New Vegan Food And Drink For Veganuary 2025

She remembered the days where Veganuary was like a second Christmas. It was 2019, what she would consider the peak of ‘new vegan food and drink’. Where everything from vegan tuna, to vegan rum, plant-based lamb and pastas slithered onto her doorstep. Her eyes would light up, the doorbell ringing. A postman with a bounty of gifts, vegan meat alternatives, vegan drinks, and vouchers to some of her favourite restaurants. But in 2025, the vegan landscape seemed vastly different. Brands slashing their plant-based offerings. A lonely vegan supermarket aisle, in desperate need of a stock refill. A cut back on vegan meat alternatives. People treating veganism as though it was a dirty word. Mistakenly quoting health documentaries that were often factually incorrect, with bias against plant-based living. Beyond Impossible, Carnivore, to name a few. Documentaries she loved like Gamechangers, What The Health, and Cowspiracy, loud irate voices campaigning against ‘the vegan propaganda’. Even the ‘Blue Zone Diet’ which placed an emphasis on fresh fruit and vegetables was ‘seen as a myth’. Granted, many of these vegan documentaries did have skewed data. But it made her heart heavy, that despite 5% of the UK population being vegan, that supermarkets, brands, and restaurants were no longer catering to them on the same level.

But it wasn’t all bad. Despite the reduced offerings in 2025, there was still fantastic colourful food, drink, and restaurants who supported plant-based living. Healthy, organic and well-portioned mealkits that would change the way she would cook. Tofu lettuce cups, crumbled like scrambled eggs. Swap out the Teriyaki, add some homemade spicy tomato sambal. A drizzle of olive oil, squeeze the mixed peppercorn, a dash of salt. Ready in 30 minutes, she couldn’t believe her luck. A vegan cake smothered in cream cheese frosting. Passionfruit, tangy and sweet, dancing with tart raspberry. Crumbs dribbling down her chin, washed down with her favourite non-alcoholic lager. Bubbles fizzing at the back of her throat, she hiccuped messily.Floral notes, a tinge of honey-sweetness, pale yellow liquid dribbling down her chin. Pad Thai, a glug of soy sauce, chopsticks twirling around flat noodles. Bowls of sunshine at vegan friendly restaurants, red lipsticked mouth lit up in a wide smile.

There was no denying the dopamine that would gush through her. Discovering new vegan food and drink, one bite, one slurp at a time. Vegan breakfast bakes, with peacan smooching hazelnut. Maple oat, drizzled in date syrup and coconut sugar. No refined sugars, vegan sweet deliciousness that tantalized her senses. Savoury and sweet, she coveted them both. Vegan fish and chips, she daren’t believe it was real. A fish made from banana blossom, drenched in nori. Pull it apart, flaky, crispy, chunks falling out her mouth, she laughed. Chips showered in malt vinegar, plop it in tumeric hued vegan mayo. Tartar sauce, briney, almost like the real thing. White coconut non-alcoholic rum, so close to the real thing. A taste of summer, distilled in a bottle. Wishing the dreary winter days, would smooth out into eternal sunshine. The sky squeezing fat tears, watch them plop onto the pavement. Vanilla and pineapple on her tongue, transported to tropical islands. Despite the decrease of vegan food and drink on the market, she was still spoiled for choice. Inventive, colourful, delicious and heart-warming meals and drinks that made her heart happy. Floating on by, watching the world go by. Coaxed into a stupor, belly pooching out, cheeks flushed with joy.

Food 

Savoury 

Grubby Mealkits & Cookbook

It wasn’t the first time that she had discovered the joy of cooking with Grubby. Someone who gravitated torwards long and complex meals. Who often spent hours, back hunched over the stove, sweat dripping on her brow. Shallow breaths, overwhelmed at the task before her. Frazzled hair, scraped into a messy bun, tendrils cascading in frizz. Growing irate, a grumbling belly, she told it to shush. Exhausted by the time it finished, wishing her chores would melt away. But then, with Grubby, she realized something. That she could create delicious, flavourful, healthy and QUICK meals, without a pompous affair. Food that spanned continients, and cultures. That celebrated sunshine and beige. A marriage of flavours, easy-to-make meals. Vegan, ready in 30 minutes or less. Healthy, often organic ingredients. A recipe guide, with its very own Spotify playlist. But wait, there was something new for 2025. Grubby’s very own cookbook. Where she could make her favourite Grubby recipes from a gorgeously illustrated book. Herby Green Shakshuka, she’d make it first. Finely sliced leek, something therapeutic about chopping vegetables. Peel the garlic, watch it sizzle. Scatter the cumin seeds, let it cook. Homemade mayo, unlike anything she’d tried before. Juice a lemon, add some tumeric. Served with warm ciabatta, she added her own vegan cream cheese. Eyes rolled back in ecstacy, a dish that was just as good for breakfast as it was for dinner.

Flip through the cookbook, consult her recipe cards. Teriyaki Tofu Lettuce Cups, swap out the Teriyaki for homemade sambal. She crumbled the tofu into small pieces, huming while she worked. Sure, technically Grubby didn’t fit into the category of ‘new vegan food and drink’. But their cookbook did. Easy, colourful recipes that had soul and heart. She resumed cooking; chop the red chilli, trim the root of the lettuces. A spoonful of rice in a lettuce cup, sambal tofu mince. Add the sesame seeds, and a healthy dose of lime mayo. Spring onions scattered on top. A meal, she wouldn’t normally make, but a healthy option she ended up loving. But it was the Sweet Potato Panang Curry with Basil that surprised her the most. Listening to Seven Days In Sunny June by Jamiroquai, dancing around the kitchen. Not usually a fan of sweet curries, but this one had a bite. Peppers melting into peanut butter sauce. Tamari, cutting through the sweetness, unami flavours. Thai Red Curry paste, watch it seperate. Sweet potato dancing with spinach and lime. She added rice, wedged in some lime. Sat at the table with her partner, cheeks flushed with excitment. A black cat peering up at them with luminous green eyes. Paws up begging, wishing he could taste.

 

Prices:

Meal Box ( 3 Meals) £27.94 instead of £37.25

Meal Box (5 Meals) £41.99 instead of £55

Cookbook £16.83 on Amazon

 

Beyond Smash Burger 

She craved burgers that day, sandwiched in a vegan brioche bun. Slathered in vegan butter, a dash of sea salt. Vegan blue cheese crumbling on Beyond Smash Burger’s thin patties. Stacked, three at a time. Watch them flip in a pan, hear the sizzle. Thin and crunchy, add some pungent garlic, see it crackle. Made from pea-protein, it was hard to believe it wasn’t real meat. 14 years since she gave up meat and fish,  17 to 31. But she still remembered the taste. The butteryness that coated her tongue. The way the ‘meat’ would fall apart, slip down her throat with ease. Beyond Meat was no exception; vegan meat substitutes made from plants, with love. She conjured up a thousand vegan burger recipes, but one kept sticking in her mind. Back to the vegan blue cheese burger. Add beef tomatoes, drizzled in olive oil. Wash the lettuce, squash it in the bun. Homemade vegan mayo, a hint of paprika and chilli. Hands wrapped around the stacked burger, sauce cascading down her chin. Messy, but she loved it that way. Juicy, packed with flavour. Smoked potato wedges doused in sea salt. Dip it in ketchup, a splash of BBQ sauce. A classic burger night, her partner was pleased. Watching Drag Race on the TV, a trio of cats loafing, waiting to tune in.

She wasn’t tired of burgers just yet. An idea for one more, that wouldn’t go away. An Indian inspired burger, could she pull it off? Cook the burgers on a bed of ginger, garlic, cumin and garam masala. Watch the patties change colour, smell the glorious scent of spice. A homemade mango chutney, a hint of sweetness, offsetting the heat. Fresh mango chopped into tiny pieces, pour the vinegar and sugar. Blend it, add some mustard seeds and garlic. Not the sweetest of chutneys, somewhere in the middle. Your favourite Aloo Tikis plunged into green mild chutney, as a side. Street food elevated to a burger plate. Coriander and mint, battle of the aromatic greens. Carbs upon carbs, Indian comfort food at its finest. The vegan blue cheese burger was delicious. But the vegan beef Indian inspired burger? A masterpiece. Dreaming of plunging the smash patties into her mouth once more. A plain lassi, slurped with a glass straw. New vegan food for an easy dinner under 30 minutes.

Price: £3.25 at Sainsburys

 

This Isn’t Chicken Kyiv And Wings 

It was hard to remember a time when she wasn’t vegetarian. Foggy memories of Turkey roast dinners, Full English Breakfasts and Chicken Curries living rent free in her mind. But there were two dishes that she felt a wistful nostalgia about, even all these years later. Chicken Kievs, drenched in garlic butter. Break it in two, see the greenish-yellow liquid seep onto the plate. A swoop of creamy, buttery smashed potato, a side of greens. The other, Chicken Wings. Remembering teen years at those cheap ‘Chicken shops’. where burgers were £2 and wings were £1.50. Oily, battered in breadcrumbs. The queasiness you would get afterwards, offset by the satisfaction in the moment. Luckily, This Isn’t’s Chicken Kyiv and Wings, were cruelty-free, vegan, tasted delicious, and didn’t make her want to barf. When it came to new vegan food and drink, This was at the top of her ‘to eat list’.

She would try the This Isn’t Chicken Kyiv first. Made from soya and fava protein. Stuffed with wild garlic plant-based butter. Marinated in sourdough breadcrumbs, would it measure up to the M&S Plant Kitchen one that she coveted? It was hard to believe, but it ended up being better. Cradling it gently, onto a teal plate. A generous serving of homemade vegan cheddar mash. A dollop of vegan butter. Lemon kale, and sauteed broccoli. Garlic carrot batons, and hazelnut parsnips. The result? A vegan comfort dish that would chase away the blues this Janaury. The other, This Isn’t Chicken Wings, questioning how it was so delectably crispy. Take the bag out the freezer, marinade them in your ‘special Buffalo’ sauce. A hint of sweet BBQ, add some spicy sirrachia. Red chilli, and soy garlic, a slither of lemon. Let the marinade set, bake them in the oven. Watch the seaweed-baseed crispy skin puff up, high in protein and fiber. Lower in saturated fat than chicken wings, but with the same delicious taste. She tossed the buffalo wings in her mouth, closed her eyes in rapture. A meat-free option that didn’t compromise on flavour or texture. She would add crispy Cajun wedges, layered with paprika, garlic, salt and cayenne pepper. Dipped in ranch sauce, vegan sour cream, garlic and fresh herbs. 

Prices:

£4.95 This Isn’t Chicken Plant-Based Kyiv (Morrisons)

£3.75 This Isn’t Chicken Plant-Based Wings (Morrisons)

 

Banhoek Chilli Oil

There was something so cathartic about new vegan food with spice. Scotch Bonnet coconut and Crispy Tofu Noodles soup, her mouth on fire. Red warmth splotching aross her cheeks. Eyes watering, nose dripping water. Tongue tingling with spice, fanning herself. A green bean omlette stuffed with vegan cheese. Crispy, yet soft, splatters of olive oil and lemon. A homemade Sambal Oelek, freshly ground hot red chillis. Salt and vinegar, strong in flavour. A simply dressed chopped lettuce and tomato salad, some Jalapenos for briney spice. She loved chilli in all its variations. Chilli flakes, scattered on a fresh arribiata pasta. Chopped chilli’s in an Indonesian salad. Dried chilli powder added to a chickpea and potato curry. Chilli oil that she would drizzle, savour and repeat. Banhoek shared her passion for heat. Chilli oils made in South Africa. That would accentuate her creative, cultural dishes, without overpowering the flavours. Banhoek Chilli Oil first to try. Winner of the Great Taste Award 2024, would it live up to the hype? 100% natural ingredients, handmade in small batches. Made with Birds Eye Chilli’s, 50,001-100,00 on the Scoville Heat Units list. Sun-dried, hand-crushed and infused into Canola oil. She would make Turkish-Style Vegan Menemen, with soft-scrambled tofu. Urfa chillis, a healthy glug of chilli oil. Tearing sourdough, dunked into vivid red gravy.

But her favourite? The Banhoek Chilli Oil Garlic. Premium dried garlic, also the winner of The Great Taste Award 2024. A savoury, rich, unami flavour, tinged with spice. The person who was known to ‘over season’ with garlic, she saw it as no bad thing. But what would she make? Her favourite vegan Vietnemese noodle salad, with air-fried tofu. A squeeze of lime, drizzle the garlic chilli oil. Udon noodles, add some crushed cashews. Carrots and cucumbers sliced into matchsticks. Thai chilli, lime and tamari sauce, her mouth on fire. The chilli oil accentuating the heat, her eyes flushed with happiness. Two dishes inspired by chilli oil that boosted her dopamine levels. Winter warmers, hot or cold. Diverse oils that she could use for breakfast, lunch, dinner, sides and even desserts. What dessert would use a chilli oil, she heard you ask?Something simple, Chilli Oil Vegan Peaches ‘N’ Cream. An unlikely combination but somehow it worked. Sweet and savoury, add a chilli crisp on top. Vegan cinnamon ice cream, a scoop melting on sweet peaches. Proving that chili oil went beyond pizza, spanning continents and cultures.

Prices:

£9.50 Bahoek Chilli Oil ( Amazon)

£5.48 Bahoek Chilli Oil With Garlic ( on Stockist site)

 

Sweet

Deliciously Ella Range

Admittedly, when it came to breakfasts and ‘healthy snacking’, she wasn’t the best. Often skipping breakfast as she was sick in the mornings. Favouring crisps and chocolates, rather than healthy snacks. But the result would be that she would be lacking in energy. Struggling to function, a zombie shuffling through the day. Stifling a yawn, charcoal bags like rough shadows etched under her eyes. The day, a daydream, struggling with productivity. Days, where because of anxiety, she would over-compensate. Working until the point of burn out, not stopping to rest and sit still. The other, her ‘sloth era’. Struggling to have any motivattion, each action taking twice as long. Sleep-deprived, red-blood shot eyes. Deliciously Ella came to the rescue, with vegan breakfasts and snacks that would super-charge her energy, even on off days. But what would she try first? Blackberry And Pecan Deluxe Granola, with wild blackberries and apple. Shake the box into a baby pink bowl, crunchy almonds and pecans too. Toasted sweet coconut and flame raisins. Pour the oat milk, creamy beige liquid. Munch, munch, crunch, crunch. Another day, another breakfast. Almond and Oat Overnight Oats, a pleasant surprise. Creamy Oats ready in just 2 minutes, add the oat milk. Packed with wholegrain oats, nuts, seeds and fruit for natural sweetness.

Then, there were days where she craved something on the go. Chocolate orange dipped almonds, winner of the Great Taste Award 2021. A zesty, high-fibre snack, lightly roasted. Gluten-free and vegan. A hint of sweetness without being sickly. Hazelnut nut butter bites, another favourite. Rip open the packet, tongue delving into a creamy hazelnut and nut butter centre. Hidden raisins, it added some much needed texture. A bite of happiness, not too disimilar to bliss balls. If she could only eat one though it would be the Peanut Butter Oat Bar. An effortless blend of sweet and nutty, the perfect afternoon pick me up. Pour a winter tea brew. Chamomile mixed with winter berries. Cranberries and blackberries, a dash of lavender. Calming, break the oat bar in half. Like a Kit-Kat, made to be shared. She offers half to her partner, watches his face change with undisguised delight. Once an anti-granola man, a change of heart with her new vegan food haul.

Prices:

£3 Peanut Butter Oat Bar

£38 Ultimate Breakfast Bundle

£3 Chocolate Orange Dipped Almonds

 

Lola’s Cupcakes

She was in her sweet era, imagining herself as Penelope from Wreck It Ralph, in Sugar Rush. Hands slunk into a green hoodie, driving in a DIY pedal cart called Lickety-Split. Sees the other race kart drivers in the distance. The track, driving through the cavern of gumball machines. A policeman made out of Krispy-Kreme esque doughnuts, a dog made out of chocolate eclairs. She wondered whether Penelope would like the vegan cake that was sitting on her doorstep. Plush Vegan Raspberry and Passionfruit Cake, from Lola’s Cupcakes. Remembering the cupcakes she had tried before. Vegan brownie with rich dark chocolate swirls tempting her lips. Vegan Red Velvet, not the usual flavour she’d go for. Sumptous vegan cream cheese, red velvet crumbs. But the passionfruit cupcake was always a favourite. Hard to believe the sponge was vegan. Light, airy, melt in her mouth. The large-scale cake though? On another level. Light vegan lemon on the tip of her tongue. Raspberry sponges filled with passionfruit and raspberry compote. She put the kettle on, brewing a homemade apple and cinnamon tea. Scalding her tongue at first sip, but she didn’t mind. Cutting a wedge of cake for her partner, offering him tea too. The cake decorated with vegan passionfruit cream cheese icing. Fresh raspberries dancing, a sprinkling of freeze-dried raspberries too. New vegan food that tasted homemade.

In a sinfully short amount of time, the cake was gone. But she wasn’t sorry. Already eyeing up the other vegan cakes as she scrolled through Lola’s Cupcakes. Vegan Victoria Sponge, with moist vanilla sponges. Blue box, open it up. A cake presented on a red board, look how pretty it looked! Vegan cream cheese icing, blueberries lolling in the seeping liquid. Raspberries dancing in a bed of cream. As for her partner he was eyeing up the vegan brownie cake with lustful eyes. Rich and chocolatey, iced with a lucious chocolate buttercream. Brownie chunks he wondered how it would taste on his tongue. Satisfying his vegan chocolate cravings. Was it decadent enough for him? The chocolate ganache sent him into spirals of ecstacy. A sprinkling of gold dust like a dozen constellations, almost too pretty to eat. One more, a mutual affair. Vegan Caramel Biscuit Cake, a sweet indulgence. Deliciously moist, they fed each other like Lady and The Tramp. Filled with naughty Biscoff biscuit spread, iced with a caramelised buttercream. A caramel drizzle, sticky-sweet. A steaming hot mug of homemade decaf chai latte, sprinkled with cinnamon. Sugary sweet, the froth framed their lips with glee.

 

Price

£27.50 Vegan Raspberry And Passionfruit Cake (Small)

 

Manilife

There was something so versatile about peanuts. Sweet and savoury, salty and hot. A tinge of citrus, a splash of chocolate. Crumbled on stir-fries, that’s where she used them most. Tenderstem broccoli weeping in the pan. Baby corn griddled with garlic, a splash of soy. Carrots cut into thin strips, sizzling in the pan. Toast the peanuts lightly, add a splash of lime. Tamari, for that unami flavour. Add some red chillis, finely chopped. Vermecelli noodles, laced with tumeric and fresh ginger. Ready in 20 minutes, pulled a mouthful onto her fork. Her sweet go to, Healthy Cocoa Peanut Truffles. Dusted with coconut sugar, too good to eat just one. A decadent combination, the whole plate was gone in a matter of seconds. The addictiveness of peanuts was something that Manilife resonated with. Known for its Deep Roast Salted Peanuts, how would they size up to ones she had tried before? A light dusting  of sea salt, but almost caramel like in flavour. Simple, but delicious. A bag gone in one sitting. Wondering what dishes she’d make if she brought more. A Vegan Nasi Goreng, with tofu, extra firm. Rice with the spicy sambal she coveted, peppers, carrots, and Bok Choy. Lemongrass, a hint of lime. Add the salted peanuts for crunch, she relished the texture.

But her favourite? The Manilife Chilli And Lime Peanuts in a ‘Spicy Thai Vegan Chicken’ dish that made her heart sing. Vegan chicken browned in the pan, caramelized shallots and red peppers. A scoop of vegan peanut butter, garnish with basil and lime and chilli peanuts. A wedge of lime sinking into reddish-brown sauce. Served over Cilantro rice, winter comfort food in a bowl. The Cocoa Dusted Peanuts, just as memorable. Rich cocoa powder, the same infamous sea salt that she loved. Poured into a bowl, a sweet and savoury platter. Smoked vegan chorizo, sliced into chunks. A mix of vegan cheese, a plethora of chutneys. Bowls of cocoa nuts, juicy olives their next door neighbour. New vegan food that was healthy, versatile, and above all delicious.

Price: £1 per 25G pack

 

 

Drink

Caleno

The rain lashed at her window like Hades, nails screeching on a chalkboard. The wind howling like a million banshees, the skies gray and dreary. She longed for warmer weather. A rare holiday, lounging at the beach. Feeling the silky hot sand between her toes. Laying down on a deckchair , a Virgin Mojito swirling in a fishbowl glass. The beach like their own unspoilt paradise, a secret haven. She smiled, the thought spreading warmth down her body. Blowing away the anxiety with balmy sea winds. Skin, sun-kissed and bronzed, hair streaming freely down her back. Caleno’s new White Coconut Non-Alcoholic Rum transported her into that daydream. A smooth and exotic blend of fresh coconut, with subtle notes of vanilla and pineapple. She fell in love, pouring the bottle into a glass. A delicious alternative to real rum, especially now when she couldn’t drink because of medication. Zero sugar, and low calorie. Gluten-free and vegan, it ticked every box. Conjuring up a million drink recipes, whittling them down to three. A Virgin Pina Colada, a classic. Add some agave, a splash of pineapple juice. Coconut milk, with some lime juice. Fresh pineapple to garnish.

Oato

There was something so richly decadent about oat milk. Creamy, varied in flavour. Slightly sweet, sometimes thin, sometimes thick. A mild taste, similar to cows milk. Versatile, used in just about everything. Her decaf oat lattes, with a frothy top. Milky, a hint of coffee. Paired with an iced carrot cake, the sweet taste of sultanas dancing on her tongue. An Acai Berry smoothie, oat milk to thicken the juice. Poured into a bowl, add some oats, and fresh mixed berries. A chickpea curry, using oat milk intead of coconut milk. Simmer the potatoes, add the peas. A sprinkle of garam masala, toast the star anise. Oato was no exception. Fresh oat milk delivered to her door, delivered as soon as the next morning. Created in Lancanshire, using British ingredients. Oato Barista Whole, the classic. Creamy and fresh, produced to barista-grade standards for a luscious coffee that doesn’t split. She’d create her own vegan Sahleb, a Middle Eastern hot beverage, she fell in love with in Turkey. 2 cups of Oato, a splash of rose water and cinnamon powder. Add the coconut milk powder, and rice flour. Sprinkle the pistachios, add some descicated coconut.

The Strawberry Oatshake was her other favourite. A touch of nostalgia, reminding her of the Strawberry Nesquik she used to drink growing up. Pink powder turned into milk. But this version wasn’t just pretty in pink. Made with 100% British Oats, the fruity freshness of strawberries in every sip. Add some ice, remind her of a hot summer’s day. Slurp it with a rainbow glass straw, pink liquid dancing in your belly. She wondered what she could make with it. Strawberry Tres Leches, was what came to mind. Veganised, blended with three different oat milks. Poured over a light and airy sponge cake, a hint of nostalgia in every bite. Another milk that won her heart, Chocoloato Oatshake, how it made her tremble. The right balance of sweetness, a deep rich chocolately flavour. On its own, a gorgeous addition to the lunch table. Imagining pairing it with a vegan cheeseburger, and Paprika chips. In a dessert though? It was iconic. An Oat Chocolate Cardamon Cream Tart with Pistachio-Sesame Brittle. An elevated chocolate cream pie, richness from the heavy vegan cream. She had to admit. When putting a new vegan food and drink together, oat milk was the furthest thing from her mind. Why? Because she had her favourites. But Oato? On another level.

 

Price:

£1.50 per bottle

 

Big Drop Brewing Co

If there was one alcoholic drink she missed the most, it was beer. Amber rivers, in a golden gleam. Remembering a life before medication. Watching a frothy crest adorn a lager, a liquid hymn. Imagining it as the earth’s laughter. Sunshine in a glass, where hops would intertwine. Pale ales as sharp as citrus air, Stouts like velvet, a hint of chocolate. IPAS with their bitter bite, Sour beers mulled for winter. Served with roasted apples, whose skins had burst. She’d let the foam cascade, dreaming of new vegan food and drink, where she didn’t have to miss out. Big Drop Brewing Co was the answer to her prayers. Award winning non-alcoholic craft beers and IPA’s that tasted almost like the real thing. She would start with Reef Point Craft Lager, a brewers dream. Malt-forward, honeyed tones. Soft warmth, offsetting bitterness as sharp as frost’s cold sweep. A splash of citrus, deep malt. The Paradiso Citra, an unexpected adventure. Citrus that murmered, faint, like distant bells. Bitterness slicing the winter gloom, zest sparking on the tongue. Lingering lemon, reminding her of those lemon trees in Rome.

Three more non-alcoholic beers, how would they fare?Pine Trail Pale Ale, soft as a whisper, rosy blooms rising, a floral hymn. Bitter, with a kiss of playful lime. Galatic Milk Stout, bold and deep in flavour. A memory richer than Guinness. Notes of honeycomb, chocolate, and coffee dancing in her throat. The last- Poolside DDH IPA, a reminder of warmer, tropical climes. Dreams of warmer winters, where pineapple sang with citrus and pine. Stone fruits lingering, a taste divine. It was hard to choose a favourite, pleasantly surprised by them all. But the Lager would always be famous. Her go to drink, when she could drink. Smooth and crisp, with a clean finish. A mellow taste, gliding down her throat like manna.

Price:

£2.32 per can on Dry Drinker

 

Restaurants

 

Sutton & Sons

She smelled it before she saw it. The tang of salt, plucked from the sea, swirling with vinegar. A hint of lemon, that familiar scent of batter. Conjuring memories of teen years by the sea. Crispy battered fish drenched in mayo, chunky chips cradling her stomach. The squawk of seagulls swooping in. The crunch-crunch of boots on a pebbled beach. She paused. The afternoon sun breaking like an egg yolk. Golden-yellow, a dash of blue. Scattered clouds drifting on by. For Sutton & Sons were that rare breed. A classic, family-run ‘Fish & Chip’ shop, with a twist. A vegan menu that wasn’t just chips. But what would she try first? Vegan Fish fashioned from banana blossom. Marinated in seaweed, it tasted like home. Mild in flavour, texture like artichoke. Chips with a dash of salt, a splash of vinegar. Vegan Scampi followed; she eyed them warily. Her favourite dish, how could she love the thing she once hated the most? Mild in flavour dunked in vegan tartar sauce. Creamy, tangy and slightly sweet. A splash of lemon, the perfect pairing. When it came to good new vegan food, Sutton and Sons were a pioneer.

A battered sausage, another stand out. Crispy batter, tingling on chapped lips. Dipped in yellow vegan mayo, eyes closed in rapture. Salty gherkins that danced on the side, a side of baked beans too. Another sausage (she couldn’t get enough), Saveloy plunged into curry sauce, mild and sweet. Prawn Cocktail, the one dish she didn’t like. The texture, like real prawns, a little rubbery. But the sauce? She’d happily covet. Vegan mayo, a glug of Worcestershire. Add the horseradish, mix the tabasco. Washed down with an apple juice and ginger beer. They spent what seemed like hours eating, too stubborn to admit they were full. Chowing their way through the menu, one bite at a time. She would order it as a takeaway the next time. Sat in front of the telly watching Bojack Horseman. Cuddled into her partner, as they fed each other vegan fish. Impish smiles licked their faces, as they laughed with glee. The answer to their question resoundingly clear.Yes.Vegan fish and chips were worth the hype.

 

Prices:

£8.50 Classic ‘Prawn’ Cocktail

£12.50 ‘Fish’ And Chips ( Banana Blossom)

£12.50 ‘Scampi’ And Chips

£11.50 Battered Sausage And Chips

£11.50 Saveloy And Chips

£2.50 Curry Sauce

£1.50 Gherkin

 

Wagamamas

She slunk her numb hands into geometric pockets. A pearl beret sliding off her head, red star boots tucked under the table. Found herself in Wagamama’s, Stratford. Chunky red star boots clip-clopping on the floor. Showed to their seats, the restaurant already busy. A Japanese-Asian inspired menu, where 50% of the options were plant-based. Yet, her smile faltered. The girl with many allergies. Could they cater to her needs? She needn’t have worried. The manager, Emma, kind, caring, and good with allergies. Liasing with the kitchen, making sure she was given food she could eat. The beret, her royal crown. Sitting up with renewed interest. Looking for vegan soul food, that her meat-loving partner would fall in love with too. One by one the plates came out. Hot Sweet Fried Vegan Chicken dipped into mayo, a hint of Firecracker sauce. Her partner’s favourite dish, crumbs dribbling down his chin. Edamame, watch the green pods pop. Doused in chilli garlic salt, she fell in love.

But nothing could have prepared her for the Crispy Tofu Fry, drenched in sweet and spicy hot sauce. Like chilli jam, tingling on her weathered tongue. Rice smashed with julienned peppers. Wok Fried Greens; crunchy tenderstem broccoli dancing with mangetout. Yasai Pad Thai, tofu and leek, a smattering of umami soy sauce. Bang Bang Cauliflower, surprisingly not her favourite dish. The sauce a ten, the earthy nuttiness of the cauliflower an aquired taste. She took a spoonful of kimchi, and pickled ginger. Did a happy dance in her seat. Washed down with a Ginger Nojito, subtle in taste. Their savoury tooths satisfied, they longed for something sweet.A vegan dessert in the shape of ‘Banana Katsu’, slathered in miso ice cream. Drizzled in a rich toffee sauce, her eyes danced in harmony. Washed down with a Plum And Spiced Orange mocktail, a sweet-salt rim.Falling in love with food was never her problem.But falling in love with new vegan food that inspired her soul? That was a rare kind of love.

 

Prices:

Sides

£9.50 Hot Sweet Fried Vegan Chicken Firecracker (Modified)

£4.50 Edamame With Chilli Garlic Salt

£5.25 Bang Bang Cauliflower

£5.70 Wok Fried Greens (Modified)

Mains

£10.25 Yasai Pad Thai Tofu (Modified)

£14 Crispy Tofu Sambal Fry (Modified)

Extras

£1 Kimchee

£1 Pickled Ginger

 

Mocktails

£5 Ginger Nojito

£5 Spiced Plum And Orange

 

Dessert

£7.05 Banana Katsu

E3 Vegan 

There was something she loved about small restaurants. The quiet intimacy of several dozen tables. The soft roar of a car outside, the slush of rain. The candles, flickering in sepia-toned lights. The hush of laughter, the slapping of the tables. Scrape-scrape of the plates, hands resting on stomachs. But a full vegan supper club? That was a first. One she had never been to before. Usually only one option from ‘normal menus’, that she could have. They would host supper clubs on a Friday. Relaxed dining on a Thursday and Saturday. Brunches, and Sunday Roasts. She opted for relaxed dining at E3 Vegan. £30 for a six course menu, extra for starters and desserts. She couldn’t fault the menu. Spiced lentils on Melba toast, spilling into her greedy mouth. Hands, wrapped around Gordal olives, juicy and plump. A splash of orange, scattered oregano. Rapeseed oil, her mind was blown by her starters. But nothing could have prepared her for the ‘Dine In’ menu. Roasted Butternut Squash on a bed of creamy oat labneh. Pour the salsa verde, tangy and bright. Pangrattao for some much needed crunch.

White Beans and Pan-Fried Cavalo Nero, with Grilled Red Pepper. She scooped it into soft E5 Sourdough. Enjoyed watching the bread pull apart with glee. A Green Salad with Toasted Pumpkin and Sunflower Seeds, a palette cleanser. Drizzled in a secret vinaigrette that she was dying to get her hands on. The Roast Beetroot, Lentil and Horseradish Creme with Homemade Pickles surprised her. Not usually a fan of beetroot or horseradish. But somehow, the flavours worked. The brininess of the pickles, offsetting the sharp horseradish. A blend of earthy, spicy, and salty flavours married into one. She was getting full, but there were two things that she would make room for. Patatas Bravas in a rich vegan ailoi. A thick Salsas Bravas sauce, poured over chunky potatoes. The other? Dessert of course. Chocolate ganache and raspberry coulis with pistachio and cocoa nib praline, dancing on her tongue. Rich, with notes of tart fruit. Nutty, creamy, decadent, without being too rich. She wasn’t normally a fan of rich desserts or chocolate ones. But this one? Was a crowd-pleaser. Her and her partner tucking in like no tomorrow, chocolate dribbling down her chin. Sure, some might think of new food and drink in a different way. Meat alternatives, dairy alternatives. But to her, restaurants were as much part of the magic as the others.

 

Price: £30 per person ( extras for starters and desserts)

Starters

Gordal olives with orange, oregano and rapeseed oil – £4

Spiced lentils on melba toast – £5

To Dine

£30 per person

Roasted squash with oat labneh, salsa verde and
pangrattato

White beans and pan-fried cavalo nero with grilled
red pepper ( Without Courgette)

E5 Sourdough

Green salad with toasted pumpkin and sunflower
seeds and vinaigrette

Roast beetroot, lentil and horseradish crème with
homemade pickles

Patatas bravas and aioli

Dessert

Chocolate ganache and raspberry coulis with pistachio and cocoa nib praline £6.50

 

What Is Your Favourite New Vegan Food And Drink From 2025?

 

*Disclaimer

Please note, I was gifted the majority of these products/ restaurant reviews, but all thoughts are my own and are not affected by gifting. I would love to know what new vegan food and drink caught your eye!