London vegan news, reviews & events
This isn’t an FGV-run giveaway, but it is happening at my Hackney Downs Vegan Market this Saturday (January 13, 2018).
To find out how you can win some exclusive vegan fried chicken from trader Greedy Khao, you need to check out the details in the description of this Instagram post below.
Get entering and I hope you win!
You can see the full line up of traders for this Saturday’s market online here.
The Brook in Wallington, Surrey is one of those places that I never stop hearing about.
People who love this eatery REALLY love it. It definitely ranks in the top ten restaurants that I am contacted about by people wanting me to mention it.
The Brook has been a vegan staple of its community but that very community is now feeling sad due to the planned relocation from Wallington to Hackney.
Yes, bloody Hackney! LOL.
I asked owner Thea to give me a little info about the move. This is what she said:
We’re moving to Hackney in the new year (opening 18th Dec). We have a temporary space for 6-12 months. After four years in Surrey we’re itching to bring our food and drink to the London peeps. And from there we’re planning world domination… naturally.
We are also the headline sponsor at Vegan Life Live at Alexandra Palace in February, running the main bar, a catering stand and the live music stage, so it’s going to be a busy new year!
Take a look at some of these food, cake and cocktail photos below and be sure to follow The Brook on Instagram and Facebook.
And here is a cheeky little graphic to show you the new Hackney location for The Brook.
I’ve only just recovered from the mammoth three-day Hackney Downs Festive Vegan Market held at Hackney Downs Studios.
Not only was the market a great opportunity for people to buy some of the best street food in the UK, it also marked our one year anniversary of hosting the market in this location.
I want to say a massive thank you to Eat Work Art for giving this market a home.
Hackney Downs Vegan Market has become one of the most iconic and loved destinations for vegans and their friends on the planet.
Thank you to all the attendees who have visited during 2017 and of course extra special thanks to our traders. Until you have done a day on the market, you can’t imagine how hard they work to bring fresh and exciting food to thousands of people each week.
The market returns weekly on Saturday January 6, 2018.
I am super proud of Hackney Downs Vegan Market.
This now-weekly street food market has taken London by storm. It has a whole bunch of imitators and it has developed a strong, loyal following of attendees.
I’m writing this post as we drive home from day one of the three-day festive version of the market and I couldn’t be happier with how it went. Food vendors sold out and visitors left with smiles on their faces.
If you are coming along on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24, please arrive early to avoid disappointment. Trading starts at 10am and runs until 6pm on Saturday and 5pm on Sunday.
Please stop by my stall to say hello to me and Josh, and pick up one of the official Hackney Downs Vegan Market tote bags made from organic cotton.
They are gorgeous and cost £5 each.
See all the trader info for the next two days by clicking here.
Black Cat in Hackney is one of my favourite vegan places to eat in London.
Not only is the food tasty and served in generous portions, but the people who run the place are the some of the nicest people you will meet anywhere.
Check out this latest endeavour by the compassionate eatery.
Hackney Soup Kitchen on Friday December 22, 2017 from 5pm until close
Nobody will be refused food and for those that can afford to pay for it, they’ll have a donation pot available to support the work of a local Food Not Bombs group who do great work by finding surplus food, making tasty meals, and distributing them on the streets.
Please help Black Cat spread the word so they can feed as many people as possible and provide a warm space for the evening where people can escape the cold.
Black Cat want to give a special shout-out to some of their suppliers that will be supporting the evening by donating food: Ted Veg, Clean Bean Tofu, Growing Communities, and E5 Bakery. These suppliers have been donating stock throughout the year for other fundraisers and benefits Black Cat has hosted.
a cooperatively run, 100% vegan café
76A Clarence Road, Hackney, E5 8HB
www.blackcatcafe.co.uk
Like them on Facebook
Superstar vegan coffee shop and café The Fields Beneath is now a regular trader at Hackney Downs Vegan Market.
This is BIG NEWS.
The Fields Beneath is a truly adored coffee shop that switched to being a 100% vegan business earlier this year and it has gone from strength to strength ever since.
The business is currently fundraising to open its second location (you can donate online here for fab rewards) and now they have also committed to serving their loved coffee every Saturday at Hackney Downs Vegan Market.
You can visit the current permanent location next door to Kentish Town West station and follow The Fields Beneath on Instagram.
Click here to see all the details of Hackney Downs Vegan Market including full trader line up.
London. You are on a roll and your city is getting more vegan-friendly by the day.
Take this fabulous news as the latest example of your vegan excellence.
Superstars of the vegan donut scene, Dough Society, are set to open London’s first-ever vegan donut café in early 2018.
Dough Society has become famous in the capital for the decadent glazed donuts they serve up at events around the city, including Hackney Downs Vegan Market most Saturdays. They are so adored it has become a rare occurrence when the donut stall doesn’t completely sell out of stock within a few hours of trading.
The days of disappointed donut fans who turn up to markets late in the day are soon to be over as the business readies the grand opening of London’s first donut and coffee shop in Hackney Central.
I spoke with Lauren of Dough Society to get a little insight into what is coming up:
When can we expect to see the shop open?
We plan on opening in January. We’ll announce the exact date nearer to the time but we have some fit out work to do in the space to get it up to scratch and are hoping for around the middle of January 2018.
Why are you setting up in Hackney?
East London is the only place we have ever traded on a regular basis so it feels like the natural place to settle. It’s easily accessible for a lot of Londoners and in being close to the station it’s super easy for tourists too!
Will the shop only sell donuts?
We’re primarily a coffee & donut shop. We’ll have around 20 different donut flavours so the spotlight will definitely be on that and quality coffee. We will be offering gooey cheez toasties as a savoury option as well. We have big plans for brunch on weekends shortly after we open (think Donut French Toast 😱!).
What will the inside of the shop look like?
The shop has a kind of semi-industrial look to it with a concrete ceiling and flooring, minimalist lighting but we’ll have lots of plants and wood to keep things light and airy and we’ll have seating for up to forty people. We want to create a space people can go that’s relaxed, chilled, and inclusive where you can meet with friends or enjoy a couple of coffees while you work. We’ll also have a large outdoor area for seating that we hope to use when the weather starts getting warmer!
Congratulations on your first 100% vegan donut shop, London.
While you wait for the doors to be flung open, you can follow Dough Society on Instagram.
Last minute notification which I apologise for but if you are anywhere near Hackney Wick on Wednesday November 29, 2017 you might want to take part in this one-night-only event.
A 4-course tasting menu is being served at The Yard theatre in Hackney Wick by Omni Collective.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BbpMywilNdY/
Omni Collective told me they aim to bring out the best of vegetables, using flavours and inspiration from around the world to create new flavour combinations.
Menu
They already have a loyal following of regular diners, but they are looking to impress new faces and stomachs with this exclusive menu. Tickets to this event are £30.
Click here to book a last minute spot and follow Omni Collective on Instagram to stay updated with latest news.
If you weren’t able to get along to Hackney Downs Vegan Market today, I’ve put together a small post showing some of my top picks.
Remember, this market takes place EVERY Saturday (unless otherwise advertised) and you can get freshly made food from some of the finest vegan street food traders in London.
OK. Here are my picks.
Biff’s Jack Shack is a totally fab food company. Remember when I mentioned their burgers, wings and fries at the Camden Town Brewery residency they did?
Now they have a new kitchen residency at Haunt, an all-vegan bar and venue in the Stoke Newington area.
This residency is the first time they have been able to put together a full evening menu and they told me they are super excited by all of the new dishes they’ve been able to launch as a result.
And as well as their evening menu, they’re also going to be offering a ‘vegan AF’ brunch at the weekends, and a Sunday roast burger.
You need to follow Biff’s on Instagram to keep updated with all of their glorious food creations and also keep scrolling to see some of these beautiful food photos highlighting their Haunt menu (pics by Kim Burrows).
Eat ALL of this amazing food. Brownies with ice cream. Cheesecake. Poutine! Salads. Wings. Burgers.
Click here to see the location of Haunt thanks to Google Maps.
