Winter gets a plant-based twist as The Vegan Chef unveils exciting menu items

As temperatures begin to drop, many restaurants begin revamping their menus to suit the colder season, and one of Johannesburg’s popular vegan eateries, The Vegan Chef, is doing just that.

Known for its creative plant-based offerings, the restaurant has introduced a range of new winter menu items designed to bring warmth, comfort and bold flavour to customers while staying true to its environmentally conscious values.

The latest additions include potato samosas, a plant-based butter chickn or beans bunny chows, carrot cake and freshly baked scones served with plant-based cream and jam , all aimed at giving customers more variety during the colder months.

Speaking to Time Out Johannesburg, Chef Su explained that the menu focuses on comfort food with a unique vegan spin, offering dishes customers would not typically find elsewhere.

“It’s a very comfort-food sort of menu that you cannot get anywhere else because you can’t get a creamy sauce option like the butter chicken in a plant-based format,” said Chef Su.

While the official launch was planned for 1 June, chef Su says customer demand brought the new menu items forward sooner than expected.

“We were going to launch it on the 1st of June, and while we were doing trials in store, customers kept walking in asking, 'Can we have a taster?' I realised this was not going to reach the 1st of June,” she said.

Chef Su also highlighted the carrot cake as an early customer favourite.

“It’s such a winner. It has such a beautiful spice element to it,” she said.

Speaking on the bunny chow she added that the dish is especially hearty and perfect for winter.

“The bunny is so filling - you definitely have to bring your appetite for it.”

The addition of scones to the menu was inspired by the restaurant’s successful Mother’s Day high tea event.

“We did a high tea for Mother’s Day and it was a really high-end experience for the customers. We made scones with cream and jam on them and everybody loved it so much. That gave us the idea to launch it on the winter menu as well,” she said.

Chef Su also spoke about the challenge of staying innovative in the vegan food space and constantly creating dishes that feel both exciting and accessible.

“It’s really tough in our market because we’re breaking boundaries. You’ve got to create all these plant-based dishes. The menu has to stay innovative, and I think that’s what customers really appreciate,” she said.

For Johannesburg diners looking for a comforting winter meal with a plant-based twist, The Vegan Chef’s latest menu might be worth adding to the list this season.