Seashells reopens: Cyprus’ first vegan beach hotel restaurant at St Raphael Resort

Seashells, Cyprus’ first vegan beach hotel restaurant at St Raphael Resort in Limassol, is back for another vegan summer.

The beachfront restaurant, which re-opens for the season on 18 May, is a fully-vegan restaurant and offers delicious plant-based food suitable for all ages.

According to the restaurant’s website, “At Seashells Vegan & Healthy Living Sea-Side Restaurant, we believe in sustainability… not just for our business, but for our human bodies, souls and the environment. We hope that you will enjoy our carefully prepared menus that are packed full of colourful, delicious and nutritious options for all the family to enjoy.”

Its philosophy? “To offer a family friendly atmosphere on our five-star beach, where adults can relax knowing that the kids have plenty to entertain themselves with our lovely outdoor playground, all the while offering delicious and healthy food for everyone.”

“Seashells Healthy Living was born out of a dream to help reduce our footprint on the planet, to help our bodies be the healthiest they can be and to reduce animal suffering,” the people behind the restaurant say. “Cyprus as an island is now known for its famous meat dishes, however traditionally the Mediterranean diet was one full of fresh vegetables and legumes, with few meat and dairy products being served regularly. It was indeed one of the healthiest diets in the world.”

Seashells is not only Cyprus’ first hotel vegan restaurant, it is also the island’s first vegan beach restaurant and Limassol’s first fully vegan restaurant. The food centres around not so much what you can’t eat, but rather all the things you can, and all the things that will help your body thrive at its optimum level, while still maintaining delicious flavours that both Cyprus and the award winning St Raphael Resort and Marina are so famous for.

“It is, in essence, a vegan restaurant for non-vegans! While many of our customers are vegetarian or vegan, the majority are simply curious as to what the cuisine offers or looking for a healthy, lighter, plant based meal while visiting our blue flag beach, which is one of the biggest hotel beaches on the island.”

Seashells serves wraps, salads, burgers (including the Beyond Burger which tastes like meat) and desserts which are processed sugar free. Diners can also choose their own pasta – wholegrain spaghetti, conchiglie pasta or linguini – and add one of the vegan sauces: basil pesto, tomato basil, or vegan ragout.

Diners can choose from a variety of salads and nutritious bows – including the Banh Mi Noodle Bowl, with jackfruit bites, cucumber, baby spinach, carrots spiral, avocado, jalapeno, rice noodles, nori powder and cherry tomato with tahini and the Grilled “Halloumi” Salad which is rocket salad with grilled “halloumi”, dry figs, nuts brittle with agave syrup and balsamic – as well as wraps, burgers and sandwiches – such as the Spinach Wrap with Beet Hummus and Moving Mountains Hot Dog served with tomato, lettuce, gherkins, red onions, mayonnaise and popcorn, in a pretzel bun with French fries.

For those with a sweet tooth, there are a variety of healthy vegan treats, such as the Vegan Banana Muffins (banana, oats, almond flour, coconut oil, chia seeds and dates), the Raw Chocolate Tartufo or the Strawberry Lime Macadamia Raw Cheesecake, made with strawberries, dates, almonds, maple syrup, coconut oil, lime, macadamia nuts and vanilla.

And there is a Kids’ menu that includes fish fingers (fish flavoured plant-based fingers with sauce tartare, side salad and French fries and the Rainbow Luxury Mini Buns – Four mini burgers with falafel and tahini, curry chickpeas and mango chutney, tofu with quinoa and BBQ pulled jackfruit, side salad and French fries.

The restaurant is open from May until end of October, depending on weather conditions, and is a member of Vegan Welcome – Vegan Friendly Hotels.