Unity Diner: My Favourite Place in London
Unity Diner is my favourite place to eat in London. I typically visit London once a year and without fail for the past three years, Unity Diner has been the highlight. Located in Spitalfields, Unity Diner was founded in September 2018 to provide incredible vegan food which directly helps bring about positive change for animals and the environment. The restaurant and bar is also run as a non-profit, with its proceeds having led to the founding of Surge Sanctuary, an 18-acre site in the rural Midlands of England that houses unwanted animals. Recently Unity Diner has teamed up with Redefine Meat to sell their revolutionary 3D-printed vegan steaks which are only available in a handful of restaurants in London.
One of Unity Diner’s core aims is to use the power of plants to revolutionise public perceptions surrounding vegan food as well as to contribute towards creating a better future for all animals. Not only this but they’re also working towards a better earth and environment by only using 100% biodegradable and plastic-free takeaway containers. As well as ethically made uniforms and merchandise made with 100% organic cotton and chemical-free vegan ink. One of the core founders of Unity Diner is ‘Earthling’ Ed Winters; vegan educator, public speaker and best-selling author with his books ‘How to Argue With a Meat Eater’ and ‘This is Vegan Propaganda’.
I could write about Unity Diner and all of the good they do all day, but let’s get into this visit’s food. To start we ordered the ‘award-winning’ tofish bites, perfectly fried, bite-sized tofu-fish with tartare sauce. Just as the menu states they can only be described as crispy, flavourful and irresistible. On a previous visit, I ordered the main version of the tofish and it is just as good! If you’re unsure as to what to get on your visit to Unity Diner, make sure you pick a starter so you’re not missing out on any of the food because it is the perfect way to start off the meal! In fact, Unity Diner has a sister restaurant in Brighton called The No Catch Co. specifically selling vegan fish, prawns, calamari and battered sausages.
For our main, we ordered the Redefine Meat 5oz flank steak and chips. Redefine Meat is made from sustainable, plant-based ingredients including proteins, fats, colourings and flavours. Combined using 3D-printing technology to create a tasty new meat without any animal-based ingredients. When I first tried this meat my mouth went crazy. I could not believe what I was eating wasn’t actual steak. The taste, texture, sight and smell all overwhelmed me, but I just could not stop eating it. It was truly one of the most mind-blowing meals I’ve eaten. So much so that it has been my go-to Unity Diner main for the past two years. The triple-cooked chunky cut chips complemented the whole meal perfectly. The steak comes with a mushroom or peppercorn sauce, neither is a wrong choice. If you visit London purely to visit Unity Diner it would not be a wasted trip.
