A new vegan pasta restaurant has opened inside the former Vertigo site

A new vegan pasta restaurant has opened in The Royal Exchange, bringing entirely plant-powered plates to Cross Street as it takes over the former Vertigo site.

Called Pastan, inside diners can expect to find a variety of handmade pasta dishes and other delicacies, all made with premium ingredients and cooked in full view of the restaurant.

Serving a fully plant-based menu, favourites include the likes of loaded, deep-fried gnocchi, Dolce Vita (vegan carbonara), Green Velvet (a pea and shallot ravioli dressed in a salsa verde) and Catalonia (black cavatelli pasta made in a rich tomato sauce, spiced with apricot harissa and rosemary).

Elsewhere, pasta fans can dig into vegan Buffalo ‘mozzarella’ as part of its Portafina starter – a vegan spin on the popular Caprese, with added tomato, basil and olive oil – or opt for a shitake caesar salad, made with pulled exotic mushrooms, cashew ‘parmesan’, deep-fried gnocchi, Heura ‘chicken’ nuggets, lardons and vegan mayonnaise.

Dishes on the menu are set to change according to the season, and Pastan has partnered up with Carbon Free Dining – an environmental initiative that enables restaurants to mitigate the environmental impact of their meals by planting life-changing fruit trees in the developing world.

Speaking on the new opening, Pastan Co-founder Jerome Ibanzes-Fawcett said: “Our love for food, fresh pasta, our concerns about sustainability, and passion for the hospitality industry was the driving force behind the creation of Pastan.

“We think Pastan will be a great addition to the already thriving vegan community in Manchester”.

Co-founders Dean Fawcett and Jerome Ibanzes-Fawcett have worked in the hospitality industry for over twenty years.

After the success of their pop-ups in Neal’s Yard in Covent Garden, Notting Hill and Bristol, they opened their first permanent restaurant in Barbican, London. In addition to their brand new Manchester site, the pair plan on opening more locations in Bristol and Brighton towards the end of 2022/ early 2023.

Read more: One of Manchester’s first vegan restaurants has closed its doors for good

Their new location, nestled in the heart of Manchester in The Royal Exchange, boasts a relaxed and cheerful vibe with aalk-ins and bookings both welcome.

To find out more and book a table, visit Pastan’s website here.

Feature image – Pastan