London vegan news, reviews & events
There are some things in life that are just meant to go together. Tofish and chips. Gays and Kylie. A chocolate chip cookie and a glass of oat milk.
And now thanks to the brilliance of En Root and the Ritzy, we can add a vegan meal and an iconic cinema experience to this list of inseparable duos.
Read the full post below.
London, do you like winning things?
I am teaming up with legendary vegan fried chicken business Temple of Seitan to give away 50 pins.
This couldn’t be more vegan. Fat Gay Vegan is giving away 50 Temple of Seitan pins and the pins read ‘VEGAN’.
All the vegan you could want.
Isn’t that cute? Do you want to know how you can get one for free?
I will be on site at the opening of the new Temple of Seitan location on Acre Lane, Brixton this Saturday June 5, 2021 between 12pm and 4pm.
If you see me there, walk up to me and show me that you follow Temple of Seitan on Instagram and I will give you a pin. It is that simple. You don’t have to follow me as well but that would be a nice gesture!
Follow Temple of Seitan on Instagram (click here). Say hello to FGV. Get a ‘VEGAN’ pin.
Click here to see the exact location of Temple of Seitan Brixton thanks to Google Maps.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: one pin per person, no purchase necessary. These pins are available on a first-come basis. If you show up at 3pm and they are all gone, I cannot be held accountable. I will still say hello but I won’t be able to give you a pin if they are all gone.
I recently (as in today!) had a chat with Steve Clarke, founder of Brixton vegan restaurant Café Van Gogh.
We chatted about how excited he is about coming out of lockdown, new head chef Bonita, what makes the café so special to the local community, and what’s on the new menu.
It is a fun and informative chat about one of the best places to eat vegan food in London.
Click here to listen or use the player below.
This blog post contains valuable information!
Cafe Van Gogh is a 100% vegan eatery in Brixton, South London that has always impressed me. Not only do they serve some of the tastiest food in the country, the cafe also runs as a social enterprise.
What is a not-for-profit social enterprise?
Cafe Van Gogh is a community interest company, which very basically means that their social purpose is stronger than their drive to make tonnes of cash. All of their business decisions and ethical choices are made for the local community, the environment, cafe staff, and customers.
Cafe Van Gogh works in conjunction with Toucan Employment, a leading learning disability employment charity, to run a programme of on-the-job training for people with additional challenges in life, such as a learning disability or a mental health problem to provide them with the support and confidence to seek paid employment. They also provide paid employment opportunities to these delegates if the opportunity arises.
The cafe aspires to be zero waste, they do not tolerate single use plastics, and all of their takeaway containers and coffee cups are fully compostable. They recycle food waste and it’s all taken away to be composted rather than sent to landfill.
Is that enough reason for you to visit? Well, how about this?
The Vegan Ploughman’s is a tantalising food experience if I’ve ever seen one.
It features a vegan cheese selection including Shamembert, Veganzola, Cheddah and Herbivorsin, alongside bread, house pickles, and apple chutney. There is the option to ask for gluten-free bread.
I’m impressed and I can’t wait to get along to the cafe on Brixton Road to partake. The Vegan Ploughman’s is available weekday lunch between 12pm and 4pm.
Follow Cafe Van Gogh on Instagram and see their menu online here. You can see the exact location of Cafe Van Gogh thanks to Google Maps.
I got a taste of Brixton delivered to my house a few days ago and it was delicious!
Brixton Brewery sent me a few cans of their Coldharbour Lager and they went straight into the fridge to chill. They didn’t survive too much longer.
Do you like beer? Keep reading.
What do the Brixton Brewery style/taste notes say about this vegan beverage? It’s a lager that is crisp, clean, and floral. It is fresh, vibrant, and alive with flavour. The ABV is 4.4%.
You can order online for UK delivery and get free shipping for orders over £30. You can also buy takeout from the Brixton Brewery Taproom on Station Road, right in the heart of Brixton.
Follow Brixton Brewery on Instagram.
Hey, London friends.
How often do you get along to the gorgeous vegan spot in Brixton called Café Van Gogh?
This not-for-profit social enterprise enjoys a legendary reputation with locals, while a lot of people further afield often make the trip south of the river to enjoy the delicious cuisine.
I’ve popped on here today to let you know about the brand new monthly menu released by Café Van Gogh for February.
Check it out.
The above menu is the evening menu, so grab a few food friends and make it a night out.
Café Van Gogh is open Tuesday to Friday midday until 4:30pm and then 5:00pm until 9:00pm, Saturday 10:am until 9:00pm, and Sunday between midday and 4:00pm.
The café is dog friendly and you can get in touch with them for bookings via 07593 010 566.
Please follow Café Van Gogh on Instagram.
See the exact location of Cafe Van Gogh thanks to Google Maps.
Great news!
Join super talented food creator Woin for an unforgettable vegan Ethiopian cooking class in Brixton on Monday October 22, 2018.
Brixton vegan eatery Cafe Van Gogh has teamed up with Migrateful for this special cooking event.
Moin will be leading attendees through a series of vegan Ethiopian recipes, culminating with a gorgeous sit down meal to be shared by the group.
This is a very special opportunity that doesn’t come around very often, so be quick to book your tickets online now. You can also RSVP and invite friends on the Facebook event page.
Extra note: Migrateful uses cooking to support the integration process of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees in London. Follow them on Facebook.
If you think eating vegan food in London is a relatively new phenomenon that has found popularity over the past two years, you clearly haven’t done your reading.
There have been food providers working hard to showcase plant-based cuisine for a very long time, with one of these businesses recently celebrating a 7th birthday that completely passed me by.
Ms. Cupcake threw open its doors WAY BACK in April 2011, meaning London’s first ever vegan bakery turned seven years old earlier this year.
That is an incredible achievement for any food business and even more impressive for a vegan business that was paving the way for many others to follow. Mellissa Morgan and her Ms. Cupcake brand have become globally recognised and the store front is still there on Coldharbour Lane, Brixton for you to visit 7-days a week.
I am sharing some recent food photos from the bakery with you below, but let’s also get some important links listed on here.
Click here to see the exact location of the bakery thanks to Google Maps.
Follow Ms. Cupcake on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
Find out about ordering bespoke cakes via the bakery’s website.
Order your own copy of the Ms. Cupcake recipe book and get a free Nanaimo bar recipe from the book online here. You can even step back in time to see my blog post from that grand opening day over 7 years ago!
If you are trying to keep track of all the new vegan places in London, you are probably getting worn out.
Multiple new ventures seem to be popping up each week and my head is spinning with trying to report it all back to you.
Next up?
Blank Brixton is a coffee shop and café on Acre Lane, situated about halfway between Brixton and Clapham Common Underground stations. They have only opened a short while ago, so I wanted to reach out to the team to find out what their deal is and they wrote this gorgeous, little piece of prose for me:
We are the place you come to cry a little
Laugh a lot, eat some more and feel alive.
Our food has no bounds or limits
It is made to be enjoyed by anyone and everyone.
The coffee is always fresh and conversation is too.
We are vegans just like you
We are blank brixton 🙂
Check out some of the photos from Blank Brixton below and get along to show your support for this new vegan business. You can see the exact location thanks to Google Maps. They are open 7 days a week.
You can also follow Blank Brixton on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjPvkBRgyBq/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjPY7i2gFVa/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjAQvL2B2U_/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bi87tF0BrP7/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bi2PiF4BRg1/
The gorgeous Cafe Van Gogh in Brixton has just announced a series of comedy events.
Get fed vegan food AND have a laugh at the world!
The cafe says:
We’re proud to be hosting a summer full of Edinburgh previews in our cosy upstairs dining area. Ticket price includes a two course dinner (menu options available on our events pages) and a bunch of belly laughs.
Comedy Wednesdays at Cafe Van Gogh 88 Brixton Road SW9 6BE.
Only 20 seats for the first intimate dinner with Jenny Collier on June 6, 2018. £20 includes a two-course dinner. Book online now.
You can follow Cafe Van Gogh on Facebook and Instagram.