This weekend I ventured into London for the day and I decided to visit the East End's Broadway Market. Having recently heard so many good things about it, it was time for me to experience it for myself!
I didn't really know what to expect from this market but I certainly had no idea that it would be a Vegan street food heaven! As I walked about it was clear to see that this is a great little market for anyone who enjoys their food and I was really impressed by the vast selection for both Vegetarians and Vegans. Yet, also with its cheese and meat stalls, it really does seem to cater extremely well for everyones tastes.
My first purchase came from this amazingly colourful and inviting Lebenese stall where 90% of the choices were Vegan friendly! For a bargain £3.50 I was able to pick my choice of 3 different salads to take away with me. It all looked delicious but in the end I decided to go with the orzo, bulgur wheat and cauliflower salads.
The next stall I came across, and couldn't resist inspecting further, was run by the lovely Veggie Table crew. They had an amazing selection of Vegetarian, Vegan & wheat free burgers and salads. My husband couldn't resist trying their Halloumi burger and it's fair to say that he demolished it very quickly! He loved it and I regretted not buying a sweet potato and chickpea burger to cook at home.
I think it was around this point in time, and already being £10 down within 10 minutes, that I became very excited about this new find! It seemed that every other stall was offering a great selection of food for Vegetarian, Vegan and gluten free customers.
A bit further up the road I stumbled across the award winning artisan Popina Bakery. Their stall really caught my eye with their mouth watering selection of savoury baked goods. Impressed by their clear labelling of ingredients, I had to stop myself from getting carried away and picking up everything with the 'Vegan' stamp of approval! In the end I decided on the 'Bombay Potato Roll' and looked forward to tucking into it for my dinner later.
Not only are there a number of impressive food stalls for Vegans and Vegetarians but dotted along either side of the road there seemed to be an abundance of chic cafes and shops, all looking very inviting.
The next stall to catch my eye was the Jaz & Juls hot chocolate stand which lured me in with their Vegan and dairy free options. I was also beyond impressed to see that they had their very own natural handmade Vegan marshmallows! I didn't really need any more convincing and with my hands getting increasingly chilly it was time to warm up with a nice hot drink.
I took some time to chat to owner Juls about her products and it was great to hear that the Jaz & Juls hot chocolate range is not only organic and made from ethically sourced chocolate, but it's also lovingly handmade in good old London town.
I requested to purchase a cup of her finest Vegan friendly hot chocolate and she suggested that I tried the Madagascar origin classic with almond milk. And of course with some marshmallows on top!
I am not exaggerating when I say that I have never before experienced such a heavenly, light and moreish hot chocolate. And that's including my dairy days! Sometimes I can find hot chocolate a little bitter and sickly after a few sips but this was a total different experience. It was divine!
Our final purchase of the day came from Indian cuisine stall Gujarati Rasoi who specialise in authentic Hindu Vegetarian, and mostly Vegan, food. The fragrant aromas emanating from their stand were so enticing and everything looked mouth wateringly good.
By this point I was feeling pretty full and it was barely midday so I only picked up one of their Vegan onion bhaji's for £1.20 to take home with me. I later regretted not buying more and sampling some of these delicious looking curries.
I am already planning to return to Broadway Market and most importantly this stall as I want to try everything that they had on offer! Vegan Indian food is up there as one of my all time favourites and, if the onion bhaji was anything to go by, I won't be disappointed!
There's just so much going on at this market and, whether you're Vegan or not, it is quite simply a foodies paradise! Decent, hygienic and affordable street food is finally making its mark on London and it's not to be missed.
There's also a lot more to discover within this quirky area other than food. Everything and anything is available from antiques, records, handmade jewellery, clothes, cosmetics and flower stalls. It's a totally enjoyable attack on all of your senses!
Broadway Market and its surrounding area is a cool little neighbourhood to explore on a Saturday. With Regents Canal running alongside and a nice selection of pubs and street buskers to listen to, it has a very 'local' yet welcoming vibe about it.
After a long day out we were pleased to get home and tuck into our street food meze selection!
And everything was just as yummy as it looks!
Sarah x
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