Lunch at Wild Thyme, Norwich

Yesterday was my mum's birthday, and when I asked her last week what she might like to do, I already knew her answer would involve paying a visit to Wild Thyme. Located in the centre of Norwich, not far from the Lanes and near the creative end of the city, Wild Thyme serves delicious vegetarian and vegan dishes - always in generous portions - using local and seasonal produce and ingredients. Since opening in 2013 it has become one of our go-to lunch spots for special occasions, and Mum's birthday this year was such an occasion.

We arrived around 1 and were lucky enough to nab a table out in the courtyard with just enough sun to keep us warm. After pondering the menu I popped upstairs to the restaurant itself to order our food, and while we waited for it to arrive we read through the message board and its adverts for vegetarian markets, yoga and meditation classes, and even art classes, and we made plans to visit a local vegan pop-up market at the end of the month.

What did I tell you about the portion sizes?

Mum had ordered the Italian bean burger with avocado, salad, vegan mayonnaise and sweet potato wedges, made gluten-free with the omission of the wholemeal bun and the addition of extra salad (£9.25 + £1 for added avocado), while I opted for avocado and asparagus linguini with petit pois, pea shoots, brazil nut parmesan and a "Green Goddess" dressing (£8.95). Both dishes were accompanied by a glass of elderflower pressé, which is perhaps one of my favourite drinks, and some cashew cheese to share.

The burger and sweet potato wedges is a permanent member of the Wild Thyme menu, updated and altered throughout the year to keep it seasonal, and it's been a favourite of both of ours ever since we first visited. The burger is always delicious (the spicy Mexican version has been my favourite so far), and those wedges are quite possibly (in fact, quite probably), the best I have ever eaten.

The avocado and asparagus linguini was a new addition to the menu, and for me it was the perfect warm weather lunch, with perfectly al-dente pasta to fill you up while the wonderful flavours of the peas and the dressing keep it light and fresh, and the cashew cheese made it just that little bit more delicious.

Going to Wild Thyme and not sampling their desserts would be very foolish indeed. While I have only really explored a small selection of their offerings, I have never been left disappointed, and yesterday was no exception to that. Having opted for the raw chocolate and orange cheesecake on our last few visits, yesterday we decided to return to our absolute favourite; the vegan (and gluten-free!) brownie with vegan vanilla ice-cream (£5.25). Served warm, these brownies are every bit as gooey, melty and chocolate-y as you'd hope they would be, and I'm 99% sure they've gotten bigger since my last visit (although this photo does its size very little justice). It's one of those dishes you just don't want to end, and it was the perfect way to round off our lunch, accompanied with a couple of coffees for good measure.

I absolutely love sitting outdoors here during the Spring and Summer, although come Winter the upstairs feels super cosy with its warm lighting and fairy lights dotted around throughout. In fact, it was one of mine and N's favourite spots when we first started dating - I have some very fond memories of cosying up at a table for two on our half-days at sixth form, warming ourselves with bowls of hot soup and hiding from the winter weather. Whether you're veggie or not, Wild Thyme is a gorgeous place to stop for a bite to eat or a cup of coffee and some cake, and I honestly can't recommend it enough.