Restaurant review #51 – On our route from Dover to Brighton, we stopped in Maidstone for lunch. When looking at a map of the south east of England, Maidstone isn’t exactly in between Dover and Brighton, but it is very close to the M20, which turns out to be a faster and easier route to Brighton than driving through the small coastal towns (which can also be nice, we did this a couple of years ago). It’s a small town, and the city center is easily accesible from one of the parkings at the edge (oh, and there’s even a Lush! shop with vegan toilteries and care products).
Church in Maidstone, UK
Maidstone, UK
Fortify Café was recommended to us in one of the vegan FB groups, when we asked for suggestions to eat on route to Brighton. Perfect stop: about half way in our journey, and we arrived just after noon. UPDATE SEE BELOW
As the name suggest, it’s not really a restaurant, but more a bistro/café style place, with also take away option, and some seats outside.
Fortify Café, Maidstone, UK
Menu @Fortify cafe, Maidstone, UK
We had some orange juices (£3) to drink. Which came with some olives (£2, loved the skewers!).
Orange juice, £3
Olives, with lovely vegan skewers! £2
We ordered the falafel burger (£9,5) and the grilled sandwich with cashew feta, bacon, cranberries and toasted walnuts (£5).
There was a little mix up with the order, because at first I was served a salad instead of the grilled sandwich. And then it appeared there was no more ‘bacon’ for the grilled sandwich. But it was yummie nonetheless. The combination of nuts, cranberries and cream cheese is something I definitely want to try myself.
Burger
sandwich with cranberries and cream cheese
The cakes looked so yummie we just couldn’t resist. A piece of chocolate Guinness cake (£4) and a piece of almond lemon cake (£3,5). I think Guinness is something that falls into the category – you either love it or hate it! It reminded me of the few sips I have ever tasted of the beer that were enough to never try it again 😉 I loved the lemon almond cake though!
Guiness Pie
It was a lovely lunch, and service was friendly. If it was closer I would definitely go back to try other things from the menu. Loved their activism wall in the back!
Fortify Cafe, location
32 High Street,
Maidstone, ME14 1JF
United Kingdom
UPDATE: CLOSED SEPT 2016
website: http://www.fortifycafe.co.uk/
See our lists of restaurants where vegans are welcome in the menu section of The Bruges vegan! List restaurants in Bruges and outside Bruges.
Fortify Cafe, inside, Maidstone, UK
Great idea!
Fortify Café, Maidstone, UK
At the back of Fortify Cafe, Maidstone, UK
menu at Fortify Cafe, maidstone, UK
The Bruges Vegan 
Some more great tasty finds as usual guys; now we’re in the mood for something cranberry too! Are you guys still jet-setting around the UK or just catching up on your reviews? 🙂
Oh no, we are back home. It was only a short trip to the UK in the beginning of Summer, but we ate so much, that I am a bit behind in blogging about all those lovely places 😉
Well we’re glad that you enjoyed your trip! Thanks for sharing all of these lovely destinations and we hope that you guys recover from your food hangover (just in time for Xmas)! 😉
Hi guys! We’ve nominated you for the Real Neat Blog Award! 🙂
Looks like a lovely place ❤ wish i could go there !! Anna xx
well, if it were closer for us, we would definitely visit often too!
Great place! Thanks for the info, we have made a note 😀
thanks, glad you liked the review!
Wow this place looks amazing! Wait what vegan group are you in, you think they would have suggestions for vegan places in Paris. I am heading there in January and I’m a little worried seeing as how the bulk of french food is built on butter. That falafel sandwich reminded me of an episode on the cooking network where they showed other ways of eating falafel, not just in pita.
http://www.beteavon2015.wordpress.com
I got this suggestion for Fortify Café in the FB group Vegan in Brighton. But there are also plenty vegan FB groups for France and Paris. And luckily there are several vegan (friendly) places in Paris (like the gentle Gourmet)! Enjoy!
Why have I need someone from Belgium to point out a good veggie eatery that’s quite near to me when I should have known myself. Oh this is awkward! 🙂
haha 😉 To be honest, I did get the suggestion in a UK FB group, so not all credit to me. It is a nice place for lunch. if it were closer to me I would defintely stop there now and then!
Thanks for checking out my blog!
Lovely photos and review! Makes me so happy that more and more people are choosing compassion! 🙂
❤ carmen
It is indeed encouraging to see so many vegan (friendly) places show up! Thanks Carmen for stopping by!