While many will have spent the first of February in a haze of burgers and pints of milk following attempts at Veganuary, others may have been inclined to turn their resolution into something permanent. Whether you’re a recent convert, a long-time veggie lover or simply find your fancy tickled by the prospects of experiencing new food, read further and go forth to try some of Dublin’s finest vegan bites. The hand-held nature of the following foods also ensures that you can eat them while walking, jumping or lunging on the spot – in attempts to evade the cold.
Cornucopia’s Chocolate and Walnut Brownie
As someone who religiously keeps a bar of Lindt’s Extra Creamy Chocolate close at hand, I’m always hesitant to try chocolate goods that run the risk of being lacklustre in their cocoa-creaminess ratio. Cornucopia’s brownie, both vegan and gluten free, alleviated any of these concerns with just one nibble. Sweet and nutty, fudgey-centered but crisp-crusted, it is indulgent and decadent and will leave you truly at a loss as to how they could achieve such a feat. Cornucopia has, after all, stood on Wicklow Street as Dublin’s vegan/vegetarian staple for over 30 years – perhaps we should have a little more faith.
Blazing Salads Vegetable Samosa
While Blazing Salads offers up an array of tantalising vegan bites, the vegetable samosa reigns supreme in my eyes. A filo parcel packed with peas, potatoes, onions and chilli, this deep-fried pastry sent me to seventh heaven – maybe even ninth when dunked into the accompanying coriander pesto. When visiting their café on Drury Street – currently still operating for takeaway – eyes will undoubtedly be drawn to the selection of vegan pizzas at the counter. An honourable mention goes out to the tofu-topped slice, although admittedly, my heart let out a slight sigh at the lack of cheese.
Veginity’s Cinnamon Swirl
Veginity will be a fondly familiar establishment for Dublin city’s veg-inclined folk. Having curated a fine-dining menu of entirely plant-based foods, Veginity, along with its sister restaurant Vish Shop, is truly a celebration of all that’s green and grows. While renowned for their savoury food, their patisserie section cannot be overlooked. The cinnamon swirl, hefty to hold with a glazed top, was stickily sweet and spiced, proving perfect for coffee dunking and cold weather walking.
Tang’s Protein Ball
Wave off hunger pangs or an oncoming midday slump with the protein ball from Tang. This little nutty bomb is bursting with flavour both salty and sweet, leaving one feeling content, virtuous and ready to seize the day. Try it with Tang’s Vegan hot chocolate made with oat milk. It is, to date, the one vegan hot chocolate I’ve tried that tastes like a hot chocolate. The others proved dusty, musty and abysmally disproportionate on the aforementioned cocoa-creaminess ratio.
The Rolling Donut
I am not a doughnut fan. While on the hunt for hand-held vegan bites in Dublin, however, I was told by very reputable sources that The Rolling Donut was an essential stop. No matter one’s affection for the doughnut, I was assured of its excellence. For the sake of research I tried the Vegan Old Fashioned Raspberry Jam, while an accompanying genuine doughnut fan tried the Vanilla Pistachio. Fluffy and sweet, I took childish delight in the sugary powder that covered my clothes. Ultimately, however, fried dough failed to amaze my taste buds, as is usually the case. The reaction of the Vanilla Pistachio wielder yielded much more satisfactory results, as they demolished their doughnut and declared it to be “divine”.
Now that you’re armed with the ability to save a cow, it would be rude not to dash from the library to give one of these bites a try. After you’ve done so, you can invest in a “carrot-conscious” t-shirt, renounce your cheese-eating past and join the green party. Alternatively, you could just settle for the warm feeling that one gets after eating a really good piece of food.
All of the bites are available for takeaway from the restaurant/café. For those who live outside the 5km radius, or simply can’t muster the bravery to face the outside world, the delectable snacks are also available to order online.
