We only had time for lunch in Edinburgh before getting on the road for another 8 hour drive back to Brighton, we both really wanted to pay Henderson's another visit so we did just that.
We ate at the bistro again as it seemed to have more choice. Nick ordered the exact same thing he had yesterday & I went for a hot toasted sandwich because it was chilly out.
We of course had dessert but we both went for the same thing we'd had before because our desserts last time were awesome.
I'll be posting about two more Edinburgh places, Real Foods & The Engine Shed tomorrow - there's going to be a giveaway too - but now I want to talk about service stations.
On any long drive in the UK you'll inevitably have to pull over at a service station to use the bathrooms or to try to find food. Luckily every service station bathroom I've ever used in the UK has been both clean and free but sadly they (the service station's not the bathrooms!) tend to be lacking in food options.
Usually the signpost's for the upcoming services will tell you what chains are there, you'll probably see Burger King, Starbucks, McDonald's, Costa, WHSmith, KFC & M&S. If possible we stop at the M&S one's, I popped into one yesterday and ran around snapping pictures of their vegan options...
Hummus & carrot sticks, there's usually a hummus & breadsticks one too but they'd sold out.
Vegetable samosa, it'd be way too spicy for me I'm sure but I think any normal palleted person would be able to eat this!
Four, yes four, different vegan salads. Three bean, edamame soya bean, wheatberry & giant cous cous & cous cous & roasted vegetable.
Snack wise, as well as having a huge range of pre chopped fruit, they have a large selection of nuts...
...crisps (all the ready salted versions are vegan)...
...and two kinds of vegan chocolate. I'd always go for the organic fair trade one if they have it but the other one's a good second choice.
M&S usually also have two or three kinds of vegan jelly, raspberry, peach melba and orange are the types I've seen around recently - yum. M&S stores are also on most UK high streets and these day's almost all of them have a food court where you could pick up most, if not all, of these snacks.
I'm heading off to a firework display now (It's Guy Fawkes night!) but I will, of course, be back tomorrow!
That toasty sandwich looks terrific! I wish i'd looked around better for vegan food in Edinburgh.
ReplyDeleteMan, this post really made me miss M&S snacks!!
I miss M&S. And I was only visiting briefly!
ReplyDeleteSandwich! That looks SO good!
ReplyDeleteI always resist M+S because of the price but next long trip I might have to treat myself to the samosa.
ReplyDeleteIf you think Edinburgh's great for vegans, come over to Glasgow! We've got 4 totally vegan restaurants. No trip to Edinburgh would be complete without visiting Kalpna Indian restaurant, which serves 3-course Vegan Thaalis, or Ann Purna, a completely vegetarian Indian place which is nearby.
ReplyDeleteHave you tried the raspberry centred dark chocolate in M&S? My boyfriend's a fan, it's a little too sweet for me but it's always good to have more choices:)
ReplyDeleteI just stumbled on your blog, and I'm tickled because I'm in raw chef school right now being taught by Russell James, who hails from Brighton and speaks of it often. Thanks for giving me a glimpse! That service station food looks awesome...I couldn't find such things at an American gas station, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteM&S super wholefood salad is vegan too - it's a quinoa based salad with sprouted beans, mango, cranberry and other nommy things.
ReplyDeleteI loved M&S when I was in London for all those vegan options. But I tried taking a few of those salads with me for the ride home and the packages ended up leaking a bit, so I should watch out for that next time. I'd love to try that samosa though!
ReplyDeleteSo many good looking things from one store!
ReplyDeleteOh man; I have wanted to visit a Mark and Spencers for a lonnnnnnnnnng time. Those Samosas look great!
ReplyDeletelast time I went to M&S they had iced hot cross buns which you could get individually or a few in a pack. Very tasty xxx
ReplyDeleteHi thanks for this I love photo blogs of UK vegan food!! I shall have to try and get through to Edinburgh some time soon it all looks amazing! Agree with Gemma though, we don't exactly have it too bad in Glasgow!
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