• 5
• Vegetarian Cafe in Galway

I only discovered this hidden gem in Abbeygate St. Upper yesterday with a vegan friend of mine. We went for lunch - a virgin visit but definitely not my last! I opted for the chickpea burger and my friend had the bean stew. I tried some of hers and it was delicious. My burger was like a homemade patty and it was very flavoursome. It was dressed with a herby tahini dressing and also had a beetroot relish so there was a rich variety of flavours on the plate, which I love. It came with a colourful and vibrant salad which took time to prepare - slices of radish along with mixed leaves (and they were clean which is a plus), there were some seeds and also some home pickled red cabbage. There were also some cherry tomatoes and carrot, I think. There was a generous helping of quinoa and a gluten free vegan toasted bagel. So a very full plate for a very reasonable price. Service was swift, friendly and non-intrusive and when we both fancied something for dessert, we got a raw, vegan caramel/chocolate/coconut slice which was rich, filling and really nutritious. I simply love when I can go to a place and have really delicious, healthy food but still feel that my meal was a little decadent. The coffee was strong and the helping was generous - a fine sized cup. I cannot believe that this cafe has been there for three years and I didn't know about it. If you are in Galway and are vegan/vegetarian or omnivorous, you will love the food at the Lighthouse. It's just off Shop Street. The space isn't huge but you're not sitting on top of anyone else so you can go there and have a cosy chat. Also, we stayed quite a long time and were welcome. Lunch for two, one dessert and two coffees came to €30 even. I thought this was great value. The lunch was prepared with such love and care that I can't wait for my next visit. I recommend the Lighthouse highly.