Vitaorganic, Soho, London

Prices OK, food presentation and service good. The main dishes didn't impress my to much. Some were creative, but most lacked some "kick". What impressed my most is the mostly sugar free deserts e.g. like Espresso Browne without added sugar dairy and no gluten! That sucker was the best Brownie I've had in my life!!! They also have a very large range of good and healthy drinks like tea (no-bags!!), milk shakes (soja, oat and almond nut milk), cocktails, etc...

The selection of food on offer at Vita Organic is really impressive, BUT, if you're after the fill-your-plate-for-six-quid deal, make sure you don't arrive after 6ish as they don't replenish the self-serve area in the evening.

Don't despair if you happen to drop in after this time though, as there's generally plenty still available on the main counter area where you can pick-n-mix portions of food for £2 per serving.

They have a large variety of hot and cold food available, normally including dishes like vegan coleslaw, harrisa paella, tofu, steamed bread to name a few. They also offer an array freshly-blitzed fruit/veggie smoothies.

It's a casual, hippy-esque dininig affair on the whole and not somewhere you should be scared to go on your own.

I stumbled across this place fairly late one night. It actually looks more like a cafe and I was happy to see it still open.
Entering Vita Organic is a bit like time travel and it's really refreshing seeing an alternative place like this doing so well in the heart of Soho. It's dark and cosy with world music playing in the background.
The menu and prices will probably take several visits to work out. There are signs all over the place. We eventually figured out that you can either opt for a help-yourself buffet (there was nothing much left at this time of night, but probably extremely popular at lunchtime) or a selection of warm and cold dishes which are sold by the scoop (£2 each).
Staff were friendly but also a bit inept. We were disappointed to learn that the coffee machine was off - after a long discussion by the counter about which ones we would like ... very disappointing as I have never tried a cappuccino made with almond milk before.
None of this will put me off coming here again whenever I get a chance. We left in a good mood and feeling healthy.

I went for the first time to Vitaorganic on a Saturday afternoon with a friend of mine. I know from other veggie places that Soho is quiet expensive, but £4.50 for a piece of chocolate cake is in my opinion a bit too high. I was a bit confused, because it said on the board that it would cost £5.50 for a plate but we ended up paying about £18.00 for two plates, because the price applies only during the week, as we were told. The food was delicious, the staff was friendly even though the guy who served us was a bit difficult to understand. The food looked very fresh and delicious, and it tasted great. We ordered two freshly squeezed orange juices which were delicious as well. The place is a bit tiny and the feeling was more like being in a Canteen, because tables and chairs are very close together.
In my opinion its a nice alternative to other places.

I ended up visiting this place twice in one day - for lunch with a foodie friend and after work with a vegan friend.

Lunch - the buffet:
staff was not very friendly during lunchtime and the selection at the buffet was rather disappointing - about 4 bowls of food were empty and no one seemed to be bothered about stocking up the buffet.

The food was either cold or rather lukewarm and ranged, taste-wise, from 'average' to 'would be not too bad if it were hot'.

You do manage to get quite a bit of food piled on your plate (during your one 'unlimited' trip to the buffet) but the overall experience was rather average, although price-wise it was on the inexpensive side for a sit-down meal in Soho (4.80 for a plate full of food).

After work - the 'pound a scoop':
I walked in with my vegan friend and - lo and behold - the bowls at the buffet that were empty at lunchtime were still empty, along with a few other bowls that still had some food in them at lunchtime. But not to worry, this was going to be a 'pound-a-scoop' session. I had the shepherd's pie, vegan stroganoff, and something with mushrooms, all from the scoop counter.

Again, the food could have been hotter but I quite enjoyed the shepherd's pie, made with sweet potato. The vegan stroganoff and the mushroom dish were not bad either.

My vegan friend knows the place from before it moved to its current soho location and said that the staff used to be lovely and there used to be raw menu options (no sign of that on either visit). She wondered if the original owner was no longer - until he walked in so I guess he is still in charge. Or perhaps he was just visiting.

If you need a vegan fix this is not the worst option and I do tip my hat to the wheat-free policy.

But, in case the owners of VitaOrganic read Qype reviews, I suggest that they look at the change in Qype ratings that can be observed: from 4-5 stars throughout 2008 to 2-4 stars in 2009.

Something has obviously changed over the past year, may it be the owner or the staff's passion for what VitaOrganic is supposed to stand for - it seems as if it is not what it used to be, which is reflected in the Qype ratings.

I give it 2 stars for the unfriendly staff and inability of such staff to re-stock the buffet over the course of 5 hours.

Seating awfully cramped.

The staff don't really get the point of customer service. Please explain rationale of "one trip only unlimited buffet"? [shouldn't the young lady in question have said "one trip only buffet - as much as one could fit on to one plate during that one trip" and to young lady in question, yes, you did use the word "unlimited" so please do not deny it]

Disappointed. The food was just about okay. It was mostly quite gloppy.

I guess this is the type of place you should head to if you are the intended target market. Otherwise you may find it quite ludicrous spending one month's pay on a plate of vegetables. Yes, nicely presented, colourful vegetables, but vegetables none the less. While I appreciate the idea of healthy eating and catering for those on the path of vegan and vegetarianism, I have had better vegetarian food elsewhere, and certainly at a better price.

The decor is pretty cool and fits in with the theme and the juice bar means you can top up with the latest seaweed and grass root magic juice that will detox the hell out of any body. Probably something to keep in mind post the devilish Christmas season, but unless you're veggie all the way, there are better things to do with your zak (cash).

This is the type of place that is hippie to its plant decorated core, and I enjoyed it!
With three food options- hot, raw and cold, or Asian style mix of both on offer I felt a bit spoiled for choice. Nothing was over £5 for a full plate- and the buffet style came with the recommendation that you 'make sure to fill your plate up high'. How could I help feeling welcome?
The seats are itty bitty, but the shop is a tight fit so it suited the place- I'm thinking if you eat here often enough you're really thin anyway so it wouldn't bother you!

Once discovered this is a destination anyone looking for vegetarian, vegan or live/raw food should keep in their little black book. It's healthy and prices are very reasonable.

We've tried the various types of food here and everything has been consistently good. I like the decor (natural, bamboo, eclectic) and the vibe and the people who come here are also interesting sorts. My kinda place.

Freshly made smoothies are just incredible and the natural coffee susbstitute thingies were actually very tasty, but it's the desert/cake goodies that I eventually found space for that were a real shocker - in a very good way. I was just not expecting to be as bowled over by something as healthy as this.

Preconceptions knocked solidly, so in addition to my fresh drink and main meal I will have to add desert now too. It all goes into a good skin?

Vita Organics offer consistent vegetarian meals in Soho. Surprisingly, it’s not easy to find a good veggie meal in London so this is a really wonderful little place. I like the feel of the restaurant, and yes that is with the hippie vibe that people often refer to. Personally I like it.

But what I don’t like is the snotty attitude of the staff. Also they are slightly stingy with the portions. Though I like eating there, I really don’t enjoy the people who work there which is why there are two less stars…

The quality of the food is high though and is a very healthy option!

You know the way people describe someone who they don’t really like but feel bad about slagging them off? This is how I feel about VitaOrganic. I mean, I shouldn’t: we’re ina recession, their food is filling and economical. It’s as untaxing on the planet as one could imagine, so any of the usual bad stuff people say about 'fast food’ goes out of the window where this eaterie is concerned. It has a lovely, wholesome mis-en-scene about it, like you’ve left London for a bit and landed in Portland Oregon or something. So why do I dislike it so?

Gawd, the food is underwhelming! Sludgy, to be precise. Almost stereotypical of what a meat eater would expect veggie food to look and taste like, bland, overdone. It made me sad. Not least as I was looking for some last minute fuel after an evening in the office. The raw bar was diverse and he portions generous, but ultimately suffered the same affliction; dressings not punchy enough, veggies not very flavoursome, not enough colour. Sorry guys. I really wanted to like you!

It’s easy to miss this little haven of health on busy Wardour Street but it’s well worth a visit for hearty, warming stews, curries, dhals and salad served with quinoa or rice. Food is charged for by the scoop with choices changing daily and everything is extremely tasty, vegan and raw - which doesn’t mean literally raw, but cooked at 46°C or less to avoid destroying essential vitamins and other nutrients.

There’s a definite sense of goodness and wellbeing in the food, a sort of earthiness that makes me feel a little bit more healthy with every mouthful - but there’s nothing dull about the experience. The restaurant gets busy quickly as there aren’t loads of tables, so it’s quite a lively place to eat with an eclectic mix of people stopping by. Once your plate is clean there’s plenty of opportunity for dessert, with some really good (though expensive) cakes on offer, served with vegan cream if you like.

I always leave Vitaorganic patting my tummy with pleasure, nicely full up but secure in the knowledge that everything I’ve just put in my body is working to do good things. That can be a pretty rare feeling!

Vitaorganic is located on Wardour street, in the heart of the Soho. Once inside there is not a lot of space, several tables and the counter at the back. The decoration is nice, I like the shade lamps hanging from the ceiling. The food is very good and the price depends on the amount of food that you order because they weigth your order before you pay.
THe drinks are very nice and they serve several varieties of juices very tasty. They also have matcha green tea that I have not found in a lot of places in London.
The prices are average on the cheap side and it is a good option to make a rest if you are near to the Soho.

Vitaorganic is a little cramped, shabby and basic inside and reminds me of the way that vegetarian and vegan restaurants used to be – but that is no bad thing as the “brown” food here is excellent and makes me feel great after eating it. You pay per scoop from the buffet and the choice is wide and portions decent. Attracts a crowd of fellow minded people so great too relax in and big windows to watch the world go by outside. Other people’s desserts looked well worth trying – I felt too full on my visit to have a go with these, but next time I’ll leave the space…

Great little restaurant that leaves me feeling like I’ve had a health boost. There aren’t many organic restaurants around never mind organic and vegan, and wheat-free and dairy-free and guilt-free and all bad things-free. I’ve eaten off the menu and from the counter and can’t decide which is better. It’s all so tasty. They have a great menu of vitamin packed smoothies and it explains what each one is good for. I was even able to have a lovely yummy chocolate cake during one of my detox diets! It’s chirpy cheap too!

So excited to have been introduced to this place through my Qype buddies, another brilliant vegetarian restaurant in central London. Bring it on!! Lots of different unusual dishes to choose from and fill your big plate with… and something I didn’t realise until half way through the meal was that it’s actually all VEGAN food - but don’t let this put you off! This place really is worth checking out, especially if you’re in need of some vitamins and want to get something wholesome inside you. Great food in a fun area of town - top notch.

An absolute gem of a healthy food eatery in Soho. With so many great restaurants in the area, it easy to pass this place by. However, you’ll be hooked once you’ve eaten there.

It’s completely dairy, wheat and sugar free. You either choose as many dishes as you like from the bar - curries, salads, etc - or order a la carte from the raw menu. It’s friendly and cheap.

The smoothies are absolutely to die for, but best of all are the desserts - goji berry cake and raw chocolate muffins with “cream”. They taste divine and are completely guilt-free!

I often used to come here after a workout. It’s a great way to supercharge your day.

Vitaorganic is fantastic. What a great find on Wardour street. This is the first vegan restaurant i have ever been to and amazingly i don’t think it will be the last. I love my meat and ordinarily i would never dream of eating in such a place, but for some reason i felt drawn to this place today and i was not disappointed. 4 scoops of vegan delights will set you back about £6 (plenty of food) and i’d recommend one of the fruit smoothies on offer. My mushroom stroganoff, lentil mix and rice was really very good. Am i turning into a hippy?

Highly recommended. I’ll be coming back!

Vitaorganic is a treasure. Given that I am a staunch carnivore, it is high praise indeed that this vegetarian dream is one of my favourite places to eat in London! Immediately chilled, relaxed and unpretentious it is a welcome escape from the hustle and bustle of Soho. The food is sold by the (generous) scoop, allowing you to be as greedy as you wish without feeling wasteful. The attention to detail is impressive, with the slow-cooking methods and ethical ingredients proudly proclaimed on the menus. So much thought goes into the food that you cant help but feel healthy afterwards. Top it off with the delicious smoothies that work on your body according to your needs - perfect detox fodder…

Vitaorganic has the best vegan mushroom stroganoff I've ever tasted; the sauce is creamy and well-prepared. Mushroom stroganoff is quite an interesting meal to make as my friend and I tried and failed to prepare it once. Their food options are plentiful and vary from tofu stir fries to curries and vegetable dishes. The indoor atmosphere is cozy and quite busy. The staff is very knowledgeable.