‘Fully plant based bistro’ is the tagline of this appealing all-day vegan restaurant just over the road from Herne Hill railway station. Peachy Goat has taken over the site previously occupied by Mimosa, revamped by passionate owners Martyn, Luca and Oliver to create a warm and homely atmosphere. Strung lights and hanging plants are strewn about with casual charm and there is a central serving/bar area for customers to order drinks from.
Pasta is a top shout here; brothers Luca and Oliver used to work in their father’s Italian restaurant and the freshly made pastas feature the likes of vegan spins on cacio e pepe, pesto orecchiette, and a ‘beef ragu’ pappardelle.
Elsewhere the menu deals in confident modern European assemblies which make no apologies for missing out meat, fish and dairy. Start with a salad of warm asparagus, broad beans and pea purée, or deep-fried truffle camembert served with homemade chutney and sourdough toast, ahead of caponata stew with polenta and fried capers.
Lunch and weekend brunch offers a similar line-up alongside avocado on toast and a plant-based sausage sandwich with caramelised onions.
Drinks include classic cocktails such as a Moscow Mule, Dark and Stormy or Aperol Spritz alongside some in-house creations such as a twist on an Espresso Martini, or else there’s Beavertown on draught, Estrella and Guinness by the bottle and cider from Rekorderlig and Hawks.
The opening of the restaurant has been three years in the making. The three friends went to school together and, having been vegan for five years, bonded over a passion for plant-based food. Martyn says, “We follow a plant-based diet because it works for us, but we’re not necessarily out there to make other people feel like they should change what they do – and we hope that's reflected in our atmosphere.”