Vegan food in London: how Chinese cuisine is helping meet demand for more plant-based dishes

Today there are a large number of plant-based eating options in London, including many based on Chinese food

Dan dan noodles, bang bang chicken, dumpling, barbecue pork buns, baos – vegans and meat eaters alike enjoy the wide range of meat-free options

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A selection of vegan dishes at Mao Chow in London, where there are now numerous plant-based eating options to choose from.

Published: 8:00pm, 23 Oct 2019Updated: 9:24am, 18 Nov 2019

The word “vegan” will turn 75 years old next month, coinciding with the anniversary of the foundation of Britain’s Vegan Society.

Established by Donald Watson of Leicester in 1944, this society was set up for vegetarians who wanted to avoid all animal products in their diets. Watson felt that this subset of vegetarianism deserved its own name, so asked members for ideas. Among the suggestions were dairyban, vitan, benevore, sanivore and beaumangeur. Eventually Watson settled for vegan – a term he and his wife had invented using the first three and last two letters of the word “vegetarian”.

Britain launched more vegan products than anywhere else in the world last year, according to the Vegan Society. It also claims that between 2014 and 2018, the vegan population in the country quadrupled, and London restaurants are responding to this demand.

Fish and chip chain Sutton & Sons opened an entirely vegan chip shop a year ago and has created a “fish” made from banana blossom. It is marinated in seaweed and samphire to give salinity and ocean flavour, then battered and deep fried, and served with chunky chips.

Vegan dim sum at Zen Buddha in Edgware, North London.

Fast food fans can sample burgers that bleed beetroot blood at Halo Burger in Brixton, South London, Britain’s first 100 per cent plant-based burger joint. Even the Michelin-starred restaurant at legendary London hotel The Ritz now offers a vegan tasting menu.

Plant-based eating has a longer history among many of the ethnic minority communities in London. There are large numbers of vegetarian Indian restaurants with dairy- and egg-free options on the menu, and Caribbean restaurants that offer Ital dishes (avoiding meat, dairy and sometimes salt) across the capital. Most Chinese restaurants in London offer vegan dishes and there are a handful of chefs who specialise in vegan Chinese cuisine.

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