Manna Restaurant

Manna is London's oldest vegetarian restaurant and offers a higher quality of cuisine. It's not a 'hippy' place but a lovely little restaurant in Primrose Hill.

Many people do not associate "connoisseur taste and gourmet presentation" with healthy, vegetarian food but Manna can easily quash that myth. The meals are not big but you won't go hungry. And it's a real treat to see vegetarian food presented so well. Also the ingredients used are all GM free and are organic as often as possible.

Manna is over 40 years old, making it London's oldest vegetarian restaurant. The owners took over in 1995 and were customers for a long time before that. (Manna is included in the Top 10 Vegetarian Restaurants in London.)

The restaurant itself is not huge but it feels very welcoming, and there's always a buzz from the happy diners chatting away. The service is polite, friendly and fast.

I discovered most of the menu was actually vegan and had some really interesting taste combinations. I tried a Chef's Special which included black beans, polenta and sweetcorn cake with a mango and lime dressing. My dining companion chose the Brown Rice and Barley Medley, as it sounded so good. She'd gone in sure she would choose a curry dish and surprised herself with this choice but was very happy with her decision. And you must try the 'Manna Crispy Marinated Tofu' which was light inside and very yummy, and was the reason I visited as it was so highly recommended.

Starters are priced around £8, mains around £14, and desserts £5-£8. This is justified by the higher standard of dining than is usual for vegetarian fayre, and for the lovely location.

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