Brick Lane

Why Unity Diner Is More Than Just a Place to Eat

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I just hosted a special fundraising dinner at Unity Diner and it inspired me to share some thoughts with you.

There are restaurants, and then there are restaurants with a purpose. Unity Diner falls firmly into the second category.

Tucked away on Wentworth Street near Brick Lane, Unity Diner isn’t just serving up burgers and cocktails. It’s serving a mission. Every bite, every sip, every pudding forked up at the end of the night contributes to a bigger picture.

And it is how business should be in 2025.

Read more below.

The profits from Unity Diner go directly to Surge Sanctuary, giving rescued animals a chance to live out their days in safety, not suffering. While most hospitality venues are worrying about squeezing the highest possible margin out of your plate of chips, Unity is thinking about how they can create a fairer, kinder world. It’s a business model that puts impact first.

And it works.

The venue is packed, the energy is buzzing, and the food is good. Like, really good. But more than that, it’s a space that holds a radical kind of hope. The kind that says: business can be different. It doesn’t have to come at the expense of people, animals or planet. It can stand for something.

Unity Diner supports social justice movements, gives space to community events, and brings together activists and everyday diners who just want to eat without compromise. It proves that ethical business is not a fantasy or a fringe idea. It’s here, and it’s thriving.

What Unity does is remind us that hospitality can be about hospitality. Not extraction. Not exploitation. Just people feeding people, in a way that uplifts everyone involved.

This is how business should be. Fighting injustice.

Follow Unity Diner on Instagram.

If you appreciate these blog posts and the work I do to support vegan business, please consider making a one time small donation of a couple of quid online here. You might also be in the position to sponsor my work on an regular basis via Patreon.

You can order my book ‘Fat Gay Vegan: Eat, Drink and Live Like You Give a Sh!t’ online now. It has been out a while now but is still a good read. You can also listen to the Audiobook read by me!

You can watch/stream my weekly podcast Tell Me Where I’m Going (Wrong) on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

Follow me on Instagram, Threads, TikTok, Facebook, and Blue Sky.

Vegan pizza restaurant to open on Brick Lane

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London. Do you need more vegan pizza in your life?

Superstar vegan pizza makers, Picky Wops, have just announced they are opening a restaurant on Brick Lane in East London. Huge news!

Picky Wops have been wowing people around London with their gourmet take on pizzas for a few years now.

A recent kitchen takeover at a pub in Brixton has been a runaway success, as have all their appearances at outdoor markets and events around the capital. People can’t get enough of their unique flour mixes, gourmet toppings, and good vibes.

If you aren’t familiar with what Picky Wops do, read on.

Picky Wops pizza bases are all fully customisable and each dough has a different colour, texture and flavour. Available bases include burnt wheat and turmeric. Pizzas can be served cheeseless or with vegan cheese, and a mouthwatering variety of toppings are available.

If pizza isn’t your thing (really?!), classic Italian sides such as garlic bread, dough balls, and a variety of vegan pasta dishes are also featured on the menu. A firm favourite is their carbonara which comes complete with meat free bacon bits. Carb loving Londoners will also appreciate the innovative loaded fries, topped with Italian inspired sauces such as pesto and bolognese.

Ingredients used by Picky Wops are high quality and plant-based, while all dishes are made from scratch. Founders Cristiano Vitelli and Andrea Moro are both trained in the art of pizza making in their home country of Italy, meaning their food remains authentic.

Enough chit chat. Where is the new Picky Wops location?

You will be able to find the restaurant at 53 Brick Lane from their opening date of Friday December 13, 2019. You can see the exact location thanks to Google Maps.

For December only, visitors can sample a festive white pizza aptly called The White Christmas. This special is topped with spiced sweet potato mash, roasted brussel sprouts and walnuts, seasoned soya, sweet cranberry jam, vegan mozzarella and a light sprinkling of parmesan.

Be sure to follow Picky Wops on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Photos in this post were taken by the talented Martina De Santis.

Gorgeous vegan pop up for London

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sixty:2 told me they are a new concept restaurant using food as a tool to explore the social and environmental impacts of animal agriculture on the planet in a playful, accessible, and inclusive way.

After a series of supper clubs around East London, they are excited to be launching their first popup restaurant at The Canvas Cafe E1. The restaurant will run on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings throughout September with table bookings available from 6:45pm until 9:15pm.

The fully plant-based menu is based on the best local, seasonal ingredients around, crafted into innovative, colourful dishes that walk the line between beloved classics and creative experimentation – always with a focus on flavour and sustainability.

You can follow sixty:2 on Facebook and Instagram where you can also find links for booking a table.

Check out the fabulous menu below!

Vegan Thai Food on Brick Lane

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Post by:

josh panel

UPDATE: I just heard from Konnie, the founder of this business who explained that it is actually called Thai Vegan Food not Happy Moo Ping. I was mistaken as the latter is what the website URL redirects to and how the ‘meet the chef’ section of the website refers to the business. Either way, check out the delicious-looking photos….

It’s amazing what you can find out on Instagram! I recently discovered a new vegan Thai food stall called Happy Moo Ping Thai Vegan Food which is a regular feature on Brick Lane in East London. I reached out to them to find out more about who they are and what exciting food plans they have but I never heard back from them. Regardless, I’m going to go and see them when I get back to London next month as the food looks delicious! Check out their pics…

tofu2 tofu curry stall rolls

Follow Happy Moo Ping Thai Vegan Food on Instagram, like them on Facebook and visit their website.

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Hottest new vegan burgers in London!

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Post by:

josh panel

A couple of weeks ago I saw something on Twitter about a new veggie burger pop-up at Brick Lane. I reached out to Hot Boyz Veggie Burgers and discovered that they are 100% vegan. Their food looks delicious – check out some pics from their social media channels:

The Hot Boyz are in Town! If your around come down!! Brick Lane Upmarket #vegan #vegetarian #foodies #foods #foodie #foodporn

A photo posted by Hot Boyz Veggie Burger Joint (@hotboyzvburger) on


Hot Boyz Veggie Burgers will be at the Sunday Upmarket in Brick Lane this Sunday from 10am-5pm. Go along, check out their burgers and report back!

Like Hot Boyz on Facebook or follow on Twitter and Instagram.

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New vegan baker

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What do you need, London? Of course you all answered in unison: more vegan cake options!

If you get down to Brick Lane most Sundays you can make friends with Randi and her impressive vegan food stand called The Friendliest Flour.

237061The range on offer at the market includes (get ready for a long list):

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Vegan pies

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A long time ago, I hosted a pop up supper club with a talented food creator named Indira. Do you remember?

The night was a celebration of pies and every attendee was bowled over by her delicious creations.

Time has flown by since that tasty night back in October 2013 but I have some extremely exciting news to make the memories of Indira’s outstanding food come flooding back.

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Good cheap eats

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Here is a grand, sweeping statement for you.

Out of all the food outlets I have written about over the years, the following is close to being the best value for money in London. Oh, it also serves incredibly delicious food.

Walking inside the Boiler House of Brick Lane on a weekend day is like stumbling across the key to eternal happiness. Not only will you find the gorgeous cakes of Essential Vegan (see here), you will also be faced with two Ethiopian food stalls that are 100% vegan. How awesome is that?

The following recommendation is for Yemama Gojjo, although everyone tells me the other Ethiopian food stall is just as delicious.

Check it out below. The photos are guaranteed to make you hotfoot it to this weekend food court as soon as possible and with a plate of food costing approximately £5, it is one of the best value meals in the city.

Eat there soon!

plate selection stall

Brazilian feast

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To anyone who thinks they have eaten the most delicious food in the world, I respectfully inform you that it gets better.

Last week marked the second event in my month of Friday night supper clubs known as Around the World with FGV and Vanessa of Essential Vegan gave attendees a culinary experience they won’t forget in a hurry.

Vanessa started the proceedings off by serving an irresistible selection of Brazilian bar nibbles including cheese bread, polenta sticks and cassava chips.

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