South London’s Peckham and its surrounding areas have long been focal points for the Caribbean and West African communities in the U.K, and Zionly Manna is the first restaurant built on that community that is exclusively vegan. The shop’s menu is a perfect representation of the Caribbean islands, though it looks nothing like a typical Caribbean restaurant. Chow mein noodles, spelt pasta, and chickpea curry sit alongside dishes that lean on the Rastafari heritage of Ethiopia, with many split pea and lentil stews on display.

While Brixton Village’s essential Caribbean heritage has waned in recent years, a handful carry on to forward the culture. At Eat of Eden, spirulina, hemp, seaweed and moss drinks pay homage to foodstuffs that Rastas have been championing for time immemorial. The interweaving of ackee, callaloo and plantain through the menu’s curries and wraps is the restaurant’s hallmark, but for first timers who aren’t sure where to begin, there no other introduction than to jump straight into their beloved, awe-inspiring platters.

With stalls across London, the duo behind Rainforest Creations are striving to bring the produce of the rainforest to the U.K. while educating the populace its the various health benefits. The offerings start with the eponymous boxes: the rainbow box is replete with spinach flan, lentil sprouts, tropical coleslaw and tomato dressing; the lentil burger box brings all that, in a bun. For those on the move the cornmeal and lentil based Roti bread wraps are to be savoured, most notably the “Caribbean Roti” chock full with plantain, greens and avocado.

Also:

Hammersmith Market, Thursdays 10a.m. – 3p.m. Lyric Square, Hammersmith W6 0ED

Oval Market, Saturdays 10a.m. – 3p.m. St. Marks Church, SE11 4PW

Herne Hill Market, Sundays 10a.m – 4p.m. Railton Road, SE24 0JN

Alexandra Palace Market, Sundays 10a.m – 3p.m. Muswell Hill, N10 3TG

With bellowing butchers, bakers and traders hustling a variety of meaty meals, Surrey Street market is far from a bastion of veganism. The Shakur-Muhammad sisters behind the new and increasingly popular Livity Cuisine are changing that, whilst educating people on the long history of meat-free diets, especially in the black community. The pair have used ingredients of the African diaspora to innovate previously unencountered meals like brown stew jackfruit and jerk lentils; vegetable dishes like callaloo, kale and mixed peppers alongside grains of spiced bulgur or brown rice make for a complete meal.

New to an east London scene that is being increasingly populated by white mainstream meat-free restaurants, All Nations Vegan House looks to reclaim a Caribbean heritage in an area that is increasingly being eroded, and rows of books on Afro-Caribbean history and numerous food and cook books provide a welcoming space for community education. With the menu altering from time, the port of call here is to order a full meal consisting of “grains”, such as bulgur or lentils “stews” including an incredibly sweet and creamy chickpea curry or any thing else fully utilising an array of tropical produce like okra.

Adding to the small community of East African restaurants in this residential corner of Camden, the newly opened Engocha’s all-vegan stance has proved a novelty. Thanks to the other regional restaurants in the area the food isn’t a complete mystery to most locals hence the immediate popularity. Rice or the staple injera bread is served up with 3-5 incredibly textured and rich sides, including miser kik and ater kik, both luminously coloured lentil stews, in addition to butcha chickpeas, fesolia green beans and atakilt wat a wonderful assortment of carrot, potato and cabbage.