London vegan news, reviews & events
There is no big mystery here. I love Ms. Cupcake and I love all of her delicious treats and temptations. I have eaten every imaginable variety of mini cake from the bakery but today I got served. That means I was taught a lesson. A lesson where the learning intention was the tastiness of the watermelon cupcake I devoured.
Delicious. Moist. Super sweet. Frosting outweighing sponge.
Hampstead Heath is just about as famous/infamous a location as you can get in London. The stunning inner-city parkland is a historical, picturesque expanse of greenery dotted with reservoirs and woodlands. People make the trip to the park from all over the city to take in the glorious skyline views, admire the wildlife and engage in sexual activities.
Oh yes. Sex. The Heath has long been a destination for men seeking casual and anonymous encounters. Of course, its most famous cruiser is George Michael who allegedly shouted “Fuck off! It’s part of my culture” to a snooping tabloid reporter as he unashamedly went about his business.
But aside from Hampstead being a visual treat and a place for the interested to meet, it is also a charming and surprising must-visit location for vegans.
I’m not a fan of festivals. The thought of searing sun, overpriced booze and fools with flags has been deterrent enough for most of my FGV life. Up until a few weeks ago, I had only ever been lured to a music festival once in my life and that was by the promise of seeing Morrissey live. I suffered through a stifling Australian day back in the Summer of 2002 and was forced to listen to some truly dreary supporting bands.
Fast forward almost a decade and Morrissey managed to drag me back to my second ever festival. A few weeks ago, I found myself strolling around a rather pleasant field of people in Kent as a cavalcade of musical legends (including Morrissey) thrilled on stage. Patti Smith, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and Prince (yes, Prince!) drew tens of thousands of people to the three day event known as the Hop Farm Festival. Morrissey and Prince were my major draw cards and both artists were close to the best I have ever seen them, but I must say I was also blown away by the copious amounts of vegan food on offer.
There is a place in the north of England with crooked lanes paved with old stones. This town knows a brutal and harsh history. Pubs are named after torture devices and methods of execution while a seemingly-benign grass patch hides the remains of a cholera burial ground. It is a location that both delights and astounds with its past of inglorious tales.
It is also a place where many fabulous occurrences take place. Within the space of a few hours in the city this past weekend I ate at a completely vegan Spanish restaurant, had my photo taken with superstar of screen and fashion Chloë Sevigny and witnessed Morrissey perform a stellar concert to a venue packed with adoring fans.
Welcome to York.
There is a charming eatery tucked away in West Yorkshire that is a firm favourite of the FGV. Dandelion & Burdock is a completely vegan restaurant that serves up some of the finest cruelty-free food anywhere in the world.
I recently returned to the lovely town of Sowerby Bridge with a large group of friends for weekend brunch and the food we consumed was intoxicating (read about my previous D&B visit here). Nestled beside a window overlooking the picturesque river, my friends and I ordered enough delicacies to sink a barge.
Being vegan in London has just been blown sky high with amazingness. If you think that sounds like hyperbole on overdrive, check out the new vegan patisserie known as October Cafe and you’ll soon see the reason for my excitement.
Following a disappointing, half-uneaten breakfast at another vegan establishment, Josh and I were on the lookout for something to lift our spirits. We hopped a few buses, walked along Old Street in the City of London for a short while and arrived at one of the loveliest vegan experiences in existence.
Sometimes you have to go the distance for a quality meal.
When I lived in Australia, I would travel from Brisbane to the Gold Coast for stunning vegan pizza at Threeworlds Organic Cafe. My Los Angeles vacations don’t seem complete without a road trip to my favourite Native Foods Cafe in Costa Mesa. These meals are worth doing the miles for and now I can add another destination I’m willing to travel to for vegan dining… Glossop.
Glossop is a country town situated just over 20km/15 miles east of Manchester. It is steeped in history and evidence dating back to Roman and Saxon times can still be found. Windswept moors rise up around the town and a short trip by car will take you to the grim scene of the infamous murders on Saddleworth Moor. Visitors shop the local fresh markets while fans of dark comedy program The League of Gentlemen delight in spotting locations in nearby Hadfield.
There are plenty of reasons to visit Glossop, but I’m about to give you the only one you need. The Globe.
Brighton is full of fantastic food choices for the discerning vegan. There are numerous vegetarian cafes scattered throughout the town and certainly no shortage of options on the menus of omnivorous eateries.
Unfortunately, there is a vegetarian restaurant that I feel is letting the Brighton team down in the race to deliver quality, cruelty-free dining.
Can’t decide between pizza and curry? Don’t know if you should grab a samosa or a plate of savoury rice? Eating can be a real dilemma. Well, one restaurant is making it easy for vegans to have all of these dishes and more.
Vegans often don’t get a huge choice when it comes to eating in the world of pizza, fried foods and home delivery. The Grove Cafe located in Headingley, Leeds is turning this upside down by offering a delectable range of dishes suitable for cruelty-free diets.
On a recent weekend visit to the city, I made sure I ate my fill of delicious rice, garlic bread pizza and Indian starters. I need to do each dish justice, so forgive me for taking my time here.
What will you travel long distances for?
Some people will sit on a train for hours just to take in the wonders of an art gallery at the other end. Individuals will fly half way around the globe to spend time with loved ones. What does a FGV make the effort for? Music and food, of course.
It was these two top hobbies of eating and listening that resulted in me traveling to Brighton last week. Gene, one of my favourite bands of all time, disbanded many years ago and their former lead singer is only now returning to organised solo performing. Martin Rossiter was booked to appear at the Brighton Unitarian Church and I just had to be there. Josh and I packed up the car and made haste to the iconic seaside town.
We arrived to our destination with several hours to spare, so of course we hunted down the nearest food outlet serving vegan dishes. The Brighton Loving Hut supplied us with a feast consisting of a fry up, burger, chips and vegan candy.