In its U.K. home base, Pret A Manger met customers’ calls for more vegan and vegetarian options in a big way—by launching a veggie-only location in London last year. Its success spawned a second veg-only unit there in June. While Pret A Manger hasn’t committed to a similar concept in the U.S., it did use a temporary version—a one-day pop-up in New York City last spring—to test new plant-focused items for its American menu before rolling them out as part of an effort to offer a wider range of vegetable-centric dishes here. Among the 20 items tested (including imports from the veg-only menus overseas), a vegan banh mi was a top choice of the NYC patrons.
Miso Sweet Potato Banh Mi
The sandwich repurposes miso-marinated roasted sweet potatoes with a maple glaze, an umami-rich ingredient that Pret originally developed for its Balance Box line of grain bowls. Pickled vegetables, present in traditional banh mi, are made in-house by marinating cabbage, carrot and cucumber in a vinegar mixture. The fresh-baked bread is spread with vegan mayonnaise that’s blended with a spicy chipotle sauce, eliminating the extra step of adding sliced jalapenos.
Smart swaps
| Instead of... | Try this... |
|---|---|
| Pork belly and liver pate | Sweet potatoes |
| Egg-based mayonnaise | Vegan mayonnaise |
| Fresh jalapenos | Chipotle sauce |
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.