Their Website HERE
Location: 5 Hoxton Market, Shoreditch, London N1 6HG
And so, on Sunday, I and my flat took to Shoreditch to experience the long-awaited menu of Unity Diner. Earthling Ed was and still is one of the main motivators in making the vegan change. Upon learning that himself and Robbie Lockie were in the process of creating a Vegan Diner, I was extremely excited.
– Ed Winters (Co-Founder)
Unity Diner is a non-profit establishment, where proceeds are given to SURGE, an animal rights organisation that is campaigning to end animal oppression, funds will also go towards the development of the brand-new animal rescue sanctuary, The Surge Sanctuary, which is scheduled to open in late 2019.
Walking into the establishment, I was instantly welcomed. It was cosy, decorative, comfortable. The staff were loving, accommodating and clearly passionate for the cause. We had a table booked, which I would recommend as the place filled up fast as the day went on.
I had my sights set on the breakfast menu, as there is nothing better than a hot stack of pancakes or waffles on a chilly Sunday. Sitting with our coffees, we perused the brunch/breakfast menu. However, we hit a snag-they were out of pancakes and waffles! It was disappointing, but the staff were extremely apologetic for the issue- but it gives another incentive to return to try these infamous breakfast treats!
So the lunch menu was now on the cards, an amazing array of dishes ranging from burgers, salads, and a new range of Veganuary dishes that include curry and a hot dog. Following the diner on social media, I had seen hundreds of diners treat themselves to The Moving Mountains Burger, but I was more tempted by The Seitan Chikken Burger, and I’m a sucker for setian. We also got some loaded fries to share.
Seitan, grilled peppers, mango salsa, rocket, buffalo hot sauce, mustard mayo, bakon and cheeze
All sandwiched between a DELICIOUS pretzel bun
I would highly recommend the burger, it was fresh, delicious and sweet. The seitan differed to the seitan I have had previously, the texture was a lot less meat-like which I really appreciated, however, if you do require something with a little more texture or meaty substance, add the bakon they have on extras, it adds a little more earthiness to the layers. My favourite part of it was the mustard mayonnaise and mango salsa- it really added a tangy zing to the meal.
The fries were definitely the star of the meal, if the burger was awful the fries would have saved the day alone. Luckily for me, both parts were UNREAL. Shared between four of us, the fries were a fantastic sharing platter and we struggled to finish them- which bodes well as two of us can eat for England. The sauce was divine, the warmth of sauce was sweet and smokey and cut through the occasional bite of the spring onion. There are two versions of this dish you can get, personally, I would have gone for the one with the goji berries and pomegranate as I can imagine the combination of the sauce and fruit being delicious- but the vote was 3 to 1.
Chunky chips with two types of cheeze, bbq seitan, fresh spring onion, coriander, garlic and spicy buffalo sauce, £10
10/10
The cheese was also a winner, not being a big fan of vegan cheese, the cheese in this dish was actually unbelievably delectable. I asked the girl serving us what it was, turns out it was Violife! Which I was extremely surprised about as most of that brand has been disappointing. According to our server, it was restaurant standard Violife, which only means I’ll have to return to try their Mac & Cheeze…for research purposes.
Overall, Unity Diner did meet my expectations. Service was a bit slow (I’ll put that down to the place being extremely busy). Nevertheless, I left that day feeling happy, content and warm. Knowing that there are people so dedicated to bringing and making veganism so enjoyable really is comforting. You can tell the establishment IS built on love, dedication and passion. It is a new and innovative way to spread the positive, loving message that being vegan is kinder, environmental and friendly- and anyone can enjoy it.
L O Q U I 