Pastan

As one door closes, another opens. Never a truer word was said when talking about the Manchester home of London-founded Pastan that popped onto the scene in late 2022.

It has set up a home in the former Vertigo site on Cross Street, making sure that the popular Royal Exchange site has remained plant-based after Vertigo closed its doors in 2021.

Priding itself on the lack of anything refined or unnatural within the menu of fresh pasta, plant shakes, caesar salads, and Limoncello affogato, Pastan was created after the founders struggled to find healthy, plant-based pasta anywhere else.

On the menu, find vegan gems like a shiitake caesar salad that uses the umami flavour of mushrooms to great effect. Obviously, no cheese or eggs are used in the production of the handcrafted sauces or pasta, but the Dolce Vita (Pastan’s carbonara) is described as a must.

Find plant-based versions of tiramisu, affogato and speculoos mini doughnut balls on the dessert menu and don’t forget the ‘Bottomless Prunch’ to set you up for the weekend.