Vegan London, part 1

[harpy]

I think VitaOrganic do both raw food and cooked-but-not-raised-above-a-certain-temperature food. It's certainly possible to have a completely raw meal (i.e. salady stuff) there if you want to.

[alisont]

Yay Travelodge have got rooms for £29 at Farrington one on the Sat - for the London vegan festival on the Sun

If anyone needs to book its a good deal!

I think il start a thread for the London festival, unless there is one started?

[Marrers]

Vanilla Black in York has closed. They are relocating to London. . . .
http://www.vanillablack.co.uk/

Vanilla Black
17- 18 Tooks Court
London
EC4A 1LB

Has anyone been here yet? How vegan friendly is it? (The online menu does not have the vegan dishes marked.)

Has anyone been to Saf yet?

[flying plum]

marrers - i've been to saf, i wrote something about it somewhere. went for mty birthday - was very impressed. really nice to have soemwhere 'upmarket' in london for special occasions, without it being stuffy. and make sure you have the chocolate ganache cake thing, it was AWESOME.

amanda

[Marrers]

Thanks amanda, I'll definitely try the ganache! I'm going in about 4 weeks time.

I went to Vanilla Black this evening. The food was very nice but there wasn't much choice for vegans - they say they like a few days notice so they can make sure there is a choice of 2 vegan starters and 2 vegan mains (and they print out a vegan menu page).

The main course (Sweet Potato ‘Vindaloo’ and Saffron Risotto, Vegetable & Herb Pakora, and Coconut) was quite a small portion actually but at least it left room for dessert which was normal sized (not on the online menu but it was apple rings with caramel sauce and a crumble biscuit with orange or blackcurrant sorbet).

The vegan options were just one starter and one main on the menu but a second starter could be made vegan by leaving out the egg but that would not have left much of a dish. The dessert I had was vegan if substituting ice cream for sorbet and they also offered me the Chilled Melon Soup, Passion Fruit Sorbet and Crispy Raspberries) from the lunch menu. There were 2 options for vegan red wine, I didn't ask about the white or any beers.
It isn't cheap - a main course was £15 - but I would go again.

It wasn't very busy but they say business is steadily increasing.

[veganlinda]

Hi

I am at a two day convention in London next week near Old Street. Anyone know of any vegan freindly/nice places to stay near there. Work is paying so budget is flexible.

[pedestrian]

Hi

I'm a vegan from in Italy, now in London. From days I try to meet some vegan people but it's very difficult. Where are you?

I'd like to meet some vegan people to try restaurant o to come to some demo.

bye bye

[bryzee86]

I know that the hoxton has a vegan pasta dish on the menu. Then again, you might want to be eating dinner out and wanting a vegan breakfast next day...

This place has a vegan breakfast option and, whilst not near Old Street, is only a shortish tube ride away.

Slightly closer, there is one listed here (Liz Heavenstone), which is located in Chalk Farm, which is on the Northern Line (the same line as Old Street).

[veganlinda]

Bryzee you are a star. I haven't a clue about the different districts in London so woudl have taken me ages to find somewhere and woudl be nice to have a vegan breakfast.

I think there are parties on both days after the conferences although work would pay for evening meals so it woudl be a good excuse to eat out on the wednesday evening ...

[bryzee86]

well if you want somewhere to eat, vegan london and happycow pretty much have them all covered.

Once you've booked the hotel and need suggestions closer to where you're staying, drop me a line and i'll be glad to suggest something.

[matt35mm]

I'll be in London from the 23rd-28th of September. I'll be occupied from the 25th to the 28th, but I'll be free on the 23rd and especially the 24th. Those first two days I'll just be wandering around the city on my own.

So what should I spend those two days doing? Does anyone have suggestions on where I should stay (I was originally just thinking hostel)? Does anyone was to meet up with me?

This will be my first time to England.

[bryzee86]

Yeah we'll deffo have a mini-meet! I'll bring you cake!

Where you stay depends on your budget (and expectations for your room). Sometimes Travelodge do sales, but don't appear to have cheap rooms for your dates. Perhaps a hostel would be good then. Piccadilly Backpackers are centrally located.

[matt35mm]

Thanks for the quick reply (and the promise of cake)! I'm sure I'll be nervous visiting London for the first time by myself, so the friendliness definitely helps very much.

All I need is a bed in a warm room, so I aim to spend around £10-15 a night. I'll look more into Piccadilly Backpackers. Thanks for the suggestion and I can't wait to meet you!

[flying plum]

I would suggest that you need to think more along the lines of £20/night. even hostels go for that kind of price, alas. I'm not even sure it's possible to find anywhere, at least, not anywhere that doesn't require some extra payment in salacious pratices, for £10/night in london. i might be wrong, particularly, I suppose, in september, so sorry to be such a negative nancy. london prices just are bonkers!

amanda

[BlackCats]

I'll be in London from the 23rd-28th of September. I'll be occupied from the 25th to the 28th, but I'll be free on the 23rd and especially the 24th. Those first two days I'll just be wandering around the city on my own.
Does anyone was to meet up with me?

This will be my first time to England.

I agree with Bryzee, we should have a meet-up to welcome you.

[bryzee86]

deffo what flying plum said. Don't hedge your bets, book soon, and look at £20 per night for a hostel.

[harpy]

Can anybody think of a restaurant near S. Kensington tube where you can get vegan food, please? We were planning to go to Pizza Organic which used to do cheeseless pizzas on request but it seems to have closed down in the past week or so

[Stu]

222?

[harpy]

Yes, 222 would be nice, Stu, but it's a bit far because we need somewhere to dash into late evening after a concert. It ideally needs to be within about 500 yards of the station really.

I've been reading about a Lebanese caff in Old Brompton Rd called Beirut Express II but the reviews are rather mixed - don't suppose anyone's been there?

[matt35mm]

Yeah we'll deffo have a mini-meet! I'll bring you cake!

Where you stay depends on your budget (and expectations for your room). Sometimes Travelodge do sales, but don't appear to have cheap rooms for your dates. Perhaps a hostel would be good then. Piccadilly Backpackers are centrally located.

I've ended up booking for 2 nights at Piccadilly Backpackers (thanks for the suggestion, Bryzee!).

It was only £13 a night, and looks pretty nice. It's also only a mile away from where I need to meet for my official orientation. Thanks Amanda for your input--I thought about it and did some research, and decided that Piccadilly Backpackers at that price looked good and not salacious. Thanks for looking out for my well-being!

SO LET'S PLAN A MEET-UP!! I arrive in the evening on 23 September, I'm free all day on the 24th, and I'm open for lunch on the 25th. I'd like to meet anyone who could find the time on those days. Of course it needn't be anything expensive.

I'm so looking forward to this!

[scarlett]

SO LET'S PLAN A MEET-UP!! I arrive in the evening on 23 September, I'm free all day on the 24th, and I'm open for lunch on the 25th. I'd like to meet anyone who could find the time on those days. Of course it needn't be anything expensive.

I'm so looking forward to this!

D'you have anything planned yet ?? There should definitely be a welcome you to the UK meet-up ! I can definitely find the time on one of those days

[matt35mm]

No solid plans yet. Bryzee and BlackCats have said above that they'd like to, and Mariana and her mother will be fresh into London at the same time as I will be.

Since it's only about two weeks away, I guess now's the time to be making those plans. I'll be in the Piccadilly area for those days... but I've never been to London and don't know what a good place to meet is, so I don't really feel capable of organizing the meeting. Would someone like to organize a meeting around the Piccadilly area and I'll just show up?? Or if people can find the Piccadilly Backpackers hostel, we could meet there and go elsewhere.

I don't have a UK phone number yet, but should within the first day, so perhaps if someone PMed me a phone number, I could call them. I should also have access to the internet so we could just plan it out here.

[Marrers]

I also have the date earmarked in my diary matt!

[matt35mm]

Great! I'll be coming to Brighton soon after. If you want to come to London, that would be wonderful, but of course I can meet you anytime in Brighton.

Meeting all of you is what I'm most excited about right now! The whole school part of this trip has barely entered my mind yet!

[Marrers]

I generally spend more time in Croydon (South East London) than in Brighton and will be in London that week anyway so I'll be there, but I'll see you in Brighton too! (I'm omnipresent! )

ETA You're gonna have to stop calling it school - another cultural difference! Here we leave school at 16 or 18 years of age. Further education is at college or university.

[matt35mm]

Thanks for the tip! I'll see you in London then!

[Stu]

Would someone like to organize a meeting around the Piccadilly area and I'll just show up?? Or if people can find the Piccadilly Backpackers hostel, we could meet there and go elsewhere.

It just so happens that Piccadilly Backpackers is literally around the corner from traditional VF meet-up locale The Glasshouse Stores...

[matt35mm]

I can walk around a corner.

[scarlett]

It just so happens that Piccadilly Backpackers is literally around the corner from traditional VF meet-up locale The Glasshouse Stores...

just what I was thinking

[BlackCats]

I can walk around a corner.

(I'm impressed.)

I totally forgot about this, why are there so many things in September, very popular month it seems. I will be there with bells on.

[Gwydion]

just what I was thinking

X2!

I will be there with bells on.

No whistles?

[BlackCats]

No whistles?

Okay, I will wear my whistles too.

[Gorilla]

i might be there for your London meet-up Matt but if not, i'll see you in Brighton. are you a member of the UK Meet-Ups group on here yet? perhaps you should start a new thread in there for arrangements for your meet-up.

[matt35mm]

Good idea! I am a member of the UK meet-ups group (I've been jealously looking through the photos of all the fabulous get-togethers), and I'll put something up in a little while.

[Elahiya]

We went there yesterday and I think it is my favourite place in London so far. It has a really nice ambiance and the cakes are so delicious! I had forgotten how much I love Camden, I will be going back there definitely. Also this probably has been mentioned before but we saw a place in the stables part of the market (I think) that does vegan burgers with lots of different toppings (even PB!) and everything there is vegan apart from the cheese.

heya, if you go back, i won´t be able to resist and will have to accompany you! it´s also my favorite vegan place in london so far with the ambience, the people, the view, camden...
ah, u were at paul´s! ok, don´t remember how that place is called, only that the owner is named paul. when i first saw that place i was astonished :"everything vegan apart from the cheese"

[alisont]

Is that the Ha Ha veggie burger bar in Camden market?

Great burgers there filling and cheap - Paul the owner is ever so friendly.

Erm I hate to mention that one time I was in the queue he was doing an egg on the grill for a stall holder - but when i said about it he totally cleaned the grill before making anymore food.

In Spiral is a fave of mine - nice mix of food, fab cake, nice chilled atmosphere, and staff! and a view of the canal. Plus I love Camden

[Elahiya]

@ harpy: everytime i´ve been there, there were several kinds of people. of course there were some "alternative" with dreads, but there were "mainstream", "metal" or these "styled" people as well and no one´s staring at you.

i´ve never seen it too crowded to far. ok, i´ve also been there more during the week, but even on sunday mornings it is not much different.

(black cats: i´d be happy to receive a pm..)

[harpy]

Thanks, BC and Elahiya, will try and give it a go once I've sorted out my dreads then

[BlackCats]

Thanks, will try and give it a go once I've sorted out my dreads then

Just to make it clear not everyone in there has dreads btw. There's not a bouncer at the door requesting that you are tattooed and pierced before you enter. There was that type of cool vibe you know like people you see at festivals/ gigs and stuff.

(Elahiya - great!)

I really want to go back there again now!

[harpy]

Whew, I will forget about the dreads then and just work on my cool vibe

[BlackCats]

Whew, I will forget about the dreads then and just work on my cool vibe

Lol.

[BlackCats]

Harpy - it said on the website that it is 100% vegetarian and 100% organic. When we were there the staff said that everything in the hot food section was vegan except there was honey glaze on the beetroot and all the cakes were vegan. I don't know if the menu changes a lot so I would ask but all the staff seemed to know exactly what food was vegan so no problems with that.

(They should be paying me for this free publicity.)

[harpy]

They should! Mmm, cake.

[harpy]

Thanks, Marrers. Will try and get up there in the day time when there's room for my zimmer frame, and will definitely eschew the soggy veg in favour of Cake.

[Elahiya]

They also do sweet raw ball things and the two I had were delicious.

those are the most dangerous!!! i can usually hardly leave them. they are nutritious, healthy and extremely yummy delicious!!!!

It wasn't too busy during the afternoon but we went back for some takeaway cake on our way home shortly after 6pm and it was pretty bustling.

no, you didn´t go for takeaway cake! ok i can understand it totally.

just get this strange idea: why not meeting regularly there like once a month or something? and trying anything they have including cocktails on one day?

[scarlett]

just get this strange idea: why not meeting regularly there like once a month or something? and trying anything they have including cocktails on one day?

Just let me know when !! I neeeeeed more cheesecake (and would love to try the cocktails too)

[Marrers]

Sounds like a plan! Although it might be fun to revolve the venue after we've sampled all Inspiral's wares?
A regular meet up would be very nice!

[Elahiya]

whoa, cool!!!! didn´t expect you guys are all in at once! so probably a weekend would be the best if we´d want to try also the cocktails, wouldn´t it be?

what do you prefer? fridays, saturdays, sundays? i think the weekend of 17/18th does not come into consideration as we´re going to celebrate scarletts and kirans birthday then. what abut the other weekends? when are you free?

if we pick one day we could try to meet like every second saturday, for example, something like that...

[Stu]

Regular meet-ups sounds champion.

[BlackCats]

Definitely count me in! I'm very flexible with days usually so whenever you guys can go is fine.