Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Ovo
Organic
Western
Delivery
Take-out
British
Catering
Restaurant serving lunch, afternoon tea, and snacks daily plus dinner. Companion animal friendly. Reported to offer dishes containing eggs and/or dairy September 2023. NOTE: Please verify if non vegan items are still offered. Open Mon-Tue 08:30-21:00, Wed 08:30-17:00, Thu-Sat 09:00-17:00, Sun 09:00-16:00. Lunch is served from 12pm-3pm.
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17B Burgate, Canterbury, England, CT1 2HG
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- Outdoor seating
- Wheelchair accessible
- Accepts credit cards
- Free Wi-Fi
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Last update on 21 Mar 2025 by SophieKennard
Update business info -
Added by Elizabeth Child on 26 Oct 2009
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107 Reviews
First Review by shloobee
GiraffeGirl
Points +272
Lovely staff & tasty food - Edit
Very friendly and helpful staff.
Read moreFood was very tasty.
Mediterranean tapas plate all very nice but underwhelming in terms of size, for the price. Definitely could be more on the plate.
Mushroom Wellington plate with salad all very good.
Updated from previous review on 2025-05-18
Pros: Great coffee, Great service, Tasty food
Cons: Some dishes little overpriced
Guest
ClaireLouiseH
Points +199
Delightful lunch! - Edit
This is a glorious place. We both had the vegan lasagne with all of the salad! This included a range of dishes such as quinoa, chickpeas, hummus, lettuce, beetroot, kimchi…! The coffee and cakes were great too!
Read morePros: Range of options, Homely-feel to the food, Staff and environment
Cons: None!
Guest
helenkk
Points +309
Nice lunch; slightly chaotic venue - Edit
The food was tasty, nicely presented, and was brought in a timely manner. I thought it was slightly overpriced for the portion size.
Read morePros: The food was delicious., All food items vegan, Good location if visiting Canterbury
Cons: I had booked a table but they hadn't saved me one, Loud and slightly chaotic atmosphere, Had to ask for table to be wiped down
helenkk
I forgot to mention: my friend was offered cow's milk with her cup of tea.
Read moreGuest
diodradek
Points +233
The Veg Box - Edit
Venue
Read moreGreen & blue walls with artwork. A “Fermentation Station” display of the veg currently fermenting. Colourful chairs. Dog friendly. Looks like seating for around 40 inside and more outside.
Service
Ordered and paid at the counter. Friendly and happy to explain the options for toppings/sides etc.
Food
I had the Buddha bowl. Nice mix of veg. Tasty dressing. The hummus and chickpeas were great.
Price
£12.90 for the Buddha bowl. Fairly typical for a “main” in Canterbury.
Guest
SophieKennard
Points +24
Fully Vegan - Edit
The staff assured me their kitchen is vegan and all food items are vegan. The only non-vegan items are cows milk and butter if anyone wants them. But they have plenty of vegan milks.
Read moreI ordered a farinata with salad which was delicious, good portion size, and great value. Very friendly and approachable staff too and nice decor. Great place - highly recommend!
Updated from previous review on 2025-03-21
Pros: Fully vegan kitchen, Yummy food, Good value
Guest
danautomatic
Points +17
Great lunch spot - Edit
So glad Canterbury has this place. Consistently good food. Well worth a visit.
Read moreGuest
CharlotteFogg
Points +80
So yummy - Edit
I had the most delicious lasagne. Certainly would like to return and try more of their offerings.
Read more4 stars as they're not fully vegan. They state that their kitchen is fully vegan but they do offer cow milk and cheese.
Pros: Delicious, Staff, Vibe
Cons: Cow milk and cheese offered
Guest
Vegan cake lover
Points +226
Very average lasagne from a "vegan" cafe that also served cows milk - Edit
I was assured by the staff that everything was vegan. I had the lasagne which was very average and served from the hot hold counter. When I ordered coffee I noticed that they had cow's milk in the fridge which is confusing for a cafe that claims to be 100% vegan
Read morePros: Good location
Cons: Cow's milk in a vegan cafe
Guest
Amunra61
Points +204
Busy cafe close to Cathedral. - Edit
Was a bit wary of notice on profile that this cafe was not 100% vegan - it had been suggested some dishes contained egg. The young customer assistant did say everything was completely vegan so assume they have dealt with previous accusation. Or am I being too trusting?
Read moreNice Sri Lankan Curry. Quite mild.
Pros: Nice range of dishes, Friendly staff, Good buzz n vibe
Guest
Clara_D_M
Points +20622
Good value for money - Edit
I ordered a dish via the zero waste app TooGoodToGo so it was definitely super good value for money… everything was vegan (& indicated on the app). I don’t know exactly which non-vegan items they have to be honest, it seemed to me they were fully vegan but I might be wrong
Read moreGuest
Pupnik
Points +1655
Good healthy food - Edit
Veg Box Cafe has gone through a lot of changes over the years, and it's great to see them succeeding (with a London cafe opening too!) The food is nutritious and healthy, all supposedly vegan by default although they do have cow cheese/milk on site, and I see other reviewers mentioned they sometimes do have dairy dishes for sale so it's worth double checking.
Read moreEach day they have a "baked" dish (their lasagne is delicious!), a slow cooked dish (such as stew or chilli) and a seasonal fritter using different vegetables as a base. The salad section/buddha bowl is always available too, with a wide choice of ingredients to choose from, as well as baked potatoes and other staples.
On my most recent trip I had the beetroot fritter with salad leaves, toasted seeds, aoli and roasted baby potatoes. The food was excellent and I would have happily eaten anything on the menu. For dessert I had a raw coffee and walnut cake and while the texture was nice (cheesecake ish) it didn't really have a strong coffee taste, unfortunately, so I won't be going for that again (but there are plenty of cake choices!)
The cafe is in a great location with a spacious but cosy interior and outdoor seating.
Updated from previous review on 2023-10-01
Guest
Yogiküche
Points +224
Highly recommend! - Edit
Wonderful place, delicious food, friendly staff. Everything is perfect in this vegetarian Café.
Read morePros: Great food, Many options, Delicious
Guest
**Fab**
Points +1074
The Veg Box was brilliant. - Edit
First time at the veg box. Service was prompt, and we did not have to wait long for our food. Friendly staff and a good atmosphere. Dog friendly venue and an outside seating area, which was a bonus. Highly recommend the Budha bowl 😀.
Read morePros: Outside seating., Prompt service.
Guest
BethAni
Points +86
Great vegan breakfast - Edit
Great breakfast and friendly staff. I had their Farinata breakfast which was really tasty and a generous portion. Was nice to find a place with a 'plant based' vegan menu rather than vegan fast food.
Read moreI was only in Canterbury for the morning but their lunch menu looked really good too.
Updated from previous review on 2024-09-10
Guest
dougmorgan97
Points +327
Amazing vegan restaurant!! - Edit
Defo get the mixed plate and choose everything you can bc it’s all so delicious! 10/10 recommend this place I go all the time. Super super good value and all healthy too!
Read morePros: Price , Options , Portion size
Guest
GustaVtheVegan
Points +120
Luft nach oben... - Edit
Wir waren auf einen Kaffee und Kuchen hier.
Read moreDas Café als solches ist supernett, sehr zentral gelegen und nett eingerichtet. Der Kaffee war gut und die Cupcakes zuckrig-süß lecker.
Wir finden aber, hier geht noch was, zum Beispiel in puncto Sauberkeit. Unser Tisch war zwar frei, auch frei geräumt, aber nicht abgewischt worden. Das empfinden wir als selbstverständlich, wenn der Gast gegangen und der Tisch abgeräumt wurde.
Am Nschbartisch wurden Gläser abgeräumt, dabei reichlich Wasser verschüttet, dies wurde auch bis wir das Café verließen nicht aufgewischt.
Das ist sehr schade, da dieses Cafë ansonsten wirklich einen guten Eindruck macht. Vielleicht braucht es hier einfach eine Person mehr im Service, damit für diese Dinge Zeit ist?
Pros: Location , vegetarisch mit vielen veganen Optionen, gratis Leitungswasser zum Trinken
Cons: Fehlende sorgfalt in puncto Sauberkeit, rel. lange Wartezeit
Guest
Raw Morka
Points +381
Amazing! - Edit
Such a unique food! Many vegan restaurants serve unhealthy heavy food even when they call it healthy is usually fried or just a plain salad. Here everything was fresh, light, healthy, and delicious. Not a boring salad but selection of veggies, legumes, seeds, fermented foods, sauces, dips, all full of colours and flavour.
Read morePros: Delicious healthy ‘eat the rainbow’ food
Cons: Low quality matcha powder
Guest
littlehinchy
Points +379
Lunch - Edit
Had lasagne with salad, and you get to choose several toppings - I had kimchi and sauerkraut. Delicious. Generous portions.
Read moreSoy flat white also very good 😊 busy wee place with friendly staff.
Pros: Tasty food, Nice setting
Cons: Only one toilet for quite a busy place
Guest
SJS5
Points +959
Okay breakfast but would not rush back - Edit
We had breakfast at the Veg Box today, I like to support vegan businesses where possible, but sadly, I would not rush back. When we ordered, we were told it would be a 20 min wait, and they didn't have mushrooms, which was fine, 35 mins later, the food arrived and no idea why it took so long as the food seemed to be sitting in ban maries already. Smaller portions than expected but tasty enough. All around us people were being told that their food had run out and did they want something else, the couple next to us got one meal delivered and a curt we've run out of the other, why wait to tell them? Tell them before bringing one dish so the other person has a chance to order. Another table had 6 diners but only 5 got their food. Crazy! I'd have been furious had I waited 35 mine just to be told my choice had run out. The people next to us didn't seem surprised... ?
Read moreGuest
Jemmaceg
Points +1017
Really lovely lunch - Edit
We loved the food here, it’s so great being able to have fast, delicious homemade vegan food out and about, would love there to be more places serving this kind of food. My omni family loved it as much as I did😄the only thing in need of improvement was the matcha, really lumpy and not up to the standard of all our other food, shame the kombucha was sold out too! Otherwise there were a few downsides to watch out for-we emailed and called and left a message to see if they could accommodate a group of our size and we heard nothing at all back, so we arrived early to try and get a table and even then it wasn’t easy with the few people already there scattered across the tables. There is also only one loo, which led to long queues which took away some of the relaxing element and we left sooner rather than getting more drinks as a result. Finally, as many reviewers have said it’s a shame they serve dairy, the signage is misleading as it’s not a fully vegan cafe at all-so take care ordering.
Read moreGuest
Kittylou
Points +156
Lovely little veggie cafe - Edit
My boyfriend lives in canterbury and for the last two years as tradition every time I visit him there we make sure to visit this cafe and get the ‘Sharing platter for two’. We love the food and coffee here, such a nice atmosphere and the sharing platter is such a lovely option for a little vegan date!
Read morePros: Lovely healthy options , Feel good food , Nice atmos
Cons: Not a vegan cafe.
Guest
KirstyRollings
Points +16
Incredible! - Edit
Absolutely amazing, entirely vegan cafe with lots of gluten-free options available also. Reasonably priced, and the food was delicious.
Read moreGuest
MeMar
Points +76
Not all vegan! - Edit
The food was tasty, but multiple dishes are not vegan. First we asked if everything was vegan. Answer was yes. When we ordered the pancakes were not vegan and also the cheese on the pizza was not vegan...
Read morePros: Tasty
Cons: Not vegan, unlike what they want you to think
Elizabeth Child
Thank you for taking the time to write this review.
Read moreI'm sorry to hear you had a negative experience at our café. We value all feedback, both positive and negative, as it helps us improve our service.
We understand that ethical vegans do not consume animal products under any circumstances. However, regarding the presence of cow's milk, butter, and dairy cheese (only at FOH) in our café, we aim to cater to a diverse range of customers. We recognize that some vegans may have non-vegan friends who join them at our café, and we want to provide options for them. Additionally, we have many plant-based patrons who are in the process of reducing their meat and animal product consumption but may still choose to drink cow's milk and consume dairy cheese.
We want to assure you that all our plant-based food is freshly prepared by our talented vegan chefs, and our kitchen is 100% dairy-free (including the pancakes). Our commitment to providing high-quality, plant-based options is a reflection of our values, which are inclusive of both vegans and other communities around us. You do not need to be a vegan to enjoy healthy, natural, vibrant food every day at our café.
We strive to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone.
Once again, thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We are dedicated to making improvements based on your insights, and we hope you'll consider giving us another chance in the future to showcase our commitment to serving delicious, inclusive, and ethical food.
Best regards,
Russell
Guest
Fattyted
Points +4296
Misleading wall signage - Edit
The signs/art on the walls make claims to the place being plant-based, but it's actually not, as it serves eggs and dairy. We found that both misleading and disappointing.
Read moreOnly a small portion of their menu is vegan.
The breakfasts we ordered certainly looked exciting and colourful, but were actually surprisingly bland (and they don't stock condiments to jazz things up) so overall we felt we wouldn't go there again.
Cons: Misleading signage
Elizabeth Child
Thank you for taking the time to write this review.
Read moreI'm sorry to hear you had a negative experience at our café. We value all feedback, both positive and negative, as it helps us improve our service.
We understand that ethical vegans do not consume animal products under any circumstances. However, regarding the presence of cow's milk, butter, and dairy cheese (only at FOH and we never serve the eggs) in our café, we aim to cater to a diverse range of customers.
We recognize that some vegans may have non-vegan friends who join them at our café, and we want to provide options for them. Additionally, we have many plant-based patrons who are in the process of reducing their meat and animal product consumption but may still choose to drink cow's milk and consume dairy cheese.
We want to assure you that all our plant-based food is freshly prepared by our talented vegan chefs, and our kitchen is 100% dairy-free.
Our commitment to providing high-quality, plant-based options is a reflection of our values, which are inclusive of both vegans and other communities around us.
You do not need to be a vegan to enjoy healthy, natural, vibrant food every day at our café.
We strive to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone.
Once again, thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We are dedicated to making improvements based on your insights, and we hope you'll consider giving us another chance in the future to showcase our commitment to serving delicious, inclusive, and ethical food.
Best regards,
Russell
Guest
Yoana_ve
Points +1444
Every time in Canterbury - Edit
The VEG Box is by far our favourite spot! Lovely food, hearty meals and friendly staff. They are just a great bunch of people serving a great bunch of food. They are right next to Canterbury Wholefoods, allowing you to do some groceries after your meal :)
Read moreGuest
Richard Ross
Points +1048
Very nice place - Edit
A light, welcoming restaurant. I had a really good vegetable korma. A good mixture of flavours.
Read moreI would encourage them to ditch the dairy and become vegan.
Pros: Good food, Friendly and welcoming , Comfortable
Cons: Not fully vegan
Guest
Shareen
Points +340
Vegan loveliness in Cantebury - Edit
Fresh, tasty hot and cold food, friendly and welcoming. The aubergine involtini was so, so good! The coffee was perfect. The location in this beautiful city is unbeatable. If we lived any closer we would be regulars here for sure! Loved it.
Read moreGuest
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