How One Welsh Pub Became The ‘World’s First’ Vegan Steakhouse

One year after turning vegan permanently, Welsh pub The Queen Inn has revealed plans to become the “world’s first plant-based steakhouse.”

The announcement comes as the pub, found in Upper Cwmbran, South Wales, secured a menu-changing partnership with Israeli meat alternative brand Redefine Meat.

Previously known for its meaty steakhouse dishes, The Queen Inn now plans to become recognized for serving the best plant-based alternatives. To do so, it will use Redefine’s 3D-printed vegan protein. The products are said to mimic the texture, as well as taste, of traditional whole cut meats.

The pub began serving meat-free beef flank, tenderloin, and striploin steak cuts from Redefine as part of a special Veganuary menu. These were initially intended to be served on a limited basis, until the end of January. However, the popularity of the dishes made the pub owners rethink. 

“It was just for Veganuary, but the demand we’ve seen for Redefine Meat has been incredible,” The Queen Inn told Plant Based News.

“We’ll definitely be keeping its beef flank, although we are looking at possibly keeping its striploin and tenderloin as well.”

Alongside Redefine’s products, the somewhat infamous hyperrealistic filet mignon from Slovenian plant-based manufacturer Juicy Marbles will also be on offer. Again, it is expected to be a permanent menu item for the foreseeable future.

Turning a Welsh pub meat-free

The Queen Inn turned plant-based in January 2022 as an experiment. 

Given that the month was traditionally quiet, the Edwards family, who run the location, decided to sign up to Veganuary. They wanted to see if there was enough demand for meat-free menu items. 

To the surprise of both locals (who predicted failure) and the owners, the pub was fully booked for January. Moreover, diners traveled from as far away as Scotland to sample the vegan food. 

The location decided to stay plant-based, and has just celebrated one year of being meat-free.

Plenty of plant-based choice at the steakhouse

As well as Redefine Meat and Juicy Marbles, The Queen Inn is working with other popular plant-based meat producers.

OmniFoods, Heura, and Future Farm are all on board, leading to the development of paella and crab cake dishes, amongst others.

The owners told the Veganuary organization: “The menu focuses on showcasing how incredible plant-based meats are, and proving that there’s no need to eat animals.”