When I arrived, it was already 8.30pm and the place looked very empty. I was very happy with that because the inside was not huge at all so during the peak times around lunch I can see this place being totally packed with customers (I was told they sold out their special burger today by 2pm and their IG frequently boasts the videos of jam packed with customers).

So the burger bar obviously offers burgers. I had a quick scan of the menu before I arrived so I was determined to get "What's your beef" with quinoa and black bean patty. The service was very swift and one of the serving guys came over to chat when I asked if it ok to take some pictures for my blog. 

Unfortunately all their cupcakes was sold out so satisfy my sweet craving so I went for Daltons cream soda which tasted like creme brulee.

The temptation was to jump right in but I thought taking a photo of my empty plate would be less exciting. As you can see, I have also ordered cheesy chips. I am pretty sure I have recognised the Violife cheese. One point of critique, they should has warmed up the cheese before sprinkling over the chips to make sure the cheese has properly melted.

Proper view of the filling - patty, cheese, caramelised onions, gherkins, lettuce and cheesy sauce. After the first bite I got a strange familiar feeling. After a couple more I have realised - it tastes like MacDonalds BicMac. Obviously the patty was not made out of beef and was far more soft and less salty but the rest of the filling resembled the fast food burger. I have not eaten BigMac in many many years hence why it took me some time to realise where the familiar taste is coming from.

The portion does not look enormous however it was more than enough to satisfy my hunger.

The interior has positively surprised me. Since it is a bar, I was expecting a very dark room with loud rock or techno music. The reality was quite the opposite. The room is well lit, the music is relaxing, everything is clean and well looked after and the conversation is engaging.

I have found some veggie places can look too hippy-ish with their design. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, it does not cater for everyone's taste. I do not mind eating out in a place whatever the design, as long as the food is nice and the price is reasonable, however if I am planning to eat out with friends or colleagues I would want the place to look presentable (after all, it could the first and only experience for someone with plant based diet) so you would not have to wash your hands in a damp basement with a flashing light.

As I was snapping some pictures, I came across a lovely couple who advised me on some pretty interesting places I should check out.

Bear in mind, while on my photo the price of burgers is £6, the new price is now £7.50.

Overall I had incredible experience and I will definitely come back next time I am in London! 

Day 2

Have you ever heard of taking a handful of used shipping containers and stacking them up to create a space for shops, restaurants and galleries? Regardless of what you have just answered, I thought this was waky and borderline genius! Repurposing old shipping containers allowed small business to have an affordable lease and deliver their art, talent and efforts to us. In fact, this worked so well, that there are two of these so-called boxparks - in Croydon and Shoreditch.

Armed up with hyped up expectations I cruised up to Shoreditch and went straight to Cook Daily at Unit 55 (ok, I had to wander around between different units because I have no sense of direction and maps confuse me). The inside of the box had only a few tables but outside of the row of boxes there was a communal eating area with heaters mounted at the top of tables to keep you warm.

The Cook Daily mainly specialise in stir fries however they also offer vegan chicken and mushroom pie and full english. Similarly, I had a quick scan of the menu and had some internal battle as to what to choose because I only have one stomach. The serving guy was very friendly and whilst he sincerely could not recommend one dish over another (because they are all bomb), eventually I have settled on High Grade (see menu below) which also happens to be the favourite dish of the owner.

Regardless of the fact that my food was freshly prepared, it was served very quickly (I will pretend I did not burn my tongue from enthusiastically digging into my food).

Now, that is what I call a stir fry! I absolutely loved the full flavoured sweet and smoky BBQ sauce, it was simply divine. I also enjoyed the 50/50 mixture of brown rice and quinoa because I am not a big fan on brown rice alone (also these two are amazingly nutritious and healthy - let's not forget how quinoa is a plant based complete protein, as well as being packed with calcium, magnesium and vitamin E!).

The food comes in hard cardboard bowl and I wish there was a recycling facility too because at the end of my meal I had to through the bowl into the only visible bin in sight.

While this place does not look like a typical place for "girls from the office" to have lunch, the fact there are plenty of food places with communal eating benches means everyone can eat what they want and not have to compromise between "Chinese or Indian"!

Bottom line - fresh and hot stir fry is perfection on a chilly winter day. Also, I wonder what smoky BBQ sauce do they use because I would be keen to get myself a bottle. 

Day 3

The Vegan Hippo

I love when it is in the title because it leaves out the guessing work - I will never forget how before I had the Happy Cow app I wandered into VBites in Brighton and got slightly confused by "ham and cheese sandwich" and "chicken burger" that I had to ask the serving staff what was suitable for vegans. Apparently I was overheard by a couple who was staying in the same B&B with me and who were rather blunt to inform me during the next breakfast they thought I was "an idiot because VBites is obviously a vegan cafe". Charming. 

Anyway, rant is over. I have discovered the Vegan Hippo during my previous visit to London and due to their affordability and long opening hours I kept this place as a "must visit again". Conveniently located in Soho it is hidden away in one of the small alleys. 

The place is rather small inside and, thanks for their low prices, always busy. As well as dinning in, the Vegan Hippo offer take out service and a very small chilled section with vegan cheeses and cakes. The menu consists mainly of simple food like burgers, chips, kale, soups, hot drinks and a limited number of desserts. 

Incidentally I visited in the midst of women marches so the place was especially packed, however I still managed to get a seat. It was a cold day and I have already tried their famous jackfruit burger (yum!) so my heart was set on soup. To make the meal more filling I have also ordered a hot dog, and a croissant for dessert. Instead of giving a number for your order they use animal toys instead - sheep, monkey, rhino, octopus etc. 

Fantastic! Made an order, secured my seat, now waiting for the food to arrive. While I was waiting the queue grew so long people are standing on the street. The girl I was sharing the table was looking quite inpatient and the next time one of the serving guys passes by she asked were is here order because she has been waiting for half an hour. Oh great, the waiting time is too long for a person who has last eaten at 6am. A couple of girls with campaign signs walk in and manage to get a table nearby. After a short while the girl at my table gets her order and about 20 minutes later the girls at the neighbouring table get their plates too. I am getting more hungry and annoyed as people who came after me get their orders. I have been waiting patiently because I could see the place is extremely busy and only 3 staff are seen in sight but after at least 45 minutes of waiting I asked a serving guy who seemed extremely surprised to hear the "sheep order" is waiting. In all fairness, I got my order a few minutes later when they realised they have missed me. At this point I was far too hungry to be snapping pictures hence I only took one photo. 

My meal consisted of mushroom soup and it was the best mushroom soup I have ever tried. The hot dog was served with shredded Violife cheese and mustard (not a fan of mustard, note for myself for the future), which tasted fine and pleasant, although I would have liked a bit of filling with the vegetables too. Croissant has apricot jam filling and some sprinkled sugar on top. I have not had a croissant for such a long time!

The inside has a simple design yet done with humour and close to the vegan theme. The walls have paintings of animals and the furniture shows a great variety - there is a couch, benches and tables for different group sizes. The non-standardised design of furniture makes me think it had a previous life and the owners have reused / recycled the furniture instead of buying a brand new set. This is less wasteful than sending to landfill site and also makes the overall cost more pocket-friendly. Win-win! The vibe is very casual, a great variety of customers.

In summary, the food was fantastic! However the waiting time and finding a seat can be a bit of a gamble. Despite a mixed experience this place will still remain in "must visit again" category and I hope there will be no more bad surprises. 

This was not a comprehensive list of vegan restaurants in London. I would have liked to explore more places however the time was against me. If you have any recommendations of places you have enjoyed, please leave the comment below!

Agave Bun x