Vegan-Fest Tel Aviv: The Largest Vegan Festival In The World To Take Place On September 24th

Vegan-Fest, the largest vegan festival in the world, will take place on September 24^th, 2016 in Tel Aviv's Yarkon Park and is expected to attract more than 15,000 visitors who will celebrate their love of animals, healthy lifestyle and environmental commitment.

Vegan-Fest, a day-long happening, will include an abundance of excellent performers throughout the day and night together with attractions for the entire family in the areas of culinary experiences, entertainment, sports and nutrition, and personal enrichment and education. Among the attractions:

• V-TED area: For those who want to enjoy short and targeted lectures there will be a specially designated V-TED area in which there will be 10-minute TED lectures on varied subjects relating to veganism such as, veganism and feminism, veganism and sports, veganism and spiritualism, keeping your sanity as an animal activist, etc.
• Therapy and beauty-care area: Vegan-Fest will offer a full Holistic and Therapeutic area for Yoga sessions, Shiatzu and other alternative treatments and Pilates classes, alongside fashion and cosmetic stands presenting companies whose products were not used in animal experimentation.

Tel Aviv was recently named #1 destination for vegans by the Daily Meal, holding the highest percentage of vegan-friendly restaurants per capita in the world (150 vegan friendly restaurants, consisting of 10% of the restaurant scene in Tel Aviv). The vegan population in the city is also considered to be one of the highest in the world: between 5-10%. Check out this YouTube video for more information on why Tel Aviv is the BEST city for vegans: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfSf7R6ew3o.

The festival, a joint project of Vegan-Friendly and BUZZ productions, will take place on September 24^th, 2016 from 12am to 11pm in HaYarkon Park. The ticket prices will be advertised on the Vegan-Friendly site soon. This year it is expected that hundreds of people will come from all over the world in order to be part of what is expected to be the most famous vegan event in the world.

London's 5 Best Vegetarian Restaurants

Who says meat-free food also has to be flavour-free? Certainly not anyone who has sampled these fantastic finds

Brighton may have the hippie cafés, LA the raw food, but for the full gamut of veggie choices, you can't beat London town. Here, I've picked the five best vegetarian restaurants to offer something for everyone.

Tania Ballantine is a London restaurant critic and awards judge. Her book, Eat Like a Londoner: an Insider's Guide to Dining Out

(£9.99, Frances Lincoln), is out on 1 October 2015 and available to pre-order now.

Facebook.com/Nama.Artisan.Raw.Foods

Thai curry at Nama

THE CUTTING-EDGE RAW VEGAN ONE: NAMA

Ready to take meat-free to the next level? Head to Nama. A hangout for Notting Hillbillies ever since its 2014 launch, not only is the food vegan (rather than simply vegetarian) it's also entirely 'raw'. That is, not a single morsel has been exposed to anything above 42 degrees centigrade. You might think this would amount to salad followed by salad, but no: it's more like Thai curry served with kohlrabi 'rice' ahead of fermented mocha cheesecake or a selection of probiotic cashew and macadamia cheeses with sprouted crackers, olives and balsamic figs. Don't just make it meat-free: make it heat-free.

Address: 110 Talbot Road, London W11 1JR
Telephone: +44 20 7313 4638
Website: www.namafoods.com
Also try: Tanya's Cafe, 35 Ixworth Place, London SW3 3QX

Mildred's  

THE OLD-SCHOOL ONE: MILDRED'S
When you want dinner party cooking but without all the washing up, you can count on Mildred's. This Soho stalwart has been dishing out homely meat-free fare for more than a quarter century, adopting a no-booking approach well before it became de rigueur. It's lovely at lunch, when you can sit under a large skylight at the back, or - if you're very lucky - snag one of the pair of tables outside, but especially popular for dinner, when the queue for the likes of stir-fried Asian veg or pumpkin and ricotta tortellini can stretch down Lexington Street.

Address: 45 Lexington Street, London W1F 9AN
Telephone: +44 207 494 1634
Website: www.mildreds.co.uk
Also try: Manna, 4 Erskine Road, London NW3 3AJ

Facebook.com/Vanilla-Black

Vanilla Black 

THE SPECIAL OCCASION ONE: VANILLA BLACK
Forget flowers (unless they're courgette flowers, that is) - if you've got a vegetarian to woo, take them to Vanilla Black. Not because the setting is especially romantic (the room is more tasteful than cosy), but because it's London's only exclusively vegetarian 'fine dining' restaurant. So instead of having to put up with yet another mushroom risotto, you can feast on inventive cooking, from yellow pea soup with Marmite dumplings and sweet onion purée, to the deservedly popular Ribblesdale pudding: a decadent double-baked cheese soufflé, beautifully teamed with a smoked potato croquette, poached hen egg and pineapple pickle.

Address: 17-18 Took's Court, London EC4A 1LB
Telephone: +44 20 7242 2622
Website: www.vanillablack.co.uk
Also try: The vegetarian tasting menu at (omnivorous) restaurant Lyle's, 56 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6JJ

The Gate 

THE MUST-TRY ONE: THE GATE

No wonder the vegetarians of West London have always been so smug: not only do they have all those groovy cafés, they have the jewel in the crown: iconic Hammersmith restaurant The Gate. Stylish and airy, it boasts an exotic, seasonally-changing menu that has, over the years, attracted the cream of A-list veggies, from probiotic Madge (and Gwynnie) to Sir Macca himself. In 2012, it also spawned a North London sibling, offering the same à la carte but also a preposterously good value set lunch. When the West-enders find out, it'll be hemp bags at dawn.

Address: 56 Queen Caroline Street, London W6 9QL
Telephone: +44 20 8748 6932
Website: www.thegaterestaurants.com
Also try: The Gate, 370 St John Street, London EC1V 4NN

Tibits 

THE 'WEIGH AND PAY ONE': TIBITS

Tucked away off Regent Street, this boho-stylish Swiss veggie joint is ideal for pay-day lunches with groups of colleagues or for your more upscale shopping pit-stop. What allows you to keep your stay short and sweet is the more-exciting-than-it-sounds buffet system. Pile your plate with the multi-coloured seasonal ingredients and diverse dishes displayed, then take your haul up to the counter and pay up according to how much it weighs, adding an energising fruit shake or Chai tea while you're there. The coconut sweet potato curry and pumpkin quiche are particularly worth sticking your tofu-strong elbows out for, as are the gooey vegan chocolate ice cream and sticky toffee pudding. Love the food so much you wish you could have it at home? Check out their Insta-friendly online recipe library. 

By Becky Lucas

Address: 12-14 Heddon Street, London W1B 4DA
Telephone: +44 20 7758 4110
Website: www.tibits.ch
Also try: Ethos, 48 Eastcastle Street, London W1W 8DX

words by TANIA BALLANTINE, www.cntraveler.com

Best Vegetarian Restaurants in the U.S.

Courtesy of Natural Selection

You don’t need meat for a satisfying meal, especially if you dine at one of these top vegetarian and vegan restaurants.

By Sarah L. StewartAppeared as "" in T+L Magazine

When Richard Landau opened his first restaurant in 1993, vegetarian dining was a far cry from today’s innovative, celebrity-espoused scene.

“Back then, it was all pinecones, bean sprouts, and wheat germ,” jokes Landau, now chef-owner of Vedge, a plant-based Philadelphia restaurant he opened with his wife, Kate Jacoby. Landau set out to change that reputation: “I wasn't trying to make it vegan; I was trying to make good food.”

Landau’s self-described “carnivorous palate” lends meaty satisfaction to entrées such as shawarma-style carrots and smoked eggplant braciole. It’s just one example of how the quality—not to mention the quantity—of vegetarian and vegan restaurants has recently improved. Just ask Eric Brent, who tracks them on the worldwide databaseHappyCow. When Brent launched the site in 1999, it featured about 1,000 restaurants; it now counts 2,000 exclusively vegetarian restaurants in America alone.

Exceptional vegetarian restaurants range from the fancy—New York’s Candle 79 and Los Angeles’s Crossroads by star-chef Tal Ronnen—to the familiar. Mother’s Café, an Austin, TX, institution since 1980, dishes up southwestern-inspired comfort foods like enchiladas doused in a vegan spicy cashew chipotle sauce. “I think there’s a stereotype of vegetarian food being very boring, and I think that’s changing,” Brent says.

As a visit to any of the nation’s best vegetarian restaurants will affirm, there’s never been a better time to eat your 

Vickie Burick

Plant, Asheville, NC

Deep in the barbecue belt, this chic vegan bistro has turned heads nationwide, winning over critics and ranking as No. 2 of 549 Asheville restaurants on TripAdvisor. Kudos goes to chef Jason Sellers, an alumnus of New York’s Candle 79, who whips up deeply satisfying vegan dishes. The southern-influenced Jerk—grilled tempeh, smashed sweet potatoes, sautéed collards, and spicy serrano crudo—and the smoked portobello steak stand out among the entrées, while desserts include gooey chocolate–peanut butter pie. plantisfood.com

Evan Sung

Kajitsu, New York City

Kajitsu’s shojin cuisine, a style of vegetarian cooking derived from Zen Buddhism, transforms local vegetables into multicourse meals featuring fresh-daily soba noodles, soups, and painstakingly prepared sauces. Executive chef Ryota Ueshima draws on the culinary traditions of his native Kyoto, where he completed a decade-long tenure at Michelin three-star restaurant Hyotei. Traditional ceramic dishware (some more than 200 years old) adorns the otherwise spartan midtown dining room. kajitsunyc.com

Courtesy of Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant

Leaf, Boulder, CO

Weathered wooden floors, exposed brick, and a soaring textured ceiling create an elegant downtown space in this food- and health-obsessed college town. The farm-to-table menu, sourced in part by owners Lenny and Sara Martinelli’s nearby Three Leaf Farm, is primarily gluten-free. More than half its items, such as miso-glazed tofu and zucchini-noodle manicotti, cater to those diners avoiding both meat and gluten.leafvegetarianrestaurant.com

Courtesy of Millennium

Millennium Restaurant, San Francisco

Just west of Union Square, Millennium is a frequent winner of VegNews’ annual readers’ choice award for Favorite Fancy Vegetarian Restaurant. Its seasonal menu crosses culinary boundaries: Korean-spiced smoked tempeh; a tamale with sesame mole; a house-made sunchoke ravioli. The wine list features more than 50 bottles—all organic or sustainably grown—and chef Eric Tucker prepares a three-course tasting menu for those on a raw-food diet.

Jason Little

Mana Food Bar, Chicago

Get in line: you can’t make a reservation at this stylish wood-and-brick hole-in-the-wall in Wicker Park. Among the international lineup of hot and cold plates, Asian inspirations include spicy bibimbop, seared tofubulgogi, and chilled sesame noodles; saag paneerprovides an Indian note; and southwestern flavors appear in a spicy sweet potato burrito and black bean chili. Don’t want to wait? The entire menu is also available to go. manafoodbar.com

Paul Talbot

G-Zen, Branford, CT

The New Haven–area shoreline gets a dose of Eastern flair at G-Zen. Hand-painted, gold-leafed mandalas adorn the walls, and co-owner Ami Beach Shadle brings a background of holistic medicine to bear on the menu’s raw foods and cocktail elixirs. Executive chef Mark Shadle has expanded the menu from the couple’s original food truck (the biodiesel-fueled Gmonkey Mobile), earning favorable reviews for eclectic plates including curries, pizzas, and tempeh “crab” cakes. g-zen.com

Courtesy of Choices Cafe

Choices Vegan Café, Miami

Freshness is the order of the day at this downtown café. Organic juices and smoothies come in tempting blends such as Green Dinner (apple-kale-spinach-ginger-lemon), Sex A-Peel (apple-beet-cucumber-ginger), and CocoBliss (coconut-cacao-goji-almond butter-chia-agave). Pair yours with a salad, wrap, or sandwich also bursting with good-for-you grains, fruits, and vegetables—and come back over the weekend for the make-your-own-pancakes brunch.mychoicescafe.com

Elizabeth Daniels

Crossroads, Los Angeles

Prior to opening this West Hollywood spot in early 2013, chef Tal Ronnen prepared his plant-based cuisine for celebrities including Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres. Mediterranean-inspired small plates like lentil flatbread, kale spanakopita, and chile- and cumin-spiced carrots invite sharing. And the atmosphere encourages you to linger: chandeliers, wing-backed chairs, and an original Toulouse-Lautrec print lend an air of sophistication to the restaurant and adjoining private dining rooms. crossroadskitchen.com

Courtesy of Natural Selection

Natural Selection, Portland, OR

Plank floors, warm lighting, and finely etched color portraits of vegetables give Natural Selection a rustic grace, while an open kitchen adds a modern touch beneath a gleaming rack of stainless-steel pots. Chef Aaron Woo avoids faux meat products in favor of a vegetable-driven prix fixe selection of salads, soups, and mains.naturalselectionpdx.com

Bruce Malone Photography

Mother’s Café, Austin, TX

A mainstay of this delightfully weird college town since 1980, Mother’s delivers a wide array of vegetarian comfort food—at grad-student prices. Specialties of the airy café include artichoke-heart enchiladas smothered in cheese, a fried chile relleno topped with currants and pecans, and barbecue tofu with a side of black-eyed peas. Most dishes can be tailored to vegan diets by substituting the dairy components.motherscafeaustin.com

Courtesy of Dellz Uptown

Dell’z Uptown, Charleston, SC

The latest offspring of Dell’z Deli and juice bar Dell’z Vibez opened in May 2013 in a muraled dining room that channels its predecessors’ funky spirit. Casual comfort food gets a healthy twist: spicy hummus tacos are dressed in fresh tomatoes, avocado, and feta, and pita-crust pizzas are piled high with veggies and vegan cheese. For dessert? Vegan cupcakes in flavors like pumpkin cream and espresso chocolate. 1A Cannon St.

Courtesy of Veggie Galaxy

Veggie Galaxy, Cambridge, MA

Booths and barstools? Check. Retro décor and a never-ending menu? Check. Bacon and eggs? Sort of. Here, the classic diner concept gets a vegetarian makeover, with tempeh bacon, seitan chorizo, and black bean burgers alongside the typical omelettes, pancakes, and French toast. Veggie Galaxy even has its own bakery, which churns out fresh-squeezed lemon meringue pie, dark chocolate-chip cookies, and roasted pecan pie—all vegan, of course.veggiegalaxy.com

Jenny Sun

Café Sunflower, Atlanta

Voted the South’s best restaurant by Vegetarian Timesreaders, this suburban Atlanta standout has been serving a mixed portfolio of Asian, Caribbean, and Mediterranean flavors for nearly two decades. Try the spicy pad thai and spring rolls, both of which also turn up at the restaurant’s newest location, in Buckhead.cafesunflower.com

Sage's Cafe / Erica Bruin

Sage’s Café, Salt Lake City

Chef Ian Brandt opened one of the city’s first vegetarian restaurants in 1999, naming it for his son Sage, then one year old. The toddler is now a teenager, and the restaurant is growing up, too, moving from its original 19^th-century-style building to a larger space in central Salt Lake in November 2013. Devotees of Brandt’s mushroom escargot and carrot butter pâté—seasoned with sea salt harvested underground in nearby Richmond, UT—are sure to follow. sagescafe.com

Courtesy of Cafe Flora

Café Flora, Seattle

Seattle Magazine readers named Café Flora the best vegetarian restaurant in 2013, no small honor in a city where well-regarded peers include Plum Bistro and Sutra. The dining area, converted from an abandoned laundromat, features a verdant, sunny atrium walled in floor-to-ceiling windows, plus an on-site herb garden available for special events. The selection of sandwiches, salads, and stone-fired pizzas relies heavily on local farms. cafeflora.com

Mimi Giboin

Candle 79, New York City

Celebrities like David Duchovny and Alicia Silverstone flock to this high-end sister restaurant of Candle Café, an Upper East Side establishment since the mid-1980s. The two-story restaurant sources primarily local, organic ingredients and adheres to an eco-friendly program of recycling, composting, and nontoxic cleaning supplies. Chipotle black bean and squash ravioli and Moroccan spiced chickpea cake are among the seasonal vegan entrées that pair nicely with organic wines and beers. candle79.com

Courtesy of Green Elephant

Green Elephant, Portland, ME

Twin chandeliers, stone walls, and a mix of wood tables and leather booths provide the setting for Asian-inspired meals at this downtown bistro. Standbys include steamed edamame, spicy stir-fry, and veggie tempura. For more adventuresome palates, meat substitutes abound, such as “duck” in a shiitake mushroom sauce and “spare ribs” served with broccoli, bok choy, carrots, and zucchini. Wash it all down with a glass of gluten-free, locally made mead.greenelephantmaine.com

Courtesy of Vegeria

Vegeria, San Antonio, TX

Adios, carne asada and chicken fajitas: Tex-Mex gets reinvented at this homey spot billed as San Antonio’s first and only entirely vegan and gluten-free establishment. Classic southwestern ingredients such as beans, corn, and guacamole result in homemade tamales, tacos, and enchiladas. Be sure to ask about Rosalie’s Daily Special, named in honor of the owners’ late grandmother; it might be loaded nachos or fajita salad.myvegeria.com

Courtesy of Samosa House

Samosa House, Culver City, CA

The namesake dish—a flaky, homemade pastry stuffed with ginger- and garam masala–spiced potatoes and vegetables, then deep fried—has earned Samosa House honors on Food Network’s The Best Thing I Ever Ate. Opened in 1979 as southern California’s first Indian supermarket, the bright, indoor-outdoor vegetarian café still houses one of the Los Angeles area’s largest Indian grocery stores, encompassing 4,000 square feet of shelves stocked with rice, chutneys, and treats. samosahouse.net

Michael Spain Smith / MichaelSpainSmith.com

Vedge, Philadelphia

If any restaurant will make you forget you’re eating vegan, it’s Vedge. Husband-and-wife chefs Richard Landau and Kate Jacoby prefer it that way, eschewing vegan stereotypes to call their celebrated 2011 opening a “vegetable restaurant” instead. A veggie charcuterie bar features a variety of house-made pickles, while Landau (who grew up a carnivore) imparts meaty satisfaction to entrées like smoked eggplant braciole. vedgerestaurant.com