Simon & I went on a 3-day city trip to the UK earlier this summer and visited several vegan restaurants in London. I documented our adventures and everything we ate in a series of vlogs. The videos are in Dutch but I hope you’ll enjoy them either way :) Once I get used to vlogging, I’ll try to make some English vlogs too!
Farmacy (Notting Hill)
http://farmacylondon.com
Farmacy is a beautiful plant-based restaurant located in Notting Hill. It was a 5-minute walk from our hotel so very convenient! We went there for lunch when we arrived on Thursday, then went back for breakfast on Friday & brunch on Saturday.
Lunch started with a delicious ‘super greens soup’ with spinach, courgette, sweet peas & spirulina. Really creamy and high in flavor – I loved it! We also shared the Caesar Salad with mushroom ‘anchovies’ & omega 3 flax crackers. Then I ordered the green curry with extra veggies instead of rice, and Simon had the black bean burger with sweet potato fries and goji berry ketchup. Very satisfying to say the least ;-)
For breakfast the next day we tried the cashew ‘yoghurt’ with chia seed pudding, berries & granola – very filling and sweet. Simon couldn’t resist the ‘Chocolate Chip Warrior Waffles’ made with gluten free oats, sunwarrior protein & chia seeds, and served with fresh berries, housemade nutella & coconut ‘yoghurt’. Good waffle, delicious chocolate hazelnut spread, excellent coconut yogurt! We also shared a vegan version of English breakfast with house baked beans, bubble & squeak, mushrooms, avocado, roasted cherry tomatoes & gluten free toast. Out of the three, this was my favorite.
For drinks, I wanted something light and green, so I chose the ‘Alkaline Booster’ with cucumber, kale, celery, spinach, romaine, lemon & parsley. Super refreshing! Simon had the ‘Witches brew’, a blood cleansing mix of beetroot, lemon, parsley & cucumber. Only try this one if you like beetroot.
On Saturday, we explored the brunch menu. I was eager to try the ‘Green Warrior’ smoothie with spirulina, vanilla Sunwarrior protein, spinach, avocado, cucumber, lemon, coconut water & chia seeds. Really smooth and satisfying – definitely a winner if you like green protein shakes. Simon had the ‘Golden Milk’ made with turmeric, black pepper, cardamom & coconut milk. It was super creamy and nourishing, I’ll for sure be making this one at home!
After our drinks, I had the best vegan ‘Protein Omelette’ I’ve ever had in my life: a chickpea pancake filled with roasted butternut squash, avocado, chard & harissa served with a smoked paprika dressing. A must-try! Simon had the ‘Avocado Toast’ with green tomatoes, dukkah & herbs. He also ordered the warm sticky cinnamon roll with coconut ‘nice cream’. I’m usually not a big fan of sweet breakfast pastry but I really liked this one. The coconut ice cream was excellent too!
The Mae Deli (3 locations)
https://deliciouslyella.com
I couldn’t have visited London without stopping by Ella’s Mae Deli, right? I was so hungry when we got there that I even forgot to take pictures! You can have a look in the vlog :) Simon had a peanut butter banana shake & a big slice of corn bread – I ordered falafel, hummus & tomato cucumber salad. A lovely place to have a quick lunch or take-away dinner. Some days they offer vegan afternoon tea too which is really fun!
Essence Cuisine (Shoreditch)
https://www.essence-cuisine.com
Three years ago, Simon & I started a raw vegan pop-up restaurant in Ghent called ‘Essence Cuisine’ together with Bart Roman. After three months we decided to go separate ways but since Bart re-launched Essence Cuisine in Shoreditch this summer, we had to stop by and pay him a visit! We got to taste several dishes from the menu, including two salads, coconut curry, pad thai, raw vegan lasagna, lime coconut cheesecake and their signature raw vegan cheese platter with homemade crackers & fig jam. My favorite was definitely the lasagna - you can have a look in the vlog! Gourmet raw vegan cuisine in a very fashionable interior.
Nanabar (Shoreditch)
https://www.facebook.com/nanabarlondon/
After visiting Essence Cuisine we were so full that we didn’t have any room left for more dessert, but the banana ice cream sundaes at Nanabar (a two minute walk) looked excellent though. They’re made from frozen bananas and served with nutritious whole-food toppings like nuts and fruit. Think: smooth banana ice cream with peanut butter, raw chocolate sauce, salty peanuts and popcorn – who’s up for a scoop?
Photo Credit: www.instagram.com/nanabarlondon
Dishoom (Shoreditch, Kensington, Covent Garden…)
http://www.dishoom.com
Next time we’re in Shoreditch I hope we’ll have the time to visit Dishoom, voted best restaurant in the UK! Several locals have told me that they serve excellent vegan Indian food so I can’t wait to try the menu :)
Want to discover more vegan hotspots in London? Click HERE.
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