Simple Goodness

Nestled in the corner of Penrith’s Devonshire Arcade, you’ll find Simple Goodness. This little foodie haven is a café and takeaway bistro, styling itself as “delicious, sustainable, vegan”.

The menu consists of hearty vegan main courses, or lighter lunches such as soups, salads and sandwiches. Why not try a vegan salad bowl, filled with roasted vegetables, as well as grains and pulses? Or, on chillier days, warm yourself up with a chickpea curry, or a lentil cottage pie with root vegetable mash.

Naturally, no café would be complete without a selection of baked goods, from coconut oatmeal cookies, to rich cheesecakes – all vegan, too, of course. The cakes and traybakes vary, depending what’s been baked each day, so it’s worth checking to see what’s fresh.

If you want to take the weight off your feet, there’s plenty of seating inside. The café feels bright and airy, with its clean and simple décor. It might feel counter-intuitive to have a vegan café in the middle of sheep country, in a town whose history is so closely entwined with farming – but Simple Goodness is often bustling with locals, especially around lunchtime, which means you can enjoy the friendly atmosphere of the café while you eat.

Alternatively, Simple Goodness offers a takeaway service, for those who want to eat on the go. The café is also perfectly situated for this, as it’s just a stone’s throw from St Andrew’s churchyard, which includes a grassy and planted-up area with plenty of benches for sitting on and watching the world go by. (The churchyard is also home to the mysterious Giant’s Grave: one of the town’s historical novelties.)

Simple Goodness strives to be eco-friendly. The ingredients are sustainably sourced, using local and organic produce where possible, and the café uses recyclable packaging for its takeaways.