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What would you want from your ideal vegetarian/vegan café?
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07-10-2009 12:41pm#1I'm in need of ideas, so I thought I'd put it to ye
This is an idea I've been toying with over the past few months, as some of you have heard about! I have to write a short proposal for a course I may be doing so I thought this would be a good time to pose this question to ye.
What aspects of a vegetarian or vegan café would make you return that place time and again?
I'm leaving it as a very general question, as I am open to all suggestions!
Also, I may need some of these ideas for 9am tomorrow
Don't dilly-dally if you have some pearls of wisdom!
Oh, and any ideas for names?!0
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lol, you ask a lot!
if you were to own the cafe, i'd call it 'donniescribbles' cafe', but with your actual name. it would be cool if on the menu you had a few set items, but that you had specials which changed daily or every few days. So you'd have old favourites as well as something different.
Nice set-up and vibrant colours like Stereo in Glasgow
And you would have more evening customers if you served alcohol, but that would need a licence. or you could just do food til 6 or 6.30.
Enough ideas for now
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sweet-rasmus wrote: »lol, you ask a lot!
if you were to own the cafe, i'd call it 'donniescribbles' cafe', but with your actual name. it would be cool if on the menu you had a few set items, but that you had specials which changed daily or every few days. So you'd have old favourites as well as something different.
Nice set-up and vibrant colours like Stereo in Glasgow
And you would have more evening customers if you served alcohol, but that would need a licence. or you could just do food til 6 or 6.30.
Enough ideas for now
My first thought was to call it Donnie's, after the cat I don't know about putting my own name on it... It crossed my mind. One of the best veggie cafés in Edinburgh was called Susie's Diner, but I don't know if there was an actual Susie... I could just make up some fictional character!
Yes, Stereo is most definitely an influence here!
And I agree with you about the alcohol license, I have put that in my proposal thing...ButterflyGirl23 wrote: »Don't just have soya milk, have rice and oat milk too for the coffee!
And do fun things like soya milk shakes and dark chocolate vegan cake and vegan cheesecake made out of tofu!
I would also want the café to open late night as none of them do anymore (café mocha was a great late night one, but it's closed now).
The interior decor should be modern and comfortable with lots of comfy couches.
I agree with all of this! Hadn't thought of the milk thing, I have made note, cheers!
I think Java's is the only late opening café left in Galway. It's nice and all but a bit of variety would be good
Oh, the tea menu will be extensive! The coffees too probablycouches are always good! a nice coffee/tea menu is an iportant thing for me, I'll get very happy over soy chai lattes
I should probably say how I see it and then people can suggest changes and stuff...- Menu would be 50% vegetarian, 50% vegan, at the least.
- Veggie and vegan breakfast served till noon.
- Unbelievably comfortable seating
- Unobtrusive but helpful staff (ie. you can sit for as long as you like without being pestered or having to order more stuff)
- Centrally located.
- Colourful, warm interior. Displayed artworks, photography etc
- Really good food (that should be first probably!) at reasonable and competitive prices.
- Wide selection of teas and coffees.
- No uniforms for staff, just aprons.
- Option of carry-out.
- Events in the evening such as gigs, film screenings etc. An alcohol license would go hand in hand with this. Possibly a limited food menu in the evenings.
- Free wi-fi with a purchase, sit for as long as you like.
- Good music. Maybe a jukebox?!
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i like the name Donnie's
not necessarily 50% vegan... most dishes can be made vegan by removing/changing and ingredient. i guess for stuff easily made up, switching could be easy, but if it's something like lasagne that has to be made early, you won't have the choice there.
and you could make money with the artwork, having artists pay a fee to use the display space for a set time, but that they can sell their artwork that way too, like in cornucopia. you could have a link with the local art college.
wifi is good and doesn't cost much. and compfy seating again like stereo, a comfy area and a more formal area perhaps.
and if you were to do take-away perhaps the use of potato starch or corn starch cutlery and boxes would be ideal ideas http://ecoland.com/ 0 -
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oh could you have all day breakfast??? its my fav meal and i love when places do it all day. im a seriously picky with food so um i duno maybe flexibility with options? if that makes sense. or simple set menus like pick this...with this...and this...and this is the price.
illustrations of the food is always nice
'DonnieScribbles' would actually be a pretty cool name for a cafe, its kinda quirky.
id def go with something memorable and quirky like 'The Evil Onion' (just coz i hate onions)0 -
Cool, lots more ideas here.Mentalmiss wrote: »A big sign that says ALL THE WATER SERVED HERE HAS BEEN TRIPLE FILTERED AND IS FREE OF CHARGE.
If people wanted bottled water I would have big bottles so that a table can share.
Good point. Galway is prone to water contaminationMentalmiss wrote: »Vegan Pizza and home made vegan ice cream.
Of course!sweet-rasmus wrote: »i like the name Donnie's
It does have a ring to it! I'm seeing some kind of kitty-kat silhouette logo...
Yeah, most things are vegan adaptable, I would just make it clear in the menu that there are lots of vegan options. It's just from noticing in some vegetarian restaurants that there aren't that many vegan options. Hasn't happened that often though...not necessarily 50% vegan... most dishes can be made vegan by removing/changing and ingredient. i guess for stuff easily made up, switching could be easy, but if it's something like lasagne that has to be made early, you won't have the choice there.
I wasn't aware Cornocopia did this. That's another good idea....and you could make money with the artwork, having artists pay a fee to use the display space for a set time, but that they can sell their artwork that way too, like in cornucopia. you could have a link with the local art college.
Considering I'm a former student of the art college here, it shouldn't be hard set up something with them!
I'm really going to have to get a dedicated notebook to write all this stuff down! Good idea, cheersand if you were to do take-away perhaps the use of potato starch or corn starch cutlery and boxes would be ideal ideas http://ecoland.com/Tar.Aldarion wrote: »People do this, pick a name that they think will help them sell. DO you have to do a business plan for this? Get the most footfall per day for the cheapes you can etc. I'm doing business plans with a business man in Dublin atm, maybe I can try and wrangle thinking about a veggie restaurant. :-p He does dragons den type giving out money for a living... A big seller to a lot of people will that it will be seen as wholesome, healthy etc instead of vegetarian.
btw have potatoes!!!!!!!!
The business plan is in the pipeline! I just had to put together a very basic proposal for an interview tomorrow. The course I'm hopefully doing will help me get everything together to make this beyond something I talk about all the time!
If you want to mention this idea to the business guy, go right ahead, it would be good to get a second opinion from someone who knows what they're talking about!
And the 'wholesome' rather than 'vegetarian' title is something I'm considering. It may make it seem more appealing to a greater variety of people. The full title of Susie's was 'Susie's Wholefood Diner'. I thought it worked well not being explicitly vegetarian.
Of course there'll be potatoes!Thoushaltnot wrote: »"Silence of the Yams"
/groans
Punalicious! I'm adding it to the list!
Really good idea. A bar in Galway, Bar No.8, does this and it looks really cool. Thanks for that one....Mismatched cutlery & delf (eg. from a charity shop) a la The Cake Cafe.
In fact, decor from salvage, eg. The SheebeenOpen late, with all day breakfast (with a tonne of fake meat options), especially on Sundays/after Paddys Day, etc.
Might be an idea to invest in a milk maker, so you could make your own hemp milk, quinoa milk, as well as the more obvious soya and oat versions.
Yeah maybe an all day breakfast would be better! There seems to be a consensus hereoh could you have all day breakfast??? its my fav meal and i love when places do it all day. im a seriously picky with food so um i duno maybe flexibility with options?
The milk and bread might be something I could expand into. In the early days I'd be more likely to order this stuff in... I'm definitely keeping it in mind though.Thoushaltnot wrote: »Actually, sammiches for the business lunch trade, but with quorn ham/chicken/turkey picnic slices rather than the animal version?
Imagine an all veggie breakfast roll too, with quorn sausages and rashers...
I wasn't sure about using fake meats and quorn and stuff, mainly because they don't really appeal to me. But if there's a demand for them then I guess I'd serve them.
That's brilliant! Adding it to the listid def go with something memorable and quirky like 'The Evil Onion' (just coz i hate onions)
Whew, long post.
Thanks for all the feedback, I really appreciate it. It'll definitely give me more to talk about tomorrow 0 -
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I'd really like to see some nice UNhealthy stuff on the menu What often puts me off vegetarian cafes is that they're too healthfoody for my taste. Brown rice and stuff with wheatgerm etc... bleuugh! Sometimes I just want some chips that I know haven't been fried with the fish or chicken.Takeaway soups at lunchtime as well as sandwiches please, at least in the winter! Must be very profitable too because it's so cheap to make. 0
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Hey, have a look at the pictures & places stickey - what Mark Hamill posted about Titbits in Switzerland, looking for new places.
Hope the interview went well.
And you could sell vegan treats, like the vegan mars bars, etc. from the Vegan online store....or veggie Haribo 0 -
I'd really like to see some nice UNhealthy stuff on the menu What often puts me off vegetarian cafes is that they're too healthfoody for my taste. Brown rice and stuff with wheatgerm etc... bleuugh! Sometimes I just want some chips that I know haven't been fried with the fish or chicken.Takeaway soups at lunchtime as well as sandwiches please, at least in the winter! Must be very profitable too because it's so cheap to make.
Yeah, we'd have to have some junk food on the menu somewhere, though I am partial to brown rice Good point, duly noted.sweet-rasmus wrote: »Hope the interview wasn't too bad Donnie!
It was... okay! I think they expected more details. They were asking had I any idea how much such a venture would cost and I really don't know! I explained to them that I was applying to the course so that I could find out these things and they seemed to accept that.Thoushaltnot wrote: »Hey, have a look at the pictures & places stickey - what Mark Hamill posted about Titbits in Switzerland, looking for new places.
Hope the interview went well.
And you could sell vegan treats, like the vegan mars bars, etc. from the Vegan online store....or veggie Haribo
Will check that out now.
Good idea about the vegan confectionery, will make note of that in my lovely new café ideas notebook 0 -
oh! a café notebookDonnieScribbles wrote: »Good idea about the vegan confectionery, will make note of that in my lovely new café ideas notebook he he he
sounds like a precious item now.0 -
sweet-rasmus wrote: »oh! a café notebook he he he
sounds like a precious item now.
Oh, it is! It's very pretty too! A4, with multicoloured stripes and a red ribbon marker, woo... Tis nice to have something to write in such lovely stationery 0 -
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I agree with Ouchette, I really hate when I go to a veggie restaurant and all I can choose from is extremely healthy. I also enjoy to have some familiar dishes, if you know what I mean.. You could do a veggie burger or sth like that. Although I still love the crazy dishes many veggie restaurants do, like a quiche with some freaky vegetable I have never heard of.
Btw, I went to a really nice veggie restaurant in the summer, it was in portugal unfortunately but they had a really nice all you can eat buffet, with loads of salads and vegetables for whoever preferred those, but also with loads of more unhealthy stuff like pizza/sausages/fried courgette. Was really good to have the choice!
Oh what I would also want (dunno if I'm being too specific?) is 'normal' drinks. I love all the fruit juices and herbal teas most restaurants do but I can honestly say I've never seen a regular coke on a menu at a veggie restaurant, would be nice to have some of that 0 -
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There seems to be a consensus on the somewhat less healthy veggie food It is a good idea.helena.ryan wrote: »I think the veggies of boards should get together and open a place using all the above ideas. Sounds amazing!
It does, doesn't it! It's something I'm investigating doing, but it is happening in very small increments. So someday 0 -
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DonnieScribbles wrote: »There seems to be a consensus on the somewhat less healthy veggie food It is a good idea.
I can see a veggie restaurant being more economical viable, because it is attracting custom from non-veggies looking for a healthier alternative.
I think veggies will come, no matter where you locate or what you serve. Purely for the novelty of having choice.0 -
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I've felt an overall dislike for any veggie restaurants with my family and friends. I do take them sometimes (especially on my birthdays they really have no choice) but it really doesn't matter if it's an indian veggie restaurant, a buffet one with unhealthy (but familiar) stuff or one of those extremely healthy ones.. It's just really the lack of meat that puts them off
Even if they did like their meal they kept saying how they don't feel full because there was no meat 0 -
I've felt an overall dislike for any veggie restaurants with my family and friends. I do take them sometimes (especially on my birthdays they really have no choice) but it really doesn't matter if it's an indian veggie restaurant, a buffet one with unhealthy (but familiar) stuff or one of those extremely healthy ones.. It's just really the lack of meat that puts them off Even if they did like their meal they kept saying how they don't feel full because there was no meat
It's just another 'can't please all of the people, all of the time' situation.
Some non-vegetarians will happily eat vegetarian food and those are the ones that would eat in this potential café.
If having less healthy vegetarian food like chips, wedges etc will make it more appealing to the the general public I can see the advantage of having such options on the menu. Be assured such things would be side-by-side with the quinoa stir-fries and bean soups though!
Anyway, I'm starting a business course next week, will see how all of this goes down 0 -
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Even if they did like their meal they kept saying how they don't feel full because there was no meat
That sounds strange to me because I never really thought of meat as filling. To me things like pasta, rice, potatoes, etc. fill me. Back years ago when I was on a diet and only had meat and vegetables for dinner I would be starving!!!
Also, when I cook my meat eating boyfriend a vegetarian lasagne or curry filled with vegetables he would be stuffed after it. We also get stuffed in Cornucopia if we get some of their lentil stuff and salads. He does eat a lot and can get filled on a veggie or meat dinner so it's surprising hearing your friends say that.0 -
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No, I don't know anyone who operates at the market The one by St. Nicholas' is already saturated with veggie food though, so I'd be more likely to approach the new one in the Eyre Square Centre or the one upstairs at Nimmo's at the Spanish Arch. Plus, they're both indoors so no need to worry about the weather 0
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Mostly, I would like it to be close to where I live. There is one in Cork, but since I live in Cobh, I rarely get to go there.
Well if I were to do this, it would be in Galway as that's where I'm located! You just need to find a wealthy vegetarian investor in Cobh
Anyway, I did up a survey if anyone would like to take it. I know surveys are nasty things, but I do need the information. Anyway, it's pretty much aimed at Galway people, but I'd welcome any input really.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Q1pBJJ3ZjIhwBmdxg6Tm0A_3d_3d
It's really quick and stupidly simple. Thanks 0 -
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Hee hee...
Tis fun to note, there is a complete disinterest in salad by the takers of this survey! (Anyone who took it before 2 this afternoon may not have got that question, I did a quick edit...)
Everyone wants soup though. Everyone!
For a simple survey it's yielding interesting results. Some omnivores took it too so I'm getting a good scope 0 -
ah, soup and a sandwich it seems to be a favourite with many.
i don't mind a small salad on the side of a main, but wouldn't go for it as a main; hot food always seems more filling. the last time i bought salad out was at govinda's, but that was because the availability of vegan hot food that appealed to me was slim.0 -
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DonnieScribbles wrote: »Hee hee...
Tis fun to note, there is a complete disinterest in salad by the takers of this survey! (Anyone who took it before 2 this afternoon may not have got that question, I did a quick edit...)
Everyone wants soup though. Everyone!
For a simple survey it's yielding interesting results. Some omnivores took it too so I'm getting a good scope
Salad was teh only one I removed from teh food list I think, I wanted everythign else!0 -
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