London vegan restaurant gets an overhaul

Loving Hut in Edgware, London has long been a favourite eating destination for people in the capital looking to eat with compassion.

The restaurant (run by followers of the teachings of Supreme Master Ching Hai – Google it if you wanna know) has been serving delicious vegan savoury food for years and favourites include mock meats, noodle dishes, and flavoured rice.

I was planning a trip to Loving Hut Edgware a few days ago when I discovered that it no longer exists, but has been remodelled and renamed.

Zen Buddha still sits at 236 Station Road but has enjoyed a makeover. The restaurant has been polished to look more modern and new booth seating has been added.

The people working in the restaurant are the same and, thankfully, the food is still the same delicious crispy goodness I know and love.

Check out my most recent meal below and see the exact location of Zen Buddha online thanks to Google Maps.

Leeds gets super vegan

Hey, friends.

The UK has been undergoing a vegan transformation over the past five years or so, but there was one large city that seemed to be on the back foot.

Leeds.

Now, I’m not disparaging Leeds. I love the place. I used to live in the Yorkshire city and it has a special place in my heart, but it has documented that the vegan offerings had been thin on the ground while other places such as Manchester and Glasgow flourished.

But all this has changed in recent times and my trip to Leeds this week has left me delighted with the gorgeous plant-based options that have sprung up all over town.

Take a look at some of the vegan delights I sampled in Leeds this week and start planning your weekend now!

Best in Leeds

If you need proof that the UK is now a serious vegan food contender on the world stage, get along to Leeds and eat with El Marchador Tacos.

It will be one of the best eating experiences you will have.

El Marchador is a fully vegan and gluten free eatery in the heart of Leeds. The menu is packed solid with absolutely mouthwatering Mexican cuisine and the tacos are the finest I’ve tasted outside of Mexico.

In addition to the incredible food line up, the venue also hosts an impressive line up of tequilas and craft beers. Of course the bar is entirely vegan, too.

Follow El Marchador on Instagram and see the exact location of the cantina thanks to Google Maps.

Vegan Italian restaurant in east London

This news is ALL OVER the vegan Internet, so you might have already heard it.

Antonio’s Kitchen is a brand new vegan Italian restaurant that has opened in Bethnal Green, London.

The food business has been trading at various locations over the past few years, but this restaurant is its first permanent home. It is just a few steps from Cambridge Heath train station and around the corner from The Gallery Cafe.

The menu at Antonio’s is stuffed solid with Italian classics such as piadina flatbread, calzone, and pasta.

You can see the exact location of Antonio’s Vegan Italian Kitchen thanks to Google Maps. Be sure to follow them on Instagram.

Introduction to fermentation workshop

An Introduction to Fermentation Workshop
w/ Steve Wilson
Saturday 18th August, 2-3pm, £20

In this practical workshop at The Well Garden (Hackney Downs Vegan Market will be happening outside the venue at the same time!) you will learn the alchemy of how to make kimchi and kombucha at home, the nutritional benefits of fermented food, and how to improve your gut health.

Steve Wilson is a cookery teacher at Made in Hackney, and Founder of Make Kit, a vegan and vegetarian recipe box service. He previously founded The People’s Kitchen, a community food surplus kitchen, and Dalstons, a low sugar natural soft drinks company. He loves sharing his knowledge of cooking with others.

What to Bring
Please bring 2 Jam Jars, all other materials will be provided.

Arrival
Please arrive at least 15 minutes early to ensure you have time to set up & get settled. The workshop will start promptly at 2pm.

Multiple Tickets
Call on 02030959735 to book for more than one person.

Cancellation Policy
We do not offer refunds for bookings cancelled within 48 hours of the course or workshop starting. We reserve the right to cancel a course/workshop if necessary, in these circumstances a full refund will be given.

Click here to order your ticket.

Beer list for Sheffield Vegan Beer Fest 2018

It is finally here!

Of course we get excited about the food offerings at Sheffield Vegan Beer Fest, but the name of the event should be enough to let you know the biggest star of the day is the drink.

The beer being poured on the day is listed below, so take a look and be sure to buy your cheap £4 advance ticket online here.

Extra note: there is a scattering of cider on the list as well as some low and no alcohol beers. The venue bar will be serving vegan wine, soft drinks, tea, and coffee (with vegan milks).

BAD SEED BREWERY – Award-winning range of beers from this brewery in Malton, North Yorkshire

  • Border Town – 4.2%ABV (cask) – American Rye. Aggressively hopped pale with the classic Cascade hop. The spiciness of rye amplifies that citrusy, piney hop flavour and lends some added complexity to the malt bill
  • Code Blue – 5.0%ABV (keg) – Blueberry Wit brewed in collaboration with the Rook and Gaskill to celebrate our 5th birthday. A huge hit of blueberries meets a soft wheat and oat base in this American style wit beer. A taste of summertime!
  • End Game – 5.0%ABV (cask) – New England Pale. Ultra hazy, juicy hit of US hops with soft bitterness and big tropical fruit flavour. Chinook, Amarillo and El Dorado crammed into this beauty. Let the juice loose!
  • Glass Case of Emotion – 8.3%ABV (cask) – Collaboration with Wild Weather Ales. An Imperial Stout with almond, cherries and sweet spices. Dessert in liquid form, aged in cask for 15 months which has intensified the flavours
  • Murk Merchant – 5.8%ABV (keg) – Ultra hazy, ultra hoppy crushable IPA. Super soft bitterness with a pale malt & oat base and huge juiciness from Mosaic, Cascade, Chinook & Columbus. Similar to a NEIPA style but drier. A huge hit of US hops with big tropical fruit characteristics
  • Red Ink – 5.0%ABV (keg) – Rhubarb and hibiscus kettle sour. Super refreshing, with deep red colour. Rhubarb sweetness meets tart sourness and spice from the hibiscus. This beer is so much fun!
  • Session IPA Bravo, Comet, Azacca – 4.0%ABV (keg) – Easy drinking abv, full on hop flavour. Bravo, Comet and Azacca hops combine to give flavours of citrus and tropical fruit with a grapefruit aroma
  • Short Stop – 3.0%ABV (cask) – Hoppy table beer. All day abv, big hop character. Notes of grapefruit and citrus from Centennial, Columbus, Cascade & Comet hops. Soft malt and oat base makes for a big mouthfeel and combines perfectly to deliver a juicy little number

HEAVY INDUSTRY BREWING – award-winning microbrewery in Henllan, North Wales

  • 77 – 4.9%ABV (keg) – A big amber IPA style beer brewed with the finest pale and crystal malts. Heavily hopped with Columbus and Cascade, then dry hopped with Mosaic and Simcoe whilst conditioning. The flavour of dark Seville marmalade is backed up by a piney, peppery bitterness. Beware, this beer bites!
  • Blod Wen – 4.4%ABV (keg) – Brewed using fresh elderflowers from the Vale of Clwyd and fermented with a mixed culture then dry hopped. Lovely floral coriander aroma and pleasant residual sweetness and a little funk
  • Chinese Burn – 6.5%ABV (keg) – Pale ale brewed w/ wheat & oats for a full body & rye for a subtle spicy kick. It’s then hopped w/ Simcoe, Northdown, Admiral, Amarillo & Sorachi Ace. Dangerously drinkable, this has a flavour reminiscent of peaches & cream
  • Diawl Bach – 3.8%ABV (keg) – A sessionable pale ale. The blend of huge US hops mean that this little devil punches way above his weight. Dry hopped with Amarillo, Cascade and Citra whilst conditioning. A fruity hop bomb
  • Eurotrash – 5.5%ABV (keg) – Belgian style IPA. Our “Belgish” IPA! Pilsner & a touch of Munich malts form a solid backbone which is complemented with bitterness from Brewers Gold hops. This beer is then hopped with Amarillo, Cascade, Simcoe, Summit & Magnum for a full- on citrussy aroma, and fermented with a Belgian strain of yeast. Very hoppy with a refreshing crisp bitterness!
  • Forza! – 4.5%ABV (keg) – Fruity Session Pale Ale. Pale and Cara malts give this pale ale a firm foundation to allow the layers of US hops to shine. Massive late hop additions of Galaxy, Citra, Mosaic and Mandarina Bavaria give pronounced tropical fruit flavours, which are accentuated by the dry hopping and balanced by a smooth bitterness
  • La Vie en Rose – 4.0%ABV (keg) – mixed fermentation sour with Pilsner malts, hibiscus flowers, raspberries and styrian cardinal hops for a delicate raspberry sorbet kinda thing
  • Le Bulot D’Or D’amour – 5.4%ABV (keg) – A dry hopped fruity saison pale with restrained spice. Refreshing & spicy!
  • Nelson’s Eye – 4.4%ABV (keg) – NZ Hopped Pale Ale. A golden ale, using Nelson Sauvin hops for flavour and aroma. This unique hop from New Zealand evokes white grape skins, tropical fruits and citrus. Dry hopped with Nelson Sauvin whilst conditioning. This bitter beer is a real eye opener, watch as it walks off the bar
  • Pigeon Toed Orange Peel – 5.2%ABV (keg) – Hefeweissen. A cloudy orange hefeweissen style beer brewed with the finest Pale and Wheat malts. Featuring Mandarina Bavaria a rare and experimental German hop. Notes of cloves, pears and pineapple underlay a big freshly squeezed orange taste. Also dry hopped with Mandarina Bavaria whilst conditioning

THREE HILLS BREWING – creating unconventional lagers and experimental ales in Woodford, Northamptonshire

  • Bretted IPA – 6.0%ABV (keg) – Fermented with New England IPA yeast then Brettanomyces (aka Brett yeast). Beautiful citrus, tropic tang with a delicate funkiness
  • Death by Drupe – 8.0%ABV (keg) – Big stout with a coconut infusion. It won’t kill you, but it’s dangerously drinkable
  • Gluten Reduced Citra – 3.4%ABV (keg) – Single hop pale ale brewed with citra and fermented with new England yeast strain. A little juicy with low gluten
  • Pomegranate Saision – 5.2%ABV (330ml bottle) – Light pomegranate aroma underpinned by a classic saison base. A collaboration brew with Jelley Distilleries
  • Session Lager – 3.8%ABV (keg) – Straw coloured session beer, generously hopped with Spalt Select, Citra and Mosaic. Fermented with house yeast strain and cold conditioned for 4 weeks
  • South Pacific Wheat – 5.5%ABV (330ml bottle) – A vibrant and refreshing Wheat beer using two hops hailing from the South Pacific region: Nelson Sauvin and Vic Secret
  • Super Thai PA – 5.5%ABV (330ml bottle) – An aromatic and light Pale Ale infused with double the amount of Lemongrass, Ginger, and Kaffir Lime
  • Trium Florum – 6.0%ABV (750ml bottle) – Farmhouse Saison infused with a blend of Hibiscus, Marigold & Elderflower. The appearance is bright pink and palette delicately floral, fruity and spicy
  • Trium Humulus – 7.5%ABV (750ml bottle) – Fermented dry with Champagne yeast, then dry hopped with a trio of fruity hops; Mosaic, Vic Secret & Nelson Sauvin. The body is light and aroma distinctly hoppy. Best shared fresh for maximum aroma

TWISTED BARREL ALES – Coventry brewery using a unique mix of modern and classical styles and methods

  • Detroit Sour City – 4.0%ABV (keg) – Dry Hop Sour. A dry hopped Berliner Weisse, lemon sherbet and mango combine in this ridiculously refreshing beer
  • Djentle – 2.7%ABV (can) – Table Beer. A heavily dry hopped light pale, with orange and lime citrus flavour from the Amarillo and Centennial hop combo
  • I Am The Muffin – 5.5%ABV (can) – Belgian Blonde. Traditional light Belgian blonde, brewed with Ardennes yeast and hopped with Citra hops for a lightly fruity, juicy finish and bubble gum aroma
  • Kazan – 5.5%ABV (can) – American Pale Ale. Soft, juicy American pale, hopped with the classic Citra, Mosaic and Simcoe combo
  • Sine Qua Non – 4.5%ABV (keg) – Session IPA. A classic West Coast style session IPA, hoppy notes of pine and citrus support by a solid biscuit malt backbone
  • The Great Went – 4.0%ABV (can) – Hefeweissen. Easy drinking German style wheat beer with banana, clove and citrus notes
  • Nirvana – Chakra – 1.00%ABV – Find alignment, let the energy flow…. American hopped low alcohol pale ale with fresh notes of passionfruit, pine & a light bitter finish
  • Nirvana – Karma – 0.50%ABV – Alcohol Free Pale Ale – light, refreshing pale ale with classic citrus and floral hop aromas
  • Nirvana – Kosmic – 0.00%ABV – Alcohol Free Stout – rich malt flavour
  • HOGANS French Revelation – 4.8%ABV – Gluten free Cider with tannic, sweet flavour
  • HOGANS Harvest Press – 5.3%ABV – Gluten free still, cloudy cider
  • HOGANS Panking Pole – 6.2%ABV ABV – Gluten free strong cider. Authentic, traditional, strong, complex & dry as a bone

Sad times for vegan Sheffield

Oh no!

Here is some sad news for vegan junk food lovers in Sheffield.

The Burger Garden (formerly known as BurgerLOLZ) has announced on social media that their restaurant is closing forever.

This place has become somewhat of an institution in Sheffield and the city is going to miss it greatly. Loaded fries. Stacked burgers. Freakshakes. Fish and chips.

The Burger Garden has been a pioneer in the Steel City

You still have until September 2, 2018 to savour the delights of this junk food paradise.

Click here to see the exact location of the restaurant and follow The Burger Garden on Instagram.

If you are in Sheffield on August 18, 2018 you might consider coming along to the 2nd annual Sheffield Vegan Beer Fest. Tickets and info online here.

Massive love to the team behind this gem and I truly hope they bounce back with more tasty contributions to vegan Sheffield soon.

Raw vegan food event East London

Here is a super quick post to let you know about a vegan raw food dining event taking place near Cambridge Heath in east London.

Guest chef Kate Magic is going to be feeding attendees a 5-course raw dinner extravaganza this Friday August 10, 2018 at The Love Shack, located on Cambridge Heath Road.

The menu sounds tasty and includes:

On Arrival: Kombucha Daiquiris
Appetizer: Korean Sesame Noodles
Entree: Kale + Kimchi Bowl
Dessert: Magic Chocolate Cake
To Finish: Matcha Mints and Chaga Lattes

Click here to book your tickets online.

Vegan 6-month pop up in South London

Finally we are seeing a vegan movement gathering momentum south of the Thames.

Vegan street food trader The Pleasing Vegan has announced they will be catering at Hops & Green on Camberwell Church Street 7 days a week over a six month period!

The Pleasing Vegan, who have traded at Hackney Downs Vegan Market a few times to loved-up reviews, will be bringing their 100% vegan Mediterranean cuisine to Hops & Green who will in turn be providing a range of drinks including alcohol!

Doors for this collaboration will be opening for the first time on Saturday September 1, 2018 and will be followed by an official launch party (more to be announced soon!).

You should follow The Pleasing Vegan on Instagram to keep updated with all the latest news on this exciting pop up.

Vegan food at a UK airport

Today I am traveling from the Bestival event on the south coast of England all the way up to Glasgow in Scotland, where I am due to host the third annual Glasgow Vegan Beer Fest tomorrow (Sunday August 5, 2018).

Because of the limited amount of time I had to get between events, I opted to take a flight.

Unfortunately I have been stuck at Southampton airport waiting for my delayed Glasgow flight for quite a few hours, so I made the most of my time to hunt down some vegan snacks.

Check out my finds below and click here to buy a last minute ticket to Glasgow Vegan Beer Fest.

Hopefully I’ll see you there!