To celebrate Veganuary 2022, we have asked some of our vegan student ambassadors to write about their experiences being vegan in Manchester and any recommendations they have for restaurants or shops to visit.

Serena on being vegan in Manchester

I made the choice to go vegan at the start of my second year as a student, to join the fight for animal rights and live a more sustainable lifestyle. Manchester is an amazing place to enjoy a plant-based diet as there are hundreds of healthy (and not so healthy) options which are environmentally friendly, easy to find and simply delicious!

Vegan options on campus

You might be worried that you’ll have to bring your own food to campus. Hummus sandwiches and a bag of crisps? I’ve been there…

Good news! The University campus has loads of catering outlets offering plant-based food galore! One of my absolute favourite places to eat on campus is the University Place canteen, which is found at the back of the building on the ground floor. They provide an amazing range of catering stands which serve food from all over the world! Every stand has at least one vegan option and a few are fully plant-based! Here are some of my personal favourites: vegan shawarma, Vietnamese tofu bun cha, vegan fried chicken, Egyptian Koshari. So, you see, being vegan on campus does not have to be boring!

On the other hand, you might want to brush up on your sandwich-making skills most of the week because these dishes can be pricey and range from £5-£8. However, there is a range of supermarkets and takeout chains along Oxford Road. You could pop to subway for a cheeky meat-less meatball marinara sub or find a thrifty vegan meal deal in Sainsburys or Morrison’s just next to the Stopford Building – the choice is yours!

Eating out as a vegan in Manchester

I can honestly say that as a vegan I have never had to worry when going out for a meal with friends that I would be ‘the awkward one’ or there would be no options on the menu. Not only is there a huge variety of exclusively vegan restaurants in the city, almost all regular restaurants cater for plant-based diets! Check out the Instagram account @veganreviewsmcr for the best tips on where to eat out or visit the Manchester Vegan Guide for the ultimate list of the best vegan menus!

Manchester Christmas Markets

I’ll admit, up until this year the Christmas Markets were not the most accommodating places for vegans. With stall on stall of bratwurst, German cheese and pancakes piled with dairy chocolate and cream, it is understandable for a vegan to not quite feel at home. With the amount of progress, the food industry has seen in terms of more adventurous vegan options and meat and dairy alternatives in 2021, I visit the markets myself this year and, for once, was not disappointed! 

Sammie’s experience as a vegan in Manchester

Sammie’s experiences a vegan in Manchester

Hi! I’m Sammie, an Undergraduate 3rd year American Studies student here at Manchester. After 6 years of being vegan (3 of which have been spent in Manchester), I finally feel equipped with the knowledge of the best places for vegan food here! In fact, our University campus has a wealth of vegan food options: from the shacks that sell milkshakes and vegan ‘chicken’ samosas in the Student Union to the restaurants among the University Green- we are never short of vegan options here at Manchester. Brewdog, Krobar and Navarro Lounge offer great meals that are affordable! (Look out for Krobar’s 2-4-1 veggie/vegan Mondays!)

With Veganuary starting again this year, there has never been a better time to go vegan- or at least try something new! In fact, you will notice the vegan influence as the larger supermarkets begin to bring out new vegan food this month. Maybe 2022 is the year that you become more sustainable and swap your dairy milk out for oat or soya. Or try some wonderful vegan chocolate; Nomo and Vego are my personal favourites. Times are changing- vegans no longer struggle for tasty options! Outside of campus there are plenty of ways to live a vegan lifestyle. In the town centre, there are vegan restaurants to enjoy an array of cuisine. As a treat, V Rev and Frost Burgers offer great vegan junk food including seitan chicken and mac n cheese. For healthier options, Hampton & Vouis on Princess Street and Acai & The Tribe in the Arndale Centre offer great smoothie bowls and healthy treats at an affordable price.

Like any meal idea, it can be daunting trying a new recipe or attempting a new vegan dish. As a student, I have found one of the easiest ways to navigate this is by simply replacing your usual favourites with vegan substitutes. For example, vegan Quorn and mince can replace the usual meat in any dish. From easy meals like fajitas, pasta and curries, vegan protein and cream are the only ingredients you will need to change! Everything else can be cooked the exact same- this makes it super simple!

For other vegan items The Eighth Day shop and cafe on Oxford Road is great. Offering organic groceries, body care essentials and nutritional goods, it is the perfect shop at any stage of your vegan journey. Really, they have a substitute for almost anything! Larger chain Holland and Barrett also offer great vitamins which are really important to keep on top of when following a vegan diet.

There’s more to being vegan than just great food though and Manchester provides great opportunities to be sustainable. This year for example, The University of Manchester is running a Sustainability photography competition in which students can be in with the chance of winning a cash prize for sharing a photograph of an issue they care about. This is definitely something worth considering!

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