Tempeh on Leather

There must be something about Leather Lane that attracts the veggie food crowd. This curiously-named London street is now home to not one but two vegetarian sandwich stalls. Get eating down Leather Lane!

A short while ago I wrote about the glorious sandwich I enjoyed from Killer Tomato and now the Mexican sandwich stall has company in the form of a vegetarian Indonesian-style tempeh vendor, located on the opposite side of the lane.

This is a brand new business with a few kinks to iron out, but you can’t fault their enthusiasm. The owner makes his own fresh tempeh (a rarity in the UK) and it is fried and seasoned right in front of you on the stall.

All you have to do is pick your fillings, pay your money and eat a delicious tempeh wrap.

Word of warning: even though the stall is emblazoned with the words ‘100% vegetarian’, they bizarrely have a sauce that contains real fish. The owner told me he cannot find a replacement for this ingredient, which doesn’t sound completely believable to me. My pal Messy Vegetarian Cook conjures up all sorts of southeast Asian cuisine requiring fish sauce and her stuff is delicious. She has even shown me a bottle of vegan fish sauce she bought in London.

Get along for a tasty treat, but remember to voice your rejection of the fish sauce.

menu stall tempeh wrap

Killer Tomato

Have you heard the one about the vegetarian food stall on Leather Lane called Killer Tomato? Sorry, there isn’t a punchline as this is no joke.

Get to Leather Lane.

UPDATE As of late 2014, Killer Tomato now serves meat. Read more here*

Do you like a hot sandwich stuffed with hearty filling and smothered in spicy sauce. Yes? Here you go, then. Killer Tomato food stall has got what you want. Owner/operator Matt serves up Mexican inspired, meat free handhelds during the working week on this bustling market street and if you ask him nicely, he will point out his vegan options.

I fell in love with his Drowned Sandwich during my visit. The baguette featured fresh avocado, delectable refried beans with chipotle, crunchy radish and lashings of chile de arbol sauce. Nobody in the UK does a vegan sandwich anywhere near this quality. I would eat it everyday.

It’s a shame the entire menu isn’t vegan (change the record FGV, huh?). Matt’s food is so incredibly tasty and inventive, I seriously doubt anyone would miss the cheese included in some of the sandwiches and salads.

Follow Killer Tomato on Twitter for news of the rotating menu and feel free to ask Matt what vegan items he is serving. He told me he adores interacting with customers and answering questions about his food.

Now drool.

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