editor
hiraethified
If we have to have mega coffee chains, at least let's have ones that serve up decent veggie/vegan offerings...
London's About To Get Plenty More Veggie Prets
London's About To Get Plenty More Veggie Prets
Pret a Manger acquires EAT and prepares to open more Veggie Prets
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Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
back in the day there were small businesses, individual sandwich shops, which catered for the sandwich eating public. but now you get the bland pret bollocks on so many high streets (and in i think every british airport i've been to). they could be carbon-neutral vegan outposts, their food'd still be uninspiring pap
Guineveretoo
Mostly bewildered
I was reminiscing about this earlier, to myself. I was out and about and fancied buying a sandwich. Back in the day, there were local/village bakeries all over the place, that did sandwiches and filled rolls of variable quality. Today, I couldn't think of any bakeries that might do that, other than Greggs, so I came home hungry and made myself a sandwich, because I just didn't fancy the usual chain shop ones.
editor
hiraethified
On the plus side, I almost always get a free coffee and they don't charge more for soya when I do have to pay. I'm not a fan of their sandwiches but their Danish and muffins are deeelish.
And if you take in your own cup and you can get a decent coffee for 49p, which ain't bad.
wayward bob
i ate all your bees
the couple of times i've tried pret has been an expensive disappointment. but apparently we're getting a leon soon which i'm well excited about 
There's loads of little independent sandwich bars / coffee shops throughout London? They're everywhere.
marty21
One on one? You're crazy.
I don't go as often as I used to tbf
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
yeh? not round where i live or work there aren't. there used to be, mind. but there aren't now.There's loads of little independent sandwich bars / coffee shops throughout London? They're everywhere.
editor
hiraethified
All of my favourite indie cafes have closed in central London.There's loads of little independent sandwich bars / coffee shops throughout London? They're everywhere.
Idaho
blah blah blah
I have a Leon breakfast when I'm up in London. Pretty good really.the couple of times i've tried pret has been an expensive disappointment. but apparently we're getting a leon soon which i'm well excited about
All of my favourite indie cafes have closed in central London.
Well, I've never had favourites but I always seem to find one. Maybe its just the areas I end up in.
editor
hiraethified
They're another global megachain too. Had a veggie burger once from them. it was shit.
Guineveretoo
Mostly bewildered
I am sure there are, but I couldn't think of one near where I was, and didn't know where to look, so I gave up. I was near Ikea on Purley Way when the hunger bug hit, if that helps.There's loads of little independent sandwich bars / coffee shops throughout London? They're everywhere.
I can now think of one that is about a mile from me, that i went to once, but I didn't think of it earlier.
Guineveretoo
Mostly bewildered
"independent street food stores" are usually only in hip(ster) areas, ime. Not many of those in Croydon (except in the boxpark... and I was nowhere near that, and you can't drive there)
And anyway, i was looking for sandwiches and filled rolls! I came home and made one.
Artaxerxes
Look out, he's got a gnu!
Numbers out my arse here but out of every 6 food shops in London 2 will be pret, 1 will be Eat and 1 Costa/Starbuck/chain coffee shop. The others are usually Boost or Juiced or something.
It makes going for lunch hard because all of them are poor value and a bit shit.
Bahnhof Strasse
Met up with Hannah Courtoy a week next Tuesday
"independent street food stores" are usually only in hip(ster) areas, ime. Not many of those in Croydon (except in the boxpark... and I was nowhere near that, and you can't drive there)
And anyway, i was looking for sandwiches and filled rolls! I came home and made one.
There's a sandwich shop in my backwater town, Subway moved in but was gone again six months later, the small independent survives.
editor
hiraethified
Subway makes disgusting food.
Bahnhof Strasse
Met up with Hannah Courtoy a week next Tuesday
Never tried it, but it seems no one here did either. Shame in a way, I understand they are franchises and someone must have lost a fair lump of cash.
editor
hiraethified
I bought what I thought might have been a moderately healthy cheese salad roll, but by the time they's slopped a half ton of mayo over the suspiciously sweet bread it was a calorie-fest. Despite me eating in, they still wrapped the roll up in a half ton of paper packaging too. Never went back.
editor
hiraethified
I will say one thing: Pret have nailed fast service. The one inside Kings Cross station dispenses coffees at incredible speed. It made quite a contrast with the hopelessly inefficient Starbucks I (reluctantly) encountered in the States. All that 'writing your name' stuff and hanging about seemed almost comical. No wonder Pret are cleaning up.
SpookyFrank
A cheap source of teeth for aquarium gravel
Never understood how they got to be so ubiquitous, but I suppose it's less about being good and more about having the capital to expand into good locations at the expense of your competitors.
HoratioCuthbert
Deep seated inconsequence
Stop!
It’s absolutely extraordinary how many Prets there are in London. To the extent that my kids comment on it every time we’re there and it’s like a running joke.
)
There’s loads of little bakeries/sandwich shops in Leeds. I can think of three with a short walk of both where I live and work. The one in Armley where I work does THE most amazing hand raised pork pies and pasties with water crust pastry, homemade jam tarts (the lemon curd ones are ridiculously good), filled baps and hot ones with roast pork and apple. It’s tiny, worn lino, women in pink tabbards, the works. Everything from that, to upscale little cafes that have a rustic feel and make tabbouleu (sp) and have silver coffee machines. And loads of community cafes- church ones, arty ones, one run by people with Down’s syndrome, food poverty pay as you feel ones.
London’s so shit now eh if it lacks places like this and it’s Pret or nothing. (And I like the occasional Pret!).
Are there really not these in London any more? There were loads of greasy spoons when I last lived there but that was 17 years ago now (
)There’s loads of little bakeries/sandwich shops in Leeds. I can think of three with a short walk of both where I live and work. The one in Armley where I work does THE most amazing hand raised pork pies and pasties with water crust pastry, homemade jam tarts (the lemon curd ones are ridiculously good), filled baps and hot ones with roast pork and apple. It’s tiny, worn lino, women in pink tabbards, the works. Everything from that, to upscale little cafes that have a rustic feel and make tabbouleu (sp) and have silver coffee machines. And loads of community cafes- church ones, arty ones, one run by people with Down’s syndrome, food poverty pay as you feel ones.
London’s so shit now eh if it lacks places like this and it’s Pret or nothing. (And I like the occasional Pret!).
SpookyFrank
A cheap source of teeth for aquarium gravel
I can't speak to the quality of their food because I've never eaten it. In my view, if you can't even spell the name of your own business you can't be trusted to prepare food.
The foods fine it’s just slightly unusual ingredients on slightly unusual bread (like crayfish and rocket on malted brown bread). And eye wateringly pricey. But it’s fresh and better than a Boots meal deal prawn cocktail and packet of ready salted. Imo.
It’s absolutely extraordinary how many Prets there are in London. To the extent that my kids comment on it every time we’re there and it’s like a running joke.
Are there really not these in London any more? There were loads of greasy spoons when I last lived there but that was 17 years ago now (
There is, they're are still loads even though loads have closed down there are still loads around. I've mapped out London by them.
editor
hiraethified
If you're broke you can get a 49p coffee and smuggle in your own sandwich. They never seem bothered unless you take the piss.
"independent street food stores" are usually only in hip(ster) areas, ime. Not many of those in Croydon (except in the boxpark... and I was nowhere near that, and you can't drive there)
And anyway, i was looking for sandwiches and filled rolls! I came home and made one.
There are loads throughout all parts of central where all the workers are. I've been talking about London, as in central London.
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