Food You Can Enjoy With Confidence
Nature on the Go was founded by husband-and-wife team Jo Varsani and Sanjay Patel, whose passion for fresh, wholesome food began long before opening their doors on Halstead High Street.
As the founders of Perfect Moments Daycare, one of Essex's first fully plant-based children's nurseries, they witnessed first-hand how nutritious, flavour-packed meals could positively influence children's health, wellbeing and relationship with food. It reinforced a belief they have always shared – healthy food should be exciting, satisfying and accessible to everyone.
But Nature on the Go was inspired by something much more personal.
Following Covid, Jo developed ongoing digestive issues that completely changed her relationship with food. Eating out became increasingly difficult. Although many cafés and restaurants offered vegetarian or vegan options, there was often little reassurance about how those meals were prepared. Even small amounts of cross-contact or ingredients her body couldn't tolerate frequently resulted in severe stomach pain and discomfort.
Like many people living with food intolerances, Jo often found herself being labelled as "fussy" or "difficult", when in reality she was simply trying to avoid becoming unwell.
That experience highlighted a problem faced by so many people every day.
Nature on the Go was created to provide a place where people could enjoy eating out with confidence. A place where fresh food is prepared with care, where plant-based meals are the standard rather than an afterthought, and where customers with dietary requirements feel understood and welcomed.
Our menu is entirely plant-based, all our dishes are dairy-free and nut-free, making it easier for families, friends and colleagues with different dietary needs to enjoy great food together.
What started as a vision has grown into much more than a café. Today, Nature on the Go offers freshly prepared breakfasts, colourful Buddha bowls, handcrafted sandwiches, homemade cakes, vegan afternoon tea, outside catering, dairy-free gelato, smoothies and freshly pressed juices — all served with the same care and attention that inspired us from day one.
🌿 Our Ethos
🌱 Food Everyone Can Enjoy
We believe good food should never exclude anyone. Whether you're plant-based, dairy-free, avoiding nuts, managing food intolerances or simply looking for healthier options, everyone deserves delicious food they can enjoy with confidence.
🥕 Fresh Ingredients. Honest Food.
Every dish is freshly prepared using quality ingredients, vibrant flavours and recipes we've created ourselves. We believe simple food, made well, will always taste the best.
💚 Family at the Heart
As a family-run independent business, every customer matters to us. Whether you're popping in for breakfast, lunch, coffee or simply a chat, we want everyone to leave feeling welcomed and looked after.
♻️ Caring for Our Planet
Looking after our customers also means looking after the environment. Sustainability influences many of the choices we make every day, from the ingredients we source to the packaging we serve them in.
🌍 Sustainability in Action
🍃 Eco-Friendly Bowls
Our takeaway bowls are made from naturally fallen palm leaves and are fully biodegradable, heat-resistant and completely chemical-free. No trees are cut in the process.
🥤 Bring Your Own
Bring along your reusable cup, bottle or food container and receive a discount as our way of saying thank you for helping reduce waste.
🚜 Reducing Food Waste
Where possible, our fruit and vegetable offcuts are returned to local farms for composting or animal feed, ensuring less food ends up in landfill.
🌊 Thoughtful Packaging
From our straws to our takeaway packaging, we continually look for environmentally friendly alternatives that reduce our impact on the planet.
❤️ More Than Just Food
Nature on the Go is more than somewhere to grab lunch.
It's somewhere to meet friends over coffee, enjoy a nourishing breakfast, build your own Buddha bowl, indulge in dairy-free gelato, treat yourself to vegan afternoon tea or simply discover that healthy food can be full of flavour.
Above all, we want every customer to feel welcome.
We're incredibly proud to be part of the Halstead community and grateful to everyone who chooses to support our family business.
Thank you for being part of our journey.
Healthy food should taste amazing, make you feel good and be available to everyone.
"Nature on the Go was built on our own experiences, our love of good food and our desire to create a place where everyone can enjoy eating with confidence. We're so grateful for the support we've received and look forward to welcoming you soon."