Hendersons - Eat Better Live Better

What Hendersons - Eat Better Live Better does

Hendersons - Eat Better Live Better is a privately held, family-owned vegetarian and vegan restaurant group operating two dine-in locations in Edinburgh and Glasgow, Scotland, plus adjacent wedding and corporate catering services and a small e-commerce shop. The original Henderson was founded in 1962 on Hanover Street, Edinburgh by Janet Henderson and became the UK's longest-running vegetarian restaurant before closing in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Barrie Henderson, Janet's grandson, reopened the business in October 2021 at 7-13 Barclay Place in Bruntsfield, Edinburgh, retaining many former staff and original recipes.

The core product is all-day seasonal vegetarian and vegan dining with weekday lunch specials (£12 lunch deal), à la carte mains priced £20-£25, a weekly Sunday Roast (£21.50 per person), and a cocktail programme (drinks £9.50-£10.50). Head Chef Anna Czapiewska leads the kitchen with a focus on fermentation, wild foraging, and locally sourced organic produce. Edinburgh's private dining room hosts up to 18 guests, and a Glasgow site at 721 Pollokshaws Road opened in July 2026 extending the brand beyond Edinburgh. The business earns ancillary revenue from outside catering for weddings and corporate events, gift vouchers (£10-£100 tiers), customised cakes (£40, serves 8-12), and cookbooks.

There is no proprietary technology platform or AI capability disclosed; the business runs on standard hospitality tooling including a Squarespace website for online table reservations and shop orders. Go-to-market is purely direct-to-consumer through the two restaurant locations and the catering sales channel, with marketing reliant on press coverage (Time Out, The Telegraph, Herald Scotland, Michelin Guide), the company website and an email newsletter. Hendersons carries Michelin Selected Restaurant status for 2024 and 2026 and prior regional awards (Family Business of the Year 2016 from The Sunday Post; Green Family Business of the Year 2018 from The Herald).

Name

Hendersons - Eat Better Live Better

Legal name

Hendersons

Website

https://hendersonsrestaurant.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Hendersons - Eat Better Live Better is a family-owned vegetarian and vegan restaurant group operating two dine-in locations in Edinburgh and Glasgow, offering seasonal menus, Sunday Roasts, private dining, wedding and corporate catering, and an online gift and cookbook shop.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vegetarian Restaurant

NAICS

Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251), Caterers (722320)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Plant-Based & Vegan Fast Casual (THAFABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Dietary & Wellness Catering (Vegan, Halal, Kosher, Allergy-Friendly) (THAFAIAK), Specialty & Dietary Catering (Halal, Kosher, Vegan, Allergen-Free, Medical) (THAHAKAK)

Keywords

• Vegetarian restaurant services
• Vegan catering services
• Plant-based dining
• Event catering
• Restaurant gift vouchers

Headquarters

HQ city

Edinburgh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Dining: Revenue from serving vegetarian and vegan food and drinks to dine-in customers at both Edinburgh and Glasgow locations. Offers all-day dining, lunch specials, Sunday Roasts, cocktails, and desserts.
2. Catering Services: Outside catering for weddings, corporate events, birthdays, and private functions. Provides vegetarian and vegan catering with locally sourced, organic, seasonal produce.
3. Gift Vouchers: Physical gift vouchers sold in £10 increments (£10, £30, £60, £100) with £2 P&P. Can also be purchased in restaurant.
4. Customised Cakes: Customized cakes (vegan or non-vegan, gluten-free options) priced at £40, serves 8-12 people.
5. Recipe Books: Sale of Hendersons Recipe Book (£4.95) and Edinburgh On A Plate cookbook (£25) featuring restaurant dishes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Hendersons operates vegetarian and vegan restaurants at two locations in Edinburgh and Glasgow, Scotland, serving seasonal à la carte menus, weekday lunch specials, and a weekly Sunday Roast. The business also provides outside catering for weddings, private dinner parties, and corporate events, plus an e-commerce shop selling gift vouchers, customised cakes, and cookbooks.

Product overview

Hendersons - Eat Better Live Better is a vegetarian and vegan restaurant group with two locations (Edinburgh and Glasgow) offering dine-in services, catering for weddings and events, and a retail shop. The core offering consists of all-day dining restaurants featuring seasonal a la carte menus, Sunday Roasts, and cocktail programs. The business extends through a catering service for weddings and corporate events, plus a shop selling gift vouchers, recipe books, customised cakes, and the Edinburgh On A Plate cookbook featuring the restaurant's signature dishes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Edinburgh Restaurant Dine-in
• Glasgow Restaurant Dine-in
• Wedding and Events Catering
• Sunday Roast
• Weekday Lunch Deal
• Gift Vouchers
• Customised Cakes
• Hendersons Recipe Book
• Edinburgh On A Plate Cookbook

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Comrie CroftminorOthersVenue partner for wedding catering services in Scotland
• Harvest MoonminorOthersWedding venue partner
• Jupiter ArtlandminorOthersWedding venue partner for catering services
• Greyfriar's ChurchminorOthersWedding venue partner in Edinburgh

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Pret a Manger: Pret a Manger is a major UK fast-casual chain with an extensive plant-based menu including the vegetarian-only Veggie Pret stores. Its scale, plant-based menu innovation, and UK-wide footprint represent the broader competitive pressure from large incumbents on vegetarian dining occasions.
• Wagamama: Wagamama is a major UK pan-Asian restaurant chain with a substantial plant-based menu including vegan offerings. While not exclusively vegetarian, its broad UK presence, vegan menu positioning, and casual full-service format represent the broader incumbent competitive set Hendersons competes within.

Direct peers

• Mildreds: Mildreds is a London-based vegetarian restaurant group with multiple locations offering plant-based menus, all-day dining, and cocktails. As a multi-location vegetarian/vegan restaurant operator in the UK, it is the most directly comparable peer to Hendersons in terms of concept, menu philosophy, and target customer.
• Stem & Glory: Stem & Glory is a UK-based plant-based restaurant group with locations in London and Cambridge, offering upscale vegan dining with a focus on sustainability and locally sourced ingredients. Its plant-based positioning, sustainability messaging, and multi-city UK footprint make it a strong direct peer.
• Farmacy: Farmacy is a London-based plant-based restaurant emphasizing organic, locally sourced, and seasonal ingredients with a wellness-focused menu. Its commitment to organic sourcing and plant-based fine dining directly mirrors Hendersons' value proposition.
• Vanilla Black: Vanilla Black is a London vegetarian restaurant offering modern plant-based fine dining with seasonal menus. Its focus on sophisticated, creative vegetarian cuisine and cocktail program closely parallels Hendersons' Michelin Selected positioning and culinary ambition.
• The Gate Restaurants: The Gate is a London-based vegetarian restaurant group with multiple locations serving plant-based fine dining. Its upscale vegetarian positioning, all-day service, and multi-location UK footprint make it a closely comparable peer to Hendersons' full-service vegetarian concept.

Regional players

• The Edinburgh Larder Café: The Edinburgh Larder is a long-established independent Edinburgh café focusing on local, seasonal Scottish produce. As a fellow Edinburgh-based independent operator with a similar local-sourcing ethos, it is a directly comparable regional peer within Hendersons' primary market.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hendersonsofedi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hendersons - Eat Better Live Better