in Margate, it’s worth a peek and walking distance from both Seaside and Beet Bar.
Canterbury is great for wandering around and soaking up the fairytale like streets. We really enjoyed the playground names “Toddler Cove Playground”, which is a quick walk from Lady Luck.
About Vegan RoundUps
When we changed the blog from Making a House a Home (RIP) to Happily Curated Chaos, I had a goal to not only share our travels, but also our world schooling adventures and vegan finds. Please don’t think if you aren’t vegan, this isn’t for you. The amazing thing about vegan food is that it’s for everyone! Many times carnivores don’t even notice they are eating vegan – I know this because I married one.
Being in a family where I am vegan, Atlas is vegetarian, and Joey will suck a snail out of shell while munching on tartar…..can be complicated at times. When I cook, it’s easy. When we go out, it can be super easy or super annoying depending where in the world we are.
A little background was something I figured you all would want before I advise you on “good food”! I have been vegetarian for 35 years, and vegan for nearly 7 of them. I am a 100% non-waitering vegan. I don’t do cheats, I don’t turn my head, and I am wildly upset when I find out something isn’t vegan that I was brought to believe was. I am committed to the point this is almost religious for me.
So, why vegan?
My first thought is always “why not vegan”? There are so many pro’s to a vegan diet, but carnivores often approach veganism with all the con’s when the discussion turns to “why”. For me, I can’t really give you some deep soul-filled reason I became vegetarian in the first place, I was five after all. Grinding a dead animal in my mouth felt wrong, so I stopped. It was that simple for me.
Veganism is another story. I made this decision three times in my life and have failed at it twice. Mainly due to pizza. I tried in high school, my 20’s and again in my 30’s. This is the longest span I have been vegan and I am sure it will stick this time.
I committed myself to being vegan, mostly because I have a child now, and the decision I make now affect him. By being vegan, by default, I get to teach him compassion, respect, health and nutrition, self and world preservation, and social impact. I can run through all the statistics and pros and cons if the whole world decided to be vegan, but you can find that information littered all over the internet (and I encourage you to!) – but know it can literally save our world. In my opinion, that’s more powerful than a vote on the ballet. You can do it NOW, there is no age limit, you only need to do you best. Knowing one vegan saves 219,000 gallons of water a year by not drinking milk alone is really remarkable. 10,950 square foot of forest is now saved, because of you and you alone. Imagine if you and someone you know decided to make this change.
If you know me, you know I never preach about being vegan, it’s just a personal choice and mostly viewed as an inconvenience by family and friends that I shrug off or tip toe around. Seeing the state of things rapidly decline has made me feel like I should put myself out there for questions and help and guidance. I decided the best thing I can do is offer super tasty spots for vegan food we find around the world, and round them up in a comprehensive way. That way, no matter where you are, you have a non-bias opinion of both a vegan perspective and a meat eater.
I know you are probably thinking that why should I be telling you how great veganism is if I can’t even get Joey to become vegan. This isn’t about me trying to change you, just put another option out there for you in hopes you replace a few meals a week for something vegan. Maybe even do a two week test. I asked Joey to be vegan for two weeks and he accepted. He eats vegan about 60% of the time as is. He also committed to not eating dairy ice cream, he doesn’t see a difference between vegan and dairy. These are all small and meaningful steps. No-one is perfect. No-one is judging. I am just asking you to think about it, and try it out and I will keep feeding you all the good stuff.
And vegan friend, I hope you find these posts useful and please share with me placed you think we should highlight. The vegan community has been the most amazing community I have been part of and it’s been incredible to see our offerings grow over the years!
