London Vegan Events

Fabulous vegan Chinese pop up

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Listen to me. You need to book a ticket for this event as soon as you finish reading.

The tickets are going to fly out.

Mao Chow is a vegan pop specialising in vegan food that they bill as inauthentic American Chinese.

Their next event is taking place in Dalston on October 15, 2017 and the menu looks like the stuff of dreams.

Check it out below.

Every single item on that amazing menu is vegan and it sounds delightful.

Tickets are £30 plus booking fee and you need to buy them online here.

If this sells out before you get a chance to book, you can follow Mao Chow on Instagram for news of future events.

Get booking!

New vegan product by Baileys

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It has been a very long time coming, but the new Almande vegan drink by Baileys has arrived in the UK and is well worth the wait.

I was invited along to a product tasting session a few nights ago and was blown away by this drink. I think it is going to make a lot of vegans very happy in the UK.

I got chatting with the Baileys team at the event and threw down a challenge.

I said that I was so confident of my photo of their drink getting 1,000 likes on Instagram that I would bet on it.

If the post did get 1,000 likes, Baileys would have to send their team to Hackney Downs Vegan Market this Saturday (September 30, 2017) with bottles of Almande for free taste sampling.

Well, guess what.

The post got more than 1,000 likes in just under an hour!

You can get a free tasting of the new vegan Baileys Almande this Saturday at Hackney Downs Vegan Market. Get full market details here and RSVP to the Facebook event here.

A bet is a bet.

Almande is currently available to buy in Whole Foods Market stores around the UK. New retailers to be added soon.

Extra note: The tasting is for those 18+ and you might be asked for ID. Always drink responsibly.

Fat Gay Vegan at VegfestUK London

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I’m happy to announce that I will be taking part in the annual VegfestUK London event happening on October 21 and 22, 2017.

I will be talking during two events:

Main talk in auditorium on Saturday – Fat Gay Vegan: Eat, Drink and Live Like You Give a Shit

Sean O’Callaghan (Fat Gay Vegan) previews his book ‘Fat Gay Vegan: Eat, Drink and Live Like You Give a Sh!t’, set to be published via Nourish in January 2017. Sean will discuss themes from the book including expanding compassion beyond the plate to include other social justice issues.

Activist Corner talk on Sunday – So you wanna start a local vegan market?

Join blogger, journalist and event planner Fat Gay Vegan as he hosts a Q&A session on the importance of setting up local, independent vegan markets. His popular Hackney Downs Vegan Market has just become a weekly happening and FGV wants you to start one in your area, too!

In addition to my talks, there will be a table selling exclusive advance copies of my new book Fat Gay Vegan: Eat, Drink and Live Like You Give a Shit. This early release is only for VegfestUK London. If you are unable to make it to the show but are still interested in grabbing a copy of my book, you can pre-order via Amazon ahead of the January release by Nourish Books.

Click here to find out more info about VegfestUK London and to buy advance tickets.

Hackney Down Vegan Market September 23

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Just dropping by (who am I kidding – I live here) to let you know about the line up for Hackney Downs Vegan Market as it celebrates becoming a weekly event on Saturday September 23, 2017.

Check out this fabulous line up:

  • Big V London – burgers from the edge of paradise that are changing the way London eats
  • Young Vegans – the finest vegan pies in London from the nicest people in the city
  • Vegan Delice – delectable treats from one of the best vegan baked goods businesses in the UK
  • Hell Yum! – outstanding vegan ice cream and ice cream cookie sandwiches
  • Club Mexicana – a special ONE DAY ONLY mach n cheese menu
  • The Cashew Family – some of the finest gourmet vegan cheese in the UK
  • Vega Mama – be prepared to be bowled over by warm jackfruit curry and take home tubs of vegan tuna!
  • Vogococo – irresistible raw chocolate and energy balls
  • The Cane Press – freshly squeezed sugar cane drink available with or without rum
  • Just Fab – the famous vegan Italian restaurant visits us with panelle, arancini and vegan tiramisu!

I can’t tell you how excited I am to launch weekly and even more so when I look over that list.

I mean, come on. Sugar cane juice and rum!

RSVP to the Facebook event here and invite all your friends.

Hackney Downs Vegan Market weekly

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You asked for it so we made it happen.

Hackney Downs Vegan Market is now a weekly event!

Fat Gay Vegan and EAT WORK ART are thrilled to announce the transformation of London’s best vegan street food market from a monthly event to a WEEKLY one.

There is no need to wait an agonising month to get your fill of delicious comfort food. Starting Saturday September 23rd, 2017 and going forward each and every Saturday, Hackney Downs Studios will be home to the finest collection of vegan traders in London.

Hackney Downs Vegan Market is the original and the best. It’s brought to you by a vegan in order to help vegan businesses. This is your weekly community market and entry is free.

Stay tuned for product giveaway news and updates taking place at the market.

Vegan burger battle

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Oh. My. Buns.

Do you enjoy decadent vegan burgers? Well, you had better along to Hackney Downs Vegan Market on Saturday Septmeber 16, 2017 between 11am and 5pm as four of the best vegan food traders in London go head to head with gorgeous burger creations.

It’s a Vegan Burger Battle, people!

Should we explore the options?

1- Temple of Seitan – soft white bun lightly toasted featuring a special recipe burger sauce, crunchy hash brown, succulent burger with gristle, fried mozzarella block, and a slice of bacon. 

2 – Big V London – the Classic Facon Cheeseburger. Classic plant meat burger with melted mature cheddar, crispy house maple bacon, burger sauce, spicy tomato relish, red onion, pickles on a toasted custom poppy seed Brioche bun.

3 – Cafe SoVegan – the Mac Daddy. A southern style chicken burger topped with salad, mac no cheese and crispy onions.

4 – Eat Chay – Korean BBQ Big Mac with vegan cheese and homemade vegan kimchi.

If you had to pick just one, what would you do? OK, that’s a bit cruel. I’ll let you pick two.

This version of Hackney Downs Vegan Market is going to be one of the best showcases of vegan burgers you can get in the UK.

If burgers are not your thing (please leave), rest assured that we have a stunning line up of sweet and savoury food from a huge roster of street food traders.

You can see the full line up here and you can RSVP to the Facebook event online here.

Yay for vegan burger battles!

Vegan market intensity

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Here is a quick blog post to reiterate my feelings about community markets.

Get out of your house and START A VEGAN MARKET.

I hosted my monthly Hackney Downs Vegan Market on Saturday and to say in was swamped by people would be a monumental understatement.

Check out this photo I shared from the day.

Thousands of vegans and vegan-curious people swarmed the market and many of the vendors could not cope with the demand. Cake stands that thought they would be safe by showing up with hundreds of cakes sold out within the first few hours. Temple of Seitan sold out of almost 500 bacon cones with hours still remaining of the event. Battered sold hundreds of portions of vegan fish. Big V had their busiest day at our market ever. Café SoVegan know how to make a lot of food and they sold out completely for the first time ever.

Some people have suggested that we should have more stalls or that the vendors should make more food. Neither of these things can happen. Our space has limitations around the number of stalls permitted and the vendors are making as much food as they possibly can. They are stretched beyond their limits.

The answer to this problem is simple.

More people need to run more vegan markets around London. You can see that the demand clearly exists. When thousands and thousands of people show up to my market on the same day as a sold out 1,000 person vegan food event is also being staged in Kings Cross, you know there is not enough being done to meet the demand.

I am only one person and I do what I can, but we are in desperate need of other community-minded people to step up and start local markets that celebrate and support independent businesses.

Start small. Don’t think that 4,000 people are going to swarm your event. Keep it local. You can do it if you simply start. Get an idea and run with it.

Do it for your neighbourhood. Do it for the business owners. Do it for the animals.

New vegan cheese business

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I know I complain about not being able to keep up with vegan developments, but for real I cannot keep up with all the artisan vegan cheese flying at my face.

One such new nut cheese business on the block is called The Cashew Family and they just happen to be trading at Hackney Downs Vegan Market this Saturday (August 19, 2017).

Get a little sneak preview of what they do and make sure to follow them on Instagram so you can keep updated on their latest market dates (such as their Tottenham Green Market appearances each Sunday!).

Vegan food event in London

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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.

Highlights from London Vegan Beer Fest

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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.

A post shared by Laura (@xxlauraann) on

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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

A post shared by SGF➡️ORD➡️LAX➡️LHR➡️AMS (@jenaburman) on

#London #vegan #beer fest 2017 #LVBF17

A post shared by Amber (@la_ambre) on

@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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