Vegan Travel: Why the UK is a vegan paradise and all the products you need to try!
Vegan Food in the UK that you have to try
The world has seen a rise in veganism during the past year, and with that countless new products flooded the market. What used to be incredibly hard a few years ago, is now easier than ever and you can get your hands on all kinds of substitutes that taste better than the dairy or meat version.
The UK secretly rose up to be a paradise of plant-based alternatives and if you are visiting England, Wales and Scotland, live here or just want to look at some food porn - this is your guide to the best vegan cheese, sweets and meat alternatives!
Vegan Cheese Alternatives
Long gone are the times when every vegan cheese tasted like cardboard or was stuck between your teeth. No matter if you are looking for hard cheese, cream cheese, parmesan or camembert alternatives, we got you covered in all price ranges - from big brands to little artisan masterpieces.
Let's start with a small handmade brand that combines sustainability, a healthy diet and delicious fermenting techniques. Bath Culture House sells cashew cheese, sauerkraut and kombucha. Their range is huge and has something for everyone. Lucie, the founder, studied biology and is trained in cheese making, which led her to pursue her dream to produce healthy food with a twist. All products are gluten-free, the cheeses are called ´chease´ and come in all kinds of flavours which can be bought on its own or as a package - same goes for the ferments like sauerkraut or kimchi!
The chease is made of a creamy cashew base and spiced with several different herbs. The flavours range from garlic & herb to smoked & chipotle chilli, sumac & cumin or activated charcoal. Another special one is a yeast extract chease, and actually it’s one of my favourites! They are absolutely perfect as a gift, to put on bread or even mixed with some pasta. You can truly taste the love behind the product and it’s well worth its price.
Packaging
The chease comes in a paper and cardboard packaging, which is a huge plus. All ferments are in glass containers that can be reused or recycled.
Price
The cheases are 5.95 Pounds which is very reasonable for an artisan cheese; ferments are between 4.95 and 5.95. You can also get packages, so 4 cheeses for 22 Pounds or 3 ferments for 14.50 Pounds. Perfect as a gift or to try multiple flavours!
Where to buy
The Bath Culture House products are available on their own website Bath Culture House or countless stockists both in-store and online.
Honestly Tasty is one of the most accessible, tastiest and innovative vegan cheese brands you can find right now. Their selection is small but mighty. And each one of them is absolute perfection. It’s run as a family business and growing rapidly. The complete production chain is trackable and everything possible is done to achieve an environmental footprint that is as small as somehow possible.
There is a blue cheese that tastes incredibly similar to an old school gorgonzola and while you can taste the coconut oil when eaten raw, melted over gnocchi or any other pasta, this completely disappears. The cheddar spread is very creamy and tangy: perfect on a cracker but does not melt that well - it’s still really nice when heated up. The Herbi reminds of a classic French cream cheese and of course is perfect on bread, but it also melts beautifully with pasta! But last but not least, the Shamembert is their showstopper as it’s a camembert that melts and can be put in the oven where it turns into an exact replica of an oven camembert. This may be the best vegan cheese you will ever try, especially with some garlic put into it and if you can get your hands on it - you absolutely have to.
Packaging
The plastic itself is not recyclable, the outer packaging is cardboard and has recently changed with a new branding campaign but can be recycled.
You can either order directly on their website or check one of their stockists listed. But you can also find it in the big vegan suppliers like The Vegan Kind Supermarket, Green Bay or Planet Organic.
I am nut ok already gives off its very cool vibe with the name, and that continues through the branding. May you could call it the emo under the vegan cheeses: a bit dark, unique and smokey with that little twist that makes you stop to take a closer look. They offer hard and soft cheeses of all sorts, artisan butters, ricotta, feta and a grated parmesan, that may or may not be my all-time favourite. The company is run by an American - Italian couple, all products are handmade in London with a strong focus on making the whole process as sustainable as possible.
Taste
Even though I am personally not a fan of rosemary, the rosemary infused nut butter was one hell of a taste explosion on toast. The soft Peppahh is rich in taste and spreadable, while the two semi-soft cheeses G.O.A.T. and Minerthreat belong on every cheese board. I personally would say the goat one tastes like a herby semi-soft and not really like goat’s cheese, which isn't a bad thing at all. They are not too strong, so even if you've never been a fan of old socks, this could be the one for you. If you are though, the Oh, Grate! is just as salty and tangy as its dairy cousin, an absolute must on every pasta dish.
The cheeses range between 4.49 Pounds and 7.99 Pounds. There is also the possibility to order a whole package which costs 30 Pounds and includes 6 cheeses. This can also be bought as a monthly subscription if you need your cheese fix every month, which is pretty cool. The price range is normal for artisan cheeses and completely justified by the amount of effort put into it, you will get something that has been made with a lot of love for the product and the environment.
All the companies above were based in England, so let's take a look at tiny little manufacturer up in Scotland. Left Coast Culture is a little vegan cheese shop that is based in the Highlands, offering some pretty unique cheeses that you cannot find anywhere else. You can taste the love put into them and we all love when people have a vision to change the world a tiny bit - Left Coast Culture does exactly that by being the only ones who offer these kinds of products up north. Unlike many others, those are made of so and not nuts.
and not nuts.
Taste
I got to try the Nozza Mozza, which acts as the vegan counterpart of Mozzarella, Murieta Münster which is inspired by the German cheese Münster and something you can't find vegan anywhere else, and Highland Havarti, a mild semi-soft cheese. Interestingly, they change the taste completely when heated up: while they are cold, they are very mild, but melting them (which they do perfectly!) gives you the taste explosion you may would have missed otherwise. No matter if in a toastie or pizza, melting is the way to go!
Packaging
Each cheese is carefully packed by hand in cheese paper and labelled with all the info you need, which makes it easy to repack them while storing without the need of any excess cling foil or anything.
Price
Each cheese costs 5.69 Pounds which is in the normal price range for artisan vegan cheese.
Where to buy
Their stockists are listed on their Facebook page linked above, most of them located somewhere in Scotland. Some restaurants in Inverness, Scotland use them on their menu which is super cool, but if you are in other parts of the country (or the world!), the Vegan Kind Supermarket is also one of their stockists.
Mouses favourite was founded with the intention to give people a chance to eat traditional cheese without the cruelty that lies behind the dairy industry, to keep it simple and let the fermenting process do its magic. Their range is mainly soft cheeses, including camembert and several blue ones, but also a few semi-hard ones and vegan butter.
In comparison to other camemberts, this one tastes quite mild but gets stronger with age. Especially the blue one comes with a lot of flavour and is absolutely perfect for a cheeseboard, may even on a tarte flambé or a toast. Put a bit of chutney on top and you got yourself the perfect snack!
Packaging
They come in a plastic free packaging and the outer part is made of cardboard, already showing you what's inside.
Price
The price ranges between 8.25 Pounds and 9.99 Pounds, which puts them at the top of the artisan cheeses price wise.
Where to buy
You can either get them directly on their website or through The Vegan Kind Supermarket, they ship UK wide.
Let's stay with the soft cheeses, Palace Culture is a small manufacturer from London. It started off as a kitchen project, but soon became a family business that needed its own space. These days, you can find them at all major markets, offering their soft and semi-soft cheeses that come in all kinds of different flavours.
Taste
I got to try the two smokey ones and they really do not disappoint! They are both slightly spicy: Holy Smoke a bit more than Smoked Paprika, but totally doable even if you are a bit sensible. Sometimes you can really taste the love and art behind a product, and this is one of them - every bite feels like a gift to yourself. You can put it on crackers, on a sandwich or eat just like it is - you might not stop till it’s all gone. They are made from organic cashews and almonds directly imported from Spain.
Packaging
They come in glas jars and compostable cheese paper, everything is traceable and sustainably sourced.
Price
The prices range between 7.30 Pounds and 12 Pounds, which makes them one of the more expensive options. Considering the background of what stands behind, it is worth the heftier price point though.
Where to buy
You can either order directly on their website or an online stockist, visit them at one of the markets or in-store at several organic stores all over the UK - all listed on their website.
Sophies Delight is a female-run small business that may or may not, makes one of the best vegan cheeses you will ever find. All their products are also gluten-free and may be the closest you will find to dairy cheese taste wise. Their range goes from herb cheeses to camembert, smokey semi-soft ones and gouda to melted ones in jars. Each of them is an experience on its own.
Taste
If you don't like a salty taste, this may not be something for you. But if you do, you maybe have discovered one of the best vegan cheeses ever. The gouda is so delicious, you can eat it straight out of the packaging or melt it; same goes with the smokey. The herbal one is both great on bread or pasta, and I’m sure all the other ones are just as great.
Packaging
They come in cheese paper and with minimal packaging, which is always a great thing!
Price
They range between 5.99 Pounds and 7.99 Pounds, so midrange for artisan cheese. Totally worth the money!
Where to buy
They are doing loads of markets, so check their website for the most recent ones. But you can also order it online via their website and you get your cheese delivered in a few days.
Soul Cheese is another passion project of homemade, artisan cheese in all varieties. All products are nut-based and whenever possible made with organic and fair trade products. They are best-known for the baked camembert, but also got some other hidden treasures like the melting mozarella that even looks like its dairy cousin, blue cheese, garlic and herb or chilli soft cheese.
Taste
Let's start with the absolute best thing: the baked camembert! In my opinion, it tastes more like a baked fondue, but that doesn't make it less good, rather the opposite as it’s incredibly hard to find something like this in the UK. It’s an absolute must and one of my favourite products all together. The chilli is pretty spicy but has a great taste, while the garlic and herb are great with crackers or on a piece of bread. They are not as soft as you may think but a bit more on the solid side, which makes them a bit more unique. Sadly, I feel like you can taste the vacuum plastic packaging a bit, so make sure to let it sit without it for a little while before eating.
Packaging
They use a recycled vacuum plastic packaging, and if you want it plastic-free, they will wrap it in cheese paper for you. I would choose that option if possible, as like I said before, I feel like you can taste the plastic a bit if not out for a while.
Price
All cheeses are between 5.95 Pounds and 6.59 Pounds, so on the cheaper side of artisan cheeses.
Where to buy
You can either directly order on their website, or in store at one of their stockists Soul Cheese.
Tyne Cheese Ltd.
Tyne cheese is a small artisan vegan cheese manufacturer that relies on the old ways of making cheese but using vegan ingredients to do so. All cheeses are cashew-based and those are sourced ethically and organic whenever possible. They are all made to be eaten cold, preferably on a cheeseboard or piece of bread. A few flavours come both in solid form and in a jar. They got a huge amount of flavours, but also an amazing offer if you would like to try more than one: A sample box with ten of their best cheeses in a very cute mini version!
Taste
The base is mostly the same, but the flavouring makes all the difference. They are really tangy, which is a really nice twist, and everyone has their favourite. I personally loved garlic, truffle and smoked, while the more exotic flavours like Ethiopian spice are for the ones who love it spicy. Just get the taster set and find the one you like best, you won't be disappointed.
Packaging
The samples are all individually wrapped with a tiny label, put into a very cute wooden box you can reuse afterwards. The big ones come in wooden boxes, wrapped in cheese paper so they can be reused as well.
Price
The range is between 7.95 and 8.95 Pounds for the big wheel, which would be at the higher end, but due to its really big size, it is actually not that expensive. The sample box is 18.95 Pounds and perfect as a start.
Where to buy
While we now covered all kinds of artisan cheeses, let's have a look at some that are already available in supermarkets. Vbites may be better known for their meat substitutes (which are delicious as well!), but they are also the producers of the vegan Applewood and Mexicana cheese. What you may not know, they also have a huge range of other cheeses like cheddar, parmesan, blue cheese or mozarella in all variations you can imagine. The chances are high that they may use it in your favourite vegan restaurant! Most are coconut-based with quite a bit of flavouring.
Taste
The Applewood is my favourite supermarket vegan cheese, as it melts beautifully and has an amazing smokey taste to it. Mozarella and cheddar together for a Mac ‘n’ Cheese was a bit too bland, but with the Applewood added into it, you got yourself the perfect mix. Mexican was a bit too spicy for me, but it’s an absolute staple in everyone’s kitchen who likes it a bit hot. You won't get the richness of artisan cheese, but that's not what you're going for if you get a ready-to-buy cheese with a long shelf life anyway.
Packaging
They are all packed in the usual plastic packaging.
Price
All cheeses are between 2-3 Pounds, so compatible with similar brands
Vitalite is mostly known for their delicious spread and butter alternative. But did you know that they also make vegan cheese? They only got one sort, but that one is actually one of my faves and extremely buttery. It comes in a block shape and slices.
Taste
If you remember buttery, creamy cheese and loved it - this is your go-to! Especially the slices: as the flavour comes out stronger in this shape, it also melts beautifully and is great on toasties, grilled cheese or burgers. It’s not tangy or very rich in different flavours, but sometimes the simple wins.
Packaging
Normal supermarket plastic packaging.
Price
The cheeses cost 2.85 / 2.95 Pounds so normal price range.
Where to buy
You can get it in Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury or online via The Vegan Kind Supermarket.
Vegan Sweets
No matter if it’s chocolate, gummy bears or any kind of sweet spread - these days we got a huge variety of things to choose from! Every big brand nowadays offers a vegan version of their most popular product, but the best stuff is still handmade with love. So let's take a look at some very special sweets.
Vegan yoghurts have been around way longer than most other alternatives, but the Coconut Collaborative has been taking them to another level. Their big jars come in four flavours - natural, vanilla, raspberry and mango/passionfruit. And boy are they tasty! But thats not all, they also offer desserts that can be used in many different ways. The chocolate pots can either be eaten like they are, but they also make a very delicious hot chocolate, while the salted caramel and orange cups are so full of flavour you may won`t stop once you started. Do you remember those desserts with whipped cream on top? Yep, they also got a vegan version of that and the best - they are available at all bigger supermarkets all over the UK!
Cintia is the owner of this small brand and makes everything herself. She mainly is known for her vegan Dulce de Leche, a Spanish delicacy that is very hard to find dairy-free and that should be in every kitchen. It’s sweet and made out of coconuts but tastes very creamy with a strong caramel flavour. She also sells vegan fudge and homemade Alfajores, an Argentinian treat, so make sure to put some into your basket if you make an order.
Taste
The consistency is exactly the same as the original, and while you can taste the coconut, this is actually an amazing twist and only adds a unique touch. If you like Dulce de Leche, or anything with a caramel taste, you won't be disappointed. And one jar lasts forever!
Packaging
The products are packed in glass jars or paper.
Price
The Dulce de Leche starts at 6 Pounds for a small one, 7.50 Pounds for the big jar, 2 Pounds for the Fudge and 2.50 Pounds for the Alfajores.
Where to buy
You can order online on the Vegan Crazy website -> Vegan Crazy
H!P was founded by a relative of the founder of Cadbury, and has the mission to revolutionize the world of milk chocolate once again. They use Colombian cacao and oat milk to create the very creamy taste. While other bars often taste very heavy, these are all light and diverse with many different flavours. They focus on slavery-free chocolate and chose oat milk due to its small environmental footprint and creaminess.
Taste
There are four flavours:
Normal: A creamy milk chocolate alternative that tastes exactly like you remember.
Salted caramel: One of my favourites as it’s spiked with sugar crystals and loads of flavour.
Cookies no cream: Chocolate with cookies is always really sweet and this is no exception, it could be a bit crunchier though.
Salty pretzel: this one is a surprise and the salt fits so well with the crunchy pretzel pieces that this may be my number one.
Packaging
The packaging is plastic free and the outside is made out of cardboard.
Price
Each bar is 3 Pounds, or 11.95 Pounds for all 4 together.
Where to buy
Love Raw is on a mission: to create vegan chocolate products that taste really chocolatey and to make it interesting for everyone - no matter if vegan, veggie or omni! Their product range is huge and goes from chocolate bars to wafers and butter cups.
Taste
I only got to try the new white chocolate waver, but if you like Kinder Bueno, this is the shit! The white chocolate is crazy accurate, with a crunchy waver in between and it comes in a double pack.
Packaging
The packaging is a hard to recyclable plastic, which is a bit mew.
Price
As they don't sell them on their website in single packs, you have to check your local supermarket for that.
Where to buy
You can get it in all major UK supermarkets and online via their website.
I am Swiss, and so my heart still beats for that rich, strong chocolate taste that may feel a little bit expensive. Usually, vegan chocolate more fall under the nice supermarket chocolate category, but Ombar got me by surprise. They are on a mission to focus on the main ingredient: the cacao bean. And they quit all refined sugar, palm fat and dairy. They offer a huge range, and honestly if you can, go and try them all.
Taste
This might have been the richest chocolate I’ve tried since I went vegan. And while all of them were absolutely incredible, the hazelnut truffle was my favourite and I don't even like hazelnut - it’s filled with a cream that melts in your mouth. The coco milk one doesn't taste too coconutty but comes close to a dairy milk chocolate and the little nibs in the salt one are one hell of an experience. I can't rave about it enough, by far my favourite vegan chocolate!
Packaging
The outer layer is paper and fully recyclable, while the inner plastic sadly isn't yet.
Price
The 35g bars are 1.99 Pounds, while the 70g ones are 3.29 Pounds. You can also order bundles for cheaper!
Where to buy
You can order directly online in their store or check one of their stockists, but its available in most Waitroses.
Delivery
We've been talking about articles you can order or get in-store, but what about meal kits or delivery services just for vegans that ship UK wide? There are a few and yep - they also deliver to your van if you put in the address of a parking and let them know!
The Indian Guy is a meal delivery service that provides you with homemade, authentic Indian food every Friday. It’s completely family owned and inspired by the owners mothers dishes and highly differs from a curry house, as instead of westernizing the dishes, they keep it original - but lucky for me, still not crazy spicy most of the time.
Instructions
You get a big box with food for either two or four people, and if you're on your own, the small one will just last for two days. They send you the instructions on how to reheat the dish and the monthly menu is available online, so you know what you're getting. Its storable for 48h, so you got plenty of time to enjoy!
Taste
I didn't have Indian food since I left India, and this came very close to what I had there. Every dish is absolutely delicious and you will get a wide variety - there is something for everyone! Most dishes are mild but there is always one medium one, happily you also get some Naan if you can't handle spicy, but if you do, you won't be disappointed either. It’s definitely the best Indian food I had outside of India, so if you fancy it next time, treating yourself to a box of Indian Guy is definitely worth it.
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Packaging
Their packaging is made with a big effort to keep it as sustainable as possible. The trays are from sugar cane fibre and the lids are recycled plastic; if you're local you can return everything to the driver on your next delivery and they will take care of reusing it safely ,which is pretty cool! As a bonus, 10 meals a month are donated to a local charity to give back to the community.
Price
The box for two coasts 25 Pounds, the one for four 50 Pounds and if you got a party, they also got an option for 6-8 people for 75 Pounds. If you would like to compose your own meal together, you can also do that as they got a normal menu online as well.
Where to buy
You have to order directly on their website and they ship nationally via courier, delivery is every Friday
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Pieminister is a brand with multiple restaurants and a delivery service. As the name already says, they focus on pies and also got multiple vegan ones on their menu. It’s pretty rare to find great vegan pies, even though it’s such a British staple, which makes this even more exciting. Their range of plant-based patties and pies is impressive, and today we are gonna focus on their kit to build your own mothership pie at home.
Instructions
If you go for that option, you will get two pies of your choice (there are three vegan ones in total) plus all the supplements to build a true feast. You will get gravy, mushy peas, mash, crispy onions and vegan cheese and of course the instructions on how to build it all together. It’s a pretty epic meal!
Taste
It’s an explosion! While it all looks pretty brown, this may be the definition of British cuisine, it has everything you can wish for. The mooless muh has this distinctive alcohol taste that makes a pie so tasty, and the onions with the cheese just fit very well. It’s definitely enough and you will have at least one meal by eating one of the pies!
Packaging
If you order, it arrives on Thursday and it’s packed in cardboard, but the smaller parts are in plastic.
Price
The pies vary price wise, but the mothership kit for two costs 25 Pounds.
Where to buy
You can try their food directly in the Pieminister restaurants, get it delivered or build your own with one of their kits, that you can order directly on the website.
VFC stand for Vegan Fried Chicken and boy they do deliver! They stand as a sort of political protest against the system, supporting those who use their resources to make a change; they do their part with providing meat-free, sustainable chicken. The founder is the co-founder of Veganuary and already changed the views of many in this way, so taking it one step further was only a question of time. They supply restaurants, stock in some stores and most importantly, deliver right to your doorstep! Their range includes nuggets and filets, both in normal and spicy.
Taste
The normal filet and nuggets have a bit of a firmer consistency than the spicy ones, which I personally prefer. It’s pretty damn tasty, just by itself, with the fries that come with it if you order a bundle, or in a burger. The spicy has some fire, so if you are sensitive, make sure to stick to the normal ones. Otherwise, go for it!
Packaging
The filets come in a cardboard packaging, the nuggets in bags that can be reused.
Price
They got several options available, the nuggets (called bites) are available with fries for 6 Pounds, on their own for 6 Pounds for 500g and 12 Pounds for 1kg, while the filets are 4 Pounds. If you want to try it all, you can get a bundle for 25 Pounds where you can choose between normal, spicy or mixed.
Where to buy
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