The Allotment Vegan Eatery
Our verdict · The city's standout fully plant-based tea, and the best value on this list.
Go if
You're vegan, vegetarian or dairy-free and want a full afternoon tea built around you rather than adapted as an afterthought.
Skip it if
You specifically want a grand hotel setting or a traditional dairy-and-meat spread.
Plan your visit
The Allotment Vegan Eatery
From ~£25pp (indicative; Prosecco upgrade ~£3.50pp)
Indicative price at the time of review.
The Allotment has built a national reputation for plant-based cooking, and its afternoon tea (indicatively around £25 per person, with a Prosecco upgrade for about £3.50 more) is the reason it makes our list ahead of Cloud 23: it is a genuinely designed vegan spread rather than a substitution menu, listing chilled sandwiches such as vegan cream cheese and cucumber and vegan egg mayonnaise, warm scones, and cakes including lemon tart, red velvet and brownie, plus its signature cauliflower wings. It ranks below the hotel and rooftop options on sheer occasion and setting, but no other pick here matches it for dedicated plant-based choice or value. Choose it over the others if dietary fit and price matter more than a grand backdrop.
The good & the bad
Pros
- Fully plant-based menu designed as vegan, not adapted from a standard tea
- Lowest indicative price on this list (~£25pp, Prosecco upgrade ~£3.50pp)
- Central location by Manchester Cathedral and Cathedral Gardens
Cons
- A casual eatery rather than a grand hotel or rooftop setting
- Meat- and dairy-based traditionalists won't find a classic spread
How it compares
| Pick | WATTB Score | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.The Tea Room at The Midland | 90/100 | From ~£38pp (indicative; £48 with Pommery champagne) | overall and best traditional |
| 2.The River Restaurant at The Lowry Hotel | 87/100 | From ~£32.50pp (indicative; £42.50 with Champagne) | five-star polish and a calm riverside setting |
| 3.20 Stories | 85/100 | From ~£30pp (indicative; sparkling-wine and cocktail upgrades available) | rooftop views and dining |
| 4.The Allotment Vegan EateryThis pick | 84/100 | From ~£25pp (indicative; Prosecco upgrade ~£3.50pp) | plant-based afternoon tea and best value |
| 5.Cloud 23 at The Manchester Deansgate Hotel | 82/100 | From ~£35pp (indicative; +~£10 for cocktail or champagne) | the highest skyline view |
Good to know
- Address
- 1-3 Cathedral Gates, Manchester M3 1SW
- Nearest station
- Manchester Victoria
- Phone
- +44 161 243 1419
- Price
- From ~£25pp (indicative; Prosecco upgrade ~£3.50pp)
- Afternoon tea (indicative)
- From ~£25pp
- Diet
- 100% vegan (vegetarian-friendly)
- Upgrade
- Prosecco ~£3.50pp
- Signature item
- Cauliflower wings
- Location
- Cathedral Gates, near Manchester Victoria
Address, hours & rating verified via Google · Sept 2026
Researched by WATTB
- Published
- 13 September 2026
- Updated
- 13 September 2026
- Last verified
- 13 September 2026
- Sources
- 7 sources
We research and rank options from public data, official information and published reviews. How we research →
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