A new vegan restaurant, named BUFFALO, has opened in London’s Brick Lane. Aligning with the recent dining shift as a growing number of consumers are choosing plants over meat, the vegan venue is taking over the location of a former Halal Fried Chicken.
BUFFALO’s casual dining menu features food like the Classic Buffalo Burger, that patty is made with tempeh, beetroot, walnuts, and red kidney beans topped with homemade buffalo sauce. Also on the menu is the 63 Burger. The dish, which features a tofu and mushroom patty, is served with wasabi mayo and kimchi. Diners can also enjoy the Brick Lane Korma, made with jackfruit, and Pasta Carbonara served with vegan creamy sauce and plant-based cheese.
For dessert, BUFFALO offers homemade Mousse au Chocolat and dairy-free ice cream. Fries, salads, cookies, and other sides are also available. The dishes were crafted by Head Chef Ludmilla Girardi, who previously worked with Gordon Ramsay and Yotam Ottolenghi.
The venue’s opening in London is timely, considering the capital city’s rising interest in plant-based food. Kim Woodward, who appeared on “MasterChef: Professionals,” told the Evening Standard that vegan food in London is now a “must-have.” She added, “Over the past two years, there are more vegans and vegetarians than I’ve ever seen.”
Data from earlier this year supports the claim. The research suggested that the number of vegans in the UK has surged by 700 percent in just two years, with more than three-and-a-half-million Brits now identifying as vegan. Another 14 percent of people in the United Kingdom are now vegetarian, with figures only seeming to climb.
Alongside the rising number of plant-based diners, UK businesses change and adapt. Major supermarket chains ASDA and Sainsbury’s recently launched a range of vegan meats and plant-based ready-made meals. And the launch of Wicked Kitchen’s line of vegan meals more than doubled sales projections at the UK’s leading supermarket chain Tesco.
London itself is seeing the emergence of small vegan businesses that challenge and shape the city’s dining scene. London’s first vegan French bakery opened this month while the city’s first vegan Chinese restaurant Mao Chow expanded its menu to include innovative new plant-based options.
BUFFALO is now open at 63 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL.
Image Credit: BUFFALO
This post was last modified on December 15, 2020 6:34 am