Vegan Delice in Stratford

This is simply fabulous news.

One of our most popular traders from the now-defunct Hackney Downs Vegan Market is now trading as a pop-up inside Westfield Stratford.

Vegan Delice helped make our weekly Hackney market one of the most popular vegan destinations in the UK, and now Chanel and her team have launched a counter inside the massive Stratford shopping mall.

Chanel’s cupcakes, tray bakes, and cookies are the stuff of legend and now you can get hold of them INSIDE Westfield until March 11, 2019.

This is a huge opportunity for Vegan Delice and I’m thrilled to see a fiercely independent vegan business getting this platform. Nobody works harder than Chanel when it comes to promoting veganism through tasty food.

Get along to support Chanel and make yourself happy with cake!
Follow Vegan Delice on Instagram.

Mexican vegan restaurant in Las Vegas

It’s been a few years since I last dined with Pancho’s Vegan Tacos and my visit this week reminded me instantly why this is one of the best places to eat in Las Vegas.

With a location about 4 miles off the world famous casino Strip, Pancho’s is the perfect place to load up on Mexican comfort food.

But be warned. The portions are HUGE.

Gil and I were almost outdone by the giant loaded fries… seriously, these things were almost too much.

The rest of the menu reads like one of my dreams. Quesadillas. Pozole. Tacos. Burgers. Cake. Agua frescas.

Follow Pancho’s on Instagram and watch out for extra locations (like Henderson and a mobile truck) and others coming very soon.

Oumph! goes to Ireland

Multi award-winning Oumph! is continuing its expansion into new markets, now with Tesco Ireland.

Five Oumph! products are part of the initial launch: Pulled Oumph!, Kebab Spiced, The Chunk, Salty & Smoky and Oumph! Pizza Italian Style.

“Having successfully launched with Tesco in the UK we are delighted that Tesco Ireland have also agreed to launch our delicious Oumph! products”, says Nick Jacobs, Head of Sales for Oumph! in the UK and Ireland.

Jenni Fisher, frozen buyer, Tesco Ireland comments: “We’re very pleased to bring the Oumph! range exclusively to customers in Ireland. We’re delighted to partner with Oumph! to bring high quality exciting products to the vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian customer base in Ireland.”

Oumph! at Tesco Ireland

  • Pulled Oumph! – Oumph! chunks in a flavourful BBQ sauce – delicious in tacos or burgers. Price: €5 (280 g)
  • Oumph! Kebab Spiced – Oumph! strips seasoned with a classic kebab spice mix – just add fresh vegetables and sauces to create your own plant-based kebab. Price: €5 (280 g)
  • Oumph! The Chunk – This is unseasoned for those who like to add their own herbs, spices and creativity to a dish. The Chunk contains only soya beans, water and a little salt. Oumph! Price: €5 (280 g)
  • Oumph! Salty & Smoky – With its salty, smoky and slightly sweet taste Oumph! Salty & Smoky is a perfect partner for brunch, served with American pancakes, or in a bagel. Try it with a full English breakfast, or in an Oumph! ‘O.L.T.’
  • Oumph! Italian Style pizza – inspired by Italy with semi-dried tomatoes, rocket, thyme and garlic seasoned Oumph!, and organic and plant-based cheese. The pizza base is hand-stretched and baked in a wood-fired brick oven. Price: €5 (280 g)

Hey Ireland. Are you excited?

Follow Oumph! on Instagram.

Discounted tickets for Vegan Life Live

The jumbo Vegan Life Live show is back for another huge year at Alexandria Palace on March 9 and 10, 2019.

And I’ve got a link so you can get two-for-one tickets!

Vegan Life Live is an annual show hosted by Vegan Life Magazine, the home of my monthly column!

The huge north London show features cooking demos, talks, live music, education, and a huge food hall with approximately 25 vendors.

One day tickets cost £12 but if you book online here, you can get a two-for-the-price-of-one ticket.

Have a great show!

Super cute vegan patisserie in Paris

Following on from my jaunt around Europe thanks to Vegan Travel’s NYE cruise on the Rhine, I’m slowly catching up with reporting on some of the food places I visited.

After the cruise, Gil and I got a chance to spend a few days in Paris.

One of my food highlights from the city of lights was VG Pâtisserie, a super cute vegan patisserie located just a few steps away from the Voltaire Metro station in the 11th arrondissement.

The handcrafted patisserie items at VG Pâtisserie were exquisite and we had a difficult time trying to pick a selection. The cafe was absolutely bustling and seemed to be the most popular business on its block.

Check out the photos below to see what we ended up with and be sure to follow VG Pâtisserie on Instagram to stay updated with their gorgeous offerings.

Vegan burger and shake restaurant in Amsterdam

I recently had 12 hours to hang out in Amsterdam and I made damn sure that I made time to dine with Deer Mama.

Deer Mama is a relatively new burger and shake bar located just south of the central canals of Amsterdam. It’s close enough to walk from the centre, or you can whizz down there via a tram in minutes.

I had been reading about the restaurant for a few weeks before my visit, meaning my anticipation was high and my excitement levels for decadent burgers, boozy shakes, and vegan soft serve were at fever pitch.

Sometimes being THAT excited about a new vegan place can kinda set you up for disappointment, but I’m happy to say that I walked out of Deer Mama one extremely satisfied customer.

The burgers were some of the nicest I’ve tasted in recent years and the baked-on-premises cookies, cakes, and cinnamon scrolls added an extra layer of delicious temptation.

Check out my photos below and be sure to drop in next time you are in Amsterdam.

The exact location of Deer Mama can be seen thanks to Google Maps and you can follow the vegan restaurant on Instagram.

Vegan press in Mexico

I am thrilled to share news of my collaboration with Time Out Mexico.

The magazine asked me to help with their January vegan issue and I’m pleased to say we were able to promote many independent vegan businesses in the Mexican capital.

The January issue features:

  • the top ten vegan places to eat in Mexico City
  • the top ten places to shop for vegan groceries in Mexico City
  • five reasons why a person should go vegan

If you are not in Mexico City and unable to get your hands on the magazine, you can download a PDF version online here.

I am quite emotional that I have been able to share the vegan message via such a huge platform, especially as it is directly supporting independent vegan business.

Yay for vegan Mexico!

Vegan pick n mix sweet company launches in UK

The Vegan Candy Company believes that yummy sweets should be enjoyed by everyone.

Founded by Joanna and Lorraine, The Vegan Candy Company has created their own vegan sweet supply store. They believe vegan products shouldn’t have to come with a premium price tag and they’ve worked hard to bring their customers affordable vegan pick n mix at a sweet price.

Joanna and Lorraine are building their business in order to give back to animal rescue charities and to make plant-based confectionery the norm. As they grow, they intend to choose a selection of charities to which they will donate a portion of their profits.

The Vegan Candy Company currently offers its vegan pick n mix range with over 40 varieties of sweets that can be delivered straight to your door.

You can learn more about the company and order your own vegan pick n mix by visiting The Vegan Candy Company online here.

The pick n mix can be purchased in a 500g box, a 1kg box, and a 1kg monthly subscription box.

You can follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Frozen food brand goes meat free for January and maybe forever

January means Veganuary for a lot of people, so premium frozen food brand Thyme is taking part in the celebrations by supporting its UK customers by going entirely meat-free for the month of January including the launch of their first Thyme To Try Vegan meal box.

Thyme told me their mission is simple: to make it easier, to eat better.

A lack of time, recipe inspiration and know-how are often cited as reasons why it can be difficult to successfully navigate and maintain a purely meat-free regime.

Thyme aims to make real, honest, slow-food a lot easier, much quicker and far more convenient simply by using the freezer. They are taking out the roadblocks for people who feel eating vegan is too difficult or complicated.

Thyme creates deliciously fresh food under its own label as well as supporting upcoming independent brands through its online market place. Food is delivered frozen, directly to their customer’s door.

Satisfying the hunger of Britain’s fastest growing food phenomenon (yes, I’m talking about plant-based eating!) the Thyme to Try Vegan Box provides 3 meals and 3 sides including wholesome Blackbean & Sweet Potato Chilli, Butternut Squash & Chickpea Curry, Roasted Root Vegetables and Crispy Chilli Potato Bakes all for just the special offer price of £10.

The Thyme To Try Vegan box is available for £10 throughout January when using promotional code ‘try for 10’. Usual price £20.

Thyme has announced they will become a meat-free brand forever if the January meat-free trial is successful.

“It’s time for change,” said Thyme Managing Director Heidi Thompson. “Will Thyme be meat-free? Our fate is in our customers’ hands and we’re very excited to see where they take us.”

What do you think? Are you going to order some Thyme cuisine? Click here to order and don’t forget to use ‘try for 10’ to get the special price.

You can follow Thyme on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Extra note: Thyme paid a fee in order for fatgayvegan.com to share this news. 10% of this fee is being donated to Isla Urbana, a water security initiative in Mexico City.

Vegan restaurant chain opens 4th location

Superstar vegan restaurant chain Arancini Brothers now has a fourth location in London, this time south of the river!

The 100% vegan restaurant chain is famous for its Sicilian risotto balls, flavoursome wraps, and decadent burgers. With much-adored outlets in Old Street, Kentish Town, and Dalston this fast and nutritious food chain has already established a solid hold north of the river.

Owner and founder Dave told me:

“We are opening our fourth location at Arch 34 Maltby Street, Bermondsey. We have come such a long way since we started with a simple street food concept in Brick Lane Market almost ten years ago!”

You can eat with Arancini Brothers at their Maltby Street location between 9:30am and 9:30pm, 7 days a week. The location is good for dining in, taking away, or having food delivered.


In other huge news, Arancini Brothers has become the first ever UK chain to offer a franchise opportunity.

Yes, it is your chance to franchise a vegan restaurant!

Arancini Brothers are now looking for franchise partners to open and run versions of their wildly successful business all over the UK and the planet.

If you think you have what it takes (including the funds!) to open a location of this popular vegan food business in your area, click here to read more about the franchise opportunity.

Be sure to get into the Bermondsey location as soon as you can in order to eat some amazing vegan food and congratulate Arancini Brothers on their deserved success.

You can follow Arancini Brothers on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to visit their website.

Extra news: to help Arancini Brothers celebrate the opening of their fourth London restaurant, I am running an Instagram follower drive. I am trying to get them to 15,000 followers! They are just short of 10k so we need to work hard to get them there. Follow them on Instagram now.