• CLOSED: Beatroot Cafe

  • (31)
    28

    Closed

  • White Vegetarian
Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Ovo
Western
Buffet
Salad bar
Juice bar
Take-out
Bakery
British

The vegetarian buffet offers around 10 hot dishes alongside seasonal salads. Choose a small, medium, or large box and fill it with the food you want. Mostly vegan. Also has wheat-free and gluten-free items. Smoothies and juices are made-to-order. Cakes are made-in-house. Serves fair-trade coffee plus teas and herbals. Funky seating area inside. Reported closed to HappyCow, Apr 2015.


Venue map for Beatroot Cafe
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31 Reviews

First Review by baratron

AidenBrady

Points +85

Vegan
29 Sep 2018

No longer exists :-(

This is a simple little cafe, with simple, good, basic, no nonsense, cheap food. It's great for popping into. they have few dishes, but always the ones i want, these include raw-wise; vegan coleslaw, juicy grated beetroot, carrot etc, - cooked roast mixed vegetables (the tasty ones), shepherdess pie, lentil bake etc. In addition they have a good selection of juices & some sugar free deserts.

Updated from previous review on 2013-01-07

Pros: cheap, bright, easy

Cons: none, none, none

FloGraceB

Points +28

Vegan
08 Apr 2015

Best quick takeaway food!

It's a bit pricey but the food is so tasty it really makes it worth it.
The hot chocolate with rice milk is my favourite hot chocolate to have out too!

Pros: Great tasting, Vegan and veg options, Everyone's friendly there!

Cons: A tad pricey, Quite small so not good for large groups

sophiefp

Points +799

Vegan
21 Jan 2015

an old favourite for a speedy tasty meal

Informal, tasty and amazing value for central London. Old fashioned veggie style yet has lasted because it works. As it's a served buffet it's very quick. The juices are lovely too. Plenty for vegans.
A medium box is more than enough for a normal person. You have to be super hungry for a large. Small is handy for a quick meal.

kool_kitchen

Points +848

Vegetarian
25 Dec 2014

Acceptable grub

Okay for a quick snack, but pretty pricey. Well located, but only a few tables. A place to pick up a snack and a coffee on the go, not to sit down for a meal. Fresh juices are available, but be prepared to pay upwards of £4.

Pros: Location

Cons: Expensive, Average , Fast food atmosphere

aisteve_

Points +133

Vegan
17 Nov 2014

Very Cool Buffet

Almost everything here was vegan. You can get three diffrent size boxes and the biggest one will cost you aroun £7. In that you can put anything you fancy and the staff makes sure to fit in as much food as possible. Everything there was supertasty. All the deserts are vegan and the belgian chocolate covered rice crispies were really delicious too. So definately would recommend this to anyone because there are various dishes for everyone's taste and you can get a lot of great food for a good price.

Pros: Not Expensive, Friendly Staff, Delicious

Cons: Not All Vegan

Horse_sas

Points +52

Vegan
28 Sep 2014

Great Find!

My husband and I visited the Beatroot Cafe in Sep 2014. It is a very small cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. The people watching is really interesting, since it's smack in the middle of SoHo. All of the food, except for two dishes, was vegan. The service was okay, but the food was fabulous. You choose from three different container sizes, then the servers start piling the food in. I happen to love mixing my food (different flavours, textures, etc), so this process worked really well for me. My husband prefers his food to be separated and eats one thing at at a time, so he was not as enraptured as I was. We each got the large size container, since it didn't look that big to us, which cost @ 7 pounds each. I could have probably eaten another one, but I restrained my gluttony. However, I did purchase a chai tea, which was awful, and a vegan flapjack, which was very tasty.

Pros: Yummy vegan food, Lots of variety, interesting area

Cons: mediocre service, hard to find , chai tea

anniek2409

Points +37

Vegan
12 Aug 2014

In love!!

Very similar to Iydea in Brighton - choose a size of box and ask what food you want to load into it. Plenty of vegan options (just ask the staff) including muffins and other small desserts. Very cheap, tasty and very nice staff.

Pros: Nice food, Good vegan selection, Cheap

Cons: Not a lot of sitting area

TMcC

Points +65

Vegetarian
02 Aug 2014

Great little find in Soho!

I've been to Beatroot about four times now and would highly recommend it. There's always a great variety of main dishes and salads, and the portions are generous. The juices are freshly made and taste great. A fantastic little find in Soho!

Pros: Healthy, Large portions, Fresh food

Vegan Claire

Points +19

Vegan
25 Apr 2014

Nice little place

Had lunch here today with a friend and we are both vegan. Everything bar a couple of dishes were vegan and there was a lot of choice. I had a medium box which seemed small....until I tried to eat it all! The staff were helpful and piled our boxes high with food which was very tasty. I think if people want food cooked to order and not sat under heat lamps, they'll wait longer and pay more. Nice lunchtime treat. Will definitely go back

Pros: Choice of dishes, Delicious food, Quick service

Cons: Can't think of any

christopherjboyce

Points +976

Vegan
29 Mar 2014

Nice enough for a quick feed up if passing through

Food was good and lots of variety. Choices were mostly vegan. I didn't find it very easily though as the numbers go up on one side of the road and down on the other - I was confused but obvious once I figured that out. Not very comfy seating.

Pros: Many vegan options

Cons: Not the most comfortable seating

bananaspender

Points +65

Vegan
30 Oct 2013

Hearty, filling lovely food!

This is where you go when you want to eat NOW and eat well! You will get a HUGE portion of food but you can take the rest home if you cant finish it! You get to choose between cold and hot foods so there if something for everyone.The desserts are usually vegan too so you wont be left out! The service is always very friendly too which is always a huge plus! Its in a fabulous location so if you are visiting London its definitely a must!

Pros: Cheap but good quality food , Yummy , You can take it away with you!

KatieBatty

Points +1477

Vegan
20 Aug 2013

Okay dessert

My partner went in late one night for some dessert. We both got the chocolate crackles. They were a bit dry and had raisins in them. Plus it was REALLY dark chocolate. They sold some banana soy milks - my partner had one. The crackles were tasty but not amazing. The staff asked us if we were sure we wanted to dine in - they seemed quite keen to get rid of us even though it wasn't anywhere near closing time.

Pros: Vegan options

Cons: Staff a bit rude

gin_and_tonic

Points +92

Vegetarian
17 Jul 2013

Bustling Soho, calm

A cool, small caffe in the heart of Soho. Its another pick and mix place, with about a dozen or so different things to choose from. You choose the size of the box and they fill it up with whatever you want.
The food was good, with several raw and light dishes, which were perfect as it was a hot sticky day. There are hot dishes as well, but those are for another day.
The staff are friendly and the place is clean. They make a point about using sustainable electricity and they seem to be pretty keen on being eco friendly. A good place to watch the world go by.

Pros: Good food, Good location

bencamps

Points +580

Vegan
17 Nov 2012

An Institution

I've been going to Beatroot for years, it's probably the first vegi place I found in London. The reason I keep going back is that this place is so cool. The food is cheap, tasty and healthy. There's always planty of vegan options no matter what time of the day you visit. Over the years the various staff have always been helpful and friendly. I don't understand the negative reviews on Happy Cow, maybe people expect too much for around a fiver? Nearly every time I get the medium size box I end up carrying it around for half a day due to the generosity of the portions. It's been going now for 15 years, I hope they continue for many years more!

Pros: Very vegan friendly, Cheap, Good food

Cons: Can get too busy to get a seat

Rosa and Joe

Points +469

Vegan
05 Aug 2012

beatroot

Sorry to be negative about a veggie place, but not sure why this place is getting four stars. The savoury food is ok but nothing special and not cheap for what it is - it's all sitting under heat lamps, not freshly cooked. The vegan cakes we tried were terrible - really dry and tasteless, almost inedible. The coffee was undrinkable dishwater. Gives veganism a bad name. If we were desperate and in a hurry we might go back for a salad.

s_k_

Points +564

Vegetarian
22 Mar 2012

Decent for London

I like this place but don't love it. The food is fairly tasty and
priced well. The staff fill your box, but they aren't stingy at all
(even when it looks full, they offer some more). But the food isn't
wildly creative, and seems to sit under heat lamps. The 70s orange
paneling look is a bit dated and not for everyone; but the place is
really designed for takeout (even if you're eating in, your food comes
in a cardboard box with throwaway wooden utensils). In most other
cities this would be a treasure, but in London it's just middling; but
if you're on a budget, this would probably be hard to beat.

Pros: fair price, decent selection, generous quantities

Cons: not very creative, food under lamps, weak ambiance

bigbunny

Points +75

Vegan
02 Feb 2012

FRESH & FUNKY: Something for everyone!

Fresh salads and interesting hot dishes as well. Quick & easy 'boxes' to go. Priced by 3-selection & 4-selection boxes, as I remember. Very central & convenient. Caters to vegans & raw foodist as well ... yet very popular with meat-eaters, too.

The cafe itself is cute & well-painted. Dynamic even. Funky & fabulous!

Recommended. I worked around the corner and ate there twice a week. Appreciated the freshness & diversity of food.
Updated from previous review on Thursday February 02, 2012

Pros: FRESH, Diverse changing menu, Quite a fun experience

Cons: Small

veganmiss

Points +540

Vegan
28 Dec 2011

Great Take-Out

Small, quick, carry-out friendly, or just wanting a snack, this is the place to go. I picked up some food here several times to bring back to the dorms for dinner. Their menu may have changed a little in the past 4 years, but if memory serves me right, I had the tofu stir-fry and the curry of the day. I know I also got some form of cake there, but none of their cake's are listed as vegan on the website. I believe they rotate their food during the week too to different dishes. So, I do not think that menu is constant.

For a complete review, please see my blog here: http://veganmiss.blogspot.com/2009/03/veg-london-part-one.html

Pros: quick, vegan friendly

shapesh1ft

Points +138

Vegan
21 Mar 2011

Take away salad bar

We ate here very quickly before heading for airport. Location is good and the portion sizes seem ok value for money. They didn't have warm foods ready but salads were good. Carrot cake for dessert was very tasty and moist. Atmosphere isn't that good for staying it's more a take away street food kind of place with music playing out in the background.

Pros: Ok salads, Carrot cake, Location

Cons: Atmosphere

Veronica01

Points +168

Vegan
22 Aug 2010

Great idea and tasty selection

This restaurant does vegan food the right way, offering some healthy premade vegan options, including raw and cooked vegan dishes that you select and fill up your to go box.

They also offer some fresh juices as well which is great.

The shepherds pie is very delicious - try it!!

We stopped here for lunch on our way biking around London so it was a very nice change from some of the oily unhealthy vegetarian places London has all over the place!

Pros: decent prices compared to most , lots of selection, not greasy

Cons: small

Sylvia

Points +47

Vegan
30 Dec 2009

tasty fast food alternative

Beetrrot is a great alternative for a quick veggie snack. I often stop by when I am in Soho and have enjoyed my food every time.

There is a raw salad bar and another section with pre-prepared and heated food. Half of the dishes are vegan, the rest is veggie.
At the counter you choose your disposable container (the small size is a round foam pot, not a great packaging option in my opinion, the medium and large sizes are carton boxes) cannot recall the exact prices now but I believe it's something like £3.50 - £4.50 and £6. You then pick what you want and the staff will scoop it into your container. If you are particular about how your food 'sits' in the container, just tell them in advance, I found the staff always pleasant.

Usually I have my container filled with a big dollop of vegan coleslaw (delicious), leafy salad and lasagene or shephard's pie (both very yummy) and some fake sausage pasty rolls as a treat on top of it all. The curries always looked too runny for my taste, I would prefer them on a proper plate I suppose.

You can have drinks from the fridge or freshly prepared juices and smoothies (my friend liked her Mango smoothie so much, she ordered a second one on the spot), I once had a Chai tea but thought not much of it. Also the vegan cake I tried was a bit dull.

The indoor seating arrangements are not ideal as it gets pretty nippy when people go in and out, and outside only works in summer. But it's still a blessing to have this friendly cafe around and I will continue visiting.

Pros: yummy food, quick and ready to go

Cons: small container not eco friendly, warm dishes are kept heated

comida

Points +216

Vegan
07 Aug 2009

Lovely food and cakes

I've been wanting to try this place for ages because a friend says he loves it, but have never gotten around to it. So last night, we sought it out for a quick meal before going to the theatre. There was a friendly (and pretty) girl behind the counter who was very efficient and helfpul. I had the small box (which was a bowl) of shepherd's pie and sausage rolls, while my best friend had a dhal with brown rice. We tried a bit of each other's food, and it was all yummy. We shared a chocolate cake, and I took away a bakewell slice which we had after the show, when we got home. I'm really glad to we went there. Next time we want to try the smoothies as well.

Pros: cakes all vegan, most dishes vegan, quite cheap

Jemima

Points +484

Vegetarian
25 Jul 2009

Central, cheap for a meal w a few health benefits

On Berwick St in Soho where they hold the market. There is a bit of blonde paneled modern seating inside and a couple of low tables outside. The left side inside has a counter with hot food and cakes.
When I went the market had packed up and the garbos were doing the rounds which we had to compete with to hear ourselves. We were glad to sit outside though as it was quite a hot day.

You get a choice of three sizes of boxes and you indicate to the counter person what hot food you want in it. I chose a small box and it was piled high with food so was ample for dinner. The top flaps of the box prevented anything from dropping out. I presume if you take away they would have to close it and would give you less. Whether eat in or takeaway they use the same paper boxes and cutlery made from wood fibre materials. It's environmentally probably better to wash and reuse plates and cutlery for people eating in.
I had about five different options such as lasagna, bean and vegetable stews, salad leaves and sausage rolls. I got quite a few potatoes in my box. It was quite hearty especially because of the potatoes and was fine.I had vegan chocolate cake with chocolate icing for desert although I was actually full enough after the above. It was alright although I have had better vegan chocolate cake and icing before. I also had a mocha which tasted distinctly coffee like.

Service was pleasant and helpful.

For dinner including desert and a beverage it came to just under GBP10 so value was decent.

Pros: cheap, central, helpful staff

Cons: disposable boxes, cultery

khb

Points +141

Vegan
02 Apr 2009

Doesn't stand up to the competition

If Beatroot were the only restaurant of its kind in a small town somewhere, I'd easily give it four cows, maybe even five, just for the effort. But fast, inexpensive, vegan-friendly food is so plentiful in Soho that I set my standards a little higher, and Beatroot doesn't meet them.

The food is all sitting there under heat lamps - nothing wrong with that, since it means you can get it fast. But nothing has labels, and you can't serve yourself, so you have to tell the staff, "I'll have some of this one, and some of that one over there, and some of that one next to it with the aubergines." Then your food is served not on a plate, but in a box. Which is good for taking away, but it means that everything gets all mushed up together, and it's hard to tell which of the dishes go together just by looking at them.

As for the food itself: I had some shepherd's pie that was really nice, a fairly decent but not very exciting stirfry of tofu and vegetables, and a spinach and lentil curry with rice that was just bland and boring. They can do better. You can do better.

Pros: Fast, Lots of vegan options, Reasonably priced

Cons: So-so food, Especially when all mixed together

Michelle Stoddart

Points +61

Vegan
07 Mar 2009

I love Beatroot!

I've been many times and it's always fresh, delicious and healthy! The staff are exceptionally friendly and they play good music. It's great for a quick lunch when you're out shopping or on the go. I love it!

Pros: Excellent Food, Healthy Cuisine, Great Portions

Lucylu

Points +377

Vegan
02 Feb 2009

Yum!

The food here is really tasty! It's a little expensive for the surroundings! Not so much of a restaurant as a take out place with a few seats! Great if you're after take out...

marybheine

Points +93

Vegan
11 Nov 2008

Not worth the cab ride

My sister and I tried to dine at Beatroot tonight. We came, we saw, and we quickly turned on our heels to leave. But we had to sidestep the drunk man who was mumbling to himself as he was stumbling out, clutching a cup of tea. One look at the food that was sitting under the hot lamp, and it looked like all the dirty serving dishes were there to be washed. There wasn't much evidence of fresh food. We were there at 8 pm. The 2 tables inside looked very unwelcoming, bench-style with the floodlights on "Full" overhead. Very stark and uninviting. Uh...no thanks. It had all the atmosphere of a soup kitchen with the vagrant joining us. We couldn't wait to get out of there, and took a 5 minute walk to Mildreds, which was on the other end of the spectrum in terms of ambiance and quality.

Pros: the staff were nice to the vagrant, It was in London, They weren't upset when we left

Cons: Food looked unappetizing, Employee was sweeping the floor, Sleazy street in Soho




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