Vegan BBQ in London

You all know I am Australian, right?

I grew up with people frying all sorts of animals on the ‘barbie’ and backyard meat fests were part of life. The general vibe was that you weren’t a good Australian citizen if you didn’t have a chunk of charred cow on your plate.

Now there is a new food company in London to make me feel nostalgic for days past but without the animals having to die part. Barbie Grrrl is a pop-up food company catering for those craving the textures, smells and flavours of a proper backyard Aussie BBQ.

Barbie Grrrl is currently grilling in the beer garden at Shoreditch’s Canvas Café during lunchtime and dinner throughout August. Alcohol and a variety of beverages are within easy reach and HOMEMADE SEITAN RIBS are on the menu – served either straight up or accompanied by Canvas Café’s summer salad selection.

Barbie Grrrl rub their ribs with 9 spices – including turmeric, sweet paprika and fennel seeds – and demerara sugar for flavour complexity. They are proud to say they give the ribs all the time they need on the barbie, which leaves them chargrilled and with a distinct smoky flavour from the coal. The final touch is a slathering of their signature BBQ sauce, with notes of aniseed and a chilli kick.

The ribs are made fresh every morning so once they are gone, they’re gone!

Barbie Grrrl will be in residence every Tuesday – Sunday for lunch (12:00-16:00) and dinner (18:00-22:00) from the 1st of August through to the 3rd of September, 2017. Bring cash to buy your ribs (cashpoint a short walk away), £5 on their own or £7 with salad.

 

Follow Barbie Grrrl on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to see the exact location of the pop-up via Google maps.

Vegan food event in London

KERB is a company focussed on organising and hosting large scale street food events around London and the UK.

Their next event that will be of great interest to vegans, especially vegans who like a LOT of food.

Livin’ on the Veg is a showcase of eight vegan food specialists and the twist of this event is that you get something from EACH trader when you buy a ticket. Yes, eight portions of food!

The mammoth food party is taking place in King’s Cross on Friday August 18 and Saturday August 19, 2017. There are different sessions you can book and from what I’ve heard, there aren’t many tickets remaining so be quick.

For £30, you get a cocktail plus ALL OF THE FOLLOWING FOOD:

  1. Biff’s Jack Shack – double fried jackfruit buffalo wings speared on sugar cane bone with maple bourbon hot sauce, blue cheese, toasted almond kale slaw and a fresh seared peach
  2. Petare (Bucket List reigning champ!)- Venezuelan ‘chip butty’ arepa stuffed with cassava chips, sweet fried plantain, “feta”, avocado and garlic sauce
  3. Lemlem Kitchen –  Timtimo split pea afro-taco, served on injera with a red cabbage and ginger slaw, and pickled chillies and seeds.
  4. Eat Chay – Korean BBQ Bahn Mi baguette filled with crispy seitan, mushroom walnut pate, pickled carrots, parsnips and sriracha mayo
  5. Spice Box – charred makhani-smothered tandoori cauli steak with coriander chutney and homemade pickles on a grilled naan
  6. Temple of Seitan – fried ‘chicken’ slider in an agave mustard glaze
  7. Greedy Khao –Thai red curry tofu and butternut squash pillows on soy sesame slaw and hom mali rice
  8. Young Vegans – chocolate peanut butter mud pie brownies

Can you handle all of this?!

In addition to the food you are swamped with, there will be extra food to buy if you need it as well as a bar and games. It sounds like a whole lot of delicious fun.

Click here to book your ticket.

Extra note: the Saturday sessions of Livin’ on the Veg are on the same day as Hackney Downs Vegan Market. Check out the line up we have for that monthly event here.

Vegan sandwiches in London

News for vegan sandwich lovers.

Street food business Queen Picnic are now appearing EVERY Sunday at Chatsworth Road and they have this fabulous line up of packaged sandwiches. I want them all!

The Queen Picnic beef-style seitan, rocket, tomato and mustard sandwich. Coming to a store near you!

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Not only can you get your hands on these tasty savoury delights between 11am and 4pm each Sunday at Chatsworth Road Market, you will also start seeing these sandwiches popping up in local stores and supermarkets.

Follow Queen Picnic on Instagram to stay updated on stockist locations and new flavours.

Vegan cake in London

Here is a super quick blog post to let you know about a nifty little spot for picking up gorgeous vegan cake in central London.

MissFlits Bakes Vegan is on a mission to spread the good word about vegan cake and they are starting by selling their tasty treats at Forge & Co on Shoreditch High Street.

Check these out!

Of course Forge & Co is not a vegan establishment but if you are in the area and in need of cake, this is a very handy location of which to be aware as they have multiple vegan cakes each week.

You can see the exact location of Forge & Co thanks to Google Maps. It is only a few minutes on foot from Boxpark!

New cakes are delivered to the Shoreditch eatery by the MissFlits Bakes Vegan every Tuesday. You should follow them on Facebook and Instagram to keep updated.

New vegan kitchen in West London

West London is in the midst of a plant-based eating revolution with new businesses popping up all the time.

There is GreenBay Supermarket and Picky Wops pizza parlour within walking distance of each other. Sanctuary is just around the corner from both of these places in Fulham. Don’t forget the fab new café called Vegan HQ on South Ealing road.

That side of London is really gathering vegan steam and we now have a brand new plant-based café called The Retreat Kitchen in Richmond to add to the expanding list.

During the week at The Retreat Kitchen you can fill up at the seasonal salad bar and enjoy dishes such as the cashew ‘cheesy’ leek and broccoli quiche. You can devour homemade beetroot brownies or a refined sugar-free sticky toffee, date and cinnamon donut. You can enjoy a range of organic and vegan beer, wine, prosecco and cider.

The weekend at The Retreat Kitchen is a more laid back affair with an all day brunch menu where you can enjoy their version of traditional breakfast offerings including stuffed chickpea omelettes, mushroom florentine muffins and hollandaise sauce and loaded fresh fruit as well as banana and cinnamon pancake stacks.

The Retreat Kitchen is located on Hill Rise, Richmond (see the exact location via Google Maps) and is open Tuesdays-Fridays, 8:30am until 5:00pm and for brunch and cream teas at the weekends from 9:30am to 5:00pm.

You can visit The Retreat Kitchen online and follow them on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Exclusive vegan supper club for London

London, I know you have a lot going on when it comes to vegan eating but you need to make a special effort to get along to this exclusive dining event in Hackney next week.

Plates is a company specialising in plant-based contemporary dining experiences with modern English menus and are about to launch a Saturday night residency in Hackney at Autumn Yard located at Hackney Downs Studios on Saturday August 5, 2017.

Check out the flyer for the launch night below.

 

The food they put together looks exquisite and the launch dinner includes a gorgeous 4-course menu crafted from fresh ingredients. I think it’s safe to say you will be very well fed (and satisfied) if you book a ticket for this exclusive event.

Autumn Yard is a stunning venue and this launch event for Plates is incredible value at £25. Book your ticket now.

You should also follow Plates on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to stay updated with this season of supper clubs in Hackney, plus all of their future events.

Some of the best vegan food in London

It has been a long time since I last said hello to them but my visit to the Just Fab double decker food bus on Hackney Road yesterday reminded me why this unique Italian restaurant is serving up some of the best vegan food in the UK.

Laura, Jonas, Josh and I all piled into the bus for some long overdue eating and we didn’t show any restraint. We got one of everything that we damn well wanted and our table was rammed solid with delicious comfort cuisine.

Laura and Jonas were visiting from LA and they couldn’t talk highly enough of the Just Fab menu. That is saying huge things when you consider all the vegan treats they have back home.

Follow Just Fab on Instagram and click here to see their exact location thanks to Google Maps.

Now, the food photos!

Stunning #vegan cheeseburger at @just_fab_vegitalian

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Next level polenta dish at @just_fab_vegitalian on Hackney Road. #vegan

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The panelle at @just_fab_vegitalian are SO TASTY. #vegan

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The lasagne at @just_fab_vegitalian is NEXT LEVEL. #vegan

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Highlights from London Vegan Beer Fest

I’m a little worn out after a big day, but the sore feet and weary eyes seem completely worth it when I look back over these photo highlights from the 5th annual London Vegan Beer Fest.

Hackney Downs Studios came alive in an explosion of beer, food and a hell of a lot of friendly people.

Thanks to the Studios for hosting the giant event and huge appreciation to our sponsors Follow Your Heart.

One million offerings of thanks to all the wonderful people that worked hard and volunteered their time to make the event a runaway success.

Next stop? Sheffield! Now onto the London photos.

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London Vegan Beer Festival! #lvbf17

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Loving my #lazyboykitchen mac&cheese and my black beeble stout #lvbf17

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Happy weekend frens ❤️ #lvbf17 #beer #morebeer #evenmorebeer

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OMG ❤️ @peanutbutterbakery

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Vegan Beer Fest in our neighborhood! #lvbf17 #veganmexicanfood #hackney @clubmexicana

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#London #vegan #beer fest 2017 #LVBF17

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@peanutbutterbakery vegan donuts galore. #vegan #veganeats #vgang #whatveganseat #donuts #lvbf17

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#Vegan chilli cheese fries from @lazyboykitchen at #lvbf17 #vegang

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My 4th London Vegan Beer Fest and the best so far – thanks @fatgayvegan

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#lvbf17

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#lvbf17

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This pint of Detroit Sour City by @twistedbarrelale is outstanding. At London Vegan Beer Fest #lvbf17

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The #vegan fish and chip truck @battered_v are doing a roaring trade at London Vegan Beer Fest #lvbf17

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London Vegan Beer Fest is amazing this year. Look at the @brasscastlebrewery beer hall! #vegan #lvbf17

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Only all the fab people at London Vegan Beer Fest today. @heartofcakelondon #lvbf17 #vegan

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I’m drunk and being taught to pull a pint at London Vegan Beer Fest. #lvbf16 @brasscastlebrewery

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The best thing about London Vegan Beer Fest was the people. Everyone was so lovely and friendly. #lvbf17

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And we’re off!!! #veganbeerfest2017 #fatgayvegan #followyourheart

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FGV on the radio

Super quick post to let you know that I am being interviewed tonight (Thursday July 13, 2017) on local radio here in London.

My friend Tatum hosts a show called The Social Hour and I have been invited to be a guest.

You can listen live online via the Wandsworth Radio website between 9pm and 10pm tonight (UK time), or follow up and listen at a later date via the Social Hour Facebook page.

I think I’ll be talking about London Vegan Beer Fest amongst a few other things. I might even get to play a few songs!

You should also follow Tatum on Instagram for gorgeous vegan food photos.

Beer list LVBF 2017

I can hardly believe this incredible list of beers that have been pulled together for the 5th annual London Vegan Beer Fest this Saturday (July 15, 2017), so I’ll forgive you if it makes you a bit overexcited.

Sink your teeth into this 60 beer strong list. It is simply incredible.

We have kegs. We have casks. We have cans. And we have a hell of a lot of beer.

With three exclusive areas for you to explore, including a sit down restaurant with wine bar and beer tap takeover, London Vegan Beer Fest is a party that cannot be missed.

Online tickets bought in advance are just £5 plus tiny booking fee. If we have any tickets remaining on the day, they are £9 at the gate. Book your cheap tickets online now.

Now, check out this mammoth list.

INDOOR BEER HALL (run by Brass Castle Brewery, Malton, Yorkshire)

ALPHABET BREWING – A to the K – Oatmeal Pale – 5.6% ABV (keg) – fresh hops and tropical fruit
BAD SEED – Hustler – Pale Ale – 4.4% ABV (cask) – massive citrus hit with grapefruit, mango & pine
BRASS CASTLE – Bad Kitty – Vanilla Porter – 5.5% ABV (keg) – a chewy chocolate-vanilla dream of a porter
BRASS CASTLE – Bad Kitty – Vanilla Porter – 5.5% ABV (can) – gluten free version of the above
BRASS CASTLE – Brass Lager – 5.3% ABV (keg) – malt-forward Vienna lager with a brass hue
BRASS CASTLE – Enzed Red – Amber Ale – 6.4% ABV (cask) – balanced red ale w/ NZ Rakau & Waimea hops
BRASS CASTLE – Frambunctious – Raspberry Ale – 4.0% ABV (cask) – classic flavour with a raspberry hit
BRASS CASTLE – Helles Lager – 4.4% ABV (cans) – gluten free Munich-style Helles lager
BRASS CASTLE – Helles Lager Orange Blossom edition – 4.4% ABV (keg) – new take on a classic
BRASS CASTLE – Hoptical Illusion – Pale Ale – 4.3% ABV (keg&can) – gluten free hop forward pale ale
BRASS CASTLE – Misfit – Pale Ale – 4.3% ABV (cask) – bursting with juicy citrus and ripe peach
BRASS CASTLE – Sunshine IPA – 5.7% ABV (cans) – SIBA 2013 ‘Champion Beer for the North East of England’
BRASS CASTLE/WILDE CHILD – Vociferous Agreement – Triple IPA – 10% ABV (keg) – a Leeds collaboration
BREW YORK – Maris the Otter – Bitter – 3.9% ABV (cask) – modern take on a classic British bitter
MAGIC ROCK – Inhaler – IPA – 4.5% ABV (keg) – pale ale with low bitterness and lots of juiciness
MAGIC ROCK – Common Grounds – Coffee Porter – 5.4% ABV (keg) – decadent coffee beer with toffee notes
MARBLE BREWERY – Brett the Hitman Tart – 5.0% ABV – 100% brett-fermented, lightly tart/dry finish
TINY REBEL – Clwb Tropicana – Pale Ale – 5.5% ABV (keg) – super juicy American hops amplified topical fruit flavours
WILD BEER CO – Fresh – Pale Ale – 5.5% ABV (keg) – a fragrant pale ale with hops from two hemispheres
WILD BEER CO – Bibble – Pale Ale – 4.2% ABV (cask) – moreish bitterness with tropical tastiness

OUTDOOR BEER MARKET

BEERBLEFISH: all vegan craft brewery from Edmonton, North London exploring modern hops.

DELTAFISH – APA – 5.2% ABV (cask) – delicious delta hops with a hint of cascade
ESB – 4.8% ABV (keg) – A rich dark special ale, full of British hops and finished with NZ Dr. Rudi
Black Beerble – Stout – 5.0% ABV (keg) – chocolate & crystal, finished with a handful of Bramling Cross

BUMBLEBEE CIDER: made from British apples, paying homage to the bees doing all the hard work!

Hard Cider (original) – 4.5% ABV (500ml bottle) – medium-dry, lightly sparkling. Robust and complex tannic structure, rolling from sweet to dry with a sun-baked West Country aroma
Regatta Strawberry & Mint Cider – 4.0% ABV (500ml bottle) – medium Somerset cider twisted with strawberries and a hint of garden mint. Unmistakably cider – with a summer twist. Enjoy chilled and for a real treat, add some ice and chopped fruit (available)
BumbleBee Gribble – 1 pint/2 pint cartons – 4.8% ABV – Medium-dry easy drinking still hazy somerset cider. Inspired by long, hot lazy days in the Westcountry

CLARKSHAWS: microbrewery in Brixton, London doing modern takes on classic British beers.

New World American Pale Ale – 4.3% ABV (cask) – hoppy American pale ale, with tropical fruits and mango flavour
Cloudy Ginger Beer – 0% ABV (cask) – alcohol free, traditional, homemade & fiery ginger beer
Hellhound British IPA – 5.5% ABV (keg) – spicy with hints of citrus orange and caramel
Coldharbour Hell Yeah! Lager – 5.3% ABV (keg) – winner of the SIBA SE Region Premium Lager & Pilsner Bronze Medal 2016, this is a flavourful craft lager with a sweet honeysuckle and elderflower taste
A Darker Hell Dark Lager – 4.5% ABV (keg) – crisp but with hints of chocolate
Strange Brew Pale Ale – 4.0% ABV (bottle) – our award- winning pale ale with a hoppy floral flavour from UK cascade hop
Gorgons Alive – 4.0% ABV (bottle) – golden bitter, summery, spicy and refreshing

MONCADA: Ingredients are sourced within 100 miles from London for this Notting Hill brewery.

Notting Hill Blonde – 4.2% ABV (keg) – continental-style yellow beer with fruity hoppiness
Saison – 4.8% ABV (keg) – a mouthful of earthy, spicy and floral flavours
Notting Hill Ruby Rye – 5.2% ABV (keg) – robust ale with a fruity hop aroma
Imperial Custard Stout – 9.5% ABV (keg) – chocolate creaminess with decadent, velvety tones

MOOR BEER: Bristol-based brewery focussing on vegan modern real ales.

So’Hop – 4.1% ABV (keg) – pale ale brewed with Australian hops
Claudia – 4.5% ABV (keg) – hoppy wheat beer
Stout – 5% ABV (keg) – classic stout
Return of the Empire – 5.7% ABV (keg) – New World style hops with high levels of alpha acids
Guardian of Peace – 7% ABV (keg) – IPA celebrating the light side of the force
Agent of Evil – 7% ABV (keg) – black IPA celebrating the dark side of the force

THREE HILLS: Small batch nano brewery based in Northamptonshire.

Thai-PA – 5.4% ABV (keg) – a lemongrass, kaffir lime and ginger infused pale ale
New World IPA 3 – 6.7% ABV (keg) – a New England style IPA with Mosaic and Galaxy hops
South Pacific Hefeweizen – 5.2% ABV (keg) – wheat beer with hops from Australia & New Zealand
Raspberry Hefeweizen – 5.6% ABV (keg) – wheat beer infused with raspberries
Uisce Beatha – 7.7% ABV (keg) – Irish coffee for breakfast stout
Veda: Sorachi Ace – 6.2% ABV (keg) – single hop west coast IPA
Herb Ale: Celini’s Gold – 5.8% ABV (keg) – unhopped gruit w/ lemon balm, lemon thyme and lemon verbena
Herb Ale: Dark Destroyer – 6.2% ABV (keg) – unhopped dark gruit w/ vanilla, cardamom & mother wort
Herb Ale: Ooo Mary – 5.8% ABV (keg) – unhoped sour gruit with rosemary, yarrow and lemon thyme

TWISTED BARREL ALES: Coventry-based brewery mixing modern and classic styles and methods.

Detroit Sour City – 4.5% ABV (keg) – a thirst quenching, fruity sour beer. Kettle soured for a deliciously tart acidity, then dry hopped with Rakau and Equinox hops for a tropical citrus flavour
Kachirho – 5.0% ABV (keg) – a modern day pale, brewed with Mosaic, Simcoe and Equinox hops for an explosive mango & grapefruit flavour, with a full body thanks to the liberal use of oats & wheat in the mash
Saison From Another Place – 5.5% ABV (keg) – a Belgian farmhouse ale, brewed with dried elderflower & peppercorns for a floral, spicy flavour that blends with the characteristics of the funky Belgian yeast
Oblivion – 6.0% ABV (keg) – a heavily hopped porter, with a distinct coffee flavour from the use of roasted malts, which is paired with a grapefruit hop finish from the Cascade, Chinook and Columbus hops
Sine Qua Non – 4.5% ABV (keg) – session IPA – a dry, refreshing IPA with a tropical citrus flavour
Tymor Rhiwbob – 5.3% ABV (keg) – rhubarb, Beetroot and Orange Saison – the perfect summery beverage, tart rhubarb, orange on the nose and a dry, refreshing finish
Jack The DIPA – 8.0% ABV (keg) – fruit Oat Double IPA – a beast of an IPA, brewed with guava puree and orange zest for a full on tropical fruit flavour

AUTUMN YARD TAP TAKEOVER

40FT brewery: Local brewery operating out of a shipping container in Dalston.

Larger – 4.8% ABV (keg) – a hoppy version of the German style Kölsch, but unfiltered. Similar to a lager but larger in flavour. Brewed with a new hop from the States called Lemon Drop
Disco Pils – 4.8% ABV (keg) – a very fresh and crisp pale ale inspired by a German pils. Brewed with whole Hüll Melon only to give it a fruity, hoppy aroma
Päle – 4.1% ABV (keg) – a hoppy American style Pale Ale with the flavour of Summer with UK & US hops
Street Weiss – 5.2% ABV (keg) – a hefeweizen with banana and melon notes

If this impressive beer list tickles your fancy, you also be delighted to know we have seven superstar vegan street food vendors. Read about the food line up here. So much food!

London Vegan Beer Fest takes place at Hackney Downs Studios between 11am and 8pm on Saturday July 15, 2017. You can RSVP and invite friends over on the Facebook event page.

Extra notes:

Take part in Charioke (charity + karaoke) at London Vegan Beer Fest. If you enjoy singing or have a good time watching those that sing, please toss a few coins into our collection bucket. All money raised is being donated directly to Isla Urbana, a charity building clean water collection infrastructure in Mexico.

LVBF Hangover Special gives you 10% discount at 7 leading vegan businesses around London on Sunday July 16, 2017 if you are still wearing your London Vegan Beer Fest wristband. See the full list of participating businesses.