It always used to be a mystery why Cafe Maitreya was not open for lunch. With the nationally-renowned vegetarian restaurant recently changing hands and receiving a change of name in the process, there is mystery no longer. As well as breakfast, lunch and dinner sittings, the newly-renamed Maitreya Social also now has a bar and upstairs arts space.
Lunch it was then, and also the first trip to Easton for both an eight-month-old baby and her mother. St Mark’s Road where Maitreya Social is situated is one of the most cosmopolitan in Bristol, with several sculptures hanging from on high signifying what shop is below, and what a diverse range of shops they are.
As if to further accentuate Easton and Bristol’s cultural diversity, after our meal we walked down the road for coffee at the original Thali Cafe and stumbled upon the launch of a cross-party and community statement dedicated to defending a multicultural society in Bristol. Baby Mersina had her first taste of a media event and I bumped into my friend Emily who was reporting the occasion for the Evening Post.
But back to Maitreya Social, where we enjoyed a vegetarian experience the likes of which you would have to look high and low to better, cooked up by new proprietor/head chef Barney McGrath, who has worked here previously as well as cooking at St Werburgh’s City Farm Cafe.
Maitreya is a light and airy restaurant, which at the moment is brightened up by artwork from Bristol illustrator Tom Frost who has a particular interest in colourful matchboxes.
The lunch menu has such delights as sundried tomato, pistachio and butterbean pate (£4.95), spiced black-eyed bean burrito (£7.95), and Maitreya’s own signature burger (£7.95) “bursting with nuts, beans and spices”.
After some deliciously warm white bread, I enjoyed a mezze (£6.95) made up of flatbread, marinated olives, roast peppers, marinated feta and a vibrant beetroot hummus, washed down by a lovely bottle of Budding from Stroud Brewery, named after the man who invented the lawnmower.
I may have loudly told little Mersina – unfortunately within earshot of our waiter – that when she grows up she will most certainly not be a vegetarian, but it’s places like Maitreya Social that show exactly what can be done with vegetarian food, and they do it very well indeed. Try it out one lunchtime.
Maitreya Social, 89 St Mark’s Road, Easton, Bristol. 0117 951 0100.
…even better, try their evening menu!
I’m not even a veggie, but it’s one of my favourite places to eat because the food is imaginative, tasty, and prepared and presented with care and attention to detail.
How do you know with certainty what little Mersina may or may not be when she is older ? I’m just wondering how you can have such absolute certainty ?
It is brilliant to have an affordable lunch and breakfast spot right on our doorstep – the Mega Maitreya breakfast with halloumi totally sets you up for the day! The quality of the food and service we have found to be faultless. The shift in gear in the evenings arrives with an exquisite evening menu and makes it THE place for a special meal (I went for my birthday!) We feel very lucky to have Maitreya Social in our neighbourhood!
We found this restaurant via the Internet and were so pleased. We were a party of six so we tried all the mains offered and shared all the desserts. Everyone loved all the food except the cabbage rolls.
Roasted Butternut Squash and Smoked Applewood Cheddar Tarte-tatin,
delicious. Roasted Shallot, Chestnut & Chestnut Mushroom Bourguignon, amazing. Sundried Tomato, Pistachio & Almond Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, dry and not enough taste. Spiced Halloumi Spring Roll, very good. Celeriac & Sage Arancini, exceptional . The desserts were each and everyone one great. W had tea so we don’t know how the coffee was.
We also had the soup, again delicious, and our overall favourite of the evening was the spiced carrot and almond cakes appetiser. We wish we were lucky enough to live nearby. It was £122 for 6, with most of us drinking water.