More vegan options in Hackney

by

If you find yourself struggling to find something vegan to eat in Hackney (HA!!!!!!), you might decide to make your way to this new(ish) vegetarian café where you find a whole lot of vegan options.

Say g’day to Lele’s on Lower Clapton Road.

I’m not sure why a vegetarian business with a handful of animal-derived ingredients wouldn’t just launch as vegan instead, especially in Hackney. It seems so much easier to get press and attentions as a vegan place, too. Lele’s is going to have a tough time drawing the plant-eaters away from 100% vegan Black Cat and Temple of Hackney, which are both within strolling distance.

Anyway, my job is to show you the vegan food and where to find it so take a look at this scrumptious food.

A post shared by LELE’S 🌱 (@leles_london) on

A post shared by LELE’S 🌱 (@leles_london) on

A post shared by LELE’S 🌱 (@leles_london) on

Click here to see the exact location of Lele’s thanks to Google Maps.

You can follow Lele’s on Instagram.

Extra note: I’m not just talking shit about vegetarianism for fun. Click here to read my blog about why vegetarian isn’t really that much of a compassionate choice.

New treats from Vegan Tuck Box

by

Here’s a fab new idea from decadent subscription box heroes, Vegan Tuck Box.

While their regular subscription and available-to-buy-just-once boxes are always packed solid with amazing treats, you have to take the risk that nobody will steal it if left on your doorstep or be on the safe side by arranging someone to be in for collection.

Vegan Tuck Box has found a way around this dilemma by creating a box that fits through a standard UK letterbox.

Check out the new Letterbox Snacks box below.

Each box comes with between five and six snacks, including a tea bag!

The snacks will rotate each month depending what Vegan Tuck Box have in stock.

This would be a fabulous surprise for a loved one or someone you are giving a vegan nudge. They don’t even need to be in for delivery and will get a thrill on arriving home.

Have I forgotten the best part of this lovely box?

It costs only £5. FIVE POUNDS!

Click here to order one (or more) right this very second and be sure to snoop around their site to see what else Vegan Tuck Box has on offer.

Leicester gets into the community spirit

by

As someone who puts a lot of time and effort into running community events, I love hearing about other activists undertaking similar projects in their areas.

Take the Leicester Vegan Community, for example.

This group is a not-for-profit collection of local vegans who promote veganism through a series of special events, markets, meetups and fairs.

Their events have a no-fee policy for vegan charities and are powered by the strength of local volunteers.

The next big event on the Leicester Vegan Community calendar is the third edition of Leicester Vegan Market coming up on Sunday June 11, 2017.

This is a totally vegan takeover of Leicester’s market space, so it will be well worth the journey if you are in the surrounding area.

Like the Leicester Vegan Community group on Facebook and RSVP to the market Facebook event.

And for the love of carrots, get inspired by these humans and start this sort of thing in your area!

Vegan pop up in City pub

by

Hey London.

As if you didn’t have enough amazing vegan food options already!

Check out this wonderful plant-based bonanza happening for just one night only in a gorgeous pub situated a few blocks north of The City of London and just below Old Street.

Kristóf Steiner is a chef from Budapest who has lived and cooked in Tel Aviv for many years, as well as running a food truck in Hungary.

Now it’s London’s turn to sample some exquisite cuisine handcrafted by Kristóf at this exclusive event at The Windmill in the City gastro pub on Saturday May 6, 2017.

The mouthwatering menu for this special pop up is as follows:

  • Mini burger in my gluten free soda bun, with sweet corn patty, avocado, and home made spicy mayo, with the perfect, crispy fries and home made ketchup
  • Aubergine shepherd’s pie topped with root veggies mash, served with green salad with beets and cherry tomatoes, with “vegan cottage”
  • Cashew baked cheesecake with salty caramel sauce

Tickets are available right now by clicking here.

You can also RSVP and invite friends via the Facebook event page.

Enjoy!

Brookie now available in London

by

Ms Cupcake is one of the true pioneering vegan businesses in London, so it makes perfect sense for them to be the first place to launch the vegan Brookie.

If you don’t keep up with delicious, faddish vegan food trends, you might not know that a Brookie is a brownie with a cookie baked on top.

The Ms Cupcake version launched today (May 3, 2017) so you you best get down to the Brixton bakery ASAP if you want to be one of the first people to sink your teeth into a Brookie.

Wanna see the Ms Cupcake Brookie?

Check it out!

Sounds like a treat that I would appreciate. Yay for the Brookie!

If you are in the UK, you can order online here.

You can follow Ms Cupcake on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Vegan Cheese Revolution at Orchard Grocer, NYC

by

Post by:

You may have seen my post from last week about all the amazing vegan food that I sampled in New York City during my 48-hour visit earlier this year… but there was one place that was so impressive that it deserved a blog post of its very own!

Orchard Grocer in Manhattan’s Lower East Side is one of the best-stocked vegan stores I’ve ever been to in my life, which just happens to share a retail space with a vegan shoe shop. It is filled to the brim with incredible products that are hard to find anywhere else. I was so full from my previous eating that I didn’t even get to try the house-made sandwiches but I’ve heard REALLY good things about them from others. Anyway, enough chit-chat… check out these photos:

Orchard Grocer, NYC

It was so overwhelming seeing this many incredible vegan products in one spot. Check out my Instagram video of the cheese selection:

My visit to @orchardgrocer in #NYC earlier this year #vegan #vegancheese #vegannyc

A post shared by joshleuner (@joshleuner) on

For those who have visited Moo Shoes in NYC previously, you’ll be interested to know that Orchard Grocer actually takes up half of the store. Moo Shoes is now using just half of its original space while Orchard Grocer takes up the rest. Read more about Orchard Grocer on their website and be sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram. Happy drooling!

Another online vegan shop for the UK

by

Dear UK vegans. You are getting too much choice.

I’ve recently posted about Greenbay of London launching their online shop, as well as Veganubi.

Now Plymouth-based vegan grocery store Ethica has joined the party and you can order plant-based groceries from them for delivery anywhere in the UK.

Just visited this super awesome 100% #vegan grocery shop in Plymouth. Yay for Ethica!

A post shared by Fat Gay Vegan (@fatgayvegan) on


What I love about the Ethica online shop is the sustainable policy underpinning everything.

Check out the following statement on the Ethica website:

We’re really conscious of making our packing process as eco friendly as possible.

All of our boxes that we send out are re-used. They’ll either be ones we’ve been sent by our suppliers or, when we run out, we buy in used boxes and give them a second life (so no new material or energy has gone into producing them!).

We’ll also never send out any packaging material that isn’t completely biodegradable. All materials are either 100% recycled paper/cardboard or wheat based degradable nuggets (for cushioning). Even our packing tape is made from just paper and starch, so no non-biodegradable acrylics or PVC!

As we’ve just started our online ordering, we’re pretty limited with our post options but as soon as we can we’ll be switching to a carbon neutral courier!

Click here to get shopping now (orders over £50 won’t cost a penny in shipping) and follow Ethica on Facebook and Instagram.

And of course visit the physical shop when you are in Plymouth.

New vegan Italian food spot

by

London. The longer I am away, the more vegan food joints start popping up.

Maybe I should never come back?

The latest 100% vegan food outlet to spring up in the UK capital is called Piadina Genuina and the photos on their Instagram account had me hooked at first glance.

Please check out this plant-based amazingness.


Yes. This place looks divine.

But what is piadina? I’ve lifted the following from the Facebook page for Piadina Genuina to give you a better insight. In the words of Antonio:

A piadina is an Italian flat bread which is cooked fresh in front of your eyes on the grill and then filled with any fillings of your choice. I offer a wide selection of vegan choices as this is something I am personally passionate. All of the fillings will be prepared daily, including seasonal vegetables, personal recipes of seitan, sauces and daily specials.
You can create your own Piadina, starting by choosing your favourite dough then choose your filling and enjoy!

Piadina Genuina is located on Wick Road in Hackney (see location here) and I suggest you get along ASAP before there are queues down the block.

This food looks too good to ignore. It might even be the thing to tempt me back from Mexico.

Follow Piadina Genuina on Facebook and Instagram. Visit them online. They are open every day.

Vegan kitchen for hire

by

A quick post to share this fab news from my friends at Made in Hackney.

VEGAN KITCHEN TO HIRE – NEW CLIENT SPECIAL OFFER!

Are you a vegan food start-up looking for a 5-star food hygiene rated 100% vegan kitchen to hire? Look no further. Award winning charity Made In Hackney hires out it’s eco-community kitchen to vegan food companies and start-ups – meaning your hire fee helps fund amazing community work as opposed to going to a faceless landlord. The kitchen has three hob islands, a range cooker, domestic cooker, a dehydrator, vitamix and plenty of work surfaces. Freezer and storage space available with additional fees applicable.

Until the end of June 2017 we are offering all NEW CLIENTS an amazing never to be seen again day rate of £60 per day for a trial two month period. This is an amazing deal!  

If you’re interested read more here and contact venue manager Andi on: andi@madeinhackney.org

*Prices after the trial two month period has ended will be negotiated according to frequency of bookings.

Extra note: you can chat with Made in Hackney at this month’s Hackney Downs Vegan Market. Learn about all the great things they do for their community, discover the line up of cooking classes on offer and find out if you can get involved.

Vegan dining on a ferry

by

My buddy Barry (who is the founder/owner of More Than Meat) just got in touch with some wonderful news.

Barry sent photos of the gorgeous vegan cuisine he was served while aboard Viking Line, the company that runs ferries from Stockholm to Helsinki.

As part of their Spring and Green menu, Barry was able to order a 3-course set menu that he describes as utterly delicious.

Check out the menu and the food photos below.

If you find yourself in that part of the world, perhaps you want to check out these vegan offerings. Vegan food on a boat!

You can read more about Viking Line online.