South Shields cafe serving up a vegan saveloy dip that's attracting customers from across the North East

Sea Change in Ocean Road launched a vegan version of the northern delicacy in May, and since then it has become one of the cafe’s best-sellers.

Manager Sarah Farrell came up with the idea after thinking about the dishes that vegan and vegetarian customers may miss and was inspired to create the vegan alternative.

"We do get a lot of vegan customers in the cafe and people have loved it,” she said.

"For people who have turned vegan or vegetarian it is something that they have missed and not been able to have.

"When I first put it on social media people were like; ‘oh, my God, I need to have one of these.’ People couldn’t believe it."

Made from a bread stottie, a vegan hotdog and pease pudding, customers can ask to have it dipped in vegan gravy or with stuffing and mustard.

And it has gone down a storm with customers from across the region who have travelled to the cafe just to get a taste of the North East favourite.

"It has been really popular and is one of our best sellers,” Sarah said.

"We have been getting people travelling from Durham and North Shields just to try it as well as the rest of our vegan menu.”

The vegan saveloy dip is a permanent fixture on the Sea Change menu, which also boasts favourites including a Vegan BLT, with vegan bacon.

The cafe also serves up weekly specials such as this week’s vegan paella with vegan chorizo.

And back in April the cafe went one step further when it introduced vegan and vegetarian 'fish' and chips for Easter weekend.

It served battered halloumi or tofu in a brioche bun with chips to ensure its vegan and vegetarian customers could get their Good Friday fix of “fish” and chips

Sarah said: “I think the vegan saveloy dip tastes just as good [as the meat version].

"I don’t know anyone else who is doing this as I don’t think it is something people have thought about.

"I’m always trying to think of things that people miss or maybe don’t think about putting together."

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