Northampton restaurant features in PETA campaign for the best vegan Christmas menus

PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has released the top 12 menus which they say meets the growing demand for hearty, healthy, and humane holiday fare – and Northampton's The Church Restaurant has earned a spot on the list.

The eatery's menu includes Squash, Sage & Chestnut Rolls encased in puff pastry, Baby Carrot & Lentil Pot Roast baked with a vegan cheese parsnip and swede mash, and an Apple & Blackberry Crumble served with a sweet cinnamon vegan mascarpone, among other options – all completely free of meat, eggs, and dairy foods.

"Thanks to The Church Restaurant, it's easier than ever to extend the spirit of giving to all this holiday season by leaving animals off our plates", says PETA director Elisa Allen. "PETA encourages all Britons to celebrate a compassionate Christmas by enjoying a vegan feast – with all the taste and none of the cruelty of a traditional meaty spread."

A spokesman for PETA added: "More than 15 million turkeys are killed in the UK every year – including over 10 million for Christmas dinners alone. PETA – whose motto reads, in part, that "animals are not ours to eat" – notes that in nature, turkeys are protective and loving parents as well as spirited explorers who can climb trees and run as fast as 25 miles per hour.

"But the ones destined to be killed for food are typically crammed into filthy warehouses, where disease, heart attacks, and sudden death are common. They are bred to grow such unnaturally large upper bodies that their legs often become crippled under their own weight."