Review; The Beano Restaurant at the Guildford Institute

Published on: 5 Mar, 2016
Updated on: 5 Mar, 2016

Unassuming advertisement for the unpretentious but very classy Beano restaurant in the Guildford Institute.

It has been said before and I have no doubt that it will be said again – this independent vegetarian restaurant is still one of the best kept secrets in Guildford.

The food is freshly cooked every day, there is a wide choice, it is very tasty with generous portions and you get a main course for under a fiver!

Add onto that the splendid location of the Grade II Guildford Institute and the charming and friendly people who not only attend to you but also cook all the food themselves.

What more could you want?

The Beano is licenced and opens Monday to Saturday from 10am ‘till 3pm to serve tea, coffee and cakes with the lunch fare available from noon ‘till 2pm.

Emma-Leone Palmer presenting some of the delicious dishes on offer at the Beano.

There is no menu as such but there are six to 10 home cooked main dishes every day and a very tempting selection of puddings.

North African spiced chick pea, plum and aubergine stew with lentil and mango bake, coleslaw and a beetroot, apple, sunflower seeds and dill salad.

Most of the dishes are gluten free and there are usually two or more vegan options as well.

We had the North African spiced chick pea, plum and aubergine stew with lentil and mango bake, coleslaw and a beetroot, apple, sunflower seeds and dill salad. Delicious.

Our other main was potato and leek gratin with a helping of vegetable curry and a salad.

This was followed by meringue with cream and a superb apple crumble – not with a stodgy topping – but crispy and crumbly like it should be (but so often isn’t).

Potato and leek gratin with a helping of vegetable curry and coleslaw. In an innovative and homely way, you can ask for half portions of two main dishes so you can savour more of the variety that the Beano offers.

You can probably guess that for me, pudding is the best part of the meal. The Beano restaurant certainly does not disappoint those of us who enjoy having a sweet tooth.

“We try for variety and things in season” said Emma-Leone Palmer, who is one of the three women who manage the restaurant and cook all of the marvellous food on offer on the premises.

“I have grown up with the restaurant as my mother has been involved here for over 30 years. We get our produce from the markets locally and people even bring in their spare produce from their gardens and allotments.”

It is a unique place. I am not a Michelin Guide reviewer nor a vegetarian but this restaurant is worth five stars in anyone’s ranking.

You can find the Beano bestaurant in the Guildford Institute, Ward Street, Guildford GU1 4LH. You can’t miss the Guildford Institute, it is opposite the Guildford Library.

Contact them on 01483 562142 or email info@guildford-institute.org.uk or look at their webpage.

Emma-Leone Palmer is an artist and you can click here to view her work on her website.

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