Vegan restaurant

QUEENSTOWN NEWZEALAND VEGAN GUIDE

April 2, 2016Jade Green Vegan6 Comments

When we were travelling through Australia and New Zealand last year, we spent a few days in Queenstown, NZ. It was by far one of my favourite places we visited, as not only is it insanely, unbelievably beautiful, but there is also there so many fun things to do, like segwaying, luging and kayaking to name but a few. Annnnd, as if that’s not awesome enough, there are awesome vegan eateries everywhere, making it the perfect place for us!

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I created a little vlog of our time in New Zealand so you can see how incredibly beautiful it is, and also chatted a bit at the end about our favourite places to eat in Queenstown. Check that out below and read on to find out more about all of the delicious food we ate during our trip! ▽▼▽▼▽

Habebes ▷▷▷

Habebes is a cute little café with lots of vegan options that can be eaten in or taken away.

The friendly staff serve a variety of pastries and savoury rolls, accompanied by sauces and salads of your choice, making it the perfect place to grab lunch or a light dinner.

Farelli’s ▷▷▷

Farelli’s is a cosy little italian restaurant that was recommended to us by a lovely vegan couple we met on our Kayaking trip. I’m so glad we checked it out, because it had some of the best food we ate on our entire trip. Farelli’s have a dedicated vegan menu with lots of delicious options and of course we tried out as many as we could.

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To start, we ordered the panzarotti (now a main dish) made up of delicious doughy balls on a bed of spicy tomato sauce – it was absolutely delicious!

For main, we ordered the vegan margherita and two portions of garlic bread topped with vegan cheese on the side. The cheese was one of the best I’ve ever tried and made for delicious pizza and garlic bread.

Fergburger ▷▷▷

This super popular burger bar had people queuing out the door every time we walked past, so we knew we had to try it out! Ferg burger offers two veggie burgers that can be veganised: a falafel pattie (order without yoghurt and aioli) and my favourite, the tempered tofu burger (order without aioli). Full of flavour and served with deliciously crispy chips, these burgers definitely lived up to expectations.

The Ferg Gelateria also serves a variety of dairy-free, vegan ice-creams that are incredible! My absolute favourite was the chocolate/coconut combo.

So, if you’re lucky enough to travel to Queenstown, rest assured that you will be spoiled for choice with delicious vegan food.

Zizzi Vegan Menu

March 28, 2016Jade Green Vegan4 Comments

Last week, Zizzi launched their new spring menu and I couldn’t be more excited, because, drumroll please… the new menu includes 3 courses of vegan options!

Okay, so let’s start by getting extremely excited by the fact that this new menu features a rice milk vegan cheese! Secondly, all the wine lovers out there will be happy to know that all Zizzi wines (apart from the pinot nero rosé spumante, veneto and the zindafel, california) are vegan-friendly.

Unfortunately, the main menu doesn’t have a full listing of all the vegan options, so just ask for the allergen menu when you sit down, as this includes a full vegan menu. The vegan menu has lots of the best dishes from the main menu that have been veganised, meaning you can enjoy cruelty-free versions of lots of the Zizzi classics!

Zizzi were kind enough to send me some vouchers so I could taste test this new menu. Naturally, I decided to try out pretty much all of the items on the vegan menu to let you guys know which are my faves, because ya know, who can resist all that delicious vegan food!?

I vlogged our visit for you all so you can watch that here, as well as reading all about our visit below ▽▼▽▼▽

STARTERS ▽▼▽▼▽

Garlic bread – this starter is definitely my go-to! It is crispy and delicious, and for even more flavour you can add vegan cheese and caramelised onions (which I would definitely recommend)!

Bruschetta – this delicious sourdough bread topped with garlic and tomatoes is insanely flavourful!

MAINS ▽▼▽▼▽

Vegan margherita – I am a huge fan of the rice milk cheese, it is super creamy and melts to perfection. The pizza can be ordered with lots of veggie toppings (the spinach and mushrooms are my personal faves). A gluten-free option is all available, so there really is a cruelty-free option for everyone!

Spaghetti pomodoro – this classic pasta dish has until now been the only vegan option on the menu and is still probably my favourite main course. It is simple but delicious and goes perfectly with the vegan garlic bread with cheese!

DESSERTS ▽▼▽▼▽

Vegan nectarini – This coconut and mango swirled gelato is basically a vegan solero! I was completely full by the time the dessert menu came around, so my mum was kind enough to try this one out (a difficult task I know) and I can confirm it definitely gets mama J’s seal of approval!

Gelato – A lemon and strawberry sorbet are also great vegan dessert options!

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I had so much fun trying out the new vegan menu, and can honestly say that there isn’t an item on this menu that I don’t like. However, I do of course have my favourites so, if you’re spoiled for choice, here’s my recommendation:

My go-to order ▷▷▷ Spaghetti pomodoro and vegan garlic bread with cheese on the side, followed by the vegan nectarini for dessert!

It makes me so happy that the more and more high-street chains are recognising the increasing demand for vegan options and responding by creating delicious cruelty-free menus!

Vegan Meatballs at Ikea

March 15, 2016Jade Green VeganLeave a comment

As a big Ikea fan, I was extremely excited to hear on the Peta blog that Ikea are now offering a vegan alternative to their traditional meatballs!

When we visited the Lakeside store last week to pick up my new desk (which btw I absolutely love), we headed straight to the canteen to check the veggie balls out.

I ordered the Veggie balls and warm summer salad, and at only £3.50 I was very impressed!!

So, next time you’re in the mood to shop for some flat packed furniture, be sure to head to the canteen and grab yourself a portion of delicious veggie balls!

Mother’s Day at The Bohemian, Deal

March 14, 2016Jade Green VeganLeave a comment

This Mother’s Day, my mum, Poppy, Panda and I spent the day in Deal – a lovely little seaside town on the Kent Coast.

After a nice, long walk along the beautiful beach, we headed to The Bohemian Boutique Pub for lunch.

The Bohemian is located on the seafront and has a super cosy atmosphere and even friendlier staff. It was also the perfect find for us, as not only are they dog friendly (which, as you can see from the photo below, made for one very happy Poppy), but they were also very accommodating and created an off-menu vegan dish for us that was absolutely delicious!

The vegan meal was a roasted veg flatbread that had a fluffy, soft centre coupled with a perfectly crispy crust, and topped with deliciously seasoned veggies.

It was so lovely to spend the day by the beach eating delicious food with my favourite person in the world and our beautiful dogs!

I hope you all had a wonderful Mother’s Day, and if you ever find yourself in Deal, I would definitely recommend checking out The Bohemian!

Valentines Weekend in Tenerife | BuenaVida VeganBar

February 16, 2016Jade Green VeganLeave a comment

Ever since we got back from travelling through Australia and New Zealand last November, I have had the major travel bug! So, this Valentine’s Day, Matt and I decided to ditch our traditional Paris trip for some February sun on a long weekend in Tenerife.

We stayed in a lovely hotel right on the seafront, meaning the views from our balcony were incredibly beautiful. We don’t usually go on sunny holidays in February, so were both a little amazed at the 30 degree heat; Matt found it particularly hard to get his head around and kept saying, ‘I can’t believe it’s February?!’ Although I do love a winter city break, this 3 day break in the sun made such a nice change and was just what we needed!

I thought you’d all enjoy this picture of me apparently levitating (?!) in the ‘vegan because’ jumper from my Spring line (available for purchase here) #goingvegangivesyousuperpowers!

Now, let’s talk about the food. Whenever I visit a new place, I always do a quick google search to see if there are any vegan restaurants nearby. I was a little surprised but extremely excited to find that there was a cute little 100% vegan cafe a 10 minute drive away from our hotel! So on the last day of our trip, when we’d had one too many chip rolls from the all inclusive buffet, we decided to head to the vegan cafe.

BuenaVida VeganBar ▽▼▽▼▽

The cafe has the cutest outdoor seating area, with umbrella shaded tables and pretty little pot plants. Moreover, the menu is very reasonably priced and the staff are extremely friendly and helpful, making this place an awesome little find!

Drinks -> The drinks menu was extremely extensive, and included lots of soy milkshakes. We both ordered the creamy and delicious strawberry and papaya milkshakes.

Starters -> Matt and I shared the Happy ‘chicken’ nuggets and falafel dishes to start! Both were delicious, however, I was a particularly big fan of the falafel!

Mains -> For main, we both ordered the soy burger with fries. Burgers can be customised with 3 toppings (top tip: the crispy onions were a great choice)!

Delicious vegan food, sun and beautiful views (and of course amazing company ;)) made this the perfect way to spend Valentine’s weekend.

For more details about our trip, check out my travel vlog here:

xoxo Jade

Funky Pies | Bondi Beach

October 30, 2015Jade Green Vegan2 Comments

Hey guys!

I’m coming at you today with my first (of many) travel posts from Australia. To start off this travel series, I wanted to share with you one of my favourite places that we’ve eaten at on this trip:

▹▸▹▸ FUNKY PIES AT BONDI BEACH

This cute little café is just a short walk from the beach front and serves 100% plant-based pies that are 100% delicious! The pies can be served with mash potato, peas and gravy or a healthier alternative of side salad.

Matt and I both opted for the Funky Chunky pie which is made of shiitake mushroom chunks in a rich gravy with a touch of creamy mash, and of course, we opted for more creamy mash, peas and gravy on the side. We both agreed that the meal was absolutely delicious, so delicious in fact that we decided to go back to Funky Pies for round 2 at dinner time (where Matt ordered not one but two pies #bigfan)!!

For dessert, we shared a slice of mint chocolate cake and a caramel slice that were both deliciously sweet and the perfect way to finish off an incredible lunch.

Funky Pies is by far my favourite restaurant that we visited in Sydney, not only because of the amazing food but also due to the friendly and helpful staff and the cool vibe of the café itself. If you’re planning on visiting Bondi Beach soon and you love eating wholesome, delicious food, visiting Funky Pies is a must!

I filmed a little vlog of our day in Bondi Beach and our meal at Funky Pies, you can check that out here:

FED by water review

September 30, 2015Jade Green Vegan6 Comments

Ever since we got back from New York & Las Vegas where we had some incredible vegan pizzas, Matt and I have been on the hunt for a reeeally good vegan pizza restaurant. When Matt heard that FED by water serves ‘the best vegan pizza in London’, we knew we had to check it out.

FED is a cool little restaurant in Dalston that offers both vegan and non-vegan Italian cuisine, making it the perfect place to hang out with non-vegan friends/family. I love that this concept restaurant also aims to spread awareness about the nutritional importance of pure water because who doesn’t love chilled, clean water and all of the amazing things drinking it in abundance can do for our bodies?!

Now, onto the mouth-watering food…

▹▸▹▸ PIZZAS

I ordered a vegan cheese margherita with portobello mushrooms and red onions, whilst Matt ordered the ‘Silly’, a vegan cheese pizza topped with broccoli and soya sausage. We both agreed that the toppings and cheese were incredible and the crust was perfectly crispy.

▹▸▹▸ DESSERT

We managed to save a little bit of room for dessert and shared the chocolate mousse which was rich, creamy and just generally delicious!

We both really enjoyed the whole meal so next time we’re on that side of London, I’m sure we’ll be heading back to FED.

Manna restaurant review

September 15, 2015Jade Green Vegan1 Comment

I know I’m ridiculously late with this post, like over a month late, but there has been so much going on and it wasn’t until I was looking through photos on my phone the other day that I realised I still hadn’t told you guys about the insanely good birthday dinner Matt treated me to at Manna!

Manna is a beautifully elegant restaurant in Primrose Hill that offers a 100% vegan menu. How incredible is that?! As it was a birthday dinner, we decided to go all out and order starters, mains and desserts, and every single course was delicious.

Apologies in advance for the poor quality photos, Manna had some major mood lighting going on!

▹▸▹▸ STARTERS

The falafel slider starter was one of the best burgers I’ve ever had; it was so good that I could have eaten 3 or 4 okay 5 of these burgers for a main course! The burger was delicious and perfectly complemented by all of the toppings and the wholemeal bun. Matt was also obsessed with fluffy yet crispy potato wedges it was served with!

▹▸▹▸ MAINS

For main course, I ordered the spaghetti and veatballs and it was delicious! The spaghetti was cooked to perfection whilst the tomato sauce and veatballs were incredibly flavoursome.

Matt ordered the bangers and mash and judging by his entirely empty plate at the end of the meal, I’d say it was a big hit!

▹▸▹▸ DESSERT

Whilst the starters and mains were both delicious, the highlight of the meal was hands down the birthday cake dessert. The vice cream & cookie semi-freddo was honestly the best dessert I have ever eaten. EVER! We’re talking crumbly cookie dough filled with layers of ice cream topped with berries – OH MY GOSH! It was absolutely insane.

I can’t wait for our next trip to Manna, mainly but not exclusively so that I can order a vice cream & cookie semi-freddo all to myself!

Vegan afternoon tea at La Suite West

September 4, 2015Jade Green Vegan2 Comments

As a belated birthday treat, my lovely friend Maria surprised me with…

▹▸▹▸ VEGAN AFTERNOON TEA AT LA SUITE WEST

I have always absolutely loved afternoon tea. There’s just something about the tiny little sandwiches that make them taste so much better than regular sandwiches. And the scones, oh the scones. Then, no matter how full you are, there’s always room for delicious, bite-sized cakes because who doesn’t love cake?!

Since going vegan, this was the first time I’ve had an afternoon tea that wasn’t home-made, so to say I was excited would be an understatement and this afternoon tea definitely did not disappoint.

▹▸▹▸ SANDWICHES

The selection of sandwiches was absolutely delicious. There was such a unique mix of flavours which made for a lovely twist on traditional afternoon tea sandwiches. My favourite was definitely the kimichi coleslaw with red pepper, whilst Maria unsurprisingly loved the summer herb pesto with tomatoes. I say unsurprisingly as she has a serious pesto addiction, we’re talking pesto pizza with pesto pasta for dinner on a pretty regular basis at uni (which I may or may not have participated in)!

▹▸▹▸ SCONES

The scones were hands down the best scones I have ever eaten in my entire life, bar none! The combination of warm scones, coconut cream and strawberries was just heavenly!

▹▸▹▸ CAKES

Even though we were both completely stuffed by the time the cakes were served, we of course managed to squeeze them all in, because I mean, look how yummy!!!

All three courses were absolute perfection and I will definitely be returning to La Suite West for more delicious afternoon tea ASAP.

Tibits vegetarian and vegan buffet, London

August 10, 2015Jade Green Vegan1 Comment

I absolutely love sharing all of my favourite places to eat out with you guys, as whenever I’m looking for a cool new place to eat out, I always check other bloggers recommendations. As well as reading a menu on line, I find it’s also so helpful to hear which places other people love and for what reasons! So, today I am gonna share with you guys one of my favourite places to eat in London ▷►▹▸

Tibits Veggie/Vegan buffet located just off of Regent Street

Ever since we discovered Tibits around 6 months ago, it has become mine and my BFF Alfia’s go to place to hang out and eat at after work. All of the food is veggie, most of it is vegan, and everything I’ve tried so far is delicious.

Tibits operates a pay by weight system, meaning that if you’re a big carb lover like Alfia and me, it can end up being fairly expensive but in my opinion, totally worth it!

Not only is the food delicious (the okra in breadcrumbs are my fave and we both love and tofu & sundried tomato pasta) but the atmosphere is also super chilled making it a really fun place to hang out. The outdoor seating area is surrounded by fairy lights which look SO pretty on a warm summer evening; whilst inside, the dimmed lighting and modern decor makes for a super cosy atmosphere.

For desert, we always share the lemon cake. And when I say share, I mean Alfia says she’s full but starts eyeing up my cake as soon as it arrives and inevitably ends up eating half of it, so now I always ask for two forks whether Alfia admits she’s gonna make room for some cake or not ;).

If you love great food and a cool atmosphere, I would definitely recommend checking out Tibits, it is one major party in your mouth!