IRONICALLY significant casualties of the upsurge in plant-based lifestyles are the specialist veggie/vegan restaurants. There’s no longer a need to seek them out when everywhere from the supermarket chill cabinets to high end fine dining destinations is offering a range of meat and dairy-free options.
That’s why the once high profile 1847 in that odd corner of King Street/Chapel Walks beneath (the now also departed) Grafene has called it a day. It’s the second time it has closed. Owner Damien Davenport left the Mosley Street original two years ago in search of a larger site. There was also a Birmingham offshoot, which is still trading as normal after being taken over by its head and sous chefs last summer.
Named after the year the Vegetarian Society was formed in the city, the original restaurant opened in Mosley Street in 2010 with a find dining approach – using seasonal and foraged fresh produce – to what was then a more niche market.
Announcing the closure on Facebook before serving its last diners on Saturday (April 20) Damien wrote: "2018 was an amazing year for me as my partner and I tied the knot. We also purchased a house overseas and we're moving there to continue with our next adventure. With everyone jumping on the veggie/vegan bandwagon, the time feels right and I'm proud 1847 led the way of meat-free dining.”
New owners are moving into the site but it is unclear what food and drink direction they’ll take it in.