London can you wait?

New vegan ice cream hotspot for London

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Copperhouse Chocolate, London’s only vegan chocolate shop and cafe, has launched a new vegan ice cream range in its Chapel Market cafe in the heart of Islington.

Juliet Sampson, owner of Copperhouse, already had the idea to create her own delicious vegan ice cream and lockdown provided the perfect opportunity to experiment after their usual supplier moved out of London.

They currently sell six flavours that are all made with organic coconut milk as the base and of course contain their famous house blend hot chocolates. Favourites include Raspberry Chocolate (using Copperhouse Chocolate Raspberry Dream hot chocolate with a homemade raspberry swirl), Mint with brownie chips (with fresh mint and crumblings of homemade vegan brownies), and Coffee caramel (a delicious combination of Monmouth coffee and salted caramel swirl).

All the ice creams are made using organic ingredients and are 100% vegan. They are available as scoops priced at £2.50, oat milkshakes £4.90, cookie ice cream sandwiches with a choice of peanut butter and choc chip homemade cookies £5.50 and the decadent Hot Chocolate affogato using their delicious range of homemade hot chocolates £4.50.

The affogato is made with a lusciously extra thick hot chocolate using only the finest vegan milks, it is unlike any other vegan hot chocolate and is similar to Italian/Spanish hot chocolate but made to order. It can also be finished with decadent whipped coconut cream.

The ice cream is also available in a range of takeaway tubs that can be taken home for the freezer and are priced at £9 for a 450g tub – perfect for a delicious ice cream treat this summer.

Copperhouse Chocolate is proud of their single-origin hot chocolates from Colombia, Madagascar and Ecuador which each having their own distinct tastes.

The cafe also hosts a Chocolate Happy House every Friday for between 3-4pm where customers can get a free cookie with every coffee or hot chocolate purchased.

Located just moments away from Angel tube station, Copperhouse Chocolate promises a welcoming cosy space to relax with a comforting cup of proper hot chocolate, delicious ice creams, and vegan food all the while offering a home for community groups, meetups, and gatherings to connect in London.

See the exact location of Copperhouse Chocolate thanks to Google Maps.

Follow Copperhouse Chocolate on Instagram.

Win a year’s supply of vegan sweets

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This competition is all about the win/win.

By simply taking part, you will be raising funds for an important social enterprise that is helping tackle homelessness in London. And if you win the comp? You get a one year’s supply of vegan pick n mix.

Oh, yes. You actually can’t lose! Well, you might not win the sweets but you get the meaning. You win by helping.

I suppose you want facts now. Well, I’ve got ’em.

Poster Bakes is an online vegan pick n mix shop founded to raise funds in support of The Connection, a social enterprise helping people move away from the streets of London and towards a happier and more fulfilling life.

The price of a single bag of sweets from Poster Bakes could cover the cost of someone receiving a shower, breakfast, and a cup of coffee in The Connection which in turn opens the doors to more in-depth support.

The vegan pick n mix initiative has been incredibly popular and I have a feeling it is about to go into overdrive.

You can enter this competition for a chance to win one year’s supply of vegan pick n mix from Poster Bakes! You just need to buy some sweets and find a golden ticket in your order.

It’s getting all Willy Wonka up in here!

The competition starts Monday 14th June, 2021 and will be running for a few weeks until Poster Bakes have sent out all their golden tickets tickets.

They will be randomly giving away 5 golden tickets in total, each of which will entitle the winner to a year’s supply of free sweets (a 500g bag every month for 12 months). Winners will be chosen at random from those who have entered the giveaway. This is what you need to do:

I’d love to know if you entered and I’d love to know if you win. Don’t forget who hooked you up with this info if you are suddenly swamped with vegan pick n mix.

£5.50 for a vegan sausage roll

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Hello from London, one of the most expensive places on the planet to buy a vegan sausage roll!

In this weeks mini podcast episode, I moan about the cost of vegan sausage rolls. I also talk about changing my name to Plum King (just a joke, not a fact). In addition, I chat about where I have been eating recently (not a joke, just a fact).

FGV mini news round up December 28, 2022 – final of the year – Fat Gay Vegan

As the year ebbs away join me for a chat about the tough task of going home, Whitney Houston, and vegan food on QANTAS planes.
  1. FGV mini news round up December 28, 2022 – final of the year
  2. FGV’s Mini News Roundup December 7, 2022
  3. FGV’s mini news roundup – news, views, and reviews from the plant-based world and beyond
  4. Fat Gay Vegan mini news roundup March 17, 2022
  5. FGV mini news roundup December 23, 2021 – vegan news and reviews

The June 10, 2021 news roundup is possible because friendly people sponsor me on Patreon. I get to talk about and write about vegan business because of this support.

Thanks!

Follow me on Instagram and be sure to investigate the vegan travel adventures I am hosting online here.

Win a vegan pin

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London, do you like winning things?

I am teaming up with legendary vegan fried chicken business Temple of Seitan to give away 50 pins.

This couldn’t be more vegan. Fat Gay Vegan is giving away 50 Temple of Seitan pins and the pins read ‘VEGAN’.

All the vegan you could want.

Isn’t that cute? Do you want to know how you can get one for free?

I will be on site at the opening of the new Temple of Seitan location on Acre Lane, Brixton this Saturday June 5, 2021 between 12pm and 4pm.

If you see me there, walk up to me and show me that you follow Temple of Seitan on Instagram and I will give you a pin. It is that simple. You don’t have to follow me as well but that would be a nice gesture!

Follow Temple of Seitan on Instagram (click here). Say hello to FGV. Get a ‘VEGAN’ pin.

Click here to see the exact location of Temple of Seitan Brixton thanks to Google Maps.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: one pin per person, no purchase necessary. These pins are available on a first-come basis. If you show up at 3pm and they are all gone, I cannot be held accountable. I will still say hello but I won’t be able to give you a pin if they are all gone.

Best vegan brunch in London

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Essential Vegan has always been one of the best places for vegan food in London but now that they have relocated to inside Dalston Superstore, they are also serving the BEST BRUNCH in London.

Vanessa of Essential Vegan invited me down to try the brunch and I’m serious when I say I haven’t tasted anything this delicious in a very long time. Look at that full Brazilian breakfast! The plate features house made seitan sausages, beans, toast, tofu scramble, potatoes, and a secret recipe spicy relish.

The photos above from my visit also show the jug of Bloody Maria I consumed, as well as some of the signature Essential Vegan starters.

Oh, did I forget to mention this is also drag brunch?

Local drag queens host the brunch every weekend with lots of camp music, games, and entertainment. Seriously the best spot in the city right now. And the entire venue and bar is vegan so you never stop winning.

Click here to book a table and follow Essential Vegan on Instagram.

So many vegan jobs in London

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As the economy starts to reopen, many vegan restaurants and cafes around London are furiously looking for staff.

The past year and a bit saw a lot of businesses close, some temporarily and some for good. As people get used to spending money again and once again dining outside their own homes, vegan business owners are throwing caution to the wind and reopening.

I’ve noticed quite a few vegan job adverts popping up online over recent days including with Temple of Seitan, a legendary vegan business with which I am currently working!

Here are a few picks for jobs that caught my eye from three of the best names on the vegan London scene.

Be sure to also use employment portals and platforms online to search for vegan employment. I’m certain you will find a lot more out there.

Essential Vegan

Essential Vegan in Dalston needs you! They are looking for an experienced part-time kitchen assistant to join their lovely team immediately. Please send your cv to info@essentialvegan.co.uk and you could be working with their gorgeous team and serving drag brunch every weekend!

Follow Essential Vegan on Instagram.

Temple of Seitan

Legendary vegan fried chick’n business Temple of Seitan is expanding in a big way. With a fourth restaurant set to open in South London and the number of delivery kitchens now at five (including the latest in Colindale), Temple is on a hiring mission.

Temple of Seitan is currently searching for a kitchen manager and team member for Colindale, plus a supervisor and team member for South London, near Brixton. You can email Dan@templeofseitan.co.uk with your CV and let him know which position/s you are interested in.

Follow Temple of Seitan on Instagram.

Café Van Gogh

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPXu2bMph5A/

Café Van Gogh is one of my favourite places to eat in London. Everyone on their team is so friendly and the food is always gorgeous. I love the place so much, I even recently interviewed founder Steve Clarke for my podcast and you can listen to that online here.

The restaurant on Brixton Road is searching for an experienced café manager for their front of house team. You can see more details in the Instagram post above and email info@cafevangogh.co.uk if you are interested.

Follow Café Van Gogh on Instagram.

FGV talks with Café Van Gogh

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I recently (as in today!) had a chat with Steve Clarke, founder of Brixton vegan restaurant Café Van Gogh.

We chatted about how excited he is about coming out of lockdown, new head chef Bonita, what makes the café so special to the local community, and what’s on the new menu.

It is a fun and informative chat about one of the best places to eat vegan food in London.

Click here to listen or use the player below.

FGV mini news round up December 28, 2022 – final of the year – Fat Gay Vegan

As the year ebbs away join me for a chat about the tough task of going home, Whitney Houston, and vegan food on QANTAS planes.
  1. FGV mini news round up December 28, 2022 – final of the year
  2. FGV’s Mini News Roundup December 7, 2022
  3. FGV’s mini news roundup – news, views, and reviews from the plant-based world and beyond
  4. Fat Gay Vegan mini news roundup March 17, 2022
  5. FGV mini news roundup December 23, 2021 – vegan news and reviews

Vegan ploughman’s in London

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This blog post contains valuable information!

Cafe Van Gogh is a 100% vegan eatery in Brixton, South London that has always impressed me. Not only do they serve some of the tastiest food in the country, the cafe also runs as a social enterprise.

What is a not-for-profit social enterprise?

Cafe Van Gogh is a community interest company, which very basically means that their social purpose is stronger than their drive to make tonnes of cash. All of their business decisions and ethical choices are made for the local community, the environment, cafe staff, and customers.

Cafe Van Gogh works in conjunction with Toucan Employment, a leading learning disability employment charity, to run a programme of on-the-job training for people with additional challenges in life, such as a learning disability or a mental health problem to provide them with the support and confidence to seek paid employment. They also provide paid employment opportunities to these delegates if the opportunity arises.

The cafe aspires to be zero waste, they do not tolerate single use plastics, and all of their takeaway containers and coffee cups are fully compostable. They recycle food waste and it’s all taken away to be composted rather than sent to landfill.

Is that enough reason for you to visit? Well, how about this?

The Vegan Ploughman’s is a tantalising food experience if I’ve ever seen one.

It features a vegan cheese selection including Shamembert, Veganzola, Cheddah and Herbivorsin, alongside bread, house pickles, and apple chutney. There is the option to ask for gluten-free bread.

I’m impressed and I can’t wait to get along to the cafe on Brixton Road to partake. The Vegan Ploughman’s is available weekday lunch between 12pm and 4pm.

Follow Cafe Van Gogh on Instagram and see their menu online here. You can see the exact location of Cafe Van Gogh thanks to Google Maps.

FGV returning to London

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Where was Fat Gay Vegan born?

Well, the human behind FGV was born in Queensland, Australia but FGV the concept came to life in London.

I was living in West London at the time I started this blog in 2010 and I went on to put a lot of effort into creating events for the vegan community. Remember my Hackney Downs Vegan Market? It turned the whole vegan thing upside down.

Before the market, I created and hosted London Vegan Beer Fest, London Vegan Drinks, and London Vegan Potluck. I enjoyed running events such as Bowling For Oceans, Skating For Oceans, and Vegan Day of the Dead supper clubs.

And that is just the tip of the iceberg lettuce.

My time in London was whittled down a few years back and the past few years have seen me spending a lot of time out of the UK capital, including time in Mexico City and Sheffield.

But now I am coming back! The original vegan grandpa of the plant-based scene is moving back to where it all began.

The first thing I have planned is to try to get a new vegan market off the ground. Click here to read all about Vegan Makers at Buck Street Market in Camden.

Also, I am getting involved with one of my favourite vegan brands on the planet. I will be helping legendary Temple of Seitan with promotion, helping them to take their irresistible fast food to the masses. You can follow Temple of Seitan on Instagram.

If you see me around London over the coming months, please say hello. I am really looking forward to being back in the thick of things.

Want to trade at a new vegan market in London?

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It isn’t a stretch to say Hackney Downs Vegan Market was one of the most influential plant-based things to happen to London over the past 10 years.

The opening weekend welcomed approximately 5,000 people and the market acted as the launching pad for some of the most recognised vegan brands in the UK capital.

Ever since Hackney Downs Vegan Market came to an end, I’ve been thinking and dreaming of bringing another market to life.

It’s 2021 and I feel like it’s time to stop dreaming. I want to get a vegan market up and running again!

Fat Gay Vegan (that’s me) is teaming up with Buck Street Market on Camden Hight Street to launch a 5-day a week artisan market just for vegan products. Yes, that’s correct. 5-days a week, every week. The market will run 11am until 6pm from Wednesday until Sunday.

Vegan Makers at Buck Street is set to be a collection of stalls celebrating the best take home vegan products including deli items, cheese, pantry items homewares, clothing, candles, and personal products.

Located just a few steps from Camden Town Underground station on one of the busiest streets in the UK, Vegan Makers at Buck Street will be the most exciting place to shop in London for compassionate consumers.

Buck Street Market is a 3-level complex featuring rooftop bars, restaurants, street food, and shops. Vegan Makers will be in the central courtyard on street level, meaning our vegan stalls lead out to Camden High Street and are less than a 60-second walk from Camden Town Underground station.

Camden is undoubtedly the vegan centre of London and visitors to Buck Street will have a huge choice of places to dine in the area. Even though there will be no hot food on our market, Camden is simply overflowing with plant-based food outlets.

Buck Street Market itself is home to vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants and cafes, while legendary eateries Temple of Seitan and Purezza are only a 2-minute walk away (to name just two).

People can shop at Vegan Makers at Buck Street and then have the tough job of narrowing down the dozens of plant-based food choices in the neighbourhood.

The above photos shows what our stalls look like. They are white metal with folding doors on both sides, meaning traders can lock their stall at the end of each day and will only have to worry about transporting perishables each day. No clumsy stalls to pack up. No heavy gazebos to drag home.

Vegan Makers at Buck Street is a chance for vegan businesses and independent traders to have a mini shop in the heart of London without having to commit to huge rents and business rates. WiFi is available for traders to use for payment devices, while there will be limited electricity for some stalls.

This shopping district is one of the most desired in London and a spot in the Vegan Makers section will expose traders and brands to potentially tens of thousands of shoppers every day. Weekends on this street are particularly busy and a summertime coming out of lockdown means record numbers of shoppers are expected.

Examples of what we would love to see on the vegan market:

  • Cheese and deli items
  • Kombucha
  • Wine, spirits, and champagne to take home
  • Cake or patisserie
  • Personal care products
  • Zero waste
  • Candles and gifts
  • Cruelty free make up
  • Organic pantry items
  • Jewellery
  • Hats, shoes, sunglasses, and clothing

Vegan Makers at Buck Street plans to launch in June 2021.

We have great introductory rates for the first month (even lower if you commit to the full month). There is no market in Central London where you could trade in such a high profile spot at these prices.

If you are a trader and want more information about booking a stall, email josh@fgvpr.co.uk and he will fill you in. This market is for vegan products only and spots are offered for the full 5 days each week. There are no weekend-only spots.

PLEASE NOTE: there will be NO hot food or street food on the Vegan Makers section of Buck Street Market. There are many 100% vegan food spots in Camden right now and this artisan market has been designed to add value to the area for vegan visitors, not take away from businesses already in Camden.