Following the success of their original Nourish Cafe in the Inner Richmond, chef Brighton Miller and partner Sarah Bacon are expanding to Nob Hill, with a location planned for the former Flour & Co. space (1030 Hyde St).

Like its older sibling, the cafe will be 100 percent plant-based, offering a selection of vegan baked goods, acai bowls, smoothies, bowls, salads, sandwiches, and wraps with protein like tuna made from seeds and nuts. However, second location is much roomier, which will allow the duo some new menu items like warm grain bowls and more baked goods, as well as expanded catering operations. Also new will be the addition of espresso drinks made with almond milk and Stumptown Coffee, and kombucha on tap.

Its an interesting move to open a vegan cafe in the place of a bakery that used ample amounts of butter and sugar. Were really excited about the space, Miller told Eater SF. Its half a block away from a hospital, and there's a younger crowd in the lower nob hill area, too. It will also be another access point for Tartine Bread and Josey Baker Bread, just a few of the local purveyors used by the cafe.

The location is directly in the path of Russian and Nob Hill commuters, as well as shoppers at nearby Trader Joes and Whole Foods. Its also the only clean-eating spot on that side of the hill, making it an ideal pit stop for neighbors in search of meat-and-dairy-free sustenance. The menu will also be available for order via all the usual channels (Postmates, etc).

The opening day is slated for the first week of May; stay tuned. When it opens, hours will be Monday-Thursday, 6:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday from 6:30 a.m.- 3 p.m; they'll also be open for brunch on weekends from 8 a.m.- 3 p.m.

Read this article:

Nourish Cafe to Deliver Vegan Realness to Nob Hill in May - Eater SF

The Tampa Vegan Bake Sale unites sweets, vinyl and animal lovers later this month.

Vegan-friendly toasted coconut chocolate chip cookies, anyone?Veganbaking.net via Wikimedia Commons

Later this month, the Tampa Vegan Bake Sale unites sweets, vinyl and animal lovers for a seventh year.The baked goods showcase, held annually in conjunction with the Record Store Day celebration at Tampa's Mojo Books & Records, kicks off at 8 a.m. April 22.

In addition to live music and rare vinyl, the crowd has the opportunity to score homemade vegan-friendly treats while raising money for the care of homeless and feral cats and kittens.

Those who plan to bring a baked good to share should RSVP and indicate what they're contributing. Donated treats, which must be vegan, can't feature any animal products, including milk, eggs, honey, whey, gelatin, butter or non-vegan margarine, among other ingredients.

Organizers are also looking for people to help spread the word, plus make monetary donations to offset the cost of baking supplies.

Check out a short video, posted byAnimal Advocacy of Tampa Bay,from last year's Tampa Vegan Bake Salebelow.

Go here to read the rest:

The V Word: Down vegan desserts while raising money for felines in need - Creative Loafing Tampa

Virginia Tech has one of the best dining programs in the country, according to The Princeton Review but thats not surprising for anyone who eats at the dining hall on a regular basis.

There are many options that the dining halls have to offer but how easy is it to find options that are suitable for a vegan or vegetarian diet? Im not a vegan or a vegetarian myself, but I swapped out eating my normal pizza, chicken fingers or sandwich at the dining halls for a few days to see how easy it would be to find vegan options to eat for three meals a day.

So, how did eating vegan and/or vegetarian on campus go? It was difficult.

Owens

I went to Owens for lunch one day to find that there were not many options there for a vegan to eat.

If you are a vegetarian, the Farm and Fields veggie burger is a good option at Owens, but the bun is made with milk. If vegans want to eat the veggie burger, they can ask for it without the bun and toppings.

Lotsa Pasta has gluten-free pasta made with soy that is a healthier choice for vegans and vegetarians as opposed to regular pasta and, of course, there is white rice, steamed broccoli or a salad at the Carvery. The choices for vegans were pretty limited here at Owens, and they are certainly not the most exciting foods that vegans want to eat on a daily basis.

I was disappointed to see that there were not any soy patties or dishes made with tofu at any of the nine stations in Owens.

Squires

I went over to Squires to see if APB had better options, but still not much luck.

Some soups at ABP in Squires are vegan friendly, including the 12 veggie and the vegetarian chili. There are many vegetarian options at ABP, but it is mostly carb-based items such as breads, bagels and pastries.

D2

D2 has a vegetarian station that serves veggie nuggets, but unfortunately they have eggs in them so they are not an option for vegans.

Pan Asia serves an asian vegetable stir fry that is made with soy, which is suitable for vegans, but there are not many other options at the all-you-can-eat dining hall.

The interior of D2 on Virginia Tech campus, Sept. 20, 2016.

West End

Vegans and vegetarians can eat at the salad bar in West End, but not much else fits within the limits of their diets.

The veggie burger bun does not contain milk, but if vegans want to be safe, they can request a lettuce wrap instead of the whole wheat bun option or vegetarians can order a grilled cheese at the sandwich shop next to Wrap World.

Turner

Most bagels at Bruegger's are vegan, and students can get them topped with hummus, peanut butter or jelly.

Students can also purchase salads and then go down the stairs to Fire Grill to purchase some oven-roasted potatoes as a side.

Front entrance to Lavery Hall on Sept. 20, 2016.

Still, I was finding very few options to fill my empty stomach on a vegan diet.

I found that our dining halls are much more vegetarian friendly than vegan friendly but still not as much as they should be.

Having more vegan options in the dining halls would help out many students who eat vegan diets. According to The Guardian, plant-based diets are becoming more common among young people.

Emily Baklajian is a sophomore who has been maintaining a vegan diet for six years.

Last year I really didnt use my meal plan at all because there were not many options for me, Baklajian said. I would mostly buy food from Kroger and make meals in my room. If I would eat on campus, it would normally be a salad from Turner with tofu.

I was finding most of the pre-made foods at dining halls were not vegan friendly. Most of the options I had were to make my own meals, salads, some grab-and-go items or fruit.

As healthy as students want to sound, eating salads every day is not fun for anyone.

When trying to find vegan options, I mostly ate salads because I could not find much else that I thought would be filling enough. As healthy as students want to sound, eating salads every day is not fun for anyone.

Adding in meals like cooked or roasted vegetables, and more grains like quinoa, beans, barley and lentils would be better for vegan eaters, Baklajian said.

Dining services offers hundreds of options for our meals, why cant more of those hundreds of options be vegan friendly?

If students wish to look up the nutritional information for dining hall foods, they can access the information on the dining service website.

Excerpt from:

Vegan options difficult to come by in dining halls - Virginia Tech Collegiate Times

Vegans rejoice! At least vegans into cream liqueur. Baileys has taken the cream out of Irish cream and replaced it with dairy-free and gluten-free almond milk. Their latest Almande Almondmilk Liqueur works for sufferers of dietary issues or those who want to be a walking contradiction by making "healthier alcohol choices."

"We are excited to welcome spring with Baileys Almande, which offers the same quality and delicious flavor that people love about Baileys, but now in a dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan option that we know many are thrilled to enjoy," said Alex Tomlin, senior vice president of Scotch Whisky and Reserve Brands at Diageo North America, in a statement.

According to Baileys' website, the concoction is blended with "sweet almond oil and almond essence, cane sugar and purified water with a touch of real vanilla." While this immediately sounds like it'd be amaretto's new BFF, the company recommends mixing it with simple coconut water and ice for a refreshing warm weather cocktail. (We're thinking a Mudslide or spiked iced coffee sounds pretty good, but to each his own.)

The calorie count is pretty standard per serving (67), but its alcohol content (the most important aspect, obviously) is at only 13 percent (four percent lower than Baileys original.) This means you'll either have to double up or mix in another liquor if you really want to put the happy in happy hour.

More:

Baileys Comes in a Vegan-Friendly Version Now - Food & Wine

Youre going to be eating outsiders soon, if you arent already.Wildlife biologists and conservationists have added one more weapon to their arsenal against invasive species: eating them.In New England, several chefs have responded to the invasion of the green craba tenacious little crustacean that has harmed Massachusetts soft-shell crab industry, Maines clam flats, and scallop populations throughout the New England coastlinebyturning the invader into a menu item. Because demand for the green crab is not huge in New England yet, its a comparatively cheap seafood; the only hang-up right now is figuring out the crabs molting cycle so they can be sold as soft-shell delicacies. Then, the soft shell green crab will be less labor-intensive to prepare, thus raising its desirability in restaurants, which raises demand, which raises a fishing concerns incentive to go out there and denude a local waterway of the invasive species.

The green crab isnt the first species to be forked out of its adoptive home. The Asian carpa catchall term for four different species,bighead carp, black carp, grass carp and silver carphas been creeping up the Mississippi for years, sucking up 40 percent of its weight in plankton daily. That wouldnt be so alarming if they didnt grow to 80-100 pounds apiece, and if the females of the species didnt produce an estimated two million eggs in her lifetime. In 2006, NPR reported oncommercial fishermen beginning to catch the Asian carp; while the price the fish commanded was cheap, their sheer quantity quickly made for a profit based on volume. Eight years later, theHuffington Postpleadedreaders to ignore the off-putting name and just eat the Kentucky whitefish already, pointing out that invasive carpwon out over catfish in a blind taste testconducted among Missourians. More lucky Missourians onlyconfirmed the superiority of the Asian carpin asecondblind taste test when the invader was stacked against tilapia and catfish.

So, some rebranding of the Asian carpperhaps the Missouri Supreme-o-Filet?might be in order if its going to gain mainstream appeal. In the mean time, hunters and gatherers are also aiming at feral pigsTexas has nearly three million of the critters running wild, racking up approximately $52 million in damage to Texan agriculture annually. Bullfrogs are a problem that some chefs are solving with a frog leg entree, and if you readthe recentOutsidemagazine article on cane toads invasion of Florida, perhaps you can derive some comfort from the knowledge that island culture research professor Phillip Hayward thinkscane toad burgerscould be a delicious solution to that problem.

Another bonus: Removing an invasive species corpse guarantees thatother invaders wont use it as a food sourcein between their forays into eating the natives into extinction.

So what?Invasive species cost the U.S.an estimated $120 billion annually in damages, and thats just the stuff we can measure, like crop damage from hogs and repairing pipes clogged by zebra mussels. The incalculable damagelosses of native plants and animals, for exampleis widespread, too. A market-driven solution for eradicating these species actually provides people with an incentive to get rid of the animals.

As a bonus, it also provides food-related businesses with a hedge against climate change. Temperature shifts have already affected seafood offerings across the United States, withCalifornia salmon season being shortenedthanks to the drought of 2011-2016 whilethe lobster population in Maine explodedthanks to warmer waters (among other factors). As changing climates alter the ranges for different species, peoples menus and palates will shift along with them. Todays invasive species could be tomorrows heritage menu staple.

Who cares?People who fish for a living, from the folks who take recreational fishers out to catch a chinook salmon all the way up to commercial fishers. Theyve got a vested interest in identifying and serving specific customers, and if those customers become amenable to eating invasive species, its a whole new market opportunity. Dont underestimate the hunting market, tooHawaii is just one state wherepig hunting expeditions are a business.

Restauranteurs can also grab a stake in the eat an invader, save an ecosystem play. Theres already a proven market of eaters who like the idea that their dietary choices reflect a wider set of valueswitness the rise of menus where the origin of every ingredient is now part of a narrative saga on an entree list where once linguine alle vongole would have sufficed. Reassuring diners that their appetizer is helping save a native species by taking out the competition (with a lemon aioli) will be a persuasive selling point.

Any enterprising food writers, bloggers or cookbook writers should be watching with keen interest to see if this is a specific eco-chic food niche to exploit. There are also ripe opportunities to team up with a parks department or outdoors outfitter to offer expeditions wherein people hunt, cook and eat invasive species. Ifforagers can turn their hobby into a cookbook industry, so can invasive species chefs.

Truly, pest control has never been so delicious.

Want more? Theres a whole archive of So What, Who Cares? newsletters at tinyletter.com/lschmeiser. In addition to the news analysis, there are also fun pop culture recommendations.

View post:

Invasive Eating Is the New Vegan - Observer

This vegan and gluten-free Thai salad with creamy peanut dressing is pure refreshment. Healthy yet flavorful, this salad will satisfy you on warm days with its cooling flavors. The peanut dressing makes the salad just a tad indulgent, perfect to prove that salad doesnt have to be boring.

While there are many varieties of Thai salads ranging from papaya to cucumber-based, a leafy salad with peanut dressing is a tried and true favorite. This particular Thai salad uniquely uses butter leaf lettuce as opposed to romaine since it has a fresher and lighter taste.

The key to making a healthy Thai salad is eliminating cholesterol-laden eggs and any heavy ingredients in the peanut dressing.Steamed tofu adds protein and eliminates cholesterol that would normally be present from a hard boiledegg. Just one serving of this salad contains more than15 grams of protein proving plant-based isprotein-rich.

Low fatcoconut milk and organic, natural peanut butter mix together to form a creamy yet light dressing. Make sure you choose a peanut butter that only contains peanuts in the ingredient label. Conventional peanut butter is often filled with unnecessary artificial ingredients, oils, sweeteners, and flavors.

While peanut butter and coconut milk are high in fat, they contain healthy fats that are beneficial when eaten in moderation. Peanuts are regarded as heart healthy due to their monounsaturated fat content. Coconut, on the other hand, has medium fatty chain acids which may help to lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

While butter leaf lettuce is extremely delicious and refreshing in this salad, you can also substitute it with romaine lettuce. The flavor and texture will be similar. Also, if you have a peanut allergy or avoid peanut butter for dietary or health reasons, you can substitute another nut butter such as almond or sunflower seed.

This salad can serve two as an entree or four as a side. Create a gourmet Thai three-course meal by serving it alongside this vegan Thai curry as the entree and mango with sticky rice for dessert.

Vegan Thai Salad with Peanut Dressing

Ingredients

Instructions

Serving Size: 4

Calories per serving: 521

Fat per serving: 24

Saturated fat per serving: 3.7

Carbs per serving: 69

Protein per serving: 16.6

Fiber per serving: 5.5

Sugar per serving: 5.8

Sodium per serving: 22 mg

Related on Organic Authority Meatless Monday Roundup: 4 Thai Recipes Bok Choy Stir-Fry Recipe with Savory Mushrooms and Quinoa How to Cook Tofu 6 Different Ways: Flavor and Season Like a Pro

Images via Karissa Bowers

Karissa Bowers is a fashion and food blogger living a compassionate lifestyle. Karissa is the blogger of Vegan La Mode where she shares her favorite vegan and gluten-free recipes and also her eco-friendly cruelty-free style. Her love for photographing food and her outfits, drove her to develop a passion for photography. After a few years of honing in on her photography skills, Karissa launched her business, Karissa Bowers Photography, where she shoots weddings and portraits. When shes not taking photos or in the kitchen, you can find Karissa traveling and trying new vegan restaurants.

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You'll Remember this Vegan Thai Salad with Peanut Dressing Forever - Organic Authority

by Chloe Cann, The Independent, April 5, 2017

At first glance, new dessert barGirls & Boysis just like any other Melbourne scene-stealer. The deconstructed ice cream dishes with baklava toppings are prime Instagram fodder, and though slightly pricier than the norm, its beauty pageant of cakes could rival that of any local confectioner. But there is one rather vital ingredient missing here: animal products. No dairy, gelatine or egg has ever crossed paths with this gleaming array of treats.

The latest venture from local restaurateurs Laki Papadopoulos and Mark Price, nothing about Girls & Boys screams vegan and thats just the intention. The whole crux of this shop is it's got to be fun and oops it's vegan, explains Papadopoulos. We don't take a hardline approach.

Part of a movement thats gaining rapid momentum, veganrestaurantsseem to be spreading through the city like wildfire. Australia is now said to be the third fastest-growing vegan market in the world, after the UAE and China. Last month a new local magazine launched, devoted entirely to vegan living.

Melbourne where more than 12 per cent of the local populace eats little or no meat according torecent research has long boasted a stronger vegan offering than its Antipodean siblings. But over the past five years the scene has flourished beyond recognition thanks to a spate of interesting vegan-only openings.

New kids on the block includeSupercharger, the takeaway joint in a ritzy mall thats been supplying shoppers and suits with buddha bowls since mid-2014. In March 2015, suburban cafeSerotonininjected some lightheartedness back into the plant-based landscape, with indoor swings replacing chairs and a tagline that reads, Happiness is a drug and we want to be your dealers.

The mavericks atMatcha Mylkbaropened their doors last March, introducing folks to the delights of spiced latte flights, matcha bao buns and mock eggs. This February, Melbourne welcomed the citys first 100 per cent vegan pizzeria,Red Sparrow.

The only thing missing was healthy fast food, but the latest addition to Melbournes growing vegan family has that covered. Such was the clamour surroundingThe Alleysopening that before opening last week, it had clocked up more than 800 Instagram followers swooning over its jackfruit burgers and squash spaghetti with lentil and mushroom meatballs. Its what the publics asking for, says owner Alexandra Pyke. Our unique selling point is everythings grab and go. People still want to snack and have soft serve [ice cream] and burgers. They just want it to be healthier.

Boundary-pushing outlets are popping up citywide, but hipster hood Fitzroy is Melbournes vegan heartland. Here, around the corner from Girls & Boys, is where Papadopoulos and Price started out almost thirty years ago with local institution,Vegie Bar. When we came here in 1988 there were no other veggie places around, shrugs Papadopoulos. Now Fitzroy said to be Melbournes smallest inner-city suburb features more than 100 vegan-catering eateries, from creperies to fish and chip shops to taco bars.

But if anything can prove how solid Melbournes plant-based scene is, its the increase in upscale establishments, offering more than just food that ticks boxes.

People come from Sydney just to eat at therestaurant, explains Shannon Martinez, head chef and co-owner of Smith & Daughters, which opened in Fitzroy in early 2014. The demand for their rocknroll brand of Latin-influenced vegan food has been so strong that the duo has since opened up an offshoot deli for daytime trade, launched a cookbook thats sold nearly 40,000 copies in just five months, and even spawned their own line of T-shirts and totes.

Culinary mastermind Martinez ensures everything on the menu is made from scratch from plant-based cheeses to nougat to prawns to buffalo fried chicken pizza and plenty more beyond.

Such has been therestaurants draw that the majority of customers arent even vegan anymore. Youve got mums with expensive handbags coming in with kids for meatless Mondays, or just a healthy dinner, she says. Gone are the Hare Krishna vibes; veganism hasnt got that tainted image as it used to. A lot of fine diningrestaurantsare doing vegan degustations now theres no way they would have done that even five years ago.

Papadopoulos and Price launched their own take on upmarket vegan dining in March 2015.Transformer, housed in a former Fitzroy factory, is all about the dining experience. Also catering to vegetarians, it follows the small plates trend, serving a contemporary European menu against exposed white brick walls, recycled black timber panelling and pops of greenery.

The pairs vegan empire continues to thrive for two main reasons, says Papadopoulos. People are more mindful of what they're putting in their bodies now. That information wasn't there [before]. We've also got some amazing produce here and that's what helps drive it. I definitely dont think its a fad.

With almost any vegan taste virtuous, gourmet or otherwise catered to, theres no doubt Victorias capital is ahead of the game globally, Martinez says. I dont think theres anything you could possibly want thats not available. Were nailing it here.

This article was written by Chloe Cann fromThe Independentand was legally licensed through theNewsCredpublisher network. Please direct all licensing questions tolegal@newscred.com.

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How Melbourne Has Quickly Become One of the Vegan Capitals of the World - Travel Agent

San Francisco Examiner

Dreamcar cohorts bond over vegan diet San Francisco Examiner Bassist Tony Kanal can thank his vegan lifestyle for Dreamcar, the new side project he formed with fellow No Doubt members Tom Dumont and Adrian Young (while frontwoman Gwen Stefani stayed busy with her solo career and TV's The Voice). Otherwise ...

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Dreamcar cohorts bond over vegan diet - San Francisco Examiner

Just a few blocks south of Lower East Side deli mainstays Russ & Daughters and Katzs is a new modern deli counter and grocery: Orchard Grocer. Here, the shelves are filled with specialty products like Sir Kensingtons Ketchup and organic rice ramen, and theres a tidy case of packaged products that at first glance look like standard sliced salami and bricks of cheese. But theres just one thing missing: animal products.

Completely vegan, Orchard Grocer recreates iconic New York sandwiches without the formerly requisite dairy and meat. Sandwiches like The Edith, with house-made cashew cream cheese and carrot lox" on a toasted bagel, and The Marlowe, a "reuben" with beet-brined seitan, kraut, house-made Thousand Island, and melted Chao cheese on marble rye, reimagine what New York deli sandwiches can be. But do they stack up to the originals?

Orchard Grocer is co-owned by Sara and Erica Kubersky -- the proprietors (and sisters) of neighboring vegan shoe store MooShoes -- and Joya Carlton, who has created veg-centric menus for Butcher's Daughter and Buvette. The Kuberskys first came up with the idea for a vegan restaurant after realizing how frequently they referred shoppers at their shoe store to local eateries offering cruelty-free dishes. So, why not keep all the business in-house?

Growing up in Queens, the Kuberskys often schlepped down to the Lower East Side for Jewish food, a pastime that shifted when Erica went vegetarian, and then vegan as a kid. It broke my moms heart, just a little, Ericasays of her decision to stop eating meat-heavy Jewish foods. But her mother didnt give up: She sourced tofu cream cheese from Zabars, tried to recreate brisket from seitan, and cooked a vegan version of noodle kugel. Vegan Jewish food was indeed possible. And in 2017, when by CHLOE.s plant-based mac & cheese, burgers, and kale ice cream draw long lines of vegan and non-vegan New Yorkers alike, the Kuberskys vegan Jewish fare seemed like a no-brainer.

Since its early March opening, Orchard Grocer has mostly seen customers looking for the Jewish food they sacrificed after becoming vegan -- others, including meat lovers, are just coming in for a good-tasting sandwich.

No one expects a Katzs reuben on rye, dripping in pastrami fat and creamy Thousand Island dressing to be considered healthy by any means, yet labeling any sandwich vegan (even the fast-food-style veggie burger at by CHLOE.) seems to easily convince many that its a more nutritious choice. Still though, without meat and dairy products, a vegan sandwich is still a sandwich, loaded with high-calorie ingredients between two slices of bread.

We dont want to give the false impression that were healthy, but were definitely healthier, Erica says. Healthy-ish.

Because Orchard Grocer is a small business, all the products are small-batch, made fresh, mostly organic, mostly local, and palm oil-free, making the menu offerings healthier than bigger businesses producing vegan food en masse, like by CHLOE.

To develop the recipes, Carlton tested various vegetables and other ingredients that would not only re-create the appearance and texture of their animal-made counterparts (smoked salmons spongy texture was eventually made from carrots soaked in aquafaba, the juice drained from chickpeas), but would also evoke the feelings associated with standby comfort foods.

Theres a reason why lox and bagels and pastrami are so popular, Carlton says. Its the feeling. I know that our lox doesnt taste like salmon, but it has a lot of the same textures and looks, and it gives you the experience of eating a bagel with lox.

At first glance, the Marlowe reuben could easily pass for non-vegan: The beet-brined seitan looks like cured beef, and the vegan Thousand Island dribbling down the rye doesnt hint at being made from chickpea juice. And at first bite, though its obvious theres no meat on this sandwich, the pickled sauerkraut and salty, red-hued seitan combined between bread truly mimic the original.

Carlton wouldnt know that though; she didnt conduct any taste tests with the non-vegan original sandwiches. No, no, gross! she laughs at the thought of trying beef. Still, she thinks her beef-like creations may help recent veggie converts acclimate to their new meat-free life.

Particularly for new vegans, this is the place, Carlton emphasizes. You can see that being a vegan isnt that hard!

The Kubersky sisters believe New Yorkers arent as timid about eating vegetarian, vegan food, and imitation meats as they once were, even as old veggie-fueled stalwarts like Angelica Kitchen leave town. [Vegan options] are definitely getting fancier, Erica says. Its going in a more gourmet direction, which is great, but we want to be a place where you can eat everyday.

Sign up here for our daily NYC email and be the first to get all the food/drink/fun New York has to offer.

Melissa Kravitz is a writer based in NYC who was a vegan for a couple of days as a teenager. Follow her on Twitter.

See original here:

This New Deli Is Making Vegan Jewish Classics That Look Like the Real Deal - Thrillist

At first glance, new dessert bar Girls & Boysis just like any other Melbourne scene-stealer. The deconstructed ice cream dishes with baklava toppings are prime Instagram fodder, and though slightly pricier than the norm, its beauty pageant of cakes could rival that of any local confectioner. But there is one rather vital ingredient missing here: animal products. No dairy, gelatine or egg has ever crossed paths with this gleaming array of treats.

The latest venture from local restaurateurs Laki Papadopoulos and Mark Price, nothing about Girls & Boys screams vegan and thats just the intention. The whole crux of this shop is it's got to be fun and oops it's vegan, explains Papadopoulos. We don't take a hardline approach.

Part of a movement thats gaining rapid momentum, vegan restaurants seem to be spreading through the city like wildfire. Australia is now said to be the third fastest-growing vegan market in the world, after the UAE and China. Last month a new local magazine launched, devoted entirely to vegan living.

Melbourne where more than 12 per centof the local populace eats little or no meat according torecent research has long boasted a stronger vegan offering than its Antipodean siblings. But over the past five years the scene has flourished beyond recognition thanks to a spate of interesting vegan-only openings.

New kids on the block include Supercharger, the takeaway joint in a ritzy mall thats been supplying shoppers and suits with buddha bowls since mid-2014. In March 2015, suburban cafe Serotonininjected some lightheartedness back into the plant-based landscape, with indoor swings replacing chairs and a tagline that reads, Happiness is a drug and we want to be your dealers.

The mavericks at Matcha Mylkbaropened their doors last March, introducing folks to the delights of spiced latte flights, matcha bao buns and mock eggs. This February, Melbourne welcomed the citys first 100 per centvegan pizzeria, Red Sparrow.

Behind the bar at Smith & Daughters (Nicole Reed/Smith & Daughters)

The only thing missing was healthy fast food, but the latest addition to Melbournes growing vegan family has that covered. Such was the clamour surrounding The Alleys opening that before opening last week, it had clocked up more than 800 Instagram followers swooning over its jackfruit burgers and squash spaghetti with lentil and mushroom meatballs. Its what the publics asking for, says owner Alexandra Pyke. Our unique selling point is everythings grab and go. People still want to snack and have soft serve [ice cream] and burgers. They just want it to be healthier.

Boundary-pushing outlets are popping up citywide, but hipster hood Fitzroy is Melbournes vegan heartland. Here, around the corner from Girls & Boys, is where Papadopoulos and Price started out almost thirty years ago with local institution,Vegie Bar. When we came here in 1988 there were no other veggie places around, shrugs Papadopoulos. Now Fitzroy said to be Melbournes smallest inner-city suburb features more than 100 vegan-catering eateries, from creperies to fish and chip shops to taco bars.

But if anything can prove how solid Melbournes plant-based scene is, its the increase in upscale establishments, offering more than just food that ticks boxes.

People come from Sydney just to eat at the restaurant, explains Shannon Martinez, head chef and co-owner of Smith & Daughters, which opened in Fitzroy in early 2014. The demand for their rocknroll brand of Latin-influenced vegan food has been so strong that the duo has since opened up an offshoot deli for daytime trade, launched a cookbook thats sold nearly 40,000 copies in just five months, and even spawned their own line of T-shirts and totes.

Culinary mastermind Martinez ensures everything on the menu is made from scratch from plant-based cheeses to nougat to prawns to buffalo fried chicken pizza and plenty more beyond.

Such has been the restaurants draw that the majority of customers arent even vegan anymore. Youve got mums with expensive handbags coming in with kids for meatless Mondays, or just a healthy dinner, she says. Gone are the Hare Krishna vibes; veganism hasnt got that tainted image as it used to. A lot of fine dining restaurants are doing vegan degustations now theres no way they would have done that even five years ago.

The Alley was a sell-out joint even before it opened (The Alley)

Papadopoulos and Price launched their own take on upmarket vegan dining in March 2015. Transformer, housed in a former Fitzroy factory, is all about the dining experience. Also catering to vegetarians, it follows the small plates trend, serving a contemporary European menu against exposed white brick walls, recycled black timber panelling and pops of greenery.

The pairs vegan empire continues to thrive for two main reasons, says Papadopoulos. People are more mindful of what they're putting in their bodies now. That information wasn't there [before]. We've also got some amazing produce here and that's what helps drive it. I definitely dont think its a fad.

With almost any vegan taste virtuous, gourmet or otherwise catered to, theres no doubt Victorias capital is ahead of the game globally, Martinez says. I dont think theres anything you could possibly want thats not available. Were nailing it here.

Go here to read the rest:

How Melbourne has quickly become one of the vegan capitals of the world - The Independent