New 'healthy eating' fast food restaurant to open in Central Milton Keynes

LEON is part of a national chain that claims to have transformed the meaning of fast food.

Their ethos is ““Eat food, not too much, mostly plants”, and their menu is inspired by the flavours of the Mediterranean diet. It prioritises gut health and keeps sugar, salt and saturated fat to a minimum.

LEON will open this month in the former Pret a Manger unit at the Midsummer Place centre. There will be 66 internal seats and 96 external covers.

Among the offerings will be Karma Drink sodas, ‘Better Burgers’, grilled wraps and salads as well as a range of plant-based options.

A spokesman said: “Food should taste good and do you good. And the Mediterranean diet, our inspiration, does exactly that. It’s full of plants, fresh herbs, spices, good fats from olive oil, seeds and nuts and well-sourced meat. . Michael Pollan said it best in his book “In Defence of Food:” “Eat food, not too much, and mostly plants.

"We work closely with nutritionists to make sure that our menu offers options for everyone, whatever you requirements. We also use Children’s Food Trust guidelines to help create a balanced and nutritious children’s menu.”

The spokesman added: “LEON has a mission to make food that tastes good, does you good and is kind to the planet. The menu is inspired by the flavours and variety of the Mediterranean diet and prioritises gut health. The menu also features an expansive range of plant-powered options. LEON Milton Keynes will also offer a breakfast menu with dishes including Poached Egg Pots, Organic Porridge Pots and Sourdough Muffins.”

LEON was first established in London in 2004 and now has over 70 restaurants across the UK as well as Ireland and the Netherlands.

Shelley Peppard, General Manager at Midsummer Place, said: “We are excited to announce our latest retailer to join Midsummer Place. LEON is a fantastic nationally recognised brand that has transformed the meaning of fast food, and we know they will be a huge success with our customers.”

LEON managing director Glenn Edwards said he was delighted to be opening in MK. “Feeding hungry shoppers has been a key part of the LEON mission since our inception,” he said.