And no-one spoke and no-one smiled

“Here we go again. FGV is complaining about a vegetarian restaurant. Why can’t vegans just take what they get?”

Indian Melody was the scene of one of the most disappointing dining experiences I have ever had in the UK. I thought I was onto a sure thing when I discovered an almost entirely-vegan Indian restaurant in the city of Southampton, but I was rudely awakened to a different reality.

Indian Melody
Indian Melody

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Brunch in a Royal Borough

PLEASE NOTE: since this was written, the owner of the cafe has been convicted of animal cruelty. Read the update here: http://tinyurl.com/qy6qatz

If you ever find yourself waking up in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea with a rumbling belly, you won’t have far to travel for a hot vegan breakfast.

Just a quick stroll toward the Holland Park end of the area will reward you with a plant-based meal from Down to Earth on Kensington High Street.

Down to Earth Kensington
Down to Earth Kensington

If you know anything about this part of London, you will be aware of how expensive it is to live, drink and eat in Kensington. Down to Earth is no exception. Our vegan fry up was delicious but carried the hefty price tag of £7.50. That might not seem like a huge figure to some readers, but the food on the plate was not piled high.

There was a lot of what appeared to be Taifun vegan sausages, coupled with a bit of pepper and mushroom. This was topped with two slices of house-made ciabatta. My meal was tasty however I felt there was an over-reliance on the sausage. I would like to see the sausage reduced in favour of cooked greens or even some beans to bulk the meal out.

Vegan breakfast
Vegan breakfast

The restaurant doubles as a deli and there is a decent selection of vegan items available, including Vegusto cheese and inSpiral kale chips. The interior is spacious and light. I highly recommend booking and asking for a window seat as Kensington is a hotspot for people watching in London. On the downside, I discovered the hard way that a Sunday morning hangover doesn’t mix very well with the large number of families frequenting the cafe with small children.

Attractive & spacious interior
Attractive & spacious interior

The Down to Earth menu contains an impressive selection of vegan options and a huge range of fresh juices, so I am definitely up for making a few more trips. I am especially tempted by their raw and gluten free mains.

Visit Down to Earth online

Best value in London?

Josh has stopped by with some news for budget-conscious vegans regarding what could very well be the cheapest takeaway lunch in central London for plant-eaters.

Read all about it and then make lunch plans for tomorrow!

First day back at work today and as I hadn’t brought anything for lunch, I found myself wandering around Tottenham Court Road at lunchtime deciding how to fill up without spending a fortune. Fortunately I remembered that Sagar have a location just a short walk from my office so I headed down Percy Street and less than five minutes later was walking back to my office with a takeaway vegan thali. How exciting!

The thali came with two different curries/dahls, fried rice, salad, coconut chutney and a paratha bread. Everything was seriously delicious and the best part is that it was £3.50. Yep, you read correctly. £3.50. That’s less than some places charge for a lousy old sandwich.

If you want to eat in the restaurant, the cost goes up ever so slightly to £4.95 but that’s still pretty darn cheap for a delicious vegan thali in central London. Yay for Sagar!

Takeaway vegan thali - is this the cheapest vegan lunch in London?
Takeaway thali – is this the cheapest vegan lunch in London?