Impact
The Nestor Guide To Veganuary In London
Are you considering joining the millions of people doing Veganuary to kick off 2023? Read on for the #NestorGuide to Veganuary in London!
If this is your first time venturing into the world of vegan food, there’s a lot to think about especially if you’re going to be on holiday. Luckily, London is a world-class city with some of the best vegan restaurants, cafes and local markets on offer, making it as easy as possible for you to stick to your goals.
No matter what the reason behind your Veganuary plans, whether you want to be healthier, save the planet or protect wildlife, once you get started, you’ll quickly realise there are so many delicious vegan foods available.
Some of the best tips for going vegan include getting in plenty of whole plant foods into your diet and not skimping on protein, which is still key for nutrition, even when you’re not eating meat. Before jumping in at the deep end with cooking, head to a lovely lunch or dinner, or even afternoon tea in one of London’s plant-based restaurants, to get an idea of what can be created.
Be flexible
Many people throw themselves straight into Veganuary and go fully vegan for a month, in fact, in 2021, more than 500,000 people took part! But if it’s your first time doing it, easing yourself in could be a good option.
Trying out flexitarian weeks for example still has a positive impact on the environment (and your diet!), but means you only eat vegan on certain days of the week. Alternatively, you could slowly remove non-vegan foods from your diet one by one, rather than going cold turkey. Remember, if you slip up it’s not the end of the world! You’re still doing your part to help the planet.
It’s also likely that if you ease yourself in, you may end up going vegan or maintaining a flexible diet, for a lot longer than a month which is an even more positive outcome.
London’s Vegan Restaurants
London has an incredible range of eateries on offer, from restaurants with vegan options to fully plant-based outlets, vegan cafes, markets, pop-ups and more. One of the best is Mildreds, a chain of plant-based restaurants serving everything from vegan curries to burgers. In West Kensington, check out 222 Vegan Cuisine, which not only has a vegan menu but is also low fat, low salt and non-GM.
To satisfy your weekend cravings, a vegan Sunday brunch at Wulf and Lamb in Chelsea will tick every box, particularly the vegan mac’n’cheese or spicy vegetable gyozas. Farmacy, which is a constant favourite in Notting Hill, serves tasty dishes using vegan ingredients grown on their own farm, which are also free from refined sugars and chemicals.
Just because you’re cutting out egg and dairy, don’t assume dessert is off the cards during Veganuary. Many of London’s finest restaurants and hotels offer vegan afternoon teas, from the pretty Palm Court at The Langham to The Ampersand in South Kensington. For a fun way to combine sightseeing with Veganuary, book a vegan afternoon tea bus tour with B Bakery, where you’ll pass London’s most famous landmarks while enjoying vegan scones, lemon tart, macarons and finger sandwiches.
Vegan cooking
Once you’ve found a few great vegan restaurants you can rely on, the next step is cooking your own vegan meals! Nowadays, this is not as hard as it may seem and it certainly isn’t just vegetables and rice. In most supermarkets, you can find yummy vegan substitutes for any ingredients you might be craving, such as sausages, burgers and even bacon.
With anything else, just be sure to carefully read the ingredients list or check for a vegan label. In London, you can find a range of food in normal supermarkets or head to health food shops such as Holland & Barrett and Wholefoods. In West Brompton, close to our West London properties, you can find GreenBay, a 100% vegan supermarket selling everything you could need.
West London also has some of the city’s best fresh food markets. Head to Earl’s Court or Notting Hill to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, or when you arrive at your Nestor apartment, you can arrange to have the fridge fully stocked with tasty vegan treats to start you off. If you’re too tired to do much cooking, consider using a vegan meal delivery service. Big names such as HelloFresh offer lots of vegan options, otherwise, AllPlants and The Realistic Vegan Kitchen are both fully dedicated vegan services.
Vegan tipples
A little something you may forget when taking part in Veganuary is alcohol, and it may surprise you to learn that many wines, spirits and beers aren’t vegan. As veganism becomes more popular, you can now find vegan options in some supermarkets. If you’re looking to go out for a drink, try any Sam Smith’s pub, all of whose beer is vegan and the many BrewDog locations which have trademarked vegan lager.
Some restaurants, such as the previously mentioned 222 Vegan Cuisine, and other fully plant-based restaurants, will almost always have great vegan drink selections. If you’re giving up alcohol and going vegan too, you can opt for healthy smoothies, pressed juices and shots in Joe & The Juice, or pick up fresh fruit at a nearby market and whip up your own blend.
Veganuary with Nestor
At Nestor, we make it our mission to help the environment and have a positive impact on the planet, while also ensuring your stay is as comfortable as possible. We applaud anyone taking part in Veganuary, and to help you can find many vegan, sustainable products across our properties, as well as the option to stock your fridge with a range of vegan foods from our partners, who also champion sustainability.
If you’re looking to combine Veganuary with other wholesome, healthy New Year’s resolutions, Nestor has just the thing. While staying at our properties you can keep fit with one of our personal trainers, or enjoy a yoga class with our on-site yogini, Alena.
We encourage sustainable transport as much as possible, and all of our properties are a short walk (or e-scooter) from London’s best sights. Every time you book a stay with us, we plant a tree to help the planet – why not kick off 2023 by combining Veganuary with a sustainable London getaway?