The Monument | Canterbury's first all vegan pub

Donner kebab and "The Monumental Burger"

It was my birthday this month, which finally gave me an excuse to visit The Monument in Canterbury. This cozy pub recently had a change of management, and with it a change of ethics - it's now completely vegan!

The new owners have outdone themselves with the food. They've managed to create vegan versions of pub favourites, including burgers and hot dogs. In doing this, they're created a menu which rivals the great vegan junk-food establishments such as V Rev in Manchester. Just have a look for yourself! The faux meat they use comes from the brand Sgaia Foods, who have won multiple awards for their products. They also use local products, including hot sauce which is produced in Maidstone.

The interior is clean and modern, and there are plenty of tables to choose from. They have a nice beer garden which feels far removed from the main road the pub is set on. They even have a pub cat, although it seemed to want to avoid us. The location is a little bit inconvenient from the city centre, but is in the perfect place if you're visiting the University of Kent campus.

For our visit, we decided to go all-out. I ordered a doner kebab, and my partner ordered a "Monumental Burger" which comes with a number of toppings including "bacon" and "cheese". I tried some of the bacon and it was so realistic in taste it was a bit scary! The doner was the best I've had, and came with garlic mayo which was beyond words. The portion sizes are huge as the mains come with salad and chips - definitely good value for money.

We also tried some of their cocktails, which were great. They have a rotating special cocktail; when we visited, it was an Easter-themed one which uses chocolate Oatly. There is also an excellent range of desserts, but we were too full to try them!

Overall, I'd give The Monument a solid 9/10 and definitely recommend visiting! I hope to visit a lot more when I am in Canterbury more regularly for my final year of university.