Popular Thai Mini Chain Will Trial Vegetarian-Only Menu Next Year

Rosa’s Thai Cafe are the latest London restaurant group to go green, as they announce their first vegetarian-only site Rosa’s Thai Veggie will launch at the start of next year. Beginning on 15 January Rosa’s Thai Cafe, on Dean Street in Soho, will pilot the new concept for a period of three months.

New dishes, such as tofu satay, laab mushrooms, panang (red curry) tofu and tom kha mushroom soup will sit next to vegetarian versions of their green curry and pad Thai. Existing vegetarian dishes like the papaya salad and stir fried aubergine — currently available at all 10 Rosa’s sites nationally — will remain on the menu.

The planned “vegetarian takeover is a response to the huge uplift and demand for vegetarian dishes across the group.” Owner Saiphin Moore said of the announcement: “I’m really excited to offer my customers a restaurant dedicated to vegetarian principles. It’s a great way to showcase the versatility and exciting dishes possible in Thai food using only vegetables. Every year I go home for the Thailand Vegetarian Festival which is celebrated across all parts of Thailand and it inspires me to bring more vegetarian options to Rosa’s Thai Cafes.”

Rosa’s Thai Veggie also follows the group’s aim to “showcase a more diverse selection of Thai food in their restaurants.” At the Seven Dials site its menu is northern Thai-specific; noodle specials at Carnaby and a north eastern (Isaan) menu in Victoria.

It has not been specified whether the restaurant will be inclined to trial the menu elsewhere in the group; however, its becoming permanent in Soho looks more likely than not. The news also comes ahead of the brand publishing a second cookbook, authored by Moore — Rosa's Thai Cafe: The Vegetarian Cookbook — next May.

Rosa’s joins not just a host of fast casual brands turning vegetarian and vegan in London, but also notable independent restaurant groups like Foxlow — who made the surprise announcement to trial a vegan menu in their sites a fortnight ago.