awards and reviews
- winner ‘best vegetarian’ in the ‘manchester food and drink festival’ awards 2001
- nominated for ‘best vegetarian’ in the ‘manchester food and drink festival’ awards 2007
- nominated for ‘healthy & sustainable eating’ in the ‘manchester food and drink festival’ awards 2007
- awarded a gold food futures certificate for healthy & sustainable eating 2007
Amongst the excellent vegetarian restaurants that have sprung up to cater for this burgeoning demand, none are better than Earth Vegetarian Cafe
Hi-life
A truly five star eating establishment which puts into practice the values and vision of Food Futures in every area of service. We were really impressed with your commitment to healthy, local and ethical food at affordable prices and feel that your cafe offers a unique experience in the City.
Food Futures, Manchester Joint Health Unit.
Fancy a spot of grub that's simple, healthy, natural, fresh, seasonal, international, vegetarian (nay, vegan, even), ethical, creative, original, carefully cooked, delicious and cheap? And would you like to consume it in a friendly, aesthetic sort of place, a quiet oasis of anti-consumerism, with restful decor and all the calm of a Zen monastery? To those all-too-many of us for whom lunch is just a takeaway butty, over-hastily munched at our work-stations, or a vain battle to converse over the piped music this sounds like cloud-cuckoo land, I know. But I have found just such a haven of good food a tranquility, not a million miles from the mad hustle and bustle of Manchester city centre. Here you can also cleanse your mind, salve your conscience, help exploited farmers in poor countries, read poetry, and send out love and compassion around the globe as you nosh.
Manchester Evening News
Escaping the hurly-burly of the city centre for a quick lunch is never an easy task. You could try popping into a posh health club for a dunk in the total immersion tank, or drift into a meditative state watching a pigeon peck at a castaway kebab. Or you could acheive much the same effect with the added bonus of some fine vegetarian cuisine, by dropping into the Earth Cafe underneath Manchester's Buddhist Centre.
Earth Cafe's spiritual origins are immediately apparent when you walk down the steps to the entrance in the muddled surroundings of the Northern Quarter.
Bright and clean, a Buddha figure keeps a smiling watch from the far wall while esoteric black and white photography and hand written poetry adorn the walls. If you should be taken by the muse yourself, there is a charming 'poet's corner', a tight cubicle for one complete with bookshelf and writing desk.
The food is certainly very reasonably priced. Many of the customers, one suspects, could probably afford to pay a little more. Earth Cafe has been growing in popularity among the Northern Quarter's more modish workers and residents. At peak lunchtime hours, it can begin to feel like a graphic designers' conference, with the word 'marvellous' bouncing off the walls like the ringing of a wind chime.
But there is nothing at all pretentious about the menu. The entirely vegan food is described with a zen-like simplicity. Head chef Vimalabandhu may well be able to give an Indonesian title to the meal I ate today, but the blackboard said it was 'Curried Beans and Pink Rice'. And it was all the more delicious for that.
The Big Issue
The presentation is outstanding, the subtlety of taste divine and the prices heaven sent. This is definitely a welcome addition top Manchester's gastronomic scene, and a different one at that — one of simple and uncomplicated food, cooked with attention and sincerity.
Metro Life
Earth is an instantly calming experience... The food exceeds expectations, with carefully balanced, vibrant and fresh flavours reintroducing the palate to subtlety. The piece de resistance, however, was tea nad cake at the end of the meal — a squashy slice of far from 'worthy' Cashew, banana and Date Oatie for me, and an Apple tart with Soya Cream for my non-veggie, but sincerely approving mate. This was accompanied by 'Tiger Chai' — a startlingly authentic and utterly delicious sweet and spicy milky tea, sold on street stalls all over India and no doubt soon to be discovered on the streets of Manchester. We also tried a 'far from calming' cappuccino, which held a full strength caffeine hit and darkly delicious flavour that said friend and coffee connoisseur also approved of.
City Life Magazine
As soon as you walk in the monastic atmosphere sends a calming wave over you. I for one have never had a bad meal at Earth. And I'm a carnivore. Add to that the organic drinks and you can see why it's a good thing to bring yourself back down to Earth now and again.
The Guardian
Airy basement, Buddhist run restaurant with fresh juice and smoothie bar. Main course plus two salads costs £4.20 — could be red kidney bean chilli with coriander rice and mixed salads. Fairtrade, vegan, vegetarian, home-made — high praise from food critics.
The Times
Changing daily menu offers imaginative vegetarian food, served in a peaceful aesthetic atmosphere. the cafe provides an ideal Northern Quarter meeting place.
Welcome to Manchester Guide
Appropriately as part of the Manchester Buddhist Centre, Earth offers a haven of calm and serenity. The food here wins rave reviews from regulars and newcomers. This is the perfect place to nourish the stomach as well as the soul with seasonal produce, inspired recipes and clever combinations, an emphasis on local and fair trade plus a nurturing environment complete with prayer wheel, poetry corner and golden Buddha. the specials include several adventurous daily hot dishes, soups, cakes (with wonderful dairy free cream!) and pastries. Freshly squeezed juices combos and wheatgrass shots are popular as is the delicious Tiger Chai spiced Indian brew.
Food quality 4.5/5 service 3/5 decor 5/5
City Life Manchester Guide
Earth is part of the Buddhist Centre, so is a place of peace and contemplation. It is decorated in a simple minimalist style but there's nothing cold about the atmosphere — especially in the snug poetry corner. the service is canteen style, with the emphasis on mixing and matching from a menu that is different and fresh every day. the soups are generally very good from light to hearty. Of particular note are the juices, smoothies and shakes.
Food 4/5 Service 4/5 Decor 4/5
City Life Food and Drink Guide
Discover a haven of tranquility in the Northern Quarter at this cafe based on Buddhist ethics. reflect over the all-vegan menu, including juices, smoothies and shakes that act as impressive cures for a heavy head. City Life Student Guide This elegantly understated and unpretentious little cafe is a jewel. For those who believe that all organic, vegan food is joyless and bland, a trip here will be sure to disabuse them of this notion. Underneath the Buddhist Centre, a genius of a chef transforms freshly-bought produce into flavourful dishes served at incredibly good prices.
Manchester Food Guide
Great healthy cafe with lovely decor and good quality wholesome vegetarian wholefood served by friendly gentle people. Good value — two people can eat for under £15.
The Guardian
The fabulous food is all vegan. The refried beans in a pancake with rice and peas, mushroom pie and lentil bake are as wholesome and expertly prepared as you'd expect from the Buddhists.
The Independent (The 50 best places in Manchester)
The food has a global flavour and local provenance, and the menu changes daily and seasonally. All this gorgeous food and drink is served in an atmosphere of comfort and relaxation with the added bonus that you are helping to leave only a light footprint on the earth.
The Green Parent
