Ralphy's: Peterborough's only vegan restaurant opens doors at Westgate Arcade

Peterborough’s only fully vegan restaurant has welcomed it’s first customers this week.

Ralphy’s will be open from breakfast through to dinner seven days a week in the city centre’s Westgate Arcade.

With waffles to tempt the early birds, plus specialist teas and coffees, there are vegan savoury delights such as fried chick’n, no-beef burgers, mac n cheez, kebabs and loaded fries for the lunch and dinner guests – not to mention a selection of cocktails.

George Smith and partner Katie McShane started the venture as a takeaway from a small industrial unit in 2021 and decided to take things up a level.

George worked in the music industry, arranging tours and driving bands to gigs – but the pandemic put paid to that and he decided to do something closer to home.

Both vegans and “good home cooks” the couple set up Ralphy's Fakeaway in a tiny Fengate industrial unit in August 21, with room for a dozen sitting customers but relying on deliveries and takeaways.

"I think we were quite fortunate that we were the only fully vegan place in Peterborough at that time, and when we reopen on Thursday that will be the case once again,” said George, who put his savings into setting it all up.

“From day one when we were run off our feet and had to call in family to help, people have taken to us. I don’t think it was just that we were completely vegan either. We were a small, independent business doing something different, a bit out there. We got a good few meat eaters too, not just vegans.”

Despite the popularity, relying on takeaways and deliveries and the rising costs was holding the business back.

"It was not a nice place and not a great experience for our customers,” added George. “We wanted somewhere nice, with a bar too, and that meant looking in the city centre last year. This place was vacant and we saw its potential. It is in quite a good spot and has a really nice upstairs space that was what we were looking for, so we went for it.”

Named after the couple’s French bulldog Ralphy, the restaurant will be open 9am-11pm Sunday to Thursday, and until midnight on Fridays and Saturday, serving food until 10pm

The food operation will be concentrated downstairs – bright and fun with a huge mural immortalising Ralphy – but as it isn’t the biggest space with the kitchen there the upstairs will be brought into use too. Customers just coming in just for drinks will be accommodated upstairs – a bit more classy, with some industrial features, big windows and a parquet floor.

A trained chef will be running the kitchen and the much-loved Ralphy's menu has been expanded - with breakfast now included and some specials now permanent fixtures.