With climate change and eco-friendly living a more prominent issue than ever before, many of us are looking for ways to be more eco-conscious in our daily lives. Luckily, Norwich is a city that has embraced green living, and there are loads of great businesses where you can shop or eat with the knowledge that you are doing good for the environment.
Want to know more? Well here’s our round-up of some of the best eco-conscious businesses in Norwich.
Re.Source, Timber Hill
Re.Source on Timber Hill is an absolute must-visit for anyone interested in more sustainable shopping. A low-waste vegan general store and cafe, it’s also one of the first zero waste cafes in the country – running a kitchen that doesn’t use a bin. It’s the perfect place to have a mooch and a sit down with a nice organic cup of tea.
The shop’s big attraction is its unpackaged goods range, meaning that you can go along with your own tupperware or glass jars to refill food, and there’s no nasty plastic packaging! There’s also sustainable ranges of homeware and gifts, and Re.Source also hosts workshops and classes, such as yoga.
Rainbow Wholefoods, Davey Place
Having recently moved into a new, bigger home on Davey Place, Rainbow Wholefoods is conveniently located right in the heart of the city. The shop was opened in 1976, making it one of the longest established wholefood shops in the country! It’s no surprise then with all that experience that it’s an award-winning shop with a fantastic range of vegetarian, GM free and organic food. With over 2,500 products in store, we’re sure you’ll be able to find what you’re looking for!
Buying and repurposing old furniture and clothes is a fantastic way to help the environment (and get your hands on a ton of stylish stuff too). And in Norwich, you’ll be able to find a vintage or antiques shop on pretty much every street in the city. Our top picks have to be Norwich Market for great vintage fashion pieces, Magdalen Street for antique, collectables and upcycling furniture finds, and The Lanes for locally sourced and created goods sold by a range of independent shops.
Vintage and antique shopping at Loose’s on Magdalen Street
You don’t have to stick purely to vintage or thrifted clothing to make eco-friendly shopping choices. In fact, more and more high-street chains are creating sustainable ranges, so you can still go to your old favourites to get that wardrobe refresh you’ve been looking for.
Head over to Chantry Place, and you’ll be able to find a host of recognisable names with some great products. The H&M Conscious Collection ensures at least 50% of a piece is made from more sustainable materials, like organic cotton or recycled polyester. As part of a continued effort to become more sustainable, Zara has its Join Life range, where all garments are produced using processes and raw materials that help to reduce their environmental impact. In 2020, 35% of products available from Zara were part of the range. Plus, all of their stores collect used clothes for free, which are donated to not-for-profit companies which will help to reuse or recycle them.
More and more high-street chains are developing sustainable ranges. Pictured: Chantry Place Shopping Centre
The Tipsy Vegan, Benedict Street
One of the easiest ways we can help the environment is by opting for vegetarian or vegan food. This doesn’t mean you need to become a vegetarian full time if you don’t want to – just swapping out one or two meals a week with a veggie option is a great way to make a contribution. And there are plenty of fantastic restaurants in Norwich that will make it a really easy change to make! At The Tipsy Vegan, there’s a range of world inspired dishes, with a focus on small plates and sharing boards. The ideal place for a relaxed dinner with family or friends, our favourite item on the menu has to be the shredded mushroom tacos. Yum.
Namaste Village, Queens Road
If you love authentic Indian food, Namaste Village has to be top of your list. This family-run restaurant serves up vegan and vegetarian food from different regions in India, which is not only delicious but healthy too! The menu also has a huge range of Gluten Free options as well, so it can cater for pretty much everyone. We love the street food options on the menu, and in particular the street food tasting platter which lets you try two dishes for only £10.95.
Namaste Village, Norwich
Veggie Options
You don’t need to go to a vegetarian or vegan only restaurant to find more eco-friendly dishes. There are plenty of places that include sumptuous veggie and vegan options as part of the menu. Bill’s is a brilliant brunch location, with a vegan breakfast, garden breakfast, smashed avocado on toast and more to enjoy. For a fine dining experience, why not head to The Ivy? We love the sound of the twice baked cheese souffle for starters and the tossed Asian salad for the mains. Or for some fun to have with your food, you can head to Bowling House, and enjoy a game after devouring some vegan fully loaded fries or some spicy bean chilli nachos.
The Ivy, Norwich
Green Frog Taxis
You might not think of getting around by Taxi as something that’s eco-friendly, but that’s not always the case. Green Frog Taxis is the only taxi company in Norwich with a hybrid only fleet. One of the great things about Norwich is that you can easily walk anywhere in the city, but for those longer journeys, it’s great to have an eco-friendly option to rely on.
Beryl Bikes
If you want to go really eco-friendly, but need a bit more speed than walking can provide, you can hire a Beryl Bike or Electric Scooter to get around. Did you know Beryl Bike bays are all over Norwich and you can hire out bikes from as little as £12 per day? Great for if you need to get somewhere quickly, want a greener way to get to work each day, or just fancy a bike ride around the city to take in the sights.
Beryl Bikes
