While many cafés open with a plant-based mission from the start, some begin serving meat and dairy, later making a full commitment to serving only vegan food. 

With our Udderly Kind campaign, we’re taking smart, steady steps toward a fully vegan future. We know big changes can take time, so we’re beginning with simple shifts like removing extra charges for plant milk and making oat milk the default. Some businesses get there much quicker than others, that’s why in this blog, we’re sharing how businesses can go fully plant-based and still do incredibly well.

These five cafés each took a different path, but all arrived at the same destination: a fully vegan identity built on ethics, innovation, and community. Their transitions challenge the notion that veganism must be niche or restrictive and show that, with the right approach, going plant-based can be good for business, the planet, and the people they serve. 

Moorish Falafel – Norwich, Norfolk

Moorish Falafel began life as a vegetarian falafel bar, serving up classic wraps, salad boxes, and a selection of sauces that included dairy-based options like feta and yogurt. Over time, however, the owners gradually shifted the menu, phasing out dairy and animal products altogether. Now fully vegan, Moorish offers delicious wraps with house-made tahini sauces and plant-based burgers.The transition was subtle and well-executed, proving that a loyal customer base can move with a business toward more sustainable, ethical choices.

Speaking to Eastern Daily Press in 2020, Owner of Moorish Falafel Bar, Samia King said: 

"This makes things a lot more simple to run and it means we can call ourselves fully vegan. And the good thing about vegan food is that anybody can eat it."

River Green Café – Trowse (Norwich), Norfolk

Just outside Norwich in the village of Trowse, River Green Café was established in 2011 as a vegetarian restaurant with a focus on ethical sourcing and sustainable dining. Initially offering a mix of vegetarian and vegan dishes, the café underwent a full transformation during the pandemic under new ownership. By 2021–2022, it had become entirely plant-based. The updated menu embraces creativity with dishes like banana blossom “fish” and vibrant vegan cheesecakes, all while maintaining a commitment to seasonality and local produce. River Green’s evolution demonstrates how a thoughtful shift in values can enhance, not limit, a restaurant’s culinary expression.

River Green states on their website that: 

“Our menu is now completely plant based because we believe it’s best for the whole planet. Now we’ve taken a further step forward: Seasonal ingredients, but we’re willing to change the menu weekly or even daily to achieve that.” 

Max’s Café (Hopefield Animal Sanctuary) – Brentwood, Essex

In Brentwood, Essex, Max’s Café, located at Hopefield Animal Sanctuary, has always had a mission-oriented foundation. Initially offering a vegetarian menu in line with the sanctuary’s animal welfare goals, the café took a further ethical step by going fully vegan. The updated menu includes vegan hot dogs, dairy-free cakes, and barista-made coffees with plant milks. This change aligned the café more fully with the sanctuary’s core values, ensuring visitors can enjoy food that reflects the organisation’s commitment to compassion and sustainability.

Hopefield states on their website that: 

“Our plant-based café is named in memory of our beautiful, kind bull, Max, who came to us at only 4 days old. He was saved from the dairy industry where he was going to be killed for simply being male, and excess to requirements. We couldn’t think of a better mascot than our gentle boy who inspired so many to drop meat and take on a veggie or plant-based diet.”

The Glad Café – Shawlands, Glasgow

In Glasgow’s vibrant Shawlands neighborhood, The Glad Café made headlines in 2022 when it announced it was becoming fully vegan. Known for its role as a music and arts venue as much as a café, The Glad had long offered a varied menu that included meat and dairy alongside plant-based options. The decision to drop all animal products was met with strong community support. The café retained its warm, creative atmosphere while embracing a menu that better reflected its social and environmental values. Today, it stands as a powerful example of how cultural spaces can lead by example in ethical business practices.

The Glad Café states on their website that: 

“You can sit-in (or takeaway: pizza in the park is never a bad idea) and best of all our food and drinks are completely free from animal produce.” 

Oowee Vebab – Bristol 

In Bristol, Oowee Vebab represents a bold rebranding from meat-heavy fast food to indulgent vegan comfort food. Originally a traditional burger and fry joint known for American-style “dirty” food named ‘Oowee Diner’, Oowee reimagined its Picton Street location in 2019 as a fully vegan operation. The move proved commercially successful, with over half of its customers identifying as meat-eaters. 

Oowee Vegan said to in an interview with Vegonomist in 2020 that:

“With Oowee Vegan, we really want to challenge ourselves to create the best possible meatless options – we work hard on making and sourcing the best ingredients to make sure our food is delicious as possible, without ever skimping on anything just because it happens to be vegan.”

Let's Make the UK Udderly Kind

Our Udderly Kind campaign is focused on taking strategic steps. The end goal is a fully vegan business like these fantastic examples, though we recognise that change can often be slow. That’s why we focus on incremental steps beginning with the removal of surcharges on plant-milk and the introduction of oat milk as the default choice. We want to highlight how businesses can still thrive when plant-based. 

You can support our campaign by ordering our leaflets and giving them directly to business owners and serving staff to encourage them to make changes. 

As always, 

For the animals!

‍