EXCLUSIVE: Chiquito embraces the global veganism trend with its biggest menu shakeup
The Mexican chain introduced 10 new items to their lineup.
Chiquito announced the launch of its new vegan menu, researched and designed to reflect consumer trends.
Aiming to provide a new take on their classic fajitas, tacos, burritos and burgers, the vegan menu is launched at the same time as a brand refresh.
Using exotic proteins including jackfruit, banana blossom, palm hearts and soya protein Oumph, the colourful menu contains four vegan starters, five main courses with side dishes, three vegan desserts and even a vegan drinks list including beer, cocktails and wine.
The new menu is available at all sites from 9 July.
“We are very fortunate that Mexican food lends itself very well to vegan and our new additions bring amazing tastes and textures, that will appeal not only to vegans but to all our guests. We are incredibly excited about this menu and firmly believe it puts us at the forefront of vegan dining in the UK,” Chiquito managing director Angelo Gabrilatsou said in an announcement.
Speaking to QSR Media, a spokesperson for the brand clarified that no items that had vegan options were removed in place of the new menu.
Aside from the global trend towards veganism, Chiquito says the menu was also a result of customers’ inquiries in the past about “not offering enough choice for those who wanted to have vegan options.”
“As customers start to make more informed food choices around the impact on climate change, animal welfare and health, we believe it’s our role to make sure we are on top of offering the option and helping lead the way for Mexican cuisine,” the spokesperson explained.
The chain says that this is also the first time that they developed products that are specifically vegan.
“Previously, we only had items on menu that could be made vegan by swopping or removing ingredients, but for this we built the recipes from scratch with vegan in mind.”
Chiquito also expressed confidence that non-vegans will also enjoy their items, including their Banana Blossom Burger.
“It’s crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, and is completely new to the UK casual dining market. People who have tried often said “I could be vegan with this”, which is very encouraging,” the spokesperson said. “Our primary goal is to appeal to vegan customers who might not expect Chiquito to have such a strong vegan offering, but we also believe that the products have strong enough appeal to also encourage non-vegan customers to try something new.”
Listed below is the full menu:
- Vegan Nachos (£6.49) - Loaded with guacamole, Pico de Gallo salsa, Violife vegan cheddar-style cheese and Oatly creamy oat fraiche.
- Banana Blossom Croquette (£7.19) - Flakey, flavour-filled croquettes served with Oatly creamy oat fraiche and side salad
- Sweet Potato Skins (£5.89) - Sweet potato skins topped with five bean chilli, Violife Cheddar-style cheese, Pico de Galla salsa, guacamole and Oatly creamy oat fraiche.
- Cassava Fries (£6.49) - Fried Cassava root, cut into thick chips and loaded with jackfruit (South Western, Indian fruit tree) chilli, Pico de Gallo salsa, and Violife vegan cheddar style cheese.
- Vegaritto (£11.69) - Salty smokey Oumph (plant based product made from beans), black beans, jalapeño slaw, rice and greens wrapped in a spinach tortilla. Served with a side salad, tortilla chips and a side of Oatly creamy oat fraiche.
- Jackfruit Baja Tacos (£5.99) - Jackfruit chilli filled tacos topped with Violife vegan cheddar-style cheese, guacamole and Pico de Gallo Salsa.
- Banana Blossom Burger (£14.49) - Flakey, flavour-filled banana blossom (tear shaped flowers at the end of banana bunches) patty topped with jalapeño slaw, greens and Violife vegan cream cheese alternative in a sourdough bun. Served with a side of cassava fries.
- Palm Heart Baja Bowl (£13.99) - Palm Hearts (palm tree vegetable), pulses, black beans, greens and rice topped with jalapeño slaw. Served in a pull apart spinach tortilla bowl.
- Vegan Fiesta Fajita (£12.99) - All of the favourite flavours from Chiquito’s classic fajitas filled with smokey salty oumph. Served with Violife vegan cheddar-style cheese and Oatly creamy oat fraiche.
- (Sides - Rice (£2.99), Citrus Salad (£2.99), Sweet Potato Fries (£3.99), Skin on Fries (£3.49).
- Ice Cream And Sorbet (£2.19 one scoop, trio £4.49) - Passion fruit sorbet or coconut ice cream
- Churros With Chocolate Sauce (£4.99) - Our favourite churros served with a vegan chocolate sauce.
- Chocolate Coconut Lava Cake (£5.99) - Served warm with a melting top and choice of coconut ice cream or passion fruit sorbet.
