The Veg Box Cafe in Canterbury

I've been here a few times. Always with mixed feelings. The food is tasty, and - obviously - wholesome. But the service is too slow, and I think they trade a bit on the goodwill of their target 'alternative' audience as regards pricing and service speed / efficiency. Today I bought three coffees, a brownie and a flapjack. It cost me £19. The coffee arrived after 10 minutes, maybe 5 minutes after the ready-made food. That's not good for such a price-point. London prices without London service standards?

Food was not hot enough; seemed pre-made and reheated. Not worth the price. Very good inside atmosphere but definitely won't be coming again. Wait staff seemed disinterested and more inclined towards their own conversations.

Enjoyed a lovely lunch here. Can thoroughly recommend both the Red dragon pie and the Courgette fritters. The vegetable salad with it was the best I've had. Definitely be returning 👍

Amazing plant based food, quality and price. We are visiting regularly when in Canterbury for the lunch.

Great tasty and healthy food what more can you ask for? Oh friendly staff and good prices? You get those too. Been a number of times now and every time has been perfect.

This is the best food ever. I'm not even vegan. Nowhere close. I'm a meat eater. But I would eat here at every meal. Their Buddha bowl is a holy experience; their Vegan Full English a sacred thing. Awesome place. I would give them a 100 stars if I could. Can I?

Yes the food was healthy and reasonably tasty however the price was not worth what was offered. Small portions considering it’s only veg leading to hunger a few hours later. They also had a few dogs around inside the cafe, I know many don’t mind this but I do. Definitely need more cafes like around this but with taster food and more reasonable prices.

The best place in Canterbury to have a vegan food. Worth to give it a try. Loved it.

Nice breakfast but very expensive

It was quite expensive for the amount of food and we both didn't really like it.

Dog friendly . Comfortable environment. Pay and order at the till, so no real service . Love the self serve water tap.

Tasty, simple and healthy food prepared with organic and local ingredients. Service was quick and cheerful, atmosphere is laidback but a bit cramped and noisy. Would recommend for a causal lunch - maybe a better option take away than dine-in.

Was £15 each for the two dishes in the photos. Very filling vegan meal with alot of variety. The fermented foods here are done very well. Included in the photos are the cauliflower dhal and the shepherd's pie.

We went to eat as a family. We are not vegans, but we wanted to try different food. We ordered farinata with sweet potatoes, broccoli and puree, and a lentil and puree baker, they were delicious. There is a good quality price relation. The girls who served us were very friendly, and they served us the food in a few minutes.

This is a great restaurant. Fantastic food and a lovely atmosphere. You need to go to the counter for service and they'll give you a number and bring your order to your table. There is both indoor and outdoor seating. The food was great. My wife and I both ordered the cauliflower Dahl hotpot. It was really really nice. Even our usually carnivorous son said he loved it. We gobbled that up with a side of potato wedges. Also yum. After that it was oat cappuccinos with raw coffee and walnut cake. Delicious. Came back here just after Christmas and it was just as good as ever. We all had the soup with sourdough and it was perfect.

Tasty wholesome food and smoothies, lovely atmosphere and very efficient service. Bonus winter sunshine streaming through the windows! Perfect Christmas treat 💚

Tasty interesting food, nice puddings. Maybe just some cream to go with the ginger cake! A great find for my vegetarian friend

Fantastic choice of fresh and alternative food. Filling, good portions, wonderfully inventive meals and all made with love and attention. While this has changed hands in the last few years, it hasn't suffered from this, but continued to develop and increase it's clientele and offerings. The menu is wide, affordable and very healthy.

The place is very nice and the service was very attentive. The food was very good and the beet brownie was delicious! Depending on whether you go for breakfast or lunch there is a different selection of food. For the meal shift they have different types of dishes that change every day. They all come with some accompanying salad and give you the option to make the salad even more substantial. They have a good selection of desserts with a different touch. All food is at least vegetarian (ask about vegan options)

Fantastic, wholesome healthy food at a very reasonable price. Best lunch I have had in a long time

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.

Just discovered the Veg Box Cafe and it’s wonderful! It smelled so good when I walked in that I immediately wanted to order everything on the menu. Had the Shepherds Pie with a custom topped salad. It was so incredibly delicious! Not sure when I will be able to eat here again, as I live in California, but I will be back!

Just ate here and it was wonderful! So happy to find all the food is all plant based! The food is so tasty both vegans and non-vegans will love it. When you walk in the door it smells so amazing. I had the Shepherds Pie with salad and it was so good! If I’m ever back in Canterbury I will be here.

I love this place. Been coming here for years, usually getting the fritter and full salad. It always leaves me feeling 1000 percent. The food is so fresh and I feel like it's fixing me from the inside out! Coffee is always good too. Today got the mushroom pastry bake and it also did not disappoint. If you're ordering, go extra for the full salad as it is totally worth it. Highly recommend in Canterbury. You can sit outside and enjoy the sun or be cozy inside. Very clean and staff are helpful and professional. One of my favourites in Canterbury.

Food atmosphere and service was amazing higly recomendet. I enjoy everything.

Lovely time at Veg Box Cafe! Food and Ambience was excellent! A great space for two persons especially if you're looking to catch up over a wholesome meal. Service was just a tad bit slow but forgiven as the staff was very kind, friendly and accommodating!

My friend and I have suffered a severe food poisoning from here yesterday and today. Do not eat there. Extremely unhygenic.

The range was varied and the service was quick. Everything looked and smelt lovely. My daughter had a fritter with a full salad and I had soup with sourdough bread. It was all delicious. We'll definitely go back.

Lovely coffee, slightly let down by managers who seemed a bit pretentious. Nice toilet though

I had an absolutely delicious meal at the veg box. The moussaka (today's "bake" choice) was perfect and the "three sides" which came with even more so. I think that was the yummiest aioli i've ever had and it was vegan!

Great place , delicious homemade food .

Lovely food and service! Loved all the little fermented veggies that come with most dishes.

Great selection. Recommend the Buddha bowl.

The menu had plenty of options to choose from, but I liked the look of the Buddha Bowl so opted for that. My wife chose the bake of the day with a full salad, and we just had a short wait before the food was brought to our table. Both of us enjoyed our meal, and there was a decent selection of desserts available to follow. The coffee was also very good ( surprising how many places can’t serve good coffee), so it was a great choice for us in the middle of Canterbury.

Enjoyed a very nice salad lunch. Good seating outside on a nice sunny day - tables inside for all the other days in the year. The salads were interesting and tasty as even as a non Vegan I enjoyed it

I had lunch there on Sunday 2023-08-20 with some friends. Got the daal with salads which was colourful and tasty, a bit of a shame that my first choices of food and drink (mushroom Wellington and kombucha) both ran out by the time we ordered (~13:45). The cafe was quieter than I expected for a Sunday lunch sitting throughout the time we were there, which was good for us to sit for quite a while to catch up, but I hope they get more customers because I did enjoy their good and do like their healthy food concept with various vibrant salads and fermented / pickled sides.

Great options, super tasty. I would recommend the gold smoothie

Food was fresh and prepared with attention to detail, presented nicely too. Good location and friendly staff. Reasonably priced. Well done!

I always have the soup when I come here, the sourdough bread that comes with it is the best I’ve ever had!

Loved the homemade vibe. Enjoyed the food. Would visit again.

Two of us for lunch 05/08/23. Fantastic, tasty farinata with side salads and dressings, really flavoursome. Oat milk latte was perfect. I used to visit many years ago when the cafe was half the size, then they expanded into next door and renovated. Food choice has got better each time and standards remain high. Always go here when I'm back in Canterbury, thanks to the staff for making each visit worthwhile. Took away the raw carrot and coffee and walnut deserts, very good.

Great cafe, loads of vegan options, and very dog friendly. What's not to love?!

Great tasting food with a good choice - all vegan!

Wonderful food in a comfortable, friendly environment.

Met a friend for lunch on Saturday. We both tried the Buddha Bowl that was absolutely amazing. Everyone there was friendly and helpful when ordering. Will be back as their pancakes look good.

Super leckeres frisches Essen, sehr freundliche Bedienung, gute Auswahl, hochwertige gesunde Zutaten.

Muy buenos y creativos platos con productos orgánicos y frescos de proximidad. Muy buena selección de platos.

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.

Am not a vegan/vegetarian. This was my first visit to this cafe. Friendly staff, quick service. Unfortunately, due to supply chain issues, there were some shortages on the menu, but what we had, we enjoyed!

Great location in the middle of Canterbury. The service was fantastic and the coffee delicious - will be coming back for lunch, which looked lovely!

Love the food.Celebrated my daughters birthday end of last year and have been going there since. Lots of healthy options.

Very good variety of vegan foods. Beautiful.

Everything was very good and fresh great location.and from local farms..good size portions

I had been meaning to return here for a while, and brought my mum for the first time. She wasn't expecting the pulses that made it a nutrionally balanced complete meal, but agreed that it was a pleasant change to the cream-heavy mushroom strog that she's used to. I was glad to be asked about allergies, as that had quite a bit of black pepper. I was assured that there was no such issue with the leek bhaji, and I loved it. The sautéed new potatoes were wonderfully crispy and herbed, and everything wonderfully fresh

Went for a late lunch and will be returning to sample breakfast

Ehh, I had really high hopes because of the queue, I love salads and plant based food and the menu today sounded really good - harissa cauliflower tabbouleh, sweet and sour puy lentil, slaw, ferments, spicy kimchi etc. however it was very “raw” and not much flavour at all. The slaw and leaves were completely plain, kimchi maybe a tiny kick but not at all what I would call spicy, just overall good, fresh, but not brilliant. I finished it and wasn’t unhappy but I have been to other places that make you want to be vegan or reconsider what’s possible being plant based but this didn’t do that for me. It was very clear I was eating a lot of vegetables with no real show stopper. I would go back and try the fritters or something maybe but not the Buddha bowl again. The people were nice, I was served fairly quickly (after I queued for quite awhile) and the warm food options looked nice but I am not convinced there’s anything very seasoned/flavourful based on what I tried.

Just excellent taste food and I am not a vegetarian- best place for lunch in Canterbury - the hot pot was excellent. Friendly staff and great location.

I am not a Vegetarian but my wife and I are here for lunch, I would say this is the best food in Canterbury for lunch or breakfast. Delicious.

We were told by the staff that it was vegan and all signage in the cafe and online points to being vegan. However it is not. I overheard a staff member offering customers cows milk and normal cheese. When I quizzed them on this, I was told that if customers wanted this then they can have it no problem. I do have an issue with this, as many people choosing this cafe thinking it’s vegan, could have allergies and there could be cross contamination in the kitchen. In addition, as mentioned their signs etc in there point very much to plant-based living and ethics. Which this 100% IS NOT which is very sad. I would suggest to call it a vegetarian cafe with vegan options available. To be clear and transparent to all. And on top of all that it’s pretty expensive for what you get.

Food is healthy and delicious!Great place in Central Canterbury

It's OK if you're a veggie. Bit expensive. Nice outside seating area.

great place for veg food and nice service

I think this might be the best salad I have ever eaten. I had the Buddha bowl and would highly recommend. Super tasty and filling . Loved the setting and the service was great.

As a vegan, it is one of those vegan places where the food isn’t as flavoursome. My other vegan friend seemed to like it though but she also tends to like more bland food.

I’m not a vegan or vegetarian but I absolutely love vegetables. This place really makes the most of the flavours and combinations or different types such a green leaves, pulses, cruciferous, nightshades and every thing you can think of if you love veg as much as I do! The dishes are topped with fermented veg for extra flavour and healthiness. It’s one of the few places that I can get tea with fresh lemon instead of milk and glass of nice wine if that’s what I fancy at the time. I wish we had place like this in Royal Tunbridge Wells..! It’s perfect for breakfast, brunch or lunch at any time of the day if your looking for healthy but really yummy and satisfying option.

Super vegan options and in-house fermented foods.

Amazing, nurturing food. I only wish they would deliver.

I am not a vegetarian but this place was recommended by a friend who is. We tried it on a sunny day in late November 2022. I had the soup of the day, safe bet ha ha. It was sweet potato with sourdough and was just lovely. The revelation was my wife’s Buddha bowl, I like salads occasionally but if they tasted like this one I could be persuaded to have them a lot more often. I can’t list all of the ingredients but they were so fresh and with flavours that just lifted your taste buds up to a new level. Wow, well done veg box for helping to push a dedicated meat eater in the right direction, I will be back.

Thank you so much for everything ! Amazing atmosphere and food is delicious 😇 So glad glad its opened 💖 Customer service is the best ! 🥇😇

This was a buzzing cafe, even on a dull Sunday afternoon. We only ordered 2 x coffees but there was clearly plenty to choose from, the cakes looked gorgeous... but we had to resist. Our hot drinks were presented nicely in a friendly manner as we took the chance to sit outside, under cover, watching the world go by. Maybe cake next time!

This was a buzzing cafe, even on a dull Sunday afternoon. We only ordered 2 x coffees but there was clearly plenty to choose from, the cakes looked gorgeous... but we had to resist. Our hot drinks were presented nicely in a friendly manner as we took the chance to sit outside, under cover, watching the world go by. Maybe cake next time!

Great Vegan food (that taste nice even to a non-vegan!). Great unfuzzy service and a great address. The only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is that it feels like a supermarket canteen... although some might call it 'airy'. We had breakfast there and it felt cold(!) in both meanings of the word.

A beautiful spot for breakfast, great selection of food and drinks, and a lovely calm atmosphere. A new favourite in Canterbury!

If you like feeling light and refreshed after eating out for breakfast, but are also a sucker for a full English, this is the place for you. We had the Vegan Full English & Pancakes with Banana & Maple Syrup. The scrambled tofu is arguably better than any scrambled egg I have ever eaten. The portion size of the pancakes were amazing. We are both into protein intake and diet management (although somebody had a craving for something sweet). The Vegan Full English definitely is in line with healthy and wholesome food intake. Probably the best breakfast between here & Rochester, Kent! Staff are so friendly too. Great place… we’ll be back 😋

Amazing vegetarian lunch, staff really helpful.

I love this place and would happily eat here every day. The staff are friendly, but more so- the food is delicious, healthy and filling. A great selection for both breakfast and lunch. Would 100% recommend!

Nice veggie cafe with a large variety of food, including cakes, sandwiches, salads etc. Lost of tables and nice atmosphere

Super tasty and varied food, great gluten free options

Our go-to lunch spot in Canterbury! It’s fresh, healthy and delicious! It’s not one of those places where it’s healthy but tasteless. Not at all! It’s delicious and mainly, the menu always changes so you’re constantly discovering new recipes and won’t eat the same thing twice (even though it’s always so good, we wouldn’t mind that!). It’s definitely worth every penny!

Great vegan, fresh food. Friendly and efficient service ☺️☺️☺️

Very tasty and healthy lunch. All vegan, gluten free and diverse. Loved it!

We absolutely love The Veg Cafe as a family, to study or just to enjoy really good, wholesome, quality and delicious food! Really recommend been coming here for years and always will 🥰

Superb food and superb service, and best of all it's all vegan! Highly recommended

Amazing place! Great food and great coffee!

Lovely place. Good selection of Vegan food.

Great range of food, lovely atmosphere and good service. Totally recommended

Great place to eat and drink cappuccinos!

Busy and great atmosphere . Tasty fresh food. Not too much service as it's a counter. Affordable prices.

I was searching for a dairy free lunch and wow this was so yummy! I had the rare treat of also being able to indulge in a pudding...the cupcake was so delicious! Please keep making them as I'll hope to buy one to take home next time! Can't wait to come back!

Best mushroom Wellington I have had in a while, and even the.salad was delicious. Coffee cake and carrot cake were fabulous. The service was charming and good. A warm, friendly experience. The loo was interesting, reminded me of the Flintstones, in a good way. 😊 And it was a good size room. Recommended for the imaginative, well presented delicious food, the cheery atmosphere and the great service, friendly but unobtrusive.

Wonderful to stop by there to have a coffee or tea on a cold day. A great variety of tasty vegan cakes and snacks are available and the staff is very friendly.

I had a slice of excellent gluten free sticky ginger cake and coffee. Would highly recommend.

Had the best Buddha bowl I've ever tasted. Great location. I love it here.

You don't often come across somewhere where you return again and again over a two day stay. This is a gem of a place, I only wish I lived in Canterbury or the owners would set up one nearer to me (a second cafe is...

Amazing food in a well decorated and designed cafe. The staff were friendly and very helpful.

Best place to eat in Canterbury

Really amazing cafe - I was not too interested in vegan food previously as I thought it was just chickpeas and lentils, but this cafe has so many exciting and unusual options that I never would have even thought of! Amazing prices as well, with very large portions.

Sat outside in the sun. Wonderful friendly service. Great value delicious soup with sourdough bread. Definitely wod recommend.

Great place to stop a recharge after walking about exploring Canterbury. We had lovely pancakes and a great coffee. Staff were very friendly and they had regulars which is a great sign. Good selection of interesting food. Some really healthy looking salads and snacks, looked delicious. I always think you can judge a food establishment by the quality of their toilet! If they keep a clean, nice toilet, then they probably take the same care in their kitchen. Good news for this venue then :-D

First and foremost, I’m not by any means a vegetarian or vegan, but I think this is such a great cafe idea and actually wish there were more of these types of places around, a great selection of food, really healthy, I tried some food I might not of normally and absolutely loved it!! Such delicious food and very healthy, which is what I think it should be about! Also the organic cola is amazing!! Better taste than actual coke and cola!