Food For Thought

Love the bucketfuls of good earthy grub. It's keenly priced, but more than necessary to last (as it has done over the years) in today's come and go foody environment. All meals have a kick of originality - the design of recipes comes from a sincere love of the vegetarian food chain. Size of portion is good, and necessary for those that career from mealtime to mealtime with no in-betweens! All the staff roll up their sleeves and get on with it but could do with smiling a little more sometimes. Some of the current meals aren't in the recipe book, so hopefully another one will come out in the next year.

Food for Thought was good 30 years ago and it's good now.....
Comment on this reader review

Anne Slater
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, December 14, 2011

very very poor service, mean portions, expensive price!

also, only cash acceptable!
Comment on this reader review

londoneats - View all reviews by this user
1 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 1
Saturday, October 29, 2011

Great place, nothing fancy, just good hot vegetarian food. Great in these cold days. Value for money and the small basement restaurant is kind of cute if not a little frustrating when busy. Staff were friendly this time around. Peeps should smile more often.

When I'm in the area, its always at the top of my list for food choices. They close at around 8pm.
Comment on this reader review

sandy
7 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Thursday, December 09, 2010

Consistently amazing food, I love it. My favourite!
Comment on this reader review

Mei-Mei
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Sunday, November 14, 2010

Years ago, a very good friend of mine worked at the Donmar Theatre, the 200 capacity, perma sellout celebrity hangout in Covent Garden. I was in a deep state of envy. Not so much for the job, he had to spend 3 hours a night crouched in silence backstage with occasional bursts of action, more for the fact he had Food For Thought as his unofficial work canteen.

The unfussy little basement has been there since the mid 70's, serving those in the know. Easy to miss if you didn't know exactly where so incongruous is it, sandwiched between the shoe shops, mid end retail boutiques and expensive coffee emporia of tourist trap Covent Garden. The students, local office workers and middle aged liberals who share the rough wooden tables certainly know why they're here though and are willing to queue patiently down the rickety stairs for a seat, or a portion to go.

They serve a small but eclectic menu with big healthy salads supported by crumbly homemade quiches, pies and bakes. The Vole went for a courgette, red onion and broccoli quiche, supported with a big leafy salad topped with a piquant and peppery sauce. I went for a wintery leek and mushroom bake, thick and hearty mixed veg nestled under a still crunchy pastry carapace, served with lashings of almost meaty gravy, roast new potatoes with rosemary and a green bean and cabbage mix.

By now it was 7pm and the place was packed, beardies queuing down the stairs. We were sharing our small table with another pair, Euro students, or tourists who'd wandered in on a whim, hopefully now clearer that you can eat well for cheap, even in the centre of tourist London's most touristy street.
Comment on this reader review

www.grumblinggourmet.com
7 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Sunday, November 14, 2010

Very, VERY disappointing. I keep going back here, hoping that it will fulfil the potential that I know it could have. But apart from their very lovely scones I am repeatedly sorely disappointed.

Every dish I add huge amounts of salt and pepper to, wishing I'd brought some chilli sauce- such is the bland-ness of the food.

It's in Covent Garden and it's veggie. That's the positive. But I always leave feeling that I could've done it much better myself, and feeling slightly scandalised by the prices.

It's OK if you're desperate, but if not I wouldn't bother.
Comment on this reader review

wolfgang_veg - View all reviews by this user
4 Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 2
Saturday, September 25, 2010

bought the Tuscan bean / veg bake or whatever it is called for takeway. Nice enough dish in idea and flavour, but unfortunately someone should have told them that Canellini beans should be cooked until they are tender ! I am gonna be playing trumpet for the rest of the day...

If somebody was a newbie to vegetarian food this would be a really bad experience. I am sure their food can be nice, but this faux pas shouldnt happen to a vegetarian kitchen. Any Indian vegetarian restaurant could teach them a lessons on how to get pulses right !
Comment on this reader review

Sonia
1 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, September 21, 2010

This is a great place for vegetarian food. You have to be prepared to queue and the seating is limited but it's good value and the food is lovely.
Comment on this reader review

Anna - View all reviews by this user
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Saturday, August 07, 2010

I went to a vegeterian restaurant with my friend for lunch. This restaurant was very crowded, so many people had to wait in a queue.

The restaurant provided takeaway food and it had a small and friendly atmosphere.

They provided water and good service. Whenever I asked for menu, they explained each dish to me in detail, so I could select some good food.

We ordered a lunch set, which is salad, lasagana and other food made of egg and various vegetables. It's square. It was exquisite and vegetables were fresh.

We paid 15 pounds for 2, which was reasonable. If we had taken away it would have been cheaper.

Overall, the restaurant was excellent, but there was one problem. We had to sit in the corner near toilet. Many people passed by our table to go to the toilet during a meal. We found another seat, but there wasn't enough space for us.
Comment on this reader review

HS
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Wednesday, June 09, 2010

This restaurant is unique,all of the meals are vegetarian.

About one month ago,I went there with a Korean friend,who recommended that I go there to eat.When I went there,the first impression was not very good,because this place was very small and crowded.There were too many people in this tiny area.Finally,we found two seats for us,then I ordered a meal that included mushrooms,vegetables and porridge.After eating the meal,I thought I like this restaurant! The food was delicious! Maybe that is the reason why there were a lot of people.
Comment on this reader review

Jeff
6 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 6
Wednesday, June 09, 2010