London vegan news, reviews & events
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.
If you need a festive sandwich in order to feel like Christmas is complete, Pret a Manger stores have got you covered.
The sandwich chain has just this launched a new Christmas range of sandwiches and drinks, including the plant-based version they are calling the Very Merry Christmas Lunch Sandwich.
Pret’s Vegan Christmas Sandwich retails for £3.50 and combines grilled carrots, spinach and a vegan stuffing on granary bread. It is dressed with a port and orange cranberry sauce and a handful of caramelised pecans and crispy onions.
In addition to this vegan sandwich, Pret also has a a line of festive drinks that can be veganised. Sadly, it will cost you 35p extra to switch the dairy to coconut milk in the Festive Flat White (contains mince pie syrup?!), Mint Mocha or Mint Hot Chocolate.
Can you hear the sleigh bells?
Wagamama UK is a company known to vegans for having a great selection of vegan options.
A post I did a short while ago about a new seitan katsu curry almost broke the vegan Internet and the chain shows no sign of slowing down with their plant-based menu items.
I was visiting one of the Soho locations of Wagamama today when I stumbled across a staff tasting session involving new vegan desserts. Of course I wasted no time in introducing myself and was quickly invited to try the vegan pies.
Check them out below.
There is a chocolate pecan pie and a passionfruit chocolate tart set to be launched in January.
Both of these tarts were absolutely divine and I can’t wait to see them roll out across the UK in 2018. I know that sounds a long way into the future, but these desserts are so fabulous that it will be well worth the wait.
One of the most-loved and most-famous vegan food brands in the UK (and around the world) is Fry’s Family Food Co.
This South African company is adored for its frozen vegan meats, sausages, pies and more.
Now they are branching out in the UK with a huge range of chilled vegan products launched exclusively via Holland & Barrett stores from RIGHT ABOUT NOW.
The photo above shows the chilled range that is currently rolling out around the UK.
It includes beef-style and chicken-style strips, southern style tenders, various pies, pasties, and even a sausage roll!
Pay attention for this range in your local H&B store and hopefully further afield in 2018.
You can follow Fry’s Family Food Co. on Instagram.
There is a BIG vegan event taking place in Manchester this weekend and I’m so happy to announce that I will be there!
Manchester Vegan Fest 2017 is promising great food, entertainment, talks, new people to meet and lots of funky vegan stalls.
The two day event run by Vegan Organic Network is being staged at Sashas Hotel right in the centre of Manchester.
Sahsas is located in the heart of central Manchester, a short walk from from Piccadilly Train Station and a few hundred yards from the bus station.
More than 4,000 visitors are expected at the event which will have two café areas in the main hall and one downstairs with live music. Upstairs there will be a talks, a film room, cooking demonstrations and vegan fitness including exercise machines and yoga.
On Saturday at 3:00pm, I will be hosting a talk and Q&A discussion about the themes from my soon-to-be published book Fat Gay Vegan: How To Eat, Drink and Live Like You Give A Sh!t.
The book is published on January 4, 2018 but you can get a sneak preview as I share some of the stories and insights. A very limited number of the books will be for sale directly after my talk for £8.99.
You can pre-order the book online.
RSVP to the Manchester Vegan Fest 2017 Facebook event here.
What does a sold out vegan pop up event look like?
Just like this.
This was the scene last night as we hosted the sold out 5pm sitting of the Mexico City Feast Night at Black Cat Hackney with special guest Mariana Blanco of Los Loosers.
Mariana fed the delighted guests some of the best vegan Mexican food London has ever seen.
And you know what? We had so much fun, we did it twice.
The 8pm sitting was another sold out event.
These sold out dinners were in addition to the Day of the Dead event hosted at 10 Cable Street and the Mexican Ramen Night taking place at Vegan HQ tomorrow.
Much love to everyone who has joined us for these special events.
Be sure to follow Los Loosers on Instagram to see what all the fuss is about and get to Mexico City if and when you can to eat with the much-loved foodies.
I will give you one guess where a new vegan cafe has opened in London.
I would bet any amount of money that you said Hackney?!
Rehab is brand new plant-based eatery situated on Well Street, just a few minutes walk from Temple of Seitan in Hackney Central.
I asked the owners for a little insight into what makes the cafe tick and they told me:
Our cafe concentrates on healing, organic, vegan food that is abundant with nutrients while being filling and affordable. We also have a bar which we plan to open soon serving vegan cocktails, beer and wine. There is also the option for healthy mixed cocktails using kombucha and cold pressed juices.
Take a look at some of the photos below and follow Rehab on Instagram.
Vegan supper club news from central London!
Read more below:
Chef Patron, Chantelle Nicholson, has long been a champion of plant-based cooking and since opening Tredwells in 2014, has ensured that plenty of these dishes feature on the menus. In spring 2018, Chantelle will be debuting her first solo cookbook, Planted, focusing on plant-based recipes delivering on taste and creativity.
Growing up in New Zealand, her heart has always lain in what comes from the earth. It was here she was taught about the seasons, about how things grow, and about the ecosystem of the garden, from a very tender age.
MENU
Price: £35 for 5 courses
When: Monday 6th, Monday 13th & Monday 20th November from 19:00 for a 19:30 start
For further information and to book, please call the restaurant on 020 3764 0840 or email hello@tredwells.com
Attention all London vegans who love free vegan pizza.
There is a very special event taking place TODAY for World Vegan Day this 1st November, 2017 at 6.00pm at The Stable in Kew Bridge (8 Kew Bridge Road, Brentford TW8 0FJ).
The restaurant is celebrating this day by giving away FREE vegan pizza!
That’s right… VEGAN PIZZA FOR FREE!
The giveaway is from 6.00pm until they run out of dough.
Get there early to avoid disappointment.
Gluten free options also available.
You can check out their vegan menu here:
http://stablepizza.com/media/Stable-Menu-Kew-V2.pdf
T&Cs for the free pizza event:
They won’t be taking any bookings. One pizza per person. First come, first served. No takeaways. Pizza pudding not included. Form an orderly queue!
For more information about The Stable please visit www.stablepizza.com
The Facebook event can be found here.
If you sniff around these parts of the Internet often, you will know that I adore a band from West London known as Colour Me Wednesday.
Colour Me Wednesday is a super awesome feminist queer DIY music situation with the catchiest songs this side of the Hangar Lane gyratory.
As an added bonus, the band members are vegan. I just can’t get enough of them.
If you are keen to experience one of my favourite bands, you should grab a ticket for this very special preview show taking place in South London.
To celebrate the new album set to be released soon, Colour Me Wednesday is playing a one-night-only show at DIY SPACE for London on Sunday November 19, 2017.
You can buy your tickets online here.
You can follow Colour Me Wednesday on Instagram.
Yay for music!