Manchester’s Victorian Chop Houses: the perfect places for your Christmas do for vegetarians and vegans too

More and more people are becoming vegetarian and vegan these days.

It’s estimated that around 2% of the UK population is vegetarian – and most of them live in Chorlton.

Whereas a few years ago you might have one vegetarian in an office, these days you’ll probably have few – and maybe a couple of vegans.

And if supermarket shelves are anything to go by, more people are following a gluten-free diet. Then there’s people who are on dairy-free diets.

So if you’re planning your office Christmas dinner, you’ll probably want to take all this into into account.

In the not-too-distant past, you’d go out for your Christmas dinner and whilst the carnivores would be tucking into a succulent turkey with all the trimmings or maybe a juicy steak, the options available to vegetarians and vegans would be limited to a deep fried mushroom, a sorry looking slice of halloumi, a plate of stewed beans, or, if they were lucky, the regulation nut roast.

Things aren’t so bad these days. There’s usually a vegetarian option on most menus but they can often be disappointing.

Some restaurants are starting to realise vegetarians and vegans don’t want a plate of stewed beans or a bowl of pasta in tomato sauce when they go out for a nice meal – especially during the festive season.

So where do you go if you want to make sure that everyone gets good food? Somewhere that doesn’t discriminate against people on plant-based diets.

The Victorian Chop Houses believe non-meat eaters shouldn’t be faced with the same old boring options. The vegan and vegetarian options here are good enough to tempt the most devoted carnivore.

Here’s a flavour of what’s on the Vegan Christmas Menu at the Chop Houses.

Butternut, chestnut and sage soup with sage pesto and toasted pumpkin seeds. Pan roasted soy ‘chicken breast’ with a creamy wild mushroom and garlic sauce served with buttered mashed potato and spinach. Or what about ‘shepherdless’ pie – slow-braised soy mince and root vegetables seasoned with rosemary and thyme topped with creamy mashed potato and served with red cabbage?

Don’t fancy cooking on Christmas Day? The Vegan Christmas Day Menu features pecan-stuffed date canapés, beetroot and squash wellingtons, Christmas forest roast and vegan tiffin. Beats nut roast and tofu, anyday.

It’s not just people on meat-free diets who suffer from dull alternatives. On a dairy-free diet? No problem. Gluten-free? No problem.

On the gluten-free Christmas menu at the Chop Houses are pan-roasted Scottish hake fillet with slow-braised Lancashire oxtail, mustard mashed potato and buttered winter cabbage; Yorkshire-reared rib eye steak with hand cut chips, roast mushroom, tomato and béarnaise sauce; and the the traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings. All delicious and all gluten-free.

The dairy-free Christmas menu at Albert Square Chop House has seared Scottish scallops with Lancashire kale bubble and squeak, riddled streaky bacon and crispy onion rings; slow-cooked pork shoulder with Yorkshire chorizo sausage, spicy tomato, bean and potato stew, garnished with parsley breadcrumbs; and, of course, the traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings. All delicious and all dairy-free.

So why not give them a go for tour festive meal. They’ll take you on a gastronomic voyage round the British isles. And everyone is welcome on board. Not just meat-eaters.

View the Sam’s Chop House Christmas e-brochure here
View the Mr Thomas’s Chop House Christmas e-brochure here
View the Albert Square Chop House Christmas e-brochure here