London can you wait?

Vegan cooking classes for children

by

My friends Nishma and Mahersh (of Shambhu’s catering) are once again running a week of vegan cooking classes for children in Queensbury, London!

This is a hands-on cooking course intended to teach children (8-13 years of age) how to cook a variety of delicious healthy meals using only plant-based ingredients (no meat, fish, eggs and dairy).

By participating on this course, children will pick up a variety of cooking skills and food-related knowledge, including nutrition. They’ll also learn about the wide variety of nutritious pulses and grains available, alternatives ways of sweetening foods, how to cook with tofu, how to store food and reduce food waste, and much more.

As part of the hands-on nature of the course, children will learn to use basic cooking utensils and appliances, under close supervision.

Over the five days, the children get a taste of different culinary styles from around the world, with each day dedicated to the style of a particular country or continental region.

The classes will run between 10:00am and 12:30 from Monday August 6, 2018 until Friday August 10, 2018. That’s a two and a half hour cooking class for five days in a row!

The cost for each attendee is £135.

To find out more and book a spot, visit this page online.

New vegan café in Brixton

by

If you are trying to keep track of all the new vegan places in London, you are probably getting worn out.

Multiple new ventures seem to be popping up each week and my head is spinning with trying to report it all back to you.

Next up?

Blank Brixton is a coffee shop and café on Acre Lane, situated about halfway between Brixton and Clapham Common Underground stations. They have only opened a short while ago, so I wanted to reach out to the team to find out what their deal is and they wrote this gorgeous, little piece of prose for me:

We are the place you come to cry a little
Laugh a lot, eat some more and feel alive.

Our food has no bounds or limits
It is made to be enjoyed by anyone and everyone.

The coffee is always fresh and conversation is too.
We are vegans just like you
We are blank brixton 🙂

Check out some of the photos from Blank Brixton below and get along to show your support for this new vegan business. You can see the exact location thanks to Google Maps. They are open 7 days a week.

You can also follow Blank Brixton on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

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

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjPY7i2gFVa/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjAQvL2B2U_/

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bi87tF0BrP7/

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bi2PiF4BRg1/

Ten vegan places to eat in London RIGHT NOW!

by

My buddies Michael and Ethan, also known as VeganMos, are getting ready for a trip to London and they wanted to know where they should eat.

Of course they are going to make time for a visit to Hackney Downs Vegan Market, but they also wanted a list of vegan places that I feel are ‘must-visit’.

I quickly cobbled together a list of ten places that I believe the Mos should make time to visit. All of the places are known not only for their delicious food, but also the overall dining experience.

Check out my recommendations for Michael and Ethan below. Would you be happy with this list? What would you add?

Temple of Camden by Temple of Seitan

Purezza

Arancini Brothers

Wulf & Lamb

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjZg4qbHmhQ/

The Spread Eagle (pub with kitchen run by Club Mexicana)

What The Pitta

Dough Society

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjRhptgHe5j/

JuiceBaby

Just Fab

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjM4SqHna5f/

The Fields Beneath

 

New vegan eatery in Balham

by

This is fantastic news.

A brand new vegan comfort food outlet has just opened in Balham. Yes, that’s right friends. Something opened south of the river in London!

The menu at Wicked Kitchen sounds more than delightful.

They are serving up fast food that makes me wanna be there right now and it includes:

  • Jackfruit burgers
  • Wraps
  • Sweet potato and skin-on fries
  • Wings
  • Mac n cheese
  • Nachos
  • Shakes and smoothies

You can follow Wicked Vegan on Facebook and Instagram. See their exact location thanks to Google Maps.

New vegan cafe in Hackney

by

Hold your tongues, complainers.

Yes, we have ANOTHER vegan eatery in Hackney, London but I don’t want to hear your moaning. If people can make vegan business work in Hackney, it has a knock on effect for the rest of us. The more vegan places we have in Hackney, the more vegan places we will have around London and the UK in the future.

So, say a big hello to Smashing Kitchen.

I asked owner and founder Asia to give us some insight into Smashing Kitchen:

The vision is to provide delicious nourishing plant based food, homemade honest dishes, vegan, made with love and with nutrition at heart. Free from refined sugars, additives and fats that aren’t always optimal for personal wellbeing. Everything is either raw, baked, or steamed. We don’t do deep frying. The menu consists of starters such as bread (home baked) and butter (of course vegan!), nachos, raw veggies, hummus (butter beans instead of chickpeas), guacamole, salads (either ‘ready’ sets off the menu, or ‘create your own’ options), sourdough flatbread pockets, and burgers. We will also be introducing soups and we always try to make some special dishes of the day as well. The dessert section showcases a no added sugar cheesecake. We also serve coffees, teas, homemade soda drinks, and kombucha.

That sounds tasty!

Opening times right now for Smashing Kitchen are Tuesday to Sunday 12:30pm until 4:30pm as well as 5:30pm until 9:00pm.

The café is dog-friendly and child-friendly (baby changing table in the bathroom, high chairs coming soon).
One of the real draws of the café is the huge amount of plants as well as natural light.

Smashing Kitchen is based just off Mare Street (between Mare St and London Fields Station) on a little corner, away from the main street hustle and bustle, but still great transport connections (loads of buses, London Fields Station 1 minute away, Hackney Central Station about 10 mins walk away). Click here to see the exact location thanks to Google Maps.

Follow Smashing Kitchen on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Painting with chocolate edible art experience

by

RAW Lab‘s resident chocolatiers The Well-Bean Company (who also trade at Hackney Downs Vegan Market) are premiering their painting with chocolate experience and it sounds AWESOME.

It is time to get creative by making masterpieces for the eyes and the mouth!

The class boasts a relaxed vibe where the only rule is to enjoy experimenting with edible art. You will have full reign over your masterpieces and can be as creative as you wish. The prize at the end of the evening is taking home your delicious, all-chocolate canvas.

Whether you have never picked up a paintbrush or you’re the next Monet, Charlie at The Well-Bean Company promises this experience can be enjoyed by all.

  • What: Painting with chocolate – the edible art experience
  • When: 7 June 2018 7pm- 10pm
  • Where: The Well-Bean Company, RAW Labs, Hudson Way, London E16 2QP
  • Price per ticket: Special launch offer £24
  • What’s included: All the painting tools and equipment, chocolate for painting (and eating) and a welcome drink

Click here to book your ticket now.

Follow The Well-Bean Company on Instagram.

BREAKING NEWS Temple of Seitan

by

Oh my gosh.

I’m thrilled to announce that Temple of Seitan has opened a cafe on site at Hackney Downs Studios, the home of Hackney Downs Vegan Market.

Say hello to Temple Goods.

Temple Goods crash landing at Hackney Downs Studios makes this the most significant vegan site in London. We now have the best vegan food provider in London trading six days a week with a glorious new cafe AND the first and best vegan market in London right outside every Saturday.

Bec from Temple wanted me to share the following with you:

We are very excited to announce that we have taken over the cafe at Hackney Downs Studios for (at least) the summer. We will be building it into something pretty special over the coming months, so please follow our new cafe on Instagram for updates! To begin with, we will be serving our full range of cakes and pastries, as well as Dark Arts Coffees, and a rotating menu of breakfast and lunch dishes. We will also be stocking *vegan treatz* and are working with some other independent vegan businesses to build a stock of hard to get goods to take home.

London, this is the real deal. You now have a vegan cafe and provisions store right in the heart of Hackney Downs Vegan Market.

Bec continued to tell me:

Given the success of Hackney Downs Vegan Market we think this is the perfect location for us to set up shop. The Hackney Downs Vegan Market was where we experienced some of our first real successes and without the support of Hackney Downs Studios and FGV we certainly wouldn’t be where we are today. We are looking forward to serving up some weekend specials to complement the market!

Saturday is now a very special day. You can shop and dine with our market traders AND kick back inside the giant cafe space with these true vegan food pioneers.

And of course you don’t even have to wait until Saturday as Temple Goods is open from today (Monday May 21, 2018). Monday’s specials will be toasties, smashed avo on toast and a chick’n Caesar salad!

Opening hours are Monday through Friday 8am until 5pm and Saturday 10am until 5pm. Sunday openings will be from June 3.

Follow Temple Goods on Instagram now and get down there to celebrate the further expansion of the Temple empire.

BREAKING NEWS EXTRA

July 14, 2018 marks the 6th annual London Vegan Beer Fest and I’m thrilled to say that Temple Goods cafe will be joining in the celebrations.

The cafe will be one of four exclusive spaces available only for beer fest ticket holders.

Temple Goods will be set up as an indoor beer hall with exclusive food and beer offerings. On the day, the cafe will only be open to beer fest ticket holders. This is in addition to our outdoor beer market, the huge indoor Brass Castle beer hall located inside Hackney Showroom, and the karaoke performance space.

More than 25% of tickets for London Vegan Beer Fest have been snapped up so please book now online if you want to be part of this enormous party.

Amazing vegan food pop up in London

by

Itis London is one of our regular traders at Hackney Downs Vegan Market and believe me when I say their food is outstanding.

The comfort food specialists are stepping away from the market life for a minute to bring you an indulgent evening in south London packed with hearty food inspired by Africa, the Caribbean and the USA. This is a rare chance to enjoy soul food classics done vegan.

Itis have warned that you should arrive to the June 1 event with your takeaway containers as you’ll struggle to finish the feast!

They’ll be serving each of you up a mixed platter containing:

  • Mac n Cheese
  • Collard Greens
  • Mushroom Ribs
  • Fried Chickn
  • Potato Salad
  • Corn Bread
  • BBQ Baked Beans
  • Corn on the Cob
  • If you’ve got room left after all of that, there will be an irresistible dessert to follow

All Itis food is always 100% vegan.

THE DRINKS:

Bring your own booze, or enjoy a glass of their homemade ginger beer.

TIMING:

Doors open at 7pm and food will be served promptly at 7:15pm.

SEATING:

If you are attending in a group and want to ensure you sit together, please contact Itis ahead of time after booking your ticket so they can ensure they reserve you enough seats together.

BOOK ONLINE NOW. The last time they did this event, it sold out. Don’t miss out.

Follow Itis on Instagram.

Comedy events at London vegan eatery

by

The gorgeous Cafe Van Gogh in Brixton has just announced a series of comedy events.

Get fed vegan food AND have a laugh at the world!

The cafe says:

We’re proud to be hosting a summer full of Edinburgh previews in our cosy upstairs dining area. Ticket price includes a two course dinner (menu options available on our events pages) and a bunch of belly laughs.

Comedy Wednesdays at Cafe Van Gogh 88 Brixton Road SW9 6BE.
Only 20 seats for the first intimate dinner with Jenny Collier on June 6, 2018. £20 includes a two-course dinner. Book online now.

You can follow Cafe Van Gogh on Facebook and Instagram.

New album from awesome London band

by

If you hang around these parts much, you will know that I adore Colour Me Wednesday.

Colour Me Wednesday is an indie punk band from west London and they are awesome.

The band is fronted by sisters Jen and Harriet Doveton, while the current line up is rounded out by Jaca Freer and Laura Ankles.

Everything the band releases is fabulous, so it should go without saying that you should instantly listen to/buy/stream the new Colour Me Wednesday album called Counting Pennies in the Afterlife.

If I was a musician, I reckon it would piss me off royally if critics said I sound like another band or I was the new so-and-so. So you get no sort of comparisons from me to try and convince you to listen to Colour Me Wednesday.

All I’m going to say is that this music makes me happy when I listen to it and I think you will get a buzz from it, too.

Stream the album on Spotify if your personal politics permit.

Take a more ethical approach and buy the album via Bandcamp. There are bundles!

Head over to YouTube to watch the music video for the first single from the album, Sunriser. The band can be seen doing a bit of vegan grocery shopping in this video!

To speed up your eventual infatuation with Colour Me Wednesday, be sure to follow the band on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.