vegan London

London’s first ever vegan bakery turned 7

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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!

Brewery line up for London Vegan Beer Fest

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London Vegan Beer Fest is less than three weeks ago so it is the perfect time to tell you about the AMAZING brewery line up we have for the event on Saturday July 14, 2018.

We have the following:

On top of all of this, Temple of Seitan will be running an indoor beer and food hall.

It’s almost TOO MUCH. You can see the food trader line up online here.

I will be publishing the full beer list as we get closer to the date.

Click here now to buy your cheap early bird tickets for just £5 plus small booking fee. If we have any left on the day, they will be £9.

You can also buy the official London Vegan Beer Fest t-shirt online now. These will not be sold at the event. They are a web exclusive.

RSVP and invite friends over on the Facebook event page.

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.

Zero waste vegan market for London

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London will soon welcome its first ever vegan, zero waste market.

Set to take place between 10:00am and 5:00pm on Saturday September 29, 2018 at the beautiful palm tree filled Conservatory (at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel, Kensington), Zero Mkt London will involve zero animal products, zero single-use plastics and zero waste. Everything will be edible, reusable, recyclable or compostable. Guests will have an array of stalls to explore, ranging from vegan food and drink, eco lifestyle products, and sustainable clothing items.

Abigail Penny and James Morgan – founders of the market – describe this as a “celebration, where together we can bask in plant-based goodness, explore sustainable products, and begin to live more consciously”.

When asked what inspired them to set up the event, they added: “As consumers we can choose to have a positive impact on this world. We’re on a journey of discovery ourselves and want to share our experience with others. Animal agriculture, non-recyclable plastics, and throwaway fashion each have devastating impacts on our environment, so we hope that by bringing exciting alternatives to our community we can empower and equip others to change their habits and perspectives too!”

Zero Mkt London has partnered with City Harvest who will redistribute surplus food to London’s homeless community and any profit will be donated to Animal Equality, a leading animal protection organisation.

Zero Mkt London founders recognise that many stallholders will need to travel to the venue, so they will be planting trees as part of a carbon offsetting mission.

Visit EventBrite to buy your ticket online here.

Stallholders will be announced nearer the time – keep an eye out and follow the handle Zero Market London on Instagram and Facebook.

Legendary vegan burger trader opens store

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If you know anything about the London vegan street food scene, you will be aware of Big V London.

Big V is a superstar vegan burger business with multiple locations scattered around markets, including a weekly spot at Hackney Downs Vegan Market. Their burgers are the stuff of legend, lighting up social media every time they make an appearance.

Not satisfied with multiple street market locations each week, Big V owner Jill has taken the leap into the world of running a permanent burger bar every night on site at Exmouth Coffee Roasters in Whitechapel.

Open 7 nights a week from 6pm until 10pm, they have started with their full burger menu with fries and a mayo dipping menu. The business will slowly add more items over the coming weeks.

In addition to the incredible Big V burger menu, they are serving the wonderful Hell.Yum! ice cream (another Hackney Downs Vegan Market regular), FIX8 kombucha on tap, and sodas by Dalston.

You can see the exact location of the new, evenings-only Big V burger bar thanks to Google Maps. They are just a few steps from Aldgate East Underground station.

Be sure to follow Big V London on Instagram for latest updates.

New vegan bakery in London

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The title of this blog post is a little misleading.

VIDA Bakery isn’t new exactly, but they are opening a new bricks and mortar location in London!

VIDA has been around for a few years, serving delicious and adored cakes at pop ups, markets, vegan fairs, and in other vegan food businesses.

The love this company receives across social media from its fans is a great measure of how anticipated this permanent bakery is in the capital.

The bakery is located at 139 Brick Lane and you can see the exact location thanks to Google Maps.

The grand opening is at midday on Sunday June 10, 2018. Get down there for some amazing treats.

Keep updated with all things VIDA Bakery via their Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter pages.

Amazing vegan breakfast in London

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One of the questions I get asked the most as FGV is all to do do with cooked vegan breakfast in London.

People wanna know where they can get a good quality cooked vegan breakfast.

Now I have an answer for the curious.

Get along to the new TEMPLE GOODS café on site at Hackney Downs Vegan Market. Even though the market is open on Saturday only, the 100% vegan café run by Temple of Seitan is open 7 days a week.

And please take a look at this marvellous breakfast they are now serving.

Can you even understand that vegan egg?!?!

The café has also added French toast to the menu, so a good feed early on before hitting the market for more snacks and treats is the perfect start to your Saturday. Click here to see full trader line up.

You can follow TEMPLE GOODS on Instagram.

EXTRA NEWS: London Vegan Beer Fest is taking place on the market site on Saturday July 14, 2018 and TEMPLE GOODS café will transform into a beer and food hall for the day. Remember that access to the event (including the café) will be for ticket holders only so buy your early bird tickets online now.

Vegan rib dinner in London

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OK, London.

You will need to be fast for this event. Last time Dee’s Table hosted their vegan rib feast at 10 Cable Street, it completely sold out.

The food looks stunning!

Menu

  • Jackfruit Ribs
  • Ginger Beer BBQ Sauce
  • Mac & Cheese with Thyme Bread Crumb
  • Smokey Homemade BBQ Beans
  • Roasted Squash Hominy Cornbread
  • Whole roasted potatoes
  • Corn on the cob
  • And Salads

Dessert to share

  • Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Pizookie
  • Vanilla Ice Cream
  • Salted Caramel Sauce

If you can say no to all of the above, you are a stronger person than FGV.

The Ultimate Vegan Ribs Feast event is talking place on Thursday June 21, 2018 from 7:00pm until 10:00pm.

Click here to book now before it sells out.

Follow Dee’s Table on Instagram and while you are over there, follow 10 Cable Street as well.

Vegan cooking classes for children

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My friends Nishma and Mahersh (of Shambhu’s catering) are once again running a week of vegan cooking classes for children in Queensbury, London!

This is a hands-on cooking course intended to teach children (8-13 years of age) how to cook a variety of delicious healthy meals using only plant-based ingredients (no meat, fish, eggs and dairy).

By participating on this course, children will pick up a variety of cooking skills and food-related knowledge, including nutrition. They’ll also learn about the wide variety of nutritious pulses and grains available, alternatives ways of sweetening foods, how to cook with tofu, how to store food and reduce food waste, and much more.

As part of the hands-on nature of the course, children will learn to use basic cooking utensils and appliances, under close supervision.

Over the five days, the children get a taste of different culinary styles from around the world, with each day dedicated to the style of a particular country or continental region.

The classes will run between 10:00am and 12:30 from Monday August 6, 2018 until Friday August 10, 2018. That’s a two and a half hour cooking class for five days in a row!

The cost for each attendee is £135.

To find out more and book a spot, visit this page online.