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• Veg cafe in Berkhamsted

This vegetarian/vegan cafe runs in conjunction with The Emporium, a flowers-gifts-healthfood shop, managed by two pleasant and hospitable women. The food shop has a nice selection of products, chilled items like veg cheese, burgers and even cans of dolmades (rice-stuffed vine leaves) and sprouted-seed rye bread. There are handmade greeting cards, chocolate, gifts and more. The cafe sells a small amount of fresh vegetables (including turmeric and avocados). There are cakes, scones and cookies, some vegan. I was in town for a week and ate a main meal at the cafe four times. Meals are served until 3 pm, and cafe/shop is closed on Mondays. The meals I had ranged in price from 7pd50 to 12pd50. I had vegan quiche (with green peas), sauteed cauliflower-onion-zucchini-cabbage, baked beans and small baked sweet potato; lentil soup (made with fresh ginger and turmeric) served with pakoras; a hearty Moroccan tagine of sweet-potato kefta (“meat”balls), couscous and grilled peppers-eggplant-zucchini, served with coconut-milk yogurt; and vegetable masala (eggplant, zucchini, onion) with fresh pita bread (rice option). The cafe owner and chef, Salva, prepares tasty and satisfying dishes and doesn’t mind making substitutions. She and the two shop managers create a comfortable environment for a cuppa or a good meal.