Food for Thought (CLOSED)

This vegetarian stalwart has hardly changed in 41 years, since it opened in 1974. Is that a good thing? Students, artists, tourists and faithful vegetarians head down the narrow stairs to the basement to be greeted by the same 1970s pine furniture, cramped seating and probably almost the same menu: a vegetable curry or similar, quiche, soup and salad. That’s precisely what keeps devotees returning: guaranteed cheap, hearty food in a convivial setting (you’ll almost certainly be sharing your space with a total stranger). The meal-deals of soup and a salad for £7.20 or a hot dish and salad for £8.40 aren’t, however, quite the bargain they once were. Desserts are of the gut-busting variety yet nonetheless very good – leave plenty of room for the apple and plum crumble. Small gripes: the food isn’t always piping hot; the flavours aren’t especially exciting; and this is not a place to hang around and chat. That said, if it ain’t broke… Takeaway is available on the ground floor.