Twelve Eatery named on TripAdvisor Best of the Best list

Twelve Eatery, in Bournemouth's Triangle, has been named as the fourth best vegetarian restaurant in the UK on the TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Best of the Best.

The restaurant, which opened in December 2018, aims to provide nutrient-dense plant-based food, for everyone.

Run by business partners Greg Rush and Dalton Mello, the pair said it is ‘overwhelming’ to receive the recognition the restaurant has had.

Greg said the recognition was unexpected, but they strive to ‘keep ahead of our game’.

“Being one step ahead of yourself, we’re always in constant meetings about how we can come up with new innovations with regards to food, taste, texture,” he said.

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“When we’re recognised for that, firstly [we feel] gratitude, very humble, and how can you improve on that, basically.

“It’s about creating something new, creating that buzz, getting the excitement. That’s part of our enjoyment in our work here.”

Greg and Dalton first began searching for a restaurant site in 2016. They were working in London and looking at the south coast for the right location.

“In some ways, Bournemouth found us as rather than we found Bournemouth,” Dalton said.

“Once we came to Bournemouth, we had this business called Twelve, we found the premises where we are today, and the address is number 12, the Triangle.

“We couldn’t not jump into it. When the universe is shouting in your face, just do it.”

The location which had previously been a chicken shop was in a ‘horrendous state’, but the pair poured their ‘blood, sweat and tears’ into renovating it.

After it opened, the restaurant quickly became recognised as one of the finest vegan restaurants, not only in the UK but the world.

Twelve aims to show people that vegan food can be nutritious and tasty. All its dishes are made from scratch and from fresh ingredients on site.

“I think everyone has become more aware of their impact on the environment,” Greg said. “I think there are a lot of people out there, that are maybe doing meat-free Mondays, or they’re aware of what they’re putting into their bodies so they are consuming less animal products.

“The great thing with Twelve is we are becoming known as the place to go, to try vegan food. I couldn’t be more blessed with that.”

Dalton added: “The amazing thing is the people that come to try, they keep coming back.”

Looking forward, the restaurant is ‘opening up for ideas of expansion’.

“We have several sister businesses in the back of the drawer, ready to be launched with our Twelve brand,” Dalton said.

“For us, it’s really important that the right people understand why we are doing this and where we want to go.

“The ethos is really important. Having the investment from the people who understand the journey and where we’re going to.

“We’re not desperate, we know the right time will come and the right people will come.”

In the meantime, Twelve will continue to ‘work endlessly to create nutrient-dense food from plants’, launching a new lunch menu and a Sunday roast.

“We couldn’t be more grateful, more excited about the future of Twelve,” Dalton said.

“I think for every business it’s really beautiful to see the evolution happening, and it’s exciting to change and evolve in every possible way.”

The Daily Echo is running a mini-series highlighting some of the best achievements and stories from the hospitality sector in and around Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. 

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