Megafauna is an independent vegan café in Southport started by Chef Ben who has been Vegan for over 10 years. Megafauna started in 2017 as a small producer making cakes and catering for events. In 2018 Ben found the first official home for the business, nestled within the independent shops on the beautiful Wesley street in Southport.
Megafauna café opened its doors to a sell out day on the 1st July 2018. Serving unique vegan sandwiches, fresh and seasonal salad, gluten free cakes and of course our famous brownies.
Meatless Movement recently had a chat with Ben. He told Meatless Movement that Megafauna’s aim is to educate and inspire people. To demystify a plant based lifestyle so that anyone can enjoy it regardless of their own personal lifestyle choices.
Ben became vegan because he started to learn about how damaging the meat industry is on the environment and our own health. Ethically modern practices suddenly seemed so barbaric and unnecessary and he realised that he didn’t want to directly contribute to it anymore.
Please tell us more about yourself
I have been vegan for 11 years making the switch after watching the cove and questioning how strange it was that people would be eating dolphin whilst admiring the very same animals. This led me to questioning all of the ‘normal’ perceptions of what food is and should be. I am a passionate and creative chef and love having the opportunity to show people how good vegan food can really be.
Anything you can think of where you want amazing vegan food and we will be there
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Visit our unique vegan cafe in the heart of Southport
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Megafauna is an independent vegan café in Southport. Our aim is to educate and inspire people to eat more vegan food. Our food is made fresh, uses seasonal and local produce where possible and is all cruelty free. Megafauna was started by Chef Ben in 2017 as a small producer making cakes and catering for events. Megafauna café opened its doors on the 1st July 2018 in a little site on a gorgeous independent street in southport. Our community and customer base grew so much that we decided it was time to find a new home to upgrade into our new site in August 2021 doubling our seating space and offering a more exciting and extensive menu. One of the joys of our new venue is that we are able to host private dining events with bespoke menus. These range from Christmas dinners, veganuary events and most recently mothers day Afternoon tea.
Serving all your favourite sandwiches, toasties and treats 10-4 Monday to Sunday
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Megafauna is fully vegan cafe with a menu full of classic cafe options with vegan twists. Set in the Southport’s historic Cambridge Arcade you will be welcomed with the smells of our freshly baked bread, cakes and locally roasted coffee. Sit amongst our plants whilst you read from our library of vegan cookbooks and magazines to inspire your next meal. At the weekend you can really treat yourself with our vegan takeaway, serving stacked burgers, loaded fries and Shakes.
Sometimes when you are in the thick of it you forget to appreciate things you walk past everyday
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After working and cooking in omni establishments for so long I wanted to open a place that reflected my own ethics in veganism and sustainability as well as showing people what vegan food can really be like.
Omellete – our chickpea flour omelettes are a firm favourite, especially among our gluten free customers. With a selection of fillings and cheeses.
Mega Breakfast – satisfying the hungry and hungover. Reminiscent of the full English breakfasts we used to love featuring our own scrambled tofu and toasted sourdough.
Golden hummus sandwich – our signature golden hummus served in fresh bread with grated carrot and crisp salad leaves. Hummus like you’ve never seen before.
Chicken and sweetcorn sandwich – using our own homemade chicken seitan and megafauna mayo. A great vegan replacement for a classic sandwich.
Seasonal salad – our seasonal salads have always been popular. Showcasing seasonal produce and gluten free grains. Always changing and always fresh. Finished with our famous golden hummus.
Thank you to everyone who has supported us not just this year but since our beginnings on Wesley street.
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Megafauna is the name for the class of animals over 1 ton in weight. Nearly all of which are herbivores. We believe that humans individually are not megafauna but as a species we have a responsibility to live like these animals. Being able to grow big and strong from plants whilst living in harmony and symbiosis with nature and the environment around us.
Since opening in 2018 several of our regular customers have had children. We have had the privilege to see these young people grow up from, tiny babies into little people coming to our cafe and enjoying our food. One little vegan comes in especially for a pasty and whilst only being able to say a few words, ‘Ben’ and ‘pasty’ are two he has a firm grip on.
“But what about bacon!!?”
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There is the conflicting misconception that vegan food us both boring, ‘its just leaves and tofu’, or something completely unusual and impossible to recreate at home. We educate and explain through our food showing people how delicious it can be through recognisable menu options with simple and accessible vegan replacers for meat, eggs and dairy.
We are becoming more aware that the current process of producing food is not sustainable for the planet nor is it healthy for us. The answer is quite clearly veganism as a resolution for both of these problems. As people become more aware of either situation they are beginning to realise that they cannot continue contributing to the current status quo.
We don’t all need to go vegan, but we all do need to become more conscious of what we are eating, how it is made and where it comes from. The first steps for anybody should be to cook more at home from scratch using real food.
Megafauna
Restaurant
🌱Vegan Tummy-Filler
🌱Open 7 days 10-4
🌱Kitchen closes at 3
🌱Southports longest running vegan cafe
🌱Dog Friendly
📞01704 807990