Liverpool UK: I tried the 'delicious' burgers non vegans 'can't believe' aren't real meat

From liverpoolecho.co.uk

Frost Burgers offers a 100% plant based menu and has built a huge fan base

You can't beat a decent burger and sometimes, it's the only thing that hits the spot.

Frost Burgers has gained a reputation for offering convincing vegan burgers that even fool some meat eaters, so we decided to give it a try.

My partner and I have been vegetarians for years. He really misses the taste of real meat whereas I'm not particularly fussed.

On a quest for a decent vegetarian or vegan burger that would satisfy his craving for a "real" burger, we stumbled across some stellar reviews for Frost Burgers.

Boasting a 100% plant-based street food menu, Frost Burgers has built a loyal fan base, amassing more than 65k followers on Instagram. 

It opened in 2018, founded by Youtube and Instagram star Monami Frost.

The takeaway and dine-in spot has a string of five star reviews on popular site Tripadvisor, with many commenting on the realistic meaty taste of the food.

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Reviewer Kendal wrote: "I saw this place online and had to visit when I was in Liverpool. I was not disappointed! This food is delicious and my non-vegan friend couldn't believe it was all vegan food! Burgers and fries all so good- they need to open more branches now! Very good prices also."

Emily Jayne titled her review "try these burgers!" and said: "Vegan options are increasingly broad, especially in Liverpool, but you won't find a better burger than Frosts. Better than anything a carnivore could find, this is genuinely the best vegan burger I've ever had. The restaurant itself is quite small but decorated well, and you can get the food delivered (it travels well). Fries and shakes are delicious too. I didn't personally like the brand of cola they sell but everything else is perfect."

Sam said: "OMG! Even if you’re not vegan/veggie you will love this place! I had the meal deal with the double treble and garlic mayo the only bad side is that I live in London so can’t go back for a while."

The praise extends further than reviews, too.

Big 7 Travel voted Frost Burgers among the top 50 burger places in the UK while just last year, the venue received the Top Rated award from HappyCow, an online service which lists sources of vegan, vegetarian and healthy food.

It's fair to say we quickly had very high expectations.

We opted for the Double Cheezburger (£7.45), the Animal Free (£9.75), a portion of skin on fries with vegan mayonnaise (£4.45) and a portion of Frost Bites (vegan chicken nuggets, £5.45).

The Double Cheezburger comes with two beef-free patties with two slices of melted cheddar cheese, gherkins, white onion, yellow mustard and tomato sauce. You can amend the burger to remove items you're not keen on. For me, gherkins are a no-go so I went without them.

The faux beef patties were packed with flavour and really moist - for a split second, the burger had me convinced I'd accidentally ordered real beef. The vegan cheese, which is often pretty lacklustre, was perfectly seasoned and melted. It really elevated the overall taste of the burger, giving it an American-style quality which felt very indulgent.

The Animal Free burger features a chicken free patty in between two beef free patties, layered with three slices of melted cheddar cheese, alongside yellow mustard, gherkins, sriracha mayonnaise, red onion, tomato sauce, tomato and lettuce. It was a hefty, decadent burger - not for those with small appetites. It was very messy to eat and the chicken patty was unfortunately very dry which was a little disappointing but the rest of the burger was delicious.

The chips were incredible, they're very generously salted which I loved. If you're not a fan of overly salty food, then these might not be for you but I could have eaten an extra portion of them. 

The chicken nuggets were a let down, though. They were very dry and bland and I wouldn't order them again - I'll be sticking to Quorn's veggie crispy nuggets whenever I get a craving for some McDonald's McNuggets.

The minor disappointments with our meal didn't detract from the overall experience at all - the food was very high quality, tasty and rich. It satisfied all those junk food cravings, which isn't always a guarantee with vegetarian and vegan takeaways.

There's some brilliant vegetarian and vegan burgers on offer these days but sometimes, you do feel as though you're missing out if you don't want to eat animals but still miss the flavour of real meat. Frost Burgers definitely satisfies any meaty cravings - I'd happily take my steak-loving mum to this venue and I'm confident she'd really be able to enjoy the incredible variety of burgers on offer.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/reviews/tried-delicious-burgers-non-vegans-21145994

UK: New vegan Tapas restaurant even meat eaters are calling a 'must' visit

From liverpoolecho.co.uk

One recent diner had driven for four hours to try the place

A new vegan restaurant has been getting rave reviews with one diner calling it "beyond words".

Vegan Tapas opened on June 1 in Heswall, Wirral, by owners Joseph and Hannah Willis and has had people traveling for miles to taste their unique plant-based and "eco-friendly" menu.

Manager Joanna Jones, 40, said they have been overwhelmed with the support from the local community.

She said: "I come from Liverpool but live in Bebington now so I feel like I am also just discovering Heswall now it is such a lovely area, and the locals have been amazing.

"They have all been so lovely and supportive. We are surrounded by homes of people who love to come out to eat and I think after we have all been in lockdown for so long they are happy to do so."

And it is not just the local vegans, Joanna said: "I did think at first we would have queues of vegans and vegetarians wanting to come and eat here, but there are so many non-vegans, that has surprised me most.

"We had a table of four in a few nights back and one of the couples was worried they wouldn't be full off the food, but by the end of the night they couldn't even manage a dessert - they loved it. And I think that is the main thing, the quality of food is so important to us that the fact that it is all vegan is almost secondary."

Vegan Tapas in Heswall has been getting rave reviews from customers on Facebook

Joanna said a great deal of thought has gone into the restaurant's overall ethos, she added: "Joseph and Hannah were so conscious about ensuring everything where possible was sustainably sourced, for example, all the wood cladding in the restaurant is all reclaimed wood.

"Where we can we grow our own produce or source it from as local as possible.

"Our chefs start early in the morning and make all our own bread and butter in house.

"Every sauce, chutney and jam is all made here in the restaurant and we have a wine list that is 100% organic, which is something I have never seen another restaurant do.

"We have platters that change every day depending on what has been picked fresh.

"It is part of the ethos of Vegan Tapas to take responsibility for our social impact."

Joanna said there had been a minor set back shortly after opening when a member of staff tested positive for Covid and they had to close for 10 days.

She said: "Our first 10 days we opened with had a 50% off menu and then we had to close. We lost 172 bookings, but it just couldn't be helped.

"We will get all those bookings back and we have seen all the people coming back already."

And it hasn't stopped the positive reviews flooding in, posting on their Facebook page one said: "So my husband is vegan I am not. We decided to 'go for a vegan '.

"Vegan tapas is unique. Venue is stunning, small, cosy with a really friendly vibe.

"Staff are really helpful, really friendly and passionate about the restaurant and what it gives to customers.

"The food is exceptional, totally not what I expected. Unbelievable taste and variety, perfect presentation and absolutely a must, even for us meat eaters."

Another said: "Beyond words. Must trys: Cherry bakewell - cocktail. Grilled asparagus with raspberry mustard. Nashville hot crispy mushrooms. 10 out of 10".

Some have even driven for four hours just to try the place, one said: "So glad to actually visit the restaurant this evening after hearing such good things, a very welcoming and relaxing atmosphere followed by such a selection of amazing flavours.

"Great first experience to have a completely plant-based night out, would love to return in the near future. Just a shame the drive is 4 hours from home but we will return."

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/new-vegan-tapas-restaurant-even-21004750

Quirky new Liverpool cafe serving vegan 'eggs', 'salmon' and more

From liverpoolecho.co.uk

The Vibe offers a plant based menu with faux eggs, meats and more

Plant based cafe The Vibe on Paradise Street is making waves in the city centre.

It opened in autumn of 2020, against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, and offers a plant based menu boasting vegan versions of "eggs", "tuna", "salmon" and more.

Now indoor hospitality has finally resumed, we were keen to visit new venues and show our support for Liverpool businesses.

The Vibe has an impressive menu and whether you're vegan or not, there's certainly something for everyone.

We opted for the "salmnot bagel" (£4.95), a plant based version of the ever popular salmon bagel. It consisted of carrot "salmon", which was a convincing and delicious substitute for fish though not as strong as salmon.

The faux fish was paired with a decadent Philadelphia-style cream cheese and rocket.

The bagel was tasty and the perfect consistency. If you're particularly peckish, it would be wise to add a side but as the bagel is less than a fiver, you can't complain about the size of the serving.

We also selected the "hash stack" (£8.95), which was made up of a generous helping of crispy mixed potatoes, roasted peppers and carrots with salad, tossed in herbs and spices, with a vegan "fried egg".

It was packed with flavour and tasted incredibly fresh while still managing to be filling.

The vegan fried egg was unusual, the "egg white" was similar to the consistency of a pancake while the "yolk" hinted at an egg flavour but was actually much tastier than a real fried egg.

It was soft enough to dip the rest of the food in and I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was made with. The waitress joked the recipe was "top secret" but did reveal the yolk had been made fresh from butternut squash.

The Vibe plant based cafe is based on Paradise Street in Liverpool's city centre

(Image: Jess Flaherty/Liverpool ECHO)

Vegan and vegetarian substitutes for meat and animal produce are a great way for people to try plant based foods without losing the flavours they're familiar with and fond of.

To drink, we chose sugar free cola from indie company Karma Cola (£1.95 each), as The Vibe doesn't stock the likes of soft drink giants Coca-Cola or Pepsi. Karma still manages to hit the spot, though - it's less fizzy than its mainstream counterparts but the cola flavouring is much stronger, which we were big fans of.

The Vibe has been tastefully designed, with forest green and white paint on the walls and matching plush velvet seats, as well as atmospheric rose gold leaf shaped lighting and faux shrubbery to bring the outdoors in.

The only real issue was the temperature of the venue. It quickly felt stuffy and by the end of our lunch, we were desperate to get outside and enjoy some fresh air.

Still, it's a beautiful cafe with a fresh, innovative menu and we will definitely be back.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/quirky-new-liverpool-cafe-serving-20702435

Liverpool named among the best cities in the UK for vegan takeaways

From liverpoolecho.co.uk

Liverpool is home to 285 takeaways serving vegan food

Liverpool has been named among the best cities in the UK for vegan takeaways.

We all love a good takeaway, especially during lockdown, and if your diet means you’ll need a vegan one - or if you just want to try it - Liverpool has plenty to choose from.

Using TripAdvisor to check the number of restaurants offering takeaway and the number that offer vegan options as well as reviews from UberEats, new research from Garden of Life has revealed the UK cities with the most vegan takeaway options, as well as the highest rated cities for vegan takeaways.

According to the research, Liverpool has the highest percentage of vegan takeaways, coming in with 63% of takeaways offering vegan options.

The city has 411 restaurants offering takeaway, 285 of which offer vegan options.

Among Liverpool’s vegan takeaways are Duke Street favourite Down the Hatch, Lark Lane chippy Woo Tan Scran and Wood Street’s Frost Burgers.

Liverpool is closely followed by Brighton and Hove (57%) and Norwich (53%).

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/liverpool-named-among-best-cities-19964755

Best vegan restaurant in the UK has been named and it's in Liverpool

From liverpoolecho.co.uk

The venue has only been open for just over a year

A Liverpool vegan cafe has been named the best vegan restaurant in the UK after opening just over a year ago. Indigo Greens, based in Queens Drive in West Derby, scooped the award at the Vegfest UK Awards, after battling stiff competition.

           Indigo Greens is among the best vegan restaurants in the UK (Image: Indigo Green)

Couple Mark Aston and Patti Bullock opened the cafe after going vegan and being disappointed with the lack of good quality vegan food when eating out. Mark told the ECHO: "It was an incredible honour to even be nominated but to win the award just 12 months after opening is phenomenal.

He said: "Special thanks goes to Liverpool, our city, for getting behind us and backing us. Liverpool has been on the map for music and football and to now be able to claim we have the best vegan restaurant is fantastic and shows what a progressive and forward thinking movement is happening right now."

Signature dishes include the Full Indigo Breakfast, the TLT (chipotle smoked tofu with lettuce and tomato, on toast) and the Green Grill Breakfast.

Head chef Patti said: "To receive this award means so much, it's been tough and testing but our desire to showcase plant based food and show the people of Liverpool that plant based definitely doesn't mean boring has pushed us on.
"The feedback and support we have from the city and further afield is outstanding.

"I'm proud to say our food has been instrumental in converting carnivores to a vegan diet and allowing people to live more sustainably, whilst eating cruelty free foods that don't compromise on taste or flavour is a massive achievement for the future of our city and ultimately the future of humanity."

            Mark Aston and Patti Bullock are celebrating after scooping the best vegan restaurant award                                                       (Image: Instagram: @indigo_greens17)

The couple have also recently opened their own pop-up at the Duke Street Market.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/best-vegan-restaurant-uk-been-17167442