Cookhouse & Pub – New Vegan Menu Choices

With an estimated 600,000* vegans in the UK, of which, a staggering 42% made the decision to convert to plant-based alternatives in 2018, It’s no surprise that the foodservice industry is stepping up its game. Last week Vhari and Cat were delighted to be invited to test the new vegan menu options at The Highwayman Cookhouse and Pub in St Neots, a relaxed, informal family-friendly pub with contemporary interiors and an all-day menu.

The destination has generous parking to the front and is conveniently located just off the A1 on the edge of this busy market town. Having been freshly renovated in the summer of 2019 there is a wide range of comfortable seating, including booths for families and groups.

On arrival, we were politely shown to our seats by the waitress and served a complimentary bottle of water for the table while we checked out the new menu. As you would expect, there is an extensive range of traditional hearty pub classics to choose from, with the additions of some feature grazer options and lighter bites and of course the new vegan options.

After a starter of tomato bruschetta and calamari, we headed straight for the new vegan dishes which we were here to review. Vhari selected the ‘Fake & Ale Pie’ which was bursting with mushrooms, chestnuts and butternut squash nestled on a bed of new potatoes and severed with green beans and gravy. Although we found the gravy slightly sweet for our tastes it was a great meat-free alternative to the traditional warming pub classic, the Steak & Ale Pie.

Cat opted for the Sloppy Joe Burger comprising of a Beyond Burger ™ plant-based patty, topped with a mix of soya mince, mixed peppers, green lentils, tomato, chipotle chilli, smoked paprika and a hint of oregano. Served with skin-on chips and a mixed salad. The burger was of generous portion size and had good flavour throughout.  As you would expect the Beyond burger delivers on texture and is a great addition to the burger menu just in time for Veganuary which is gaining traction year on year.

We simply couldn’t resist trying a couple of desserts, there was one vegan option, however instead, we opted for the Thatchers Gold Cider™ Apple Crumble which was deliciously warming with an excellent flavour and great texture. We also tried the Half-baked Cookie Dough which will be loved by anyone with an extremely sweet tooth.

We would like to thank Cookhouse and Pub for asking us to review The Highwayman’s new vegan menu, it’s great to see vegan food being introduced to mainstream dining.  It’s also worth noting that if you are dining with children, there is also a designated soft play area complete with games and slides in a separate area located at the far end of the restaurant making it an ideal destination for parents with young children to dine.

* The Vegan Society