vegan London

Vegan night market in Hackney this September

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Come along for a rollicking night market with AMAZING vegan food on the site of the original mega vegan market.

Friday September 13, 2019 marks the final Night Market of the year at Hackney Downs Studios and I’m helping them turn the whole thing vegan!

For one night only, I’m working with the Studios to bring back a taste of Hackney Downs Vegan Market.

Our traders announced so far include:

Update: sadly Arancini Brothers have pulled out at the last moment, but some good news about food is below:

Also expect cocktails, beer and wine (all vegan too!) to be flowing, brought to you by All Good Beer and El Garito.

On the night, you’ll also be able to explore on-site zero waste emporium Re:Store for environmentally friendly and sustainably sourced goodies, as they’re extending their opening hours just for the event. Bring your refillable containers!

You will also be able to check out Public Gallery‘s brand new exhibition ‘Echolocation’ by Charlotte Edey.

Entry to all of this is FREE, as usual.

You will also be able to visit the resident shops of Hackney Downs Vegan Market including Low Company record store, The London Loom, and The Well Garden and expect a vegan cheese tasting at Re:Store.

So much fun.

The Facebook event already has over 1,500 RSVPs so we expect this to be a big night. RSVP to the event now and invite friends.

The final Hackney Downs Studios night market of the year is taking place on Friday Septmeber 13, 2019 between 6pm and 11pm.

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

Brazilian vegan pop up for London

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Read this menu and then click to buy your tickets IMMEDIATELY because this is gonna sell out quickly.

Essential Vegan is the much-beloved Brazilian vegan café located in Shoreditch, London. It is one of the best places in Europe for vegan eating and now you can attend an exclusive pop up dining event featuring an eight-dish tasting menu that is exceptional.

Check this out:

  • Pinto beans soup (caldinho de feijao) with farofa and cheese crackers – Rich and hearty, this slow-cooked beans soup is served with a seasoned and toasted cassava flour and cheese cracker
  • Tapioca dice with green apple chilli sauce – Golden, crispy-skinned cubes packed with melted lupin cheese combined with the sweet and sour flavours of their sweet chilli sauce
  • Warm cassava salad – Boiled and seasoned cassava sticks (mandioca) served with a fresh vinaigrette
  • Grilled okra – Crunchy, creamy okra served with their coriander chilli sauce
  • Acarajé – A fritter light in texture and bold in flavour: Stuffed with caruru (okra paste), vatapa (peanut, cashew and coconut milk paste) and fresh tomatoes
  • Ginger mango sorbet – Highly refreshing and creamy sorbet
  • Brazilian doughnut with guava paste – They call it bolinho de chuva, a deep-fried dumpling, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar served with a creamy guava paste
  • Green apple tea with Sequilho – End this journey with a highly digestive and fragrant tea served with their famous coconut biscuits

The café doesn’t sell alcohol but you are more than welcome to take your own booze, make yourself at home and enjoy their supper club with your favourite tipple.

The tasting menu night is taking place on August 28, 2019 between 7:00pm and 8:30pm. Cost per ticket is £35.

Click here to book now and follow Essential Vegan on Instagram.

UK pub chain adds vegan burger to menu

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The plant-based Oumph! Burger, from Swedish multi-award winning Food for Progress, is now on the menu in a number of Shepherd Neame flagship pubs in Kent and London.

“There is a growing market for vegan burgers, so we decided to put a number of different brands to the test before introducing one on our menu. We asked 30 members of our team to try the burgers, and every time the Oumph! burger came out on top for taste and texture. When comparing the nutritional content of the burgers, the Oumph! Burger also scored very highly”, says Shepherd Neame head development chef Simon Howlett.

The inspiration for The Oumph! Burger was based on a juicy rare burger, but the difference is that the Oumph! Burger is made with entirely plant-based ingredients. Like all Oumph! products, The Oumph! Burger is made with soya beans, and the fine red colour comes from beetroot. The Oumph! Burger weighs 113g, which is the equivalent of a Quarter Pounder.

Dave Smith, head of UK Foodservice at Oumph! and Food for Progress comments:

“We’re pleased to see that such a well-established pub company as Shepherd Neame has chosen the plant-based Oumph! Burger for their pub menu. No doubt this will be very welcome among vegetarians, vegans and flexitarians.”

The Oumph! Burger is now available in the following Shepherd Neame flagship pubs: The Spitfire in Kings Hill; Ship & Trades in Chatham Maritime; Royal Hotel in Deal; Bell Hotel in Sandwich; Royal Albion in Broadstairs; Samuel Pepys in London; Sun Inn, Faversham; Market House, Maidstone; Jamaica Wine House in London; and Marine Hotel, Tankerton.

The Oumph! burger at these Shepherd Neame locations is totally vegan including the bun and all accompaniments . It’s cooked in an oven and grill, while their preparation and service of vegan food follows the same guidelines as their allergen controls. One person oversees the burger from start to finish in order to control process and quality.

Other Oumph! products include Pulled Oumph!, Oumph! Kebab Spiced, Thyme & Garlic, The Chunk, Salty & Smoky, The Oumph! Pizza Italian Style, and The Oumph! Burger.

A number of different Oumph! products are available in Asda, Tesco, Holland & Barrett, Whole Foods Market, As Nature Intended as well as independent stores across the UK.

Visit the Oumph! website and follow them on Instagram.

Ten vegan London businesses with more the 20k followers

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Social media has been crucial to the rise of veganism in London and no platform has been more important than Instagram.

Instagram is an important component for vegan businesses trying to spread word of their offerings. The social media platform is free, focussed on visuals, and extremely user/customer focussed.

Internet usage is part of our everyday lives and we have become socialised into responding to attractive visuals that grab our attention and short bursts of information that tell us what we need to know in the least amount of time.

That sums up Instagram perfectly!

Following is a list of ten vegan businesses in London that have harnessed the power of social media effectively by amassing more than 20,000 followers on Instagram.

Follow these accounts if you aren’t already and don’t forget you can also follow my FGV Instagram account for the best of London, dining in Mexico City, and the occasional rant!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BxRmJt5gv3O/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BucMq6VHyia/
https://www.instagram.com/cookiesandscreambakery/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BwUIefZgzKa/

New home for London vegan pizza business

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Great news for pizza lovers and vegans who like to hang out in Brixton.

Vegan pizza superstars PickyWops are launching their new kitchen takeover on Thursday February 21, 2019 at The Queen’s Head pub in Brixton.

Want better news? PickyWops is hosting a HUGE party on the night to celebrate the launch and you can buy tickets.

Want betterer news? The Queen’s Head is going vegan and staying vegan for good!

The party will start at 7pm and it’s gonna be aperitivo style. Each ticket gives you entrance, a first drink, nibbles of their food and music all night.

Tickets are moving VERY quickly for this opening night party, so be fast and book online.

Moving on from the opening party, the PickyWops kitchen will be open Tuesday through Sunday each week from 6:30pm until 10pm.

The regular menu will include PickyWops pizza as well as pasta, a burger, vegan fish and chips, and a Sunday roast!

Follow PickyWops on Instagram to stay updated on all the latest news. See the exact location of The Queen’s Head thanks to Google Maps.

Loss of a vegan pioneer

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The following news was shared on social media.

This news is deeply upsetting.

My thoughts are with Antonio’s family and friends.

I cannot speak on how devastating his loss will be for his loved ones, but I can speak on what it means to vegan London.

Antonio elevated vegan food in the capital to another level.

His food wasn’t just food. It was high end cuisine made with expertise. Antonio’s hard work and skill made his Bethnal Green restaurant one of the finest eateries in Europe.

My few visits to the restaurant gave me culinary experiences I will never forget.

In a world filled with grey, mass-produced food, Antonio stood above the crowd with handcrafted pasta that was lovingly created and proudly served.

I thank Antonio’s family and friends for sharing this compassionate, friendly, and wildly talented human with our community.

Photo: antoniosvegankitchen.co.uk

Vegan cocktail event in Brixton

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London. Get ready for a fun night.

This is a party you shouldn’t miss.

Blank of Brixton is already loved for its gorgeous brunches, coffee, and cakes but now they are taking things to the next level by adding vegan cocktails to their repertoire.

The Acre Lane location is celebrating their cocktail launch with a special night of games, nibbles, and a lot of Jameson.

On January 25, 2019 between 6pm and 9pm, as well as London’s best vegan Irish coffees and cocktails, there will be retro gaming, a cocktail class run by Jameson London, appetisers, vegan desserts, and a tonne of freebies.

Tickets are just £15 on the door and include two cocktails, appetisers, and a vegan dessert.

Need more to drink? Extra cocktails will be available to buy on the night.

Follow Blank on Instagram.

Christmas cheese shopping in London

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I’m not wasting your time here. You just need and want the cheesy facts.

We have three days of fantastic vegan Christmas markets coming up this week in London, so that means plenty of opportunities to grab your festive cheese supplies.

Take note of which brands are appearing where and get there EARLY on the day. The cheese always sells out quickly at this time of year:

Friday December 21, 2018 at City Vegan Lunch Market – Christmas Edition on Guildhall Yard in the City of London between 11am and 2:30pm

  • Nutkin – nut based cheeses that are current Venn Street faves
  • I AM NUT OK – gourmet artisan cheese taking the UK by storm
  • Kinda Co. – one of the true vegan cheese superstars of 2018

Saturday December 22, 2018 at the FGV section of Venn Street Market in Clapham between 10am and 4pm

  • Nutkin – nut based cheeses and our resident Venn Street trader

Saturday December 22, 2018 at the FINAL weekend for Hackney Downs Vegan Market between 11am and 4pm

Sunday December 23, 2018 at the FINAL weekend for Hackney Downs Vegan Market between 11am and 4pm

Support these independent cheese traders and make your festive table extra special.

Extra note: the markets will be overflowing with hot food, cakes, drinks, and gift ideas so please make an effort to support these traders on the final weekend before Christmas.

Taste award-winning Oumph meat alternative for free

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This weekend at Hackney Downs Vegan Market is your chance to try the award winning meat alternative by superstar brand Oumph!… for free!

Oumph!, a favourite in Sweden and the Nordic countries, is made from soya beans and organic herb and spice mixes. It’s plant-based and free from gluten and dairy… and it is taking the UK by storm.

Oumph! is versatile and easy to cook. It’s suitable to grill, boil, sauté, deep-fry or even heat over an open BBQ. In addition, it’s high in protein and fibre and a source of iron and folic acid, as well has having a low climate impact.

And no animals were harmed to bring it to your table!

Oumph! is absolutely delicious so it comes as no surprise that the brand has been busy sweeping all the awards in 2018, including:

• Oumph! Kebab Spiced – awarded ‘Best Food Product of the Year’, Food Matters Live.

Oumph! The Chunk – awarded Gold ‘Food For Food Service’, FreeFrom Eating Out Awards.

• Pulled Oumph! – awarded Bronze in ‘Ready Meals’ category, FreeFrom Food Awards 2018.

• Oumph! The Chunk – awarded Silver in the ‘Food Innovation’ category, FreeFrom Food Awards 2018.

If you are curious to see what all the fuss is about, get along to Hackney Downs Vegan Market to taste the incredible Pulled Oumph! for free.

Pulled Oumph!

On Saturday December 15 and Sunday December 16, 2018, you can try hot samples of this groundbreaking products served on crunchy corn chips with pickled onion.

Truly sensational.

Pulled Oumph! on crunchy corn chips with pickled onion

Oumph! is a part of Food for Progress. Food for Progress is a Swedish food company producing tasty, nutritious and climate-friendly food that everyone on the planet can eat. 

Check out the full Oumph! range in the UK online here and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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

London restaurant bookings skyrocket with vegan menu

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City Spice in Brick Lane has been awarded for their new vegan menu and their business is booming!

City Spice restaurant was recently named London’s Best Vegan Indian Restaurant option at the prestigious Bangladesh Caterers Association Awards.

The awards are considered to be the ‘Oscars’ of the curry-house awards and City Spice was selected as the winner of their category in a vote involving the 12,000 member restaurants of the Bangladesh Caterers Association.

But what is all the fuss about and why is the restaurant being honoured?

City Spice recently launched Brick Lane’s first ever purposefully-vegan menu in a curry house, resulting in a 170% increase in bookings for the restaurant in the two months following the launch.

Yes, that’s correct. A 170% increase. That’s the power of plants, people!

The Michel-Indian inspired vegan menu comprises of 14 dishes and was perfected after the restaurant attended a culinary masterclass with Michelin-star chef Rupert Rowley in Sri Lanka.

Some of the vegan dishes that grabbed my attention include:

  • Palani Potatoes (£9.95)
    Fresh cubed pieces of potatoes are cooked with zesty cumin seeds and curry leaves, to provide a distinct, medium flavour, exemplified by a thick mouth-watering sauce.
  • Shobji Kufta Bhujon (£9.95)
    Lightly spiced mixed vegetable balls cooked in a spicy sauce with mushrooms, baked tomatoes and capsicum. Garnished with spring onions and coriander.
  • Mixed Vegetable Jalfrezi (£8.95)
    Seasonal vegetable cooked with an original recipe with an emphasis on the flavours extracted from fresh green chillies, fried onions and green peppers.
  • Mixed Vegetable Rogan Josh (£8.95)
    With its distinctive tomato flavour, this is the perfect go-to for newcomers to Indian cuisine. Medium spiced, tomatoes make up the base of this delicious dish, being built up with a selection of fine herbs as well as our own secret recipe, to give the Rogan it’s aromatic flavour.

Restaurant manager Abdul Muhaimen, 19, who created the menu, commented:

“Brick Lane is an incredible institution, but every institution needs a kick up the bum once in a while! Palates are changing, and the street needs to catch up.

While we’re delighted to have been recognised by the BCA, that’s just the tip of the iceberg for our family run restaurant. Since its launch we’ve now sold more than a thousand vegan dishes!”.

The restaurant was even recently featured on ITV News to talk about the runaway success of the vegan menu.

This isn’t the first time the restaurant tasted success in the BCAs. In 2017 the East End restaurant won London’s Restaurant of the Year at the Bangladesh Caterers Association Awards, and Best Asian Restaurant at the Asian Curry Awards.

Click here to see the new vegan menu online. You can see the exact location of City Spice thanks to Google Maps.

Customers can try the vegan menu, which also includes vegan wines, by booking a table. Simply visit city-spice.london/contact, dial 020 7247 1012, or email reservations@city-spice.london to secure your dining experience.

Follow City Spice on Facebook.

FGV received a fee to post this news. 10% of this fee has been donated to water security charity Isla Urbana in Mexico City.