London can you wait?

Vegan wings eating competition

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Have you ever felt you would excel at competitive eating but there just haven’t been enough vegan opportunities?

Well, say hello to Biff’s Jack Shack’s 1st Annual Vegan Wings Eating Competition.

National Wing Day is on Thursday 22nd March and not only will Biff’s be offering 50% off all wingz, they’ll be putting on a wingz party at Haunt London featuring the UK’s first vegan wings eating comp.

Actually, unless someone can prove otherwise I’m confident in declaring this the world’s first vegan wings eating competition.

Four challengers will get to eat their way through a bucket of ten of their crispy fried jackfruit wingz, slathered in special hot chipotle sauce.

The champion will get Jack Shack tees and swag for them and their crew, food for two at the Haunt, the coveted GOLDEN BUCKET, and a place in history.

If you want to take the challenge, you must:

👉 1. Follow Biff’s Jack Shack on Instagram
👉 2. Tag two wing-people that you’d bring down with you on the night in this post
👉 3. Tell the wing makers what makes you the ultimate wing fiend in a comment below the Instagram post

If the eating challenge isn’t for you, you should still get along to enjoy cheap wings and support independent vegan business.

Gorgeous pop up event for London

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Do you know Greedy Khao?

If you do, you will understand that this pop up event is not to be missed.

If you are unfamiliar, this March 31 food event is the perfect opportunity to get acquainted.

‘A Plant-Powered Journey through Thailand’ will take diners on a culinary tour from the Southern provinces, famous for seafood and spiciness, through the melting pot of Bangkok, and up to the fresh, zesty North East.

Faai of Greedy Khao says, “North Eastern (Isaan) Thai food has seen increased popularity in recent years, so we want to shed the spotlight on some of Thailand’s other regions, while proving that vegan Thai food can be just as bold, complex, and moreish as its meaty alternative”.

They have the tickets up on Eventbrite (here) so get buying. Don’t miss out!

New at Ms Cupcake

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The crew at Ms Cupcake never stop working to bring you new seasonal treats and this delight they have launched today looks exquisite.

Say hello to the Jam Doughnut Muffin!

I think they should call it a duffin.

So, it’s like a muffin and a jam filled doughnut?!

That’s my kind of hybrid!

In case you don’t know, Ms Cupcake is an absolutely old school legendary vegan business in London ad was the first all-vegan bakery.

The store has been going from strength to strength over the years and the business has even expanded to include sales of packaged cupcakes in Whole Foods Market stores and a home delivery service for online orders.

Check out the Ms Cupcake website for more info and follow them on Instagram.

Vegan in Earlsfield

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If you think all the best London vegan food is in Hackney, I’m about to hip you to some news you can use.

Say hello to Amrutha Lounge.

Amrutha started life as a mobile food truck (which I wrote about here) but recently opened this permanent eatery in Earlsfield, SW London.

What do the founders say about their food?

Innovative vegan dishes and heart-warming classics are lovingly prepared on the premises by our chefs on a daily basis. The food is made from scratch with an emphasis on taking simple ingredients and elevating them to extraordinary levels, that’s our version of ‘Vegan Soul Food’.

You can follow Amrutha on Instagram. See the exact location thanks to Google Maps.

Now, let’s check out some food shots.

Exclusive vegan cheese now in London grocery chain

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By now you would have heard all about New Roots.

This Switzerland-made range of vegan cheeses took London by storm when it was previewed at VegfestUK late in 2017 and ever since vegans have been scrambling to get their hands on their products.

The camembert made by New Roots is next level and their other divine cheeses aren’t far behind. It is no wonder people have been hunting all over the capital for this stuff.

Well, the hunt for New Roots just got that little bit easier now that they have signed a deal to be sold in Planet Organic stores around London.

You can get along to the following in store tasting sessions to try some of this cheese glory for yourself and of course buy a few of the flavours:

  • Thursday March 8th – 4pm until 7pm – Islington N1 8LR
  • Friday March 9th – 4pm until 7pm – Devonshire Square EC2M 4AE
  • Saturday March 10th – 11am until 2pm – Torrington Place WC1E 7HJ
  • Saturday March 10th – 4pm until 7pm – Westbourne Grove W2 5SH
  • Sunday March 11th – 11am until 2pm – Wandsworth SW18 4FT
  • Sunday March 11th – 3pm until 6pm – Tottenham Court Road W1 1BJ
  • Thursday March 29th – 12pm until 3pm – TottenhamCourt Road W1 1BJ
  • Saturday March 31st – 2pm until 5pm – Muswell Hill N10 3HS

There are a lot of opportunities to try this cheese, so get along to at least one of these tastings in March.

You can follow New Roots on Instagram and if you can’t make it along to the tastings, shop online with the superstar vegan cheese company.

Vegan International Women’s Day

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Calling all London people.

8th March, 2018 is International Women’s Day and a collective of women-led vegan food businesses are getting together to collaborate on a one-off menu at the Spread Eagle London.


Apart from serving up tasty vegan food, they are giving 100% of all the money made (none of them will take any money to cover costs) to a charity called Working Chance. This charity supports women leaving the criminal justice system, helping them to get back into the workforce and break the poverty and re-offence cycle by pairing them up with employees.

The menu is fabulous:

  • ARRIVAL – glass of prosecco/Old Blue Last beer – The Spread Eagle
  • STARTER – chorizo and purple potato tacos with pickled chiles, avocado salsa verde, and lime – I Will Kill Again x Club Mexicana
  • MAIN – jackfruit jelfrezi torta with pink onions, pickled chiles, and sour cream raita, served with tortilla chips and salsa – Spice Box x Club Mexicana
  • PUDDING – warm chocolate chile mud pie with vanilla ice cream – Young Vegans x Club Mexicana

Click here to book your table on the Spread Eagle website for anytime after 6pm on March 8th and be part of their big ‘fuck you’ to patriarchy and big businesses cashing in on women and veganism. Don’t be fooled by other markets and pop ups trying to ride the promo wave of International Women’s Day.

Follow Club Mexicana, Spice Box, I Will Kill Again, The Spread Eagle, and Young Vegans on Instagram.

If you would like to support Working Chance charity but cannot attend this event, please consider donating online.

Incredible 5-course event

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Join Itis for an evening of vegan food and Caribbean party vibes on Friday March 23, 2018 in SE15.

The food experts will be serving a gourmet 5-course meal, created by their own executive chef. The Caribbean-inspired menu will include the region’s flavours combined with their chef’s own personal twist. They’ll have island music and drinks going all night.

THE FOOD

  • Trini-Style Corn Soup: A traditional street food made with split peas, pieces of corn, coconut milk and fresh herbs and spices
  • Pholourie: Fried, spiced dough balls served with a tamarind sauce
  • Salad: Mixed leaves, rocket, beetroot, cherry tomatoes and carrots served with a fruity vinaigrette
  • Jerk Shrimp Pasta: Linguini tossed in our homemade mild jerk-cream sauce, with red and green peppers, corn, onions and mushroom topped with vegan jumbo shrimp
  • Dessert: Oreo base cheesecake with fruit coulis

THE DRINKS

A glass of Caribbean Rum Punch and a non-alcoholic glass of homemade sorrel juice will be served. They will also have a bar serving Caribbean cocktails and drinks for you to purchase additional drinks from on the night if you wish

Itis always make a huge impression when they trade at Hackney Downs Vegan Market so I feel confident in saying you don’t want to miss this 5-course extravaganza taking place in southeast London.

Click here NOW to buy tickets.

Follow Itis on Instagram and Facebook.

Ten things to eat in London

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I haven’t done a little wrap up post like this for a while, so I wanted to jump on the blog quickly and give you an overview.

My inbox is swarming with correspondence from people wanting to know what is ‘must eat’ food if they only have a few days in London.

This following collection isn’t meant to act as a definitive list, rather it highlights ten things I highly recommend when you are next in London. The list is in no particular order.

Check it out and let me know if I have left any of your favourites of my list.

Number 10.

Get along to Temple of Seitan for their fried vegan chicken. They have two locations where you can pick up this world famous food.


Number 9.

Arancini Bothers is a chain that recently transformed into a 100% vegan business and you have got to get to one of their locations for their risotto balls. Too good.

 


Number 8.

Young Vegans know pies like nobody else and their Camden Market eatery is heaven. The mashed potato and gravy sides elevate an already incredible eating experience to another level. I highly recommend  the Seitan and Ale pie.

 


Number 7.

The seitan burger at Wulf & Lamb is one of the finest things to eat in London. Their special blend seitan is the closest to ground beef in the city and it is TASTY.

 

A post shared by Wulf & Lamb (@wulfandlamb) on


Number 6.

I’m always singing the praises of CookDaily but it is worth repeating. Get the Full English bowl and have your life changed for the better.

 

Number 5.

If you aren’t familiar with Cookies and Scream, I’m sorry to say but you are not living your happiest life. Get a shake with added cookie dough balls.

 

Number 4.

Vanessa at Essential Vegan is a food superstar and her take on vegan Brazilian cuisine is a MUST-EAT when in London. Get the cheese balls. Eat them while hot. Leave happy.

 

Number 3.

One of the best things to eat on the planet is the doner chip box from What The Pitta. I simply CANNOT walk past their Shoreditch location without ordering this item.

 

A post shared by What The Pitta! (@whatthepitta) on

Number 2.

Dough Society is the first vegan donut and coffee shop in London. The Homer donut is one of their regular offerings and it is one of my favourite sweet treats in the capital.

 

Number 1.

The Snix bar from JuiceBaby is a pure delight. Shortbread base, gooey caramel and peanuts covered in raw chocolate. I would do almost anything for one right now.

 

A post shared by JUICEBABY (@juicebabyuk) on

A vegan potluck returns

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If you are new around these parts, you might not remember that I used to run a vegan potluck.

London Vegan Potluck was a wonderful community event where people shared homemade vegan food, socialised with new friends, and perhaps got some cooking inspiration.

It was a fun, low cost and informal way for people to celebrate their veganism in a time before weekly markets and vegan nights.

London Vegan Potluck ran every month for four years and then I got overworked. We had to bring it to an end and London has mostly been devoid of vegan potlucks ever since.

But there is a new one on the horizon by some people named Anna and Amy.

Check out this info about the one-time-only vegan potluck in London:

The Nourishing Vegan Club is inspired by a love of food, passion for wellness & desire to bring like minded people together. So on Saturday 17th March we’re holding a vegan potluck afternoon at Jaz & Jul’s (a.k.a chocolate heaven) in London.

Bring a homemade vegan dish/cake, come with an appetite and be prepared to feast! Tickets are £5 (or £8 without bringing a dish) and spaces are limited so grab yours while they’re fresh out the oven!
Please message one of us to secure your place 🙂

Jaz & Jul’s is located on Chapel Market, close to Angel Underground Station.

You can RSVP and get all the necessary details over on the Facebook event page.

Arancini Brothers at the market

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This week has been a big week for Arancini Brothers and a big week for vegan London.

The fast food chain is celebrating all three of its bricks and mortar locations having finally become 100% vegan.

It started as somewhat of an experiment at their Old Street location which saw the outlet switch to a fully plant-based menu for Veganuary, however the decision swiftly followed to turn all three locations vegan.

Forever!

To help Arancini Brothers celebrate its first week as a fully vegan business, we have invited them to trade at Hackney Downs Vegan Market this Saturday with their food truck (Saturday March 3, 2018).

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bftg0lWA8ZT/

The gorgeous food truck will be selling fresh risotto balls and succulent burgers.

If you haven’t enjoyed the Arancini Brothers experience, this Saturday is your chance to make it happen.

You can see the full trader line up for Hackney Downs Vegan Market online here.

You can read about the new in-store vegan menu by Arancini Brothers online here.

You can follow Arancini Brothers on Instagram.