Vegan
Fast food
British
Breakfast
Seasonal opening from late March to November months only - check ahead. Vegan cafe at an animal rescue centre. Serves all-day breakfast plus sandwiches, toasties, burgers and fries, sausages and daily specials. NOTE: open March to November only - check social media for exact dates of the beginning and end of the season. Open Thu-Sun 12:00-16:00.
62 Reviews
First Review by Clarebear
Grandmamoer
Points +16
Fabulous - Edit
Fantastic place doing great things for animals! I bring my granddaughter a lot and it shows her that pigs, cows, chickens and other beautiful animals deserve to live free from being tortured just like pets at home. The shop is wonderful as is the restaurant
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2026-01-18
Pros: Chickens, turkeys, , geese, ducks free to roam , Fantastic info about the animals from volunteers , We love to feed the pigs😄they are her favourite
Cons: Only dislike is they aren’t open all year to
Guest
Pupnik
Points +1885
Fantastic place - Edit
The Retreat is a wonderful day out. Enjoy food at the vegan cafe on site, shop in the stores (a thrift shop, a clothes shop and a 100% vegan grocery shop) and take a wander around to see rescued pigs, goats, horses and poultry. You may also get approached by the friendly cats! The cafe has a lovely selection of cakes and pasties as well as a decent sized menu and some daily specials. Today I had Christmas dinner loaded chips - a bowl of chips with gravy, seitan, stuffing, cranberry sauce and Brussel sprouts. Delicious and warming on an autumn day!
Read moreJust be warned it does get muddy so wear appropriate footwear.
Guest
TARAMCDONALD
Points +9252
Incredible day out! Inspiring! Vegan Paradise - Edit
We went back! So beautiful peaceful and wholesome. Relaxing atmosphere, eating in the cafe while chickens run around! Meeting all the happy animals. I took my Dad who has advancing Alzheimer’s and he really enjoyed it, it brought him back to life and our rescue dogs loved it too. We hadn’t gone back since our beloved mini schnauzer died and this was so healing to be here.
Read moreAll the happy animals one beautiful horse missing an eye and still having a great life. Seeing all the pigs saved fr on slaughterhouses, honestly this place fills me with joy.
You can ramble at your own pace, no one is looking over your shoulder or trying to hurry you. Beautiful family day out and really made our hearts glow with love 💚💚💚💚💚
This place is so peaceful. We visited today on a family open day so busier than usual and the cafe has a smaller menu to cater for the large crowds of people.
Dogs are welcome as long as they are on leads. My little Annie loved it.
The best thing about the retreat is to see all the animals healthy and happy. The retreat has the largest amount of rescued pigs in the UK (over 150). The retreat is set over 50 acres in the stunning Kent countryside. All profit goes to taking care of the animals and the cafe is 100% vegan.
I'm looking forward to going back again. In quieter periods you are allowed to go inside to meet the animals with a member of staff, so will update my review then.
100% recommend going, lovely staff and a wonderful way to see happy animals living out there days with love and care.
Updated from previous review on 2017-07-22
Pros: 100% vegan, Meeting rescued animals , lovely staff and volunteers
Cons: None, go there now!
Guest
AdelDarCutie
Points +31
Fully vegan Animal retreat 🌱 - Edit
Loved meeting all the residents & hard working volunteers.
Read moreHad lunch here from its extensive menu. The food was absolutely delicious & our dog loved the doggie sausage.
There’s also a fully stocked fantastic supermarket called Jennings. We also bought a piece of artwork from the craft shop.
Pros: The rescued animals , Cafe , Supermarket
Cons: None
Guest
ELL3
Points +54
Delicious! - Edit
Really lovely cafe, with great food. Staff are happy and friendly and such a lovely sanctuary with a vegan food shop, craft shop and charity shop.
Read morePros: Animal sanctuary, All vegan, Friendly staff
Cons: Signage from road not clearest
Guest
HenryBlane
Points +13124
A wonderful place! - Edit
Me and my wife were fortunate enough to visit for the ‘Personal Founders Tour’ with Billy, the founder of the sanctuary. It cost £130 for the pair of us which got us a personal tour with Billy (just us and no one else) before the sanctuary opened. I thought it was great value and obviously all of the money is going to an amazing cause. We got to go into the fields with all of the different animals including goats, donkeys, cows, sheep and pigs! Billy told us all about the different animals including their stories before they came to the sanctuary. Impressively he knew everyone's name which was some feat when there were hundreds of animals! He was a very warm person and it was a real privilege to get to hear his stories and be shown around the sanctuary by him. We also got to feed the pigs bread rolls which was great fun!
Read moreAfter our tour we had a table saved for us in their fully vegan café (complete with sprinkles and banner for my wife's birthday!) And we got to try their excellent food!
We went for a Chicken Kind Burger (with added halloumi), Cheeze & Chips, Cheeze & Rasher Toastie, and Halloumi Fries. Note that the halloumi was a special that day so might not normally be available.
All the food was delicious and I particularly enjoyed the halloumi fries which had a great flavour and lovely crispy coating. It was also good value at around £30 for our dishes and that was for more food than we needed as we were stuffed afterwards! They also had a great-looking selection of desserts but we were too full to try them unfortunately!
After lunch we were given high-vis jackets and allowed to revisit the animals in their fields on our own! It was amazing getting to spend more time with them, and we particularly enjoyed visiting the pigs and giving them belly rubs!
This is an amazing place with amazing people who care deeply about animals and I am so happy that there are people out there such as Billy who give so much to help these wonderful animals have the happy, peaceful lives they deserve. I can't wait to go back!
Pros: Billy the founder is lovely!, Food is very tasty, Get to meet lots of happy animals
Guest
sarah_0711
Points +47
100% vegan - Edit
Great place and good food, completely vegan menu
Read moreGuest
RachelDurban
Points +335
Good cafe experience - Edit
The food isn’t gourmet but it’s tasty and ethical! The whole place is so lovely and a really nice morning out, and there’s a row of vegan shops right by the cafe!
Read moreGuest
Travels_in_Reggie
Points +4531
The Retreat - Edit
The Retreat Animal Sanctuary is an incredible place that combines animal rescue, education, a wildlife hospital and vegan food all in one. It’s home to around one thousand animals, all rescued and now living in safety and free from harm.
Read moreThe sanctuary has a peaceful atmosphere, and it’s clear how much the staff and volunteers care about the animals.
On site, there is a vegan café serving home-cooked style meals. I enjoyed a jacket potato with cheeze and beans, served with a fresh side salad.
In addition to the café, there’s a second-hand store, gift shops, and a well-stocked grocery shop, all supporting the sanctuary’s work.
The Retreat closes for visitors for the winter season.
Guest
KathrinLizKru
Points +1324
A truly magical place! - Edit
We visited the Animal Sanctuary with its cozy café and were absolutely delighted. The food was delicious – thoughtfully prepared, and 100% plant-based. You can really feel the love and care put into everything. The staff were incredibly kind and welcoming.
Read moreBut what made the visit truly special were the animals! Pigs, chickens, roosters, turkeys, cows, sheep, horses, donkeys, goats, and of course, sweet cats. It’s beautiful to see them all living in peace, safe and cared for.
We left with full hearts (and bellies!) and can’t wait to return. Thank you for all the amazing work you do!
Updated from previous review on 2025-05-31
Guest
RhysWebster
Points +750
Simple yet effective - Edit
A wonderful set up in a beautiful part of the country. A basic(ish) menu but that’s not a negative at all. Classic cafe stuff in good portion sizes. Chickens wandering around is very new but very welcome! The whole sanctuary is great and I’ll definitely be returning
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2025-05-31
Guest
Drew2002
Points +76
Lovely cafe food at a beautiful sanctuary - Edit
The specials are always amazing. I especially love their lasagne and roast dinners
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2025-05-24
Guest
MichelleHatch
Points +259
Always fabulous - Edit
Had the biggest and best breakfast again today in the cafe - every thing is vegan they even have a few outlets including a small vegan store charity shop and vegan clothes shop. It’s a must visit and Billy the founder greats everyone as a beloved friend. Gluten free options in the cafe too .
Read moreGuest
dougmorgan97
Points +336
Best vegan rescue centre there is!!! - Edit
Absolutely adore the retreat have been going for years and love seeing them all. The cafe when it’s open is incredible and the sandwiches are HUGE. Cannot recommend this place enough
Read morePros: Vegans everywhere!, Lovely to see the animals saved from slaughter , Cafe is amazing
Guest
vegancatdog
Points +230
Such a happy place - Edit
Great food and happy animals. Wish I lived closer so I could volunteer here 🥲
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-07-26
Pros: Everything is vegan, Dog friendly, Free parking
Guest
Abscroucher
Points +39
Worth the trip to Kent! - Edit
We came to Kent especially to visit this place and weren’t disappointed! The atmosphere was lovely, burgers were yummy, and couldn’t leave without grabbing a couple of slices of cake for the road! We also had a little shop in the pantry and gift shop. From the animals, to the staff, to the delicious food, this place is really special and a ‘must visit’
Read morePros: Lovely animals, Positive vibes, Helpful staff
Guest
TBVG2019
Points +764
The best place - Edit
Amazing food and an amazing place, every single thing about the place is vegan, just a joy to be there :)
Read moreGuest
Michi!!
Points +18
Amazing place with delicious food - Edit
Thus place is amazing, lovely way to spend a few hours, they love n care for their resident animals whom the loving care for. The cafe is fantastic with lots of options, everyone is welcoming
Read moreGuest
Eloiseemariee
Points +440
The Vegan Dream - Edit
Amazing staff! Big breakfast, you just can’t get a vegan breky this good anywhere! Great little food and thrift store on site. Lots of adorable animals to see!
Read moreGuest
SophieC-T
Points +96
Great community feel & tasty lunch - Edit
This was such a nice afternoon out, they care so much for the animals at the retreat and it's great to see an animal rescue centre that cares for all animals (i.e. is vegan). We had the moving mountains burger and the cauliflower tikka pie at the cafe and it was great! They also have a vegan deli on site and we picked up some delicious artisan cheeses.
Read moreGuest
NickPullan
Points +26
Love it here - Edit
Great place to visit and eat. Fantastic vegan options. Highly recommend.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-07-30
Pros: Food, Animals, Ethos
Guest
coi
Points +406
Wonderful - Edit
We had a good time here eating Lunch and visiting the animals.
Read morePros: Completely vegan place, Variety of dishes, Atmosphere
Guest
Michael2010
Points +541
Amazing Place - Edit
The food is always nutritious and varied and have I been 3 times with my niece and nephew who think the food is great.
Read morePros: Very tasty food, Lots of options, Fairly priced
Guest
HelsRB
Points +203
Lovely Vegan Sanctuary - Edit
Great place to visit & see the rescue animals living their best lives. Followed by lunch or coffee & cakes in the cafè
Read morePros: Fully Vegan Cafe, Thrift shop
Guest
CJ.Ross
Points +198
If you've never visited you're missing out! - Edit
We visited today - we never miss a visit when we're in Kent and as always great vegan food, everyone is so nice and it's lovely seeing the rescued animals.
Read morePros: You get to have lunch with chickens, Having lunch helps the sanctuary , Fully vegan
Guest
Ruth Jenkins
Points +234
One of my favourite places to be - Edit
Simply a brilliant day out. They even have their own thrift shop!
Read morePros: Amazing food, Gorgeous animals, The loveliest people
Cons: Nothing at all. Simply the best place
Guest
Tara-JadePowell
Points +20
Delicious all vegan restaurant - Edit
Free entry to the retreat. Free parking. Easy to find. A haven for rescued animals. Amazing olace to visit. The on site cafe is 10/10 so delicious. Great options for food ranging from breakfast, lunches and dinners. All vegan restaurant. So yummy. Something for everyone.
Read morePros: Amazing vegan options , Classic british breakfast/lunch/dinner menu, Fair prices and all profits go to the charity
Guest
For Members
Why was my review removed? Guidelines for writing a review View our privacy policyFor Business Owners
Claim this business
See inaccurate information? Submit an update here Link to this page from your site See an unfair review? View full terms & conditionsThis page has been viewed 0 times.