Vegan is the new black.



Since I became vegan, I have been on the hunt for the best spots in London for a yummy lunch. After the world turned over a new leaf and decided to be more health conscious, there have been new restaurants opening all the time offering a variety of health choices – vegan, vegeterian, dairy – free, gluten – free. Don’t worry meat lovers – they haven’t forgotten about you either.

Here are my top 5 restaurants:

1. Planet Organic

I can rave about this place for hours if you ask me to (don’t worry, I won’t) and they honestly serve delicious food. You can choose a bowl size and pick whatever you want from that day’s variety of salads and warm foods. They are generous with their portions and the staff is so friendly! The food is extremely satisfying. I finished my whole medium bowl and still had a ‘Cleansing Greens’ smoothie and I feel no shame! My belly was full of goodness and happiness.

2. Mildred’s Restaurant

This place really surprised me. My friend had been speaking about it for a while and it was always on the list of places to visit. Last week we finally made our way there and I was in awe of how great it turned out to be (not that I had any doubts). We decided to share a couple of their starters – blue corn tortilla with guacamole, hummus and baba ganoush with flat bread and my favourite – sweet potato fries with basil mayo. Yes – all vegan. Every single bite I took was full of flavour, extremely satisfying and filling. We managed to finish almost everything and we left with the biggest smiles on our faces!

3. Redemption Bar

Unlike the others, I had never heard of this place. I was looking for a place to have lunch and was starting to get into a ‘hangry’ state when suddenly Redemption popped up. It literally saved me. The place is adorable and quaint. The waitress was lovely and friendly. Portions are generous and I even had to take half of it home. The food was top notch. Not overly complicated, very filling and colourful. Bonus: the music that was playing was great too. I was dancing in my seat. I can’t wait to go back and try some of their other meals.

Wow @redemptionbar overwhelmed with how yummy this dish is 'Californication' – hearty, vibrant and absolutely delicious I think I've found my new favourite spot A photo posted by Lady Green (@_lady_green_) on Feb 29, 2016 at 5:23am PST

4. The Detox Kitchen

Grabbing lunch in Soho during the week can be a wild ride. Queues everywhere, nowhere to sit, people screaming because they ordered something and they got another thing. Nightmare I tell you. Nonetheless, since I try to keep my cool 24/7, I went to The Detox Kitchen. I waited outside for my friend and thankfully the mad rush seemed to be ending by the time we went inside. The cool thing about this place is that you don’t have to sit there for hours trying to choose something to eat. Everything is in front of you and all you have to do is point to the dish that appeals most to you and the nice lady behind the counter will scoop up a portion and sort you out. Another place that is very generous with their portions, so make sure you’re going there when you’re very hungry. If not – take away for home and enjoy later! Worth the trip into the Soho wildness for sure.

Wow @redemptionbar overwhelmed with how yummy this dish is 'Californication' – hearty, vibrant and absolutely delicious I think I've found my new favourite spot A photo posted by Lady Green (@_lady_green_) on Feb 29, 2016 at 5:23am PST

5. JuiceBaby

After following their Instagram account for months, I finally made it to JuiceBaby. When I walked in, I immediately felt the cosiness of the place – intimate, fresh and warm. They have a big fridge as you walk in and the menu is above it, making it easier for people who are in a rush and want to grab something quick. You pick whatever you desire and pay at the counter. Once again – generous portion and clever recipes. I ate the ‘Taco Bowl’ and it made me want to scream “Aireeeeba” and do a little dance! Their sweet treats are not to be disregarded too! Make sure you grab something to satisfy the sweet tooth – sugar free, dairy free and absolutely yummy!

If you want to join me on this journey, follow my vegan alter ego Lady Green on Instagram @_lady_green_.