London vegan restaurants 2023: plant based food in the capital and where to find them
"We want to set aside cost and celebrate value and have some fun in our own way”
Vegan foie gras is reportedly selling out across Spain
Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse launches vegan burger concept, Burgal
This February, restaurant Turnips with Tomas Lidakevicius in Borough Market will host "Fight THE SYSTEM" in response to the current negative rhetoric consuming our news and communities.
From the 15th to the 25th of February, Tomas will lead his team in setting aside conformist consistency - setting aside the demand for perfect produce and presenting a dish exactly the same each and every day.
Instead menus and dishes will be flexible in the extreme, changing daily or even by service to reflect available ‘surplus’ produce.
The primary intent will be creative improvisation: a riff where the chefs take advantage of each of the available ingredients on their own merit - however imperfect - and combine them in a harmony of taste and flavour.
Over the 9 days, the team will offer their tasting menus for almost half the usual price, making their dining experience more accessible to more people.
Concentrating on the surplus from their own kitchen and their trusted suppliers' networks, their hope is to bring some joy while highlighting how perfectly good ingredients still remain sidelined and classified as ‘leftover’ or ‘surplus’.
Chef Tomas Lidakevicius says, "The idea of the initiative came from the discontent and antipathy we all seem to be feeling: if it’s not the cost-of living it’s Covid; if it’s not Covid it’s Brexit; if it’s not Brexit, then we have the parliamentary merry-go-round to delight in. Quite simply we want to set aside cost and celebrate value and have some fun in our own way.”
A gem at the heart of one of the most iconic London locations, Turnips with Tomas Lidakevicius offers seasonal creative modern dishes starring world-class vegetables.
Born from the collaboration with Turnips owner, Charlie Foster (5th generation greengrocer) the venture started as a pop-up in the middle of the 2020 lockdown and soon became a permanent operation.
Both the small plates selection and tasting menu showcase an instinctual and beautifully presented cooking style that follows the microseasonality of the ingredients.
"Surplus isn't poor quality food," says Charlie Foster.
"In fact, it can be food of the highest quality, but for which there is no commercial home: it is often just the result of over-ordering, or slightly not meeting aesthetical standards for their imperfect appearance.
By collecting whatever is surplus from our suppliers, we can still guarantee the best ingredients for our menus, carefully selected according to our criteria for world-class fruits and vegetables, but at a much lower price."
The wine pairing will mirror the food concept, thanks to the invaluable relationship with their market neighbour, Dynamic Wines.
The list will favour natural and biodynamic producers who focus on minimal waste, no pesticides or chemical fertilisers and bottles that celebrate the quality and purity of the grape itself.
In these challenging times…
The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.
Over the last 16 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 560,000 followers across Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.
A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.
Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.
Support Us
CONTRIBUTE
"We want to set aside cost and celebrate value and have some fun in our own way”
London vegan restaurants 2023: plant based food in the capital and where to find them
Vegan foie gras is reportedly selling out across Spain
Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse launches vegan burger concept, Burgal
