The Hungry Vegan is an occasional column, shedding light on herbivorous offerings at mainstream Exeter restaurants. If there are any places you would like the Hungry Vegan to try, email subeditor @ electric-stitch.com.

“Let’s go to the pictures!” I say. Sure, cinema prices in the UK are about double those back in my native Canada but this hungry vegan has food on her mind! The venue boasts a lovely café upstairs that features live music nights, eclectic artwork, and vegan treats to boot.

If it’s a hot drink you’re after, you can choose from a wide selection of coffee and tea made with soy milk, or indulge in the decadence of Green and Black’s hot chocolate. In my fantasies, this would be served with vegan whipped cream (as would dessert drinks everywhere, for that matter). Dreams aside, as we Canucks rarely have the opportunity to bring any drinks into the cinema apart from – sigh – cola and the like, I’m impressed.

For dinner, I offer but two words of wisdom: Clives Pies. They aren’t made onsite, but they’re cheap (around £2.50 each), local, and make a nice light meal.  The menu clearly marks the vegan pies as such, and features at least four animal-friendly flavours.  I found the Middle Eastern chickpea one tasty but slightly bland, but my dining companion and I both savoured every morsel of the Indian curry variety. If veggie pies aren’t your thing, best to head elsewhere (Light of India, anyone?)

I recommend the flapjacks as a post-pie treat.  Without batting an eye, the server kindly pulled out the ingredient lists so I could be sure to select a vegan type.  After declining the berry type on account of its yoghurt topping, I ended my meal on a chocolatey note.  Crunchy without being dry, it provided a sugar rush to power me through the lengthy film that followed.

Vegan Verdict: Cheap and cheerful, despite the limited (and microwaved) vegan menu.

Exeter Picturehouse, 51 Bartholomew Street West, 01392 430909
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Stephanie Long