London vegan news, reviews & events
You know I travel a lot, right? I have hauled my hefty frame from one continent to another for many years and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The desire to keep moving runs deep in my veins and I’m perpetually plotting and scheming my next journey.
People have often asked me where I would ‘settle’ if I had to and I always answer, “I never want to settle’. But then they get annoyed at me for not playing the game properly so I answer, “Wherever I can purchase and consume Dun-Well Doughnuts“.
Here I go again. The selfish, fat, gay vegan is going to bad mouth a restaurant that makes vegan food. I don’t know how I live with myself. But seriously… I gotta call it the way I see it, right? You wouldn’t want me to be all fake and lovely about a place if it just didn’t set my world on fire.
So here we go. Sorry Earth Cafe of Manchester. Your food and (some of) your service left a whole lot to be desired.
If you are one of the 100 or so people who enjoy London Vegan Drinks on a monthly basis, you will love this news. If you have never joined us for one of London’s best nights out, you will no longer have an excuse.
Can we talk? I don’t want to sound nasty, but Philadelphia hasn’t been a model city when it comes to healthy or cruelty-free eating. From cheese steaks to hoagies, the city of brotherly love just loves to pile dead animals up in buns. The food for which Philly is famous for isn’t necessarily creative, either.
But hold on to you faux-suede fedora readers because there is a new sheriff in town. Vedge restaurant is not simply ringing the Liberty Bell for all creatures great and small, they might just turn out to be the finest vegan restaurant on the face of the planet.
The owners of Vedge had nothing to prove in my FGV eyes. They had already run the wildly successful vegan Horizons where the quality of food was of an unusually lofty standard. It’s South Philly location was always packed during my visits and I never left the premises without feeling like I had just enjoyed one of the best meals of my life.
Well, flash forward to a few months past the closing of Horizons and we find owners Kate and Rich have taken vegan fine dining to even more unbelievable levels of greatness.
The recently opened Vedge sits unassumingly behind a brick facade in Philadelphia’s Center City area. As Josh and I entered via the brief stone steps off Locust Street, we were faced with a gorgeous interior and seductive lighting. Some of the friendliest hospitality people I have ever encountered made sure we were comfortable and refreshed in the sumptuous cocktail lounge as we waited for our table to become available. My thirst was satisfied with a cold glass of lager as Josh opted for a scotch on the rocks. We were only on drinks in the bar and Vedge was already stratospheres above its competition.
Once seated we wasted no time in getting down to 5 star dining. A whole lot of world-class, vegan food was consumed by the pair of us and there is no easy way of getting it all down on screen. I’m just going to have to trundle through it, so sit back and experience the culinary delights of Vedge through the following photos.
Marshmallow wrapped in chocolate with a biscuit base.
If the above sentence is the key to my FGV heart, my affections well and truly rest in the hands of Sweet & Sara. This confectionery company has been churning out irresistible snacks for years and are unmatched in the field of vegan marshmallow production. From their entirely-vegan premises in New York City, Sweet & Sara gift the world with chocolate bark, biscotti, macaroons, marshmallows and the world famous smores.
During my recent US vacation, I have taken every Sweet & Sara smores sighting as a sign that I must eat one. My intuition is usually spot on and in this case, foolproof. The smores are chewy and delectable. With their chocolate shell, cookie base and fluffy inside, I can’t think of another compact snack that captures my affections the way this one does. Start picking out your wedding outfits…it is true love.
One of the true joys of traveling for me is experiencing unexpected food delights. Just when I least expect it, something tasty and delectable and intriguing pops up begging to be consumed. I always oblige. It would be impolite not to.
Josh and I are currently enjoying a brief road trip along the Florida Keys. This part of the world is gorgeous but the vegan options are a bit thin on the ground. Car journeys such as this require careful planning to ensure I keep my calorie intake at a level worthy of a fat, gay vegan. To be certain I ate well on the Keys, we did a quick Whole Foods Market trip before we left the mainland. I am delighted we did.
There is a vegan food revolution sweeping the world and I’m making sure I have a front row seat.
Fry’s Vegetarian have already established themselves as one of the world’s finest vegan food companies in the world. The South African-based, family-owned business produces absolutely stunning vegan meats that are peerless. Readers of this blog will be familiar with my love of Fry’s and my recent story about their stunning new vegan popcorn chicken.
Now the vegan wonder company are taking the good eating thing to another level with the unveiling of their brand new Louisiana Tenders. Seriously, you must check these beauties out.
Would you enjoy shopping for groceries and dining on wholesome food all in the same place? Of course you would. If I mentioned you could also buy tasty vegan slices, cakes and treats from a deli case in the same location, how long would it take you to rush there?
The people of Manchester are onto a good thing with the glorious vegetarian grocery store and cafe called Eighth Day Co-op. This city centre retail outlet is jam-packed with vegetarian and vegan groceries, as well as mouthwatering food to settle your rumbling tummy. The shelves are packed with household products, chilled foods and personal hygiene goods. A huge variety of what is on offer is certified cruelty-free.
If you read this blog with any level of regularity, you will be aware that not all of my food choices are the healthiest available. From beer to flavoured wine cooler and chocolate to deep-fried anything, this fat gay vegan knows very well how he got his name.
This predisposition for vegan junk food doesn’t always rule my life. Sometimes I shock even myself by opting for the healthy option.
I was recently (s)trolling the aisles of my local health food store when my eyes set upon an interesting sight indeed. As quickly as my chubby, queer fingers could move, I snapped up a container of raw, curried-flavoured kale chips. Oh yes… curried kale chips!
Have you ever had a dream about something so wondrous, you simply push it to the back of your mind because it would probably never come to fruition? Yeah, me too. One of my long-held food fantasies has been to taste the crunchy, savoury goodness of vegan popcorn chicken. My FGV nights have been spent tossing and turning, waiting for these mythical balls of compassion to materialise.
And you know what comes next, right? Yep. The wait is over!