vegan Hackney

London vegan café keeps impressing

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I’m not trying to be provocative or dramatic, but I truly think TEMPLE GOODS of Hackney is heralding in a new era of vegan food for London.

They keep getting better by the day and have raised the bar like nobody else.

The café (located on site at Hackney Downs Studios) is now open 7-days a week and is serving all day brunch on the weekend, exclusive weekly specials, decadent cakes, coffee, and some of the most inventive plant-based cuisine you can find anywhere on the planet.

And you know it is run owned and operated by the Temple of Seitan team, right?!

The Chick’n Club sandwich featuring their RIDICULOUS vegan bacon and egg is next level. I’m shocked (in a good way) by the quality of the cuisine being served up daily inside TEMPLE GOODS.

Check out some of the photos below including noodle salad, the brunch plate starring the realest non-egg you will see, and the aforementioned club sandwich.

Doesn’t it look gorgeous?

Follow TEMPLE GOODS on Instagram to stay updated with all the latest food photos and be sure to get along soon to try it for yourself.

Remember, the café is on site where we host Hackney Downs Vegan Market every Saturday so you can combine a trip to the market with a visit to TEMPLE GOODS.

The café is also one of our locations for London Vegan Beer Fest on Saturday July 14, 2018. TEMPLE GOODS will be transforming into a beer hall for the day with specials such as bratwurst and pretzels. They will only be serving customers with London Vegan Beer Fest tickets so be sure to book your early bird tickets right now.

Street food at London Vegan Beer Fest

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With less than three weeks until the 6th annual London Vegan Beer Fest, we are locking in traders and that includes some of the best vegan street food in the city.

Not only will you be able to guzzle thirst-quenching beers from all over the UK, you’ll be able to fill your belly with cuisine from these amazing traders:

  • Club Mexicana – superstar Mexican food stall serving burritos, nachos and more
  • Battered – this famous vegan fish and chip truck is PERFECT for the beer fest
  • Arancini Brothers – crunchy risotto balls and burgers from this vegan restaurant chain
  • Young Vegans – what would a beer event be without pie and mash?
  • World O’ Burger – fast food style burgers and sides to rival any takeaway joint
  • Vegan Delice – decadent cakes and tray bakes to represent sugar lover on the day
  • Dough Society – world-famous vegan donut shop with all your glazed needs
  • Black Milq Ice Cream – gourmet vegan ice cream with glorious toppings

In addition to the above, you will be able to experience the following:

  • Temple of Seitan – in their on site vegan café TEMPLE GOODS, these true food heroes will be running an exclusive indoor beer and food hall ONLY for London Vegan Beer Fest ticket holders. This is going to be INCREDIBLE with mammoth menu specials you do not want to miss
  • Follow Your Heart – our fabulous event sponsors will be on hand cooking up samples in order to showcase their products
  • Brass Castle – the legendary Yorkshire brewery will be hosting heir GIANT indoor beer hall
  • Charioke (charity + karaoke) – our famous karaoke performance room is back for laughs and high drama (we will be collecting coins and notes for Mexico City water charity Isla Urbana)
  • Face painting – Moon Castle will be available to decorate your face (what could possibly go wrong with drunk adults and face painting)
  • Outdoor beer market with breweries from all over the UK, pouring their own brews so you can meet the makers!

Early bird advance tickets are just £5 plus tiny booking fee. Click here to buy them now.

Our official London Vegan Beer Fest t-shirts are only available online this year. You cannot buy them at the event. Click here to order in advance so you can wear it on the day!

You can RSVP and invite friends over on the London Vegan Beer Fest Facebook event page.

World Cup and vegan street food

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Are you interested in watching the England/Belgium World Cup game AND eating vegan street food at the same time?

Yes? Well, I have some good news for you!

Hackney Downs Studios is the location where I host Hackney Downs Vegan Market and London Vegan Beer Fest.

Each year, the Studios host a massive open day event and this year’s celebration is coming up on Thursday June 28, 2018.

But what is so special about this Open Studios event and why should you care?

Let me list the fun attractions:

  • jewellery workshops
  • weaving demonstrations
  • digital and interactive experimentations
  • life drawing
  • talks
  • exclusive sample sales
  • film screenings
  • installations
  • live music and comedy
  • food, drinks and dancing

PLUS, the Studios will be screening the England vs Belgium World Cup game on screens around the site so you don’t need to miss out on your sports if you are that way inclined.

I was asked asked to curate some food options for the evening (which runs from 6pm until 10pm) and you are going to adore this list of vegan traders who will be there at the Open Studios event:

PLUS Temple of Seitan will be running a vegan BBQ out of their on site cafe Temple Goods. (Please note that there might be some non-vegan traders on site but we definitely have these 6 traders for you who are all 100% vegan)

This is a huge party that comes around only once a year. It has it all. Food. Drinks. Music. Football. BBQ.

You can RSVP to the Facebook event here (where you can also see the itinerary) and claim your FREE TICKET by clicking here.

Yes, that’s right. You can get a free ticket but you need to book it now.

New vegan cafe in Hackney

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Hold your tongues, complainers.

Yes, we have ANOTHER vegan eatery in Hackney, London but I don’t want to hear your moaning. If people can make vegan business work in Hackney, it has a knock on effect for the rest of us. The more vegan places we have in Hackney, the more vegan places we will have around London and the UK in the future.

So, say a big hello to Smashing Kitchen.

I asked owner and founder Asia to give us some insight into Smashing Kitchen:

The vision is to provide delicious nourishing plant based food, homemade honest dishes, vegan, made with love and with nutrition at heart. Free from refined sugars, additives and fats that aren’t always optimal for personal wellbeing. Everything is either raw, baked, or steamed. We don’t do deep frying. The menu consists of starters such as bread (home baked) and butter (of course vegan!), nachos, raw veggies, hummus (butter beans instead of chickpeas), guacamole, salads (either ‘ready’ sets off the menu, or ‘create your own’ options), sourdough flatbread pockets, and burgers. We will also be introducing soups and we always try to make some special dishes of the day as well. The dessert section showcases a no added sugar cheesecake. We also serve coffees, teas, homemade soda drinks, and kombucha.

That sounds tasty!

Opening times right now for Smashing Kitchen are Tuesday to Sunday 12:30pm until 4:30pm as well as 5:30pm until 9:00pm.

The café is dog-friendly and child-friendly (baby changing table in the bathroom, high chairs coming soon).
One of the real draws of the café is the huge amount of plants as well as natural light.

Smashing Kitchen is based just off Mare Street (between Mare St and London Fields Station) on a little corner, away from the main street hustle and bustle, but still great transport connections (loads of buses, London Fields Station 1 minute away, Hackney Central Station about 10 mins walk away). Click here to see the exact location thanks to Google Maps.

Follow Smashing Kitchen on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

New vegan cocktail bar for London

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Here is some news you can drink.

Superstar vegan double decker bus restaurant Just Fab has recently opened a vegan cocktail bar on site. Just in time for the warmer weather, London!

If you can view the menu above, you will notice the bar is serving vegan White Russian as well as London Mule, Vegan Mary, and Espresso Martini.

So now you can eat some of the best vegan food in the capital (including burgers, lasagne, arancini, and more!) that is made on a real double deck London bus AND drink some tempting vegan cocktails all in the same location.

The bar is in the yard at 455 Hackney Road E2 9DY, just a short walk from Cambridge Heath train station. See the exact location thanks to Google Maps.

Opening hours are 11:30am until 10:00pm and a bit later on the weekends. The bus and bar are both closed on Monday.

Follow Just Fab on Instagram.

New vegan pizza pockets in London

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HOLY SHIT!

It is a Hackney Downs Vegan Market exclusive tomorrow Saturday May 12, 2018. Young Vegans are debuting a new Pizza Pie Pocket menu ONLY at our market. Kinda like McDs fritters BUT VEGAN AND FUCKING AWESOME.

Menu:

  • The Barbie: Pan fried chicken pieces with house BBQ sauce and cheese cheesy
  • Red Bianca: Creamy ricotta, broccoli and our family’s signature marinara sauce
  • Willy Wonky: Melty chocolate with peanut butter (warning: messy!)

I’m sure these will be a smash hit, so get used to seeing these on their regular menu in the Camden shop in the near future.

Be one of the first people in London to try at the market. Full details here.

Follow Young Vegans on Instagram.

Meet the traders

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The wonderful people of WinkBall Interviews have made a small collection of videos so you can meet the traders of Hackney Downs Vegan Market.

Check them out below and get all the info on the next market here. It happens every Saturday!

Arancini Brothers at the market

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This week has been a big week for Arancini Brothers and a big week for vegan London.

The fast food chain is celebrating all three of its bricks and mortar locations having finally become 100% vegan.

It started as somewhat of an experiment at their Old Street location which saw the outlet switch to a fully plant-based menu for Veganuary, however the decision swiftly followed to turn all three locations vegan.

Forever!

To help Arancini Brothers celebrate its first week as a fully vegan business, we have invited them to trade at Hackney Downs Vegan Market this Saturday with their food truck (Saturday March 3, 2018).

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bftg0lWA8ZT/

The gorgeous food truck will be selling fresh risotto balls and succulent burgers.

If you haven’t enjoyed the Arancini Brothers experience, this Saturday is your chance to make it happen.

You can see the full trader line up for Hackney Downs Vegan Market online here.

You can read about the new in-store vegan menu by Arancini Brothers online here.

You can follow Arancini Brothers on Instagram.

Black Cat Hackney has reopened

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Here is some brief (and good) news for you all.

Black Cat Café in Hackney has finally reopened for business following a period of refurbishment.

I make no secret of my love for Black Cat.

This 100% vegan café is a beacon of fairness and compassion. It is run as a workers cooperative, meaning the owners share all responsibilities and profits. I’d love to see more vegan business in London using this model.

The café supports its local community in wonderful ways, including allowing space for fundraising events.

Get along to Black Cat Café as soon as you can to congratulate them on their reopening. Follow them on Instagram as well.

Sneak preview of a vegan donut shop

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The countdown is on.

London, your very first 100% vegan donut and coffee shop opens on January 17, 2018.

Lauren of Dough Society asked me to share a few quick glimpses of what the interior of the shop looks like ahead of their grand opening.

Check it out. So gorgeous!

The Dough Society donut and coffee shop is located on Mare Street in Hackney. It’s almost exactly half way between Temple of Hackney and Black Cat Hackney. That part of town really is exceptionally vegan friendly.

Click here to see the exact location thanks to Google Maps.

To celebrate their opening, Dough Society will be giving away one donut to the first 100 customers through the door on Saturday January 20, 2018. (Grand opening is a few days before this giveaway, so get in for one of the early preview days to avoid the rush)

Be sure to follow them on Instagram to stay updated on all their delicious shop news and donut flavours.