Vegetarian Options in the UK???

Hi all,
I am planning on moving to the UK and have only been over there for some visits in which we mostly go out to eat and don't end up going shopping for food. Therefore, I have not looked around the shops for vegetarian options. I am concerned if there are a lot of "fake meat" options like we have here in the states.  Such as, meatless crumbles, veggie burgers, meatless chicken nuggets, seitan, tofurkey, etc.  Are any of you veggos out there content with the options there are out there? I realized that every time I went out to eat, the only real vegetarian item on the menu was veggie lasagna!!! Any tips?? Thank you!

Are you kidding? Im my, admittedly limited experience, UK is tons more veg-friendly than US is!

UK is tons more veg-friendly than US is!

Definitely.

My BIL is vegetarian, and he rarely has trouble going out to eat, even out here in the sticks, though he does have to be flexible.  In London and larger cities, there are more options.  I'm sure I've seen meatless meat in our local shops, though.  

There's tonnes of fake meat stuff. It's not very tasty or good for you IMHO, but it's just as plentiful here as in the US. Quorn, tofu, etc. Health food stores carry seitan, but usually only tinned and called "mock duck" for some reason.

I would agree with Mort that I find loads of veggie options on restaurant menus, with the possible exception of pubs where often there's just one or two.

ETA: Whole Foods carries a huge range - even Tofurky. But that's not much good unless you're in London....

Thank you, all. I have heard of Quorn before.  I guess I just need to take a gander through the shops when I arrive.  Is there a Whole Foods in London?!!? WOW!
mmmm....can't wait to try some mock duck! Ha! Thank you AnneR, historyenne, contrex, and Mort!

I agree there is a ton of stuff in the shops. All the main supermarkets do their own ranges of meat free/fake meat burgers etc and you'll find even more in health food shops.  You'll find the restaurants here are way more veggie frindly than in the US too.

Thank you, all. I have heard of Quorn before.  I guess I just need to take a gander through the shops when I arrive.  Is there a Whole Foods in London?!!? WOW!

Yes!! It's amazing! Get off at High Street Kensington and turn right. Loads of veggie stuff in London. I never go hungry! Plenty of great restaurants, too.

Health food stores carry seitan, but usually only tinned and called "mock duck" for some reason.

If you are referring to that weird Granose canned product made out of gluten, we tried it once, but never again. On the other hand, the same company's Nuttolene, a peanut loaf, isn't too bad. We quite like various kinds of flavoured tofu: basil, chili, and so on, and tempeh slices are a big favourite. A local store carries really nice vegetarian weiner schnitzels. Even in smaller towns there is a big selection of veggie stuff. I like Linda McCartney veggie sausages, but Madame Contrex prefers either Cauldron or Realeat.

I'm a big fan of marinated tofu, usually found at veggie delis in the US.  Has anyone seen anything like that here? 

I'm a big fan of marinated tofu, usually found at veggie delis in the US.  Has anyone seen anything like that here? 

You can find it all over the place. Tesco and Waitrose and lots of other places carry the Cauldron range which includes a marinated variety

http://www.ciao.co.uk/Cauldron_Foods_Tofu__5302326

I think the UK is possibly the western world's veggie centre.

Incidentally, it always amazes me when some British people say "I'm a vegetarian... except for fish, and oh yes, chicken breast."

Incidentally, it always amazes me when some British people say "I'm a vegetarian... except for fish, and oh yes, chicken breast."

LOL ... I'm one of those 'vegetarians.' I don't really know what else to call myself, though. Pescetarians have a nice name, but there's nothing for the rest of us. If I'm going somewhere and don't know what's going to be served, I generally ask for a vegetarian option, to be on the safe side, so people often assume I'm a real vegetarian.

***

I just checked and Wikipedia says I'm a "semi-vegetarian." OK.

I would agree with the others about there generally being more selection in the UK for vegetarians. My daughter is a vegeterian and likes the Quorn products alot for 'fake meat'. The other thing that is nice is how the food products are nicely labelled with a green v so people like me don't have to read through the ingredients to make sure something is vegetarian (like cheeses).

Chary I can understand where it is easier to say you are a vegetarian but it can make it difficult for my daughter when my mother-in-law constantly tries to serve her fish because she knows lots of 'vegetarians' and they eat fish so why wont my daughter!

There are in fact five branches of Wholefoods in London, in Camden, Clapham, Kensington, Soho and Stoke Newington.

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/uk/index.php

My SIL is veggie but can't eat Quorn as she is allergic to mushrooms.