The Queen Inn, Cwmbran in top five restaurants in the world

In 2022 The Queen Inn, in Upper Cwmbran, went 100 per cent meat-free after they saw a surge in popularity during Veganuary - when people cut meat and dairy products out of their diets during January.

Since then, the Queen Inn has gone from strength to strength by becoming ‘the world’s first plant-based steakhouse’ last year and fans travelling across the country to sample the country pub’s delights.

Now the vegan pub has entered the top five vegan restaurants in the world on HappyCow, placing them as best vegan restaurant in the UK and even the best in Europe.

The Queen Inn became 'the world’s first plant-based steakhouse’ last year (Image: The Queen Inn)

Speaking to the Argus owner Ryan Edwards said the Queen Inn is ‘busier than ever before’ with the pub aiming to be as inclusive as possible.

Mr Edwards said: “We’re busier than we’ve ever been before, having owned the business for almost 20 years. We have fans across the world, and many have travelled hours to support us.

"Every week we’ll chat to someone from Brighton, Blackpool, Scotland etc. Sometimes even other countries, which seems so surreal for such a small traditional country pub. 

“We aim to be as inclusive as possible by also being a nut-free restaurant and ensuring 25% of our menu can be gluten-free.

Tirion Healy and Ryan Edwards (Image: The Queen Inn)

“We love dogs, treating them as one of the guests, rather than an inconvenience. We offer blankets and water bowls, and have options on the menu for them like a bowl of sausages, dog-friendly ice-cream, and for our festive menu through December we offered a dog’s (vegan) turkey dinner, with stuffing, peas, and gravy. 

“Our menu often gets complaints for having too many exciting options! We always offer at least three steaks; a 3D printed flank by Redefine Meat, a gluten-free filet mignon by Juicy Marbles, and a miso and garlic cauliflower steak, for people that don’t like plant-based meats.

Outside The Queen Inn (Image: The Queen Inn)

"We also offer dishes like: Hunter’s ch*cken, l*mb doner kebab, full rack of r*bs, ch*cken and b*con carbonara, crispy chilli b*ef, b*ef lasagne, l*mb rogan josh and mac & cheese.”

The Queen Inn also serves a range of vegetable-based dishes and has released a new line of merchandise.

The Queen Inn's new merchandise (Image: The Queen Inn)

The country pub will be taking a more relaxed approach to Veganuary this year but fans can look forward to theme nights and specials later in the year.

Toni Vernelli, international head of policy and communications at Veganuary: “We all have the power to make the world a little kinder, greener and healthier this new year by trying vegan for January.

"It’s great to see The Queen Inn embracing this opportunity and continuing to providing tasty, satisfying, sustainable options for the growing number of conscious consumers.”