ST HELENS' first vegan restaurant is set to open its doors tomorrow – and here is an an exclusive sneak peek inside.

Phoenix Plant Based Eatery on Corporation Street, opposite the Theatre Royal, will be unveiled tomorrow, Saturday, November 18, offering tasty meals aimed at turning people’s ideas of vegan food “on its head”.

From afternoon tea, sandwiches and soups to delicacies inspired by Asian dishes and Sunday roasts, there will be plenty on the menu at Phoenix, which is the lifelong dream of proud owner Ann-Marie Owens.

Ann-Marie, 50, who is also boss of Phoenix Apparel, a vintage clothing company now housed above the restaurant alongside other independent businesses, said: “I wanted to open somewhere like this because I was fed up of not being able to find food I could eat.

“I’ve been a vegan for 10 years and there is a misconception that it’s bland food, but it isn’t.

“We want to change people’s perception of plant-based foods so that everyone can come and enjoy it.

“We open tomorrow with a limited menu but in the next two weeks we will be offering lots of things you wouldn’t even think of such as Sunday Roasts and Indian food and it will be a seasonal menu.

“It’s about offering something for the people in St Helens that they haven’t had before – our Vintage Fairs we’ve been running at the town hall have been such a success so that inspired me to go for it.

“I hope everyone loves it as much as we do.”

The venue has had a complete refurbishment since the mum-of-two took it over three months ago, and is full of vintage and contemporary furniture, reclaimed wood signage by Retro Chimps and a beautiful stairway full of vintage mirrors.

A take-out vegan deli next door is also set to open in 2018.

The eatery will be open from 10am to 9pm tomorrow.