Review: Vegan Fish and Chips at The Cavern, Exeter | Getting Food

Vegan fish and chips are something of a mythical beast, second only to a decent vegan doughnut (I refuse to accept they exist). The Cavern is underground punk club just off the Exeter high street who serves a vegetarian and vegan menu during the day. Which brags, among other things, vegan fish and chips.

Vegan fish and chips at the Cavern consisted of a battered marinated tofu block, twice cooked fries, incredibly minty mushy peas and a vegan tartar sauce. The tartar sauce was abnormally herby and served with a lemon wedge.

I had heard some really good things about the Cavern, but being a punk venue, I was not too sure what to expect. By the time I managed to get over there for lunch, it was prime Saturday lunchtime so I was expecting to have to fight my way to some corner of a table; knowing how much Exeter locals love going out for food. Yet, The Cavern was a quiet haven compared to the hustle and bustle of the high street. There was plenty of space and the staff were lovely, calm and attentive; a slight shock to the system for a Saturday afternoon.

As for the food, honestly, it was fine. Tofu is a surprisingly difficult food to manipulate, proven by the fact that I had to double check the menu to see whether it had actually been marinated. The Cavern did a good job at getting the tofu's texture to be more similar to fish, and the chips were pretty good. Personally, I thought the peas were distractingly, almost shockingly minty and the tartar sauce did not do enough to combat it.

That being said, it was a pleasant dish and one of many vegan and vegetarian options available. Plus, it was only a fiver!

In all, I would recommend going to The Cavern if you fancy a cheap lunch in a nice, quiet location. I have to say, I have been re-reading the menu while writing this review and that pulled-jackfruit has caught my eye...