It was all my fault!
Due to my poor map-reading, we were stumbling around the interconnected backstreets of Bath in the pouring rain, too early for our guided tour, too late for our planned proper breakfast.
We were on a return trip to the city for a couple of days to see what it was like as a winter destination.
The city was lovely, even in the rain, but after a later-than-anticipated start to the day, we were damp, cold, low on blood sugar.
And a bit grumpy.
I glanced at Google Maps once more and there, just two minutes walk away, on the corner of Pierrepont Street and North Parade, was the Green Rocket Café.
No time to check reviews, or what it served, I marched off, telling Pork Belly to follow me to where we would at least be dry and could get caffeinated.
Best random bite decision I’ve made in years!
Coffee, cake and so much more
To my delight, Green Rocket – and the name should have been a giveaway – is a totally vegan restaurant on a busy junction, with just a glimpse of Parade Gardens from its (somewhat steamed up) front window.
There’s nothing outside or in to push its vegan status, just a menu packed with fresh, plant-based dishes. In fact, I only clocked that it was 100% animal-free when I asked if any of their cakes were dairy-free.
‘All of them,’ came the reply.
So, our first visit was a swift stop for coffee and a sweet treat.
My generous slice of biscoff cake was perfect – light sponge with a not-too-sweet topping (despite the lashings of biscoff butter!)
Pork Belly, trying to inject a bit of festive feeling into a rather dreary day, opted for a mince pie with a crumble topping.
Not the best balanced breakfast, but we were sort of on holiday!
We couldn’t stay long, but the Green Rocket was a welcome oasis of warmth and sweetness.
So when the tour of the nearby Masonic Hall ended (more on that fascinating place here) giving us plenty of things to talk about, we decided to postpone any further sightseeing and return for a leisurely lunch.
Well, it was still raining!
Brunch, lunch and light bites
It’s sometimes hard to find a place with a menu that suits us both – I’m vegan friendly, Pork Belly’s just food friendly – but The Green Rocket ticked all the boxes and meant we could mix and match and share platters easily.
For starters, we went with sweetcorn fritters with a sriracha yoghurt dressing and roasted cauliflower in a sticky sauce that packed a neat punch.
Main courses were a tasty mushroom burger for PB and for me, a warming katsu curry sauce on panko breaded tofu. We added sweet potato fries, just because we could.
To be honest, we really didn’t need dessert after that but, having spotted lemon posset on the menu, a rare thing to see these days, I had to try it.
Rich, creamy but with a proper lemony zing.
To keep me company, Pork Belly went for a Swedish chocolate mud cake.
This could have been a bit dense and ‘claggy’ but the addition of a superb vegan whipped raspberry cream, lifted it out of the ordinary.
The next day the weather was better so we really had no excuse, but felt we couldn’t resist another quick bite before the long train journey home.
This time we were a little more restrained with just a main course – warm root vegetable salad for me and vegan macaroni cheese for Pork Belly.
We felt dessert two days in a row would be a little over-the-top indulgent. But I simply couldn’t resist another treat from the cake menu – a super-sticky peanut butter square.
I didn’t need to eat for the rest of the day!
Bath is packed with great eateries, from recognisable chains to intimate tearooms, bistro bars and a range of world cuisines. But any restaurant is only as good as the staff and on both occasions the Green Rocket team were great – friendly, helpful and firing on all cylinders.
So whether you’re vegan or not, there’ll be something on the menu at The Green Rocket Café to tempt your tastebuds.
More about The Green Rocket Café, Bath
Green Rocket is open 7 days a week from 9am Monday to Saturday and 9.30 on Sunday. It serves until 4.30pm except on Fridays and Saturdays when it stays open until 9pm. The menu is seasonal and changes regularly, with a good selection of gluten-free options too.
The vibe is definitely café. Plain wooden tables, a mix of bench seating and chairs and bright, cheerful wall art.
The clientele is mixed. There were as many students as older people when we were there, plus a few families and a lot of couples.
It’s small, although there is additional seating downstairs next to the tiny kitchen and single loo. And in good weather you can take advantage of the few outdoor tables.
There is room for wheelchairs and pushchairs in the front part of the café, but space is a bit tight in the main seating area.
The service was friendly and prompt, but we didn’t feel rushed, even though it was busy on all three occasions.
Win a Green Rocket Café cookbook worth £20
Sorry, you’re too late for this one.
Love entering competitions? Click here for the latest.
Can’t get to The Green Rocket Café? Then bring the Green Rocket Café into your own kitchen by winning a copy of their wonderful cookbook, with more than 80 vegan recipes.
Written by Philip Pearce, chef owner of the Green Rocket, the book is packed with tried and tested breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes with flavour at their core.
There are plenty of gluten-free options too.
Make your own Authentic Thai Red Curry, Macadamia Feta or indulgent Biscoff Amaretto Tiramisu at home.
No matter what your skill level, Philip’s recipes are easy to follow and designed to help you create restaurant-quality food at home.
Want to know more about the book? Check it out here.
And if you like what you see, why not give Meze Publishing and The Green Rocket Café a follow on social media?
Green Rocket CookbookCompetition closes midnight UK time Saturday 17 February 2024.
Entries from residents of mainland UK only
Full terms and conditions here.
Where to next?
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• Unmissable things to do in Bath