"Vegan food is for everybody and it is here to stay"
Veganism, like all trends, has started on the fringes with healthy hipsters and yummy yogis embracing the plant based diet first. But the vegan trend isn't a fad, it is here to stay and making its way into the city centre now. Created by street food start up ambassadors Street Food Union, London is getting its first Vegan Market right in the middle of Soho launching on 14 April. The team behind the popular weekday lunchtime Rupert Street Market will be going vegan every Saturday from then on.
Rupert Street Food Market SohoSoho Vegan Market will bring together some of the capitals best and most loved vegan traders, as well as some you might not have heard of yet, into one place and celebrate all they have to offer in the heart of the capital. If you were ever curious about what vegan cuisine has to offer, there is no more need to venture out to the likes of Shoreditch. "Until now, Central London has been one of the hardest places to find quality vegan food.†says one of the vendors from Spicebox, “ We're super excited to represent veganism in Soho and make all this delicious, creative and sustainable food accessible to all. "
Vietnamese vegan food by Eat Chay
Street Food Union was set up in 2013 on Rupert Street with the aim of giving new street vendors and traders the break they needed to establish their business. Since its launch, the team have mentored and supported a growing number of traders through the market, such as Bad Brownie, Yogiyo, Sambal Shiok and Laffa and they continue to support new talent with the aim of further improving the London street food scene. Now they are going to do the same for vegan traders and have collected an array of inventive takes on vegan cuisine to take over the street food hotspot. Traders at the market will include Young Vegans, famed for their pie and mash offerings at Camden Market, Vietnamese bain-mie from Eat Chay, Indian street food fans Spicebox, vegan steak sandwich kingsJake’s Vegan Steaks.
‘Mince pie' & cashew nut cream sustainable crepe from flip 80/20
The latest confirmed addition to the impressive line-up is Zoe Adjonyoh from the popular Brixton restaurant Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen. Vegan bagels will also be available from Vegals and Lime Hut will be serving healthy and light Carribean cuisine strong on lime, avocado, ginger, coconut and chillies and introducing superfoods from the West Indies. Flip 80/20 serve vegan crepes made from batter that is 100% gluten, dairy and egg free, with recipes following the 80/20 rules: eat 80% healthy and allow for 20% indulgence on high quality treats. They also serve their crepes in compostable packaging to minimise waste. Deserts come from Planty Hugs who do handcrafted plant-based, raw, vegan cakes free from refined sugar, dairy or gluten and Lele’s Vegan Patisserie, the vegan cake connoisseurs.
Cakes from Lele's Vegan Patisserie
If you thought veganism was all salads and tofu, then Soho Vegan Market is looking to prove you wrong. Whether you are a vegan convert or simply feeling a little adventurous, this new venture will add something just a little bit different to your weekend.
Joe Coulter, organiser of Street Food Unions Vegan market is excited: " This is the year of Veganism! We, alongside our great traders, are keen to show that vegan food is for everybody and is here to stay, with our new market in the heart of London's Soho, there's no excuse not to swing by and give it a go."
Soho Vegan Market will be at Rupert Street, Soho, W1D 7PQ every Saturday 11am - 4 pm from 14 April