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📍 Cafe Van Gogh
Café Van Gogh is a benevolent and ethical vegan social enterprise that not only serves the community, but also provides job skills training for people with learning difficulties. At first, I thought the name “Van Gogh” was just a gimmick, but then I discovered that it was located in the same street Van Gogh had lived in!
Café Van Gogh has 2 floors, and the ceiling on the top floor is decorated like Van Gogh's “Starry Night” (Starry Night). The inside of the store has preserved the brick walls of the original building, creating a retro atmosphere.
Café Van Gogh's menu changes on schedule. We ordered an English vegan breakfast this time, in addition to weekday sourdough bread, tomatoes, spinach, potted mushrooms, vegetarian sausage, homemade baked beans in tomato sauce, and stir-fried tofu.
The other potato cake we ordered was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and was very tasty with the Italian Herb (Gremolata) sauce. The side dishes are similar to a vegan breakfast, including spinach, mushrooms, and baked beans with tomato sauce.
All drinks here use dairy substitutes; you can choose oat milk, soy milk, and coconut milk. We ordered a cup of hot chocolate and a cup of spiced milk tea (Chai Latte), which was very rich and delicious.
The staff here are very kind, and I also noticed that they use the leftover water from the guests to grow flowers and herbs. This strong sense of environmental protection is well worth learning from. In addition, the in-store reimbursement program will use part of the proceeds to provide meeting space and free drinks for various groups, including Lambeth caregivers groups, dementia support groups, etc., so that they can provide mutual support.
Updated June 24, 2024: Unfortunately, Café Van Gogh, which has been in operation for nine years, officially closed today. Restaurants have been affected by a series of events, including COVID-19, Brexit, a sharp rise in energy costs, and changes in the lunch economy due to working from home. Over these nine years, they have trained 60 adults and young people with learning disabilities to help them master the skills needed in the food and beverage business and achieve self-reliance. I hope similar companies can get more support, help more people in need, promote and spread more positive energy in this community!
How do I get to Café Van Gogh?
from London Oval 12 minute walk from the station (Google Map requestClick here).
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Hello, everyone! I am Nicole, a Hong Konger living in the UK. I hope that by sharing my experience, I can give you some insights. All the articles and website design of this blog are done by me slowly. If you have any enquiries about studying, travelling, work, design, or business cooperation, feel free to contact me!
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