Shrub in Cheshire West and Chester

OK as a meat eating husband of a vegetarian I put my trust once again in Tripadvisor and this place didn’t disappoint, so thanks to all you lot who post reviews! Service is first class and really adds to the overall experience, whoever is hiring and driving the team should be congratulated, they seem to really enjoy what they are doing. Now, if you told me I’d have sprouts and chips and be full and happy I would nod and slowly back away from you desperately looking for an exit but somehow that was the case. The little tapas style meals were really, really tasty popping with flavour, excellently presented and extremely well priced at around £6 a dish. Tasteless tofu (as in call it) was actually more than edible, it was very nice. It was really painful to admit this to the other half. Onion bhajis were spot on, hummus great, chips were nice and artichoke whatever were another taste sensation, but the sprouts. How? I mean going “wow” after eating a sprout is a bit embarrassing. Actually finishing a meal ,being totally stuffed with no meat thinking what an amazing sprout dish is just plain stupid. Home made drinks, great decor even the hike up to the toilets is a bit of an adventure, there is not a lot you can’t love about this place. As a meat and whatever else type of person I’m still trying to come to terms with this being my favourite meal that I have had in a very long time.

As a non-vegetarian, I absolutely loved the plant based food at Shrub. The service, Sarah looked after us, the wine, the after dinner drinks and desserts were incredible. We will be back.

Was visiting Chester for a day out and popped in for lunch! Everything we had delicious and full of flavour. We were served by Charlotte who was a superstar and a real credit to the business! Made it an overall 5 out of 5 experience! Will be back again!

Love supporting this vegan, local restaurant. Food, cocktails and service is fantastic. Eloise looked after us today and was so helpful and lovely, thank you Eloise you made our visit amazing. Happy New Year Shrub

This is our second visit to Shrub. We actually stopped off in Chester especially for dinner. The food is stunning, the staff are amazing and the ambience second to none. The quality of food is very superior with so much imagination used in each plate. Don’t leave without sampling the chocolate orange cheesecake! Looking forward to our next visit already 💖

We were meeting friends, so needed to eat quite quickly. My partner and I both chose the Sunday Roast. The Mushroom Wellington was extremely small - one slice of what must have come from a ‘traditional’ Wellington - slice being 1cm thick and I would guess, the end piece, due to it being so small. The other items of the roast were excellent - along with the Wellington. Just a shame of the size, for the star item - we really couldn’t understand the size. We also didn’t receive our Yorkshire Pudding - we mentioned all the above when paying. Unfortunately, not worth £17. Portion sizes need to be mentioned to Management/Chef.

Great place for vegan and gluten free. The staff were super welcoming and each dish we ordered was amazing!

Great quality fresh food, packed with flavour. Don't expect big portions but do expect dishes that are fresh, flavoursome and get you wanting more.

Lovely place, friendly staff, great service

So glad I found this place ! Very very tasty food . My grandson had no idea his burger was vegan! We’re coming again when I next come to Chester. Great service too

Came this evening and all staff were friendly and the food was lovely!! Eloise specifically was so so friendly and lovely, will defo be coming back!!

Eloise was lovely and super helpful . Cannot recommend this place more.

We were impressed by Shrub's offerings at Vegan Camp Out 2024 (particularly the szechuan fries!), so when we decided to get away for a few nights in Chester, visiting their restaurant was at the top of our list. Firstly, we weren't prepared for how gorgeous the restaurant is. As if being located in The Rows wasn't beautiful enough, the decor and atmosphere were stunning, and they even had a cosy outdoor balcony area. I bet that would be lush on a summer evening! We were absolutely spoiled for choice and struggled to whittle down what we wanted to order. I had the teriyaki tofu, artichoke wings, and delicata squash, and my partner had the "lamb" ragu and the szechuan fries. However, we had a little nibble of each other's food. Everything was delicious and cooked to perfection! We decided we needed to come back and try more of the menu before our time in Chester was over. So we went again the following day! This time, we shared the pumpkin tortellini (not pictured), tenderstem broccoli (not pictured), brussels sprouts, baby carrots, and potato terrine. My partner and I were firm haters of sprouts in ALL forms, but we both thought they were one of the best dishes we had eaten over the last 2 days. My partner also isn't a fan of tofu usually, but that was also one of his favourites. What I love about Shrub is their quality of ingredients and creativity. I love that they make veggies fun and the main event without the need for every dish having a protein/meat alternative, which is why it's no surprise that even non-vegans enjoy eating here so much. The staff are all so lovely! On our first night, we were served by Eloise and Tim, who were both super sweet and welcoming. I am gutted that we didn't get the names of the people on our second night as they were fantastic, too. But the people working at 7.30pm on Wednesday 11th December 2024 deserve a shout-out too ❤️ Hopefully, we'll get to come back someday!

From the minute we waiting in was nevee told was a vegan restaurant, we asked about a roast then was told that was a Wellington so just l like was a beef wellington, whrn we sat down was still not told about the restaurant being vegan. Was sat in a cold corner, first time in Chester and won't be back again to the restaurant

Great place - couldn't fault the food - neither of us are Vegan but we enjoy Vegan food. Highly recommend 👌 Visiting Chester for 2 nights, from York

A lovely restaurant in a nice spot. Staff were very welcoming and friendly. Great food served well in a relaxed atmosphere. The sunday roast was out of this world! Highly recommended

Excellent quality food, friendly and attentive staff, relaxed and modern atmosphere. Looking forward to another visit to try more of the delicious food.

Love the food , ambiance and staff is super friendly and welcoming. Place is super clean and I love all the decor .

AMAZING! ABSOLUTELY loved it here. Celebrating my friends birthday. Food, service were fantastic. Could not fault it.

We didn’t realise at first that the food was vegan and we were very pleasantly surprised! Our waitress Ella made the night even more enjoyable by being so kind and informative!

We came for a weekend away in Chester and stumbled across shrub. We never realised that it was a vegan restaurant which made us love it even more. Food and drinks were absolutely delicious. Our server Ella was so lovely as well. Was so kind and smiley. Would definitely recommend :)

My 2nd visit to this restaurant and it was as great as the 1st time. The menu had changed, not only in the meals offered but also a move away from large plate meals to small plates that are great for sharing. Small plates conjures up thoughts of Spanish tapas, but the meals offered at Shrub are very different with the exception of padron peppers! Each plate was an explosion of flavour. Each one was novel, mixing hints of oriental with asian flavour with tender cooked veg. We picked two 'starter' dishes and four 'main' plates with a shared dessert dish. This was more than plenty to fill us up. Each plate was shared between us and equally enjoyed. The staff are super friendly and will go out of there way to answer any queries / questions or just have a chat. The ambiance was buzzing, warm and welcoming, which was great when the weather outside was horrible. We also had two of the house beers (lager & IPA) which were also nice. Can't wait to return and try some of the other plates.

Great food, Relaxing atmosphere, staff were also Great 👍

What an amazing discovery. Came here for lunch with a friend who is also plant based and lives in Chester. We chose 5 of the small plates to share and that was a perfect amount of food. Service was quick and really friendly and the restaurant has a great atmosphere. I absolutely loved all of the dishes but the highlights were the frickles and the teriyaki tofu. I could eat those again! It's so nice to visit a place where the whole menu is vegan and so I have so much choice as opposed to one or two dishes. Will definitely be returning and hoping to go on a Sunday to try out the vegan roast!

Amazing food, great atmosphere and fantastic service.

I'm not a vegetarian, I was blown away by the food. Full of flavour, vibrant colours and texture. The service was first class, the staff were passionate about the food and experience. Would recommend it and next time I'm in Chester I'm definitely going back!!!

Brilliant Sunday roast. Delicious Yorkshire pudding. Plenty of gravy, and a tasty veloute type sauce. Lots of trimmings, and all really lovely! It's hard to find a good vegetarian / vegan Sunday roast, and this one is the BEST I've ever had. It is leagues apart from the usual offering of dry nut roast and boiled veg. Thank you Shrub!

This place is fantastic! The food is absolutely incredible, delicious and beautifully presented. The waitress recommended a cabbage dish, which we would have never picked - but was unbelievably flavourful! The other dishes we had were exceptional too - especially the tofu. Service and atmosphere were perfect. Highly recommend.

5 stars is not enough! This was truly excellent, and more. We went to Shrub on a recommendation while we were on a 1 night leisure visit to Chester and we couldn’t fault our experience here if we tried. We’re not vegan at all but very open minded and just love to try great food. The food here is all vegan but completely unpretentious and with no meat substitutes which we’ve found tend to be the norm at vegan outlets. Its just great food with lots of flavour and creativity and no need at all to advertise itself as vegan because when food is this good there’s no need for it to be pigeon-holed. Service was also excellent, and the atmosphere and environment was relaxed and welcoming. Our waitress was knowledgeable with great suggestions on the menu. She was also friendly and chatty without being invasive over-bearing. We focussed on small plates and our favourite was definitely the artichoke wings which had a lovely texture and loads of flavour but we also especially loved the Teriyaki Tofu. There very lottle on the menu with any meat descriptors (e.g. celeriac ‘steak’ - just to keep meat eaters happy!… not necessary!!), it just says what it is without any fuss. Can’t wait to come back, and really hope we find somewhere else with this approach… it’s definitely the way forward!

The most innovative and delicious food I’ve ever eaten! The artichoke wings were unbelievable and the hispi cabbage a work of art. So much creativity, friendly staff and gorgeous ambience. Very good value for the quality of food and size of portions. My new go to place any time I visit lovely Chester.

Went there for drinks and snacks with a friend this Friday. Sat on balcony and was swiftly served by extremely helpful and pleasant member of staff. Atmosphere was lovely and food - Tapas were superb. Lovely range of drinks available too. In particular a young lady waitress - Eloise was brilliant. She was so attentive and pleasant, making us feel so welcome. Had such a lovely experience that I went back with my Wife on the Saturday. Elaine looked after us again, she is a credit to the business and will definitely return and recommend to all. Mark - from Ribble Valley.

I can't thank Eloise and the team enough for their exceptional care, attention to detail, and kindness during our visit. The food was not only delicious, but the service was also outstanding. As someone with coeliac disease and several food intolerances, I truly appreciated how the team went above and beyond to be empathetic, understanding, and accommodating. They took the time to ensure everything was tailored to my needs, offering plenty of options and making sure I felt comfortable. It really meant a lot. This is a restaurant I would absolutely trust when it comes to food allergies—truly outstanding!

I'm not one to leave a review, but the food here is incredible. Super tasty! I'm also not a vegan but by far one of the best meals I've ever had.

We had a fantastic meal at Shrub, it was our first time at a vegan restaurant and the food was exceptional. Our waitress Eloise was very kind and catered to our needs. Would definitely visit again!

Absolutely fantastic place from start to finish. Anna our waitress was the best. She recommend foods from the tapas side of the menu and also a pumpkin pasta in the main dishes section. Her service was excellent . I cannot recommend this place high enough. I am vegan but my friend isn't but he said the food was the best he tasted. We decided to go for the tapas...2 dishes each and we shared a couscous. We then shared the pudding . Thank you Anna for your kindness today.

An excellent meal. I've been a vegetarian my whole life (I'm now in my 50s), and I can safely say this is probably the best vegetarian meal I've ever had. (Of course, it was actually vegan, too). We had two tapas each. Not huge portions, and we didn't fill up with carbs - we just focussed on enjoying the intense flavours. Highly recommend.

Let’s talk about Shrub, baby! As it’s one of my favourite restaurants in Chester, I felt it was about time I did a review. I go to Shrub every Sunday to round off the week. Their food is absolutely delicious and the staff are so friendly. I’m not even vegan and it’s the best roast I’ve ever had. The (hot) matcha is also the best matcha I’ve ever had. Amazing on a cold day. Considering all the things that give Shrub character such as the location in Chester (expensive) unique vegan food (expensive) a heated outdoor seating area in the very centre of the city on the historical Chester rows with a view of the high street (extortionate) you would be surprised at how reasonable the prices are. Especially as you can mix and match with small plates- which is also perfect for people who want to try something new. I love it here. Go to Shrub. In the meantime, please enjoy my selection of Shrub meals over the past few months

Beautiful place. Polite and helpful staff. And the food is absolutely delicious. The roast on a Sunday is particularly delicious.

Many varied plates of VERY tasty food, loved by all our group (only one of us was vegetarian). Would highly recommend.

This is a great restaurant in the city centre. The food is delicious and plentiful. The House Burger tastes great and the cookie dough cake is delicious as a dessert. The tapas dishes are also excellent as well. Friendly staff and a trendy, relaxed atmosphere. Plenty of seating on different levels too. Highly recommended.

Still the best vegan food in Chester. I love the flavours of the small plates, and the heartiness of the mains. Food and drink is always delicious, and the staff are lovely.

Amazing food, friendly staff and great atmosphere. Really comfortable place and lots of options

Had an amazing experience at Shrub today! The food was incredibly tasty, well presented and satisfying. The staff were friendly, helpful and always smiling. Despite Shrub being in the centre of Chester, the atmosphere wasn't overly crowded which made for a pleasant ambience, especially helpful on a first date! Couldn't have been a better experience, I hope to return soon.

Excellent service-thank you Zac! Friendly, helpful, kind. Food is great. I had the burger and fries and a tasty dessert with ice-cream. It's all vegan! We sat in a quiet corner away from the hub-hub of the restaurant- the bar side. Will definitely go back this week while I'm staying in Chester. Open a Shrub in Leeds- please! (Perhaps with fewer stairs?! Only downside to this venue is accessibility and three flights of steps to the toilets which are binary gendered.)

6 of us visited yesterday for my birthday. 4 of us had Sunday lunch and 2 had little plates. Everyone of us said how amazing the food was and can't wait to visit again. 😁

The food is all amazing. As two vegetarians and one meat eater, we all thought the food was delicious - the artichoke wings were our favourite. The total bill came to less than £20 per person and we all left stuffed so good value for money too :)

Went for lunch today. Was greeted by Anna, who took our order very quickly. Our food arrived, and it was delicious. The atmosphere was lovely, and would definitely recommend this place. Fantastic!

Exceptionally good service, great food, lovely atmosphere. Highly recommended

Beautiful bar with excellent food and drinks menu but table service outside is shocking. They won’t let you order or pay inside but leave you outside for an hour without a server. Servers occasionally bring things out but don’t look round to check on tables: Please fix this you have so much potential.

Delicious veggy food, lovely atmosphere, staff friendly, service was very attentive, then super relaxed. Very nice place to visit, only good stuff to say, had a great afternoon❤️

Amazing vegan food, great atmosphere and fantastic service from Anna whose friendly chat really added to the positive experience at Shrub.

I came for lunch, and 3 of us shared a selection of the small plates. Two us of are vegan but all 3 agreed the food was absolutely delicious. The restaurant is really lovely inside and the service was brilliant. Amelia was our main server and helped guide us through the menu, regularly checked in on us and was generally really welcoming. I'm sad I don't live in Chester so can't come back more often!

Great menu. Yummy food. Excellent drinks. Fun people watching and warm outdoor heaters! Might even go back again tomorrow!

Lovely place for cocktails on the balcony. Amelia L has been nothing but accommodating and lovely! Will definitely come here again!

Really good vegetarian and vegan food.been twice now. And enjoyed both times.

A little gem for quality and tasty food at amazingly reasonable prices. Service was excellent and a credit to all concerned.

Lovely atmosphere, really good food and all fully vegan.

One of the nicest meals I've ever had. Truly gorgeous. Highly recommend.

Service was perfect, the owner of the restaurant was a genuinely lovely guy, who really knew his stuff and was incredibly helpful with giving recommendations. The mains and sides were gorgeous, and without fault. The ONLY thing that was less than perfect was the desserts. My partner and I both got the cookie dough blondie, and unfortunately it was pretty bland, and the ice-cream has almost no taste... Which was a shame as the rest of the food and the restaurant as a whole was so so good. Strong strong recommend. Loved it.

Came in on a whim as Ive never been to Chester. The quality of everything was a cut above. Ann was informative and extremely welcoming. I'll definitely be back.

An absolute must if in Chester. Fantastic staff.... Anna was a delight. Chef Jason cooked the best food I've ever had. Can't rate it highly enough. I'm from Cornwall and would travel up again just to eat here. Well done you guys 🥰

Eat here today served by Anna with Jason the chef and although neither myself or my partner is a vegetarian or vegan this was one of the tastiest meals I have ever eaten. The courgette , potato and onion bhaji tapas dishes were nothing short of divine. Had them accompanied by hummus and red pepper tapas dishes. This place is nothing short of paradise for your taste buds , can’t recommend highly enough for anyone, vegan or otherwise. Great staff , beer was superb , lovely gallery seating and good value for money. Mike .

Lovely food, great choice, something for everyone. I had frickles and the burger, really tasty, that much so I forgot to take a picture of it! Wonderful service. It was fun sitting in the open area out front even though it was drizzly and chilly. I'll definitely be back to try the rest of the menu!

Lovely outdoor terrace overlooking the streets and rooftops of Chester. Nice atmosphere and accommodating staff when we requested a cocktail not on the menu. Good spot for later afternoon cocktail, post shopping.

An excellent meal , I had 3 small plates ( all excellent) and my husband had the burger . We sat out on the balcony and it was just warm enough . The service was excellent and the girl who served us could not have been better . ( the toilets are a bit of a trek up stairs but ask at the bar and they send you next door to the pottery place )

Naively considering the name but no idea the food was vegan until it came to order, persevered however and we had one had gnocchi and the burger plus fries, safe to say the food was really really good I would go again definitely. Additionally the staff and venue were fantastic.

The staff are knowledgeable and helpful and each and every dish was amazing. 2-3 Tapas dishes each is perfect and leaves you feeling very satisfied. One of the best of the very many vegetarian restaurants I have tried.

I went here for the first time today and I enjoyed it very much. The atmosphere was lovely the decorations were gorgeous, both of our servers were lovely and helpful. We ordered 3 starters including the balsamic vinegar and hummus and they were both delicious. I would 110% recommend and would go here again anytime :))

Came here on a random Sunday from picking my partner up from the Train Station. Was really impressed, so nice to have a full menu to choose from. We went with the Roast Dinner each and it was soo good! Deffo would recommend a roast here and we are coming back to try the small plates too.

We were so pleased to find these vegan restaurant in Chester. It does tapas style plates so you can order a few things to nibble at. It's all fresh made proper ingredients (not processed fake meat stuff). We had bhajis, char-grilled broccoli, cauliflower bites and battered pickles. The dips and sauces were really tasty - really made the meal. Nice atmosphere too with mood lighting and a spiral staircase covered in fairy lights. The toilets are a long walk upstairs.

We were thrilled to be celebrating our friends' wedding at Shrub, our first but not our last visit. The staff were friendly, patient, and helpful. The food was exceptional, every dish beautifully crafted with an explosion of flavour! A spotless venue with a relaxed atmosphere. Can you tell I loved it, and I wasn't even drunk! Thank you guys, see you again soon.

I am a meat eater so was a bit apprehensive going to a vegan restaurant. We were there for a wedding. The place is lovely and the staff very friendly. The food was out of this world. So fresh, homemade and so tasty and full of favour. Would highly recommend. Great business and keep up the good work. 5 stars well deserved.

Vegan food, health and tasty: the days when eating vegan was a sacrifice are in the past and Shrub is a perfect example of a great restaurant with plenty of choices for a nice night out. Wine list was good as well although I wish they had more Italian wines but that's just my preference.

I had a mixed experience. While the food was quite good, the wait time was excessive. I was reading and didn't immediately notice the time, but after about 30 minutes, I began to wonder if vegan food just took longer to prepare. I decided to wait a bit longer, but when people who arrived after me started getting their meals, I was understandably frustrated and asked the waitress about the delay. The manager came out and explained that there had been a "technical issue," which I appreciated. In the end, they did comp my meal, which was a nice gesture and softened the blow. However, the nearly 50-minute wait time still put a damper on the overall experience. While I enjoyed the food, the long wait made it hard to fully appreciate the meal. Hopefully, the technical issues are resolved in the future because the restaurant does have potential.

The menu was so varied & creative we wanted to try one of everything. One of the stand-out dishes we went for were the artichoke wings, which were divine. Great selection of drinks with homemade options, which brings lots of variety. Really friendly & attentive staff.

We stumbled across this place on an overnight trip to Chester…. And I’m so glad we did. The food was some of the best I’ve ever had. I live in Australia but will 100% be visiting this place again on my return visit next year…. Amazing 👌

Really tasty Vegan food using lots of interesting vegetables which were beautifully presented. Serving staff are very friendly. Drinks are quite pricey. £4.50 for a non alcoholic lager seems expensive to me. They also put a 10% service charge on so be aware(they will remove it if asked) I would definitely return. I removed one star for the expensive drink for the driver! A cheaper alternative would be great! Otherwise amazing ❤️🌽🍄🥒🥕🫑 Toilets are upstairs, quite a long walk not sure if they have disabled ones downstairs.

The best vegan food in Chester!! Such great plant-forward plates each done so well that we can’t wait to be back!

Food is fantastic, highly recommend. I had the pesto gnocchi and teriyaki tofu and it was so flavourful. I spent just under £20 for a soft drink, a small main and the side of tofu, so it's not cheap but top notch quality. Please open a branch in London!!

Delicious food and lovely atmosphere

Had a lunch time meal with my daughter and my dog. Great vegan food, friendly service from Amelia

Great drinks excellent service from zach and ella

Great food, great vibes... Everyone in there had a smile on their faces while serving us. I will be back when I visit Chester again!

The food was INCREDIBLE and good portion size considering it’s small plates. The staff were so friendly, especially Amelia who went above and beyond to make me feel welcome. She couldn’t have been more friendly and helpful. The artichoke wings were out of this world. 100% reccomend and it’s a beautiful place especially the balcony.

Absolute gem of a place, went in a on a Sunday, wife had a Sunday dinner, which she absolutely loved, i opted for the small tapas plates (ordered way too much) food was delicious, sat outside on the terrace ppl watching over Chester, service was great, highly recommend and would definitely visit again.

Gorgeous food, lovely staff and a chilled and ambient atmosphere. I can't really do it justice with this review, just go - it's beautiful!

Wow, spectacular food! I literally had to restrain myself from licking the plate after I finished the cabbage dish. Great recommendations from the servers and so well priced. Rivals our favourite london plant based restaurant.

Amazing food and service from Amelia

The food is absolutely brilliant! All of the staff are friendly and polite. Caitlin and Amelia provided excellent service. We will be going back as we want to try everything on the menu!

Anna was amazingggg. Food was soo good!

Good vegan restaurant, very friendly staff.

This was some of the best food I've had in a bit. The fact it's vegan is a bonus.

Wow! Just wow 🤩 So we’ve been wanting to come here for some time .. we was actually late.. as was travelling from St Helens.. Caitlin was so welcoming and friendly she was are waitress and what a wonderful experience she gave us! Explained all the meals and talked us through them. Food was just outstanding , atmosphere fantastic .. if you’re looking to try somewhere new give this place a try! It won’t disappoint we are already planning our next visit! Thankyou so much .

Absolutely fabulous service from Caitlin

Scran was insanely good, pretty cheap for what it is. The staff were really lovely too.

Delicious food and a nice atmosphere. The tofu was perfectly cooked and crispy on the outside! The service was great. Shout out Amelia!

Nice outdoor area (balcony on the first floor) with a view of the pedestrian zone. As far as my English understood, there are no meat dishes.

Had a lovely meal here. Food was excellent, good portion and Amelia provided great service! Definitely recommend.

Amelia delivered great service for my lovely birthday meal - best thing we had was the potato terrine which was exceptional but potato is always great! Would highly recommend and thanks Amelia for serving with a smile and answering silly questions!

Delicious food and lovely friendly service from Sophie! Highly recommend a visit.