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.
When I was a young child in Australia, it was a dream of mine to be a writer.
I didn’t consider how it would happen or when or what was even involved, but I was simply drawn to writing.
I entered writing competitions at my local area shows and I even once won a prize for having a poem published in a newspaper.
Fast forward to now and here I am with a published book many decades later.
Thank you to Tsouni of Yes It’s All Vegan for letting me use this photo she took of the vegan section of Foyles on Charing Cross Road in Central London today.
It means more to me than I can explain to see my book on the shelves of a ‘proper’ bookstore amongst titles by people I love and adore… and some I don’t! LOL.
If you would like to grab a copy of my book from Foyles and help me continue to live out my childhood dream as it comes to life, you can order online or even order online to collect in your nearest store.
Foyles has my book in Stratford Westfield, Charing Cross Road, Bristol, Waterloo London, Birmingham, Chelmsford, and Royal Festival Hall London stores.
Click here to order for delivery or collection from Foyles. The website tells you how many copies of my book remain in each store. Maybe we can even give one of the stores a sellout situation?!
Have you heard the news?!
The Gallery Cafe, the legendary Bethnal Green eatery, has become a 100% vegan cafe.
And even better news?
The Gallery Cafe is now completely vegan forever. It’s not a #Veganuary thing, it’s a #VeganEveryMonthOfTheYear thing.
It has taken a while, but better late than never. I can remember trying to convince the management years ago to make this switch but they were certain losing the halloumi from the menu would be the end of them.
I’m thrilled they have finally taken the leap and removed cruel dairy from their business. Pop in and have one of their famous breakfasts and say thanks.
You can follow The Gallery Cafe on Instagram.
You can see the exact location of the cafe thanks to Google Maps.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BdXiEP7jf-3/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BdSFIZ3DBS6/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bcj71uWD7_L/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BcP-sxfjezN/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BY8W9xMjlve/
Beiroot is a vegan Lebanese food business which aims to educate people on the importance of what they are eating. They believe in supporting a region heavily affected by conflict by using Zaytoun (a social enterprise which supports Palestinian farmers) products and donating a percentage of their profits to Kitrinos Healthcare (a charity providing medical relief to refugees along the Greek coast).
To mark the end of Veganuary, Beiroot will be hosting their first supper club at 10 Cable Street on Saturday 27 January, 2018. The evening will feature traditional Lebanese food and will also support a region deeply affected by conflict by using Zaytoun products, to support Palestinian farmers, as well as donating 2.5% of profits to Kitrinos.
The menu for the night is:
Starters
Mains
Dessert
This is an absolutely outstanding menu and tickets are going to zoom out.
Please click here now to book your tickets. You can also follow Beiroot on Instagram to stay updated on future events.
Here is a super quick post to say thank you to south London cafe, Cupcakes & Shhht.
The Elephant and Castle cafe hosted an intimate get-together today to celebrate the launch of my book. It was a lot of fun chatting and getting a chance to say hello to a few friends and news faces, but the crowning glory of the evening was the cupcake selection.
The gorgeous vanilla and coconut cupcakes had mini edible front covers of my book on top of the frosting.
Check it out!
Please take a moment to follow Cupcakes & Shhht on Instagram so you can keep updated on their latest news, including an upcoming pop-up in Old Street!
You can join me at one of the book events coming up this week in London and Coventry. See all the dates and events online here.
If you would like a copy of my book, you can order online here.
I am super excited about getting down to the newly-vegan Old Street branch of Arancini Brothers tomorrow (Thursday January 4, 2018) for their grand re-opening.
It is also the official launch of my book and they just shared this post of the stock arriving:
I reached out to owner Dave to see how the soft opening went yesterday and he said:
Even though this area is a ghost town at this time of year, we had a queue out the door between midday and 2pm. There were lots of customers loving the FGV Burger and we didn’t get a single complaint from our regular meat eating customers. It has been a great start to our vegan project!
Such good news!
Click here to see the full menu plus some food photos. Hopefully I’ll see some of you at the grand re-opening/book launch tomorrow. If you can’t make it tomorrow, Arancini Brothers Old Street will be 100% vegan for the entire month of January and maybe longer if it works out for them.
You can also order my book online here.
Join me for some events to celebrate the launch of my first-ever book, Fat Gay Vegan: Eat, Drink and Live Like You Give a Sh!t.
You will be able to buy a copy of the book AND hopefully grab something to eat.
The dates and venues are:
If you are unable to make any of these events but still want a copy of the book, please click here or on the banner below to buy online. Also look for the book in your independent book stores, health food stores and major book retailers. If they don’t have it, you can ask them to order it for you.
The Facebook event for the tour can be seen here.
News you can eat.
As you have probably heard, Arancini Brothers Old Street location is turning 100% vegan for January 2018.
The entire menu is becoming plant-based for Veganuary (and hopefully longer) and to celebrate, they have added a burger they are calling the FGV Burger.
Check it out.
The FGV Burger features the famous mushroom zucchini risotto patty inside an organic bap plus double cheese, pickles, crispy onion, ketchup and mustard.
I’m absolutely drooling.
This is the burger of my dreams and I’m thrilled to see my name on their new vegan menu.
You can get your hands on the FGV Burger at Arancini Brothers Old Street location all month long. See the full vegan menu online here.
The soft launch for Old Street turning vegan is January 2, 2018 with the grand vegan re-opening in conjunction with my book launch is Thursday January 4. I’ll be there on January 4, so please say hello.
Hope to see you in store where you can grab an FGV Burger and an FGV book!
If you would like to buy the book but cannot make it to this celebration, you can buy a copy online here.
Here is book reading number 3 from my VERY SOON to be released book, Fat Gay Vegan: Eat, Drink and Live Like You Give a Sh!t (you can see readings number 1 and 2 online as well).
You can order your very own copy of my book online here.
Stay tuned for more readings and book launch events such as the official launch at the Arancini Brothers vegan reopening celebration on January 4, 2018.
Are you in London with no plans for New Year’s Eve?
Gabriel Moreno and the Intrepid Bard Society are hosting a New Year’s party to remember with some of the top performers from The Lantern Society London and Poetry Brothel London.
They will entertain you until 11:45 pm performing the most refreshing music and poetry in the London Underground Alternative folk, troubadour, singer songwriter scene.
Headline performances by:
After midnight they will have top music from the darkest and most vibrant corners of the human psyche with a DJ set including music by Arcade Fire, Nick Cave, Calexico, Marc Ribot, Wilco Bill Callahan, The National Congreso, Band of Horses, Patti Smit, Warren Zevon, Franco Battiato, Neil Young, Morphine, Georges Brasens, tindersticks, Tom Waits, and more dark and upbeat classics.
£10 entry (CASH ONLY)
They will also take requests for their New Year’s Playlist but you need to let them know in advance. Place your requests on the Facebook event page.
The venue will be open from7pm, serving vegan food (tapas style) and prosecco for a very moderate price.
To reserve a place for this night send an email to with your name, amount of people coming and a telephone number to gabrielangelmoreno@gmail.com and then have a fab time!