Alfie Birds, Birmingham - 4/8/2014 and 12/8/2014

or, 'A pizza so nice I ate it twice'. 

Something which is really cool is tasty pizza. Something which is even cooler is tasty pizza which is pretty much on your doorstep. When that tasty pizza also comes with *whisper it* ~vegan cheese~ shit gets positively icy.

As far as I can gather, Alfie Birds is a relatively new endeavour in the Custard Factory, which is a lil complex of independent shops and offices in Digbeth, near the Bullring in Birmingham city centre. It's a real nice place, and they do a selection of food - namely pizzas and burgs - and have a full bar. I like it there a lot, which is why I went twice in nearly a week. The choice of pizzas is vast, and the topping combinations are generally not traditional ones, but they work nicely all the same, imho.

Their vegan pizza is called a Vegan Pesto, and comes with the aforementioned vegan cheese, caramelised onions, spinach, tomatoes and - u guessed it - a vegan pesto ~drizzle~ (the olives in the pic above from my second visit were a very welcome surprise). I would say that I was into this pizza. I think the first time around the crust and base were a little firmer than the second time, and I appreciate a lil bit of crunch with my bite, so that was A+. The second time around things got a lil softer, a lil chewier, but it still tasted good so *Kanye shrug*. Toppings wise, I would say that caramelised onion is a super strong flavour to put on a pizza when you're also combining it with other stuff because it tends to take over (kind of as if it's Beyoncé and the other toppings are Kelly and Michelle), so I was pleased that on my second visit there was a little less of that stuff - don't get me wrong, it tasted good but I think it was nice for the other toppings' confidence that they were able to get some shine - and a more balanced pizza as a result.

In general, Alfie Birds is a really great place with v reasonable prices and inventive pizzas so go hang out there and get yourself a slice or five.

Pizza rating - 7.5/10

Alfie Birds
The Custard Factory, B94AA

THE ABSOLUTELY DEFINITIVE LIST OF THE BEST VEGAN SPOTS IN COPENHAGEN

There are a few lists like this knocking around on other sites, but this one is ofc the best. Something which can be frustrating when you are trying to eat vegan and you visit a new city is simply knowing where to go to get tasty food that you can actually eat, at a good price. So, I'm writing this post in order to help that cause - Copenhagen-visiting vegans/people who generally like delicious and non-mean food, look no further, for I am come.

(P.S. sorry this isn't a pizza post, but I felt it my public duty to report on all the dope stuff I ate. I hope u understand)

1) GRØD 

GRØD is a restaurant with two locations in the city. They pretty much only serve porridge (pretty sure they also do a form of risotto in the evenings, but don't quote me on that/check the website or something I don't know). This probably sounds sort of insane but honestly, they have it down to an art form. The one in the picture is made with soy milk, and is topped with fresh strawberries and something called rodgrødskompote, which is an amazing red berry compote. Though it isn't entirely dairy free, GRØD offers varieties of their porridge made with both soy and rice milk, so it's rly vegan friendly. The surroundings are stylish and minimalist, and the staff, like all the Danes we encountered, are beautiful and so polite. Price-wise, I think it's fairly reasonable - the dish in the photo cost me around £5, which was completely worth it for a) the level of "omfg delicious" and b) the obvious high quality of the ingredients they use. In all, GRØD is totally worth a visit whether you're into porridge or not - if you are, it'll be a total paradise, and if you're not, you'll be a convert before your visit is over. 

GRØD, 50 Jaegersborggade and Torvehallerne, Hal 2, A8

https://www.facebook.com/groed

2) Express Pizza Nørrebro

Having already raved about this place like a crazy lady here, there isn't much else to say. This is my favourite vegan pizza I've ever eaten and I just feel sorry for everyone who hasn't experienced it yet.

Express Pizza Nørrebro, Mimersgade 102

http://www.expresspizza.dk

3) Naturbageriet

Cast your eyes upon this cinnamon whirl and surrender yourself to greatness, okay? Okay. Naturbageriet is a bakery using largely vegan and gluten free ingredients, and producing incredible cakes, pastries and breads as a result. Over the course of the time I was in Copenhagen, I think I visited Naturbageriet most (sort of because it was located really conveniently, near the Metro station we used most days, sort of because I would walk over hot coals to get to the cinnamon whirls anyway) - their pastries are so delicious (I also had a pain au chocolate, and something which tasted like a raspberry jam tart but was shaped differently), their prices are excellent (think this guy >>>> cost me about £1, and considering how awesome it was, and the specialist ingredients used, I'd have been willing to pay a little more than that), and the staff are friendly and knowledgeable about the products, as most, but not all of them, are vegan and we had to ask which ones we could have. So, vegan or not, if you find yourself on Frederiksborggade, you gotta go to Naturbageriet for some of the tastiest, most ethical pastries around.  

Naturbageriet, Frederiksborggade 29

4) Astrid och Aporna

Sometimes you just want a burger and fries, AMIRITE GUYS? Astrid och Aporna, located very near GRØD on Jaegersborggade (which is a very cool street in general, with lotsa nice shops and gorgeous people with adorable children/dogs) can fill that gap in your life. This place is 100% vegan, and has only been operating for about 3 months, so it was really cool to be able to visit. They offer burgers, hot dogs, fries, salads, soft drinks and beers, and you really can't go wrong with any of it. Their fake meat is delicious (I'd especially recommend the BBQ burger), and their toppings/relishes are really creative. The hot dogs you see in the photo are their Hot Chorizo dog, and their Smoky dog, both of which were amazing (though if I was pushed for a preference, I'd have to go Chorizo), and crazy cheap - they cost around £3 each and were a more than filling lunch. Again, the staff are real friendly and helpful (pretty much a Danish trait to be honest), so if a Copenhagen vegan burger ~fix~ is what you're after then look no further because this place has everything you might need. 

Astrid och Aporna, Jaegersborggade 39

5) Barburrito

Not to be confused with the UK burrito chain, Barburrito Copenhagen is a slightly classier affair.  Serving burritos, tacos and cocktails, along with a heap of carefully chosen starters and sides, this place is really cool. Though they also serve meat, something really cool about this place is that there is a vegan burrito option on their menu, so there's no annoying "can I get it without sour cream and cheese???" questions when you're ordering. As this place is located in the centre of Copenhagen, it's a little pricier than the other eateries I've mentioned so far, but I'd say that it's definitely worth it for the atmosphere of the place, which is really friendly and it looks great. Oh, and something else completely dope about Barburrito is that before they bring your food out, they also bring you two entire bottles of salsa (habanero and chipotle) for your table so that you can keep squirting it onto your burrito to your heart's content. I loved that the food was colourful and vibrant, and also the people who work here are again, really kind, friendly and knowledgeable about the food. Also the margarita was gr8 and made me kind of drunk, lol.

Barburrito, Skindergade 36

http://www.barburrito.dk

HONOURABLE MENTIONS///STUFF I DIDN'T GET PHOTOS OF

6) Is à Bella 

A gelato joint with a huge choice of vegan flavours - both times we visited there was 6 to choose from which is pretty unprecedented in my experience. I had the strawberry and the kiwi and both were great.

Is à Bella, Smallegade 40, Nørrebrogade 118, and Torvehallerne Hal 1, E8

http://www.isabellais.dk

7) Kate's Joint

Kate's Joint is located on Blågårdsgade which is a street with a number of veggie and veggie-friendly restaurants, but of those I visited, Kate's Joint is the best. They do big helpings of unfussy, tasty African and Asian food (curries abound), and whilst they do also serve meat, they also have a huge number of veggie and vegan options - the night we visited, there were four vegan options which, at an omni restaurant, is pretty great going. I had a vegetable bhuna curry and Ben had tofu and miso and both were great. Kate's Joint is affordable and casual and pretty ideal for a ~relaxed~ evening meal. 

Kate's Joint, Blågårdsgade 12

8) Halifax Burger
The last item on this list is a burger restaurant of already pretty high standing. Though it was pricey, the burger I chose at Halifax definitely had one of the tastiest vegan patties I've eaten in a while (if I remember rightly it was their green pea patty and it was great), with fresh toppings and really, really delicious fries.

Halifax Burger, Frederiksborggade 35, Larsbjørnstræde 9, Falkoner Plads 1 and Trianglen 1

http://halifax.dk/

Thus concludes my overview of the best vegan food I ate in Copenhagen. I read before I went that it's not a particularly vegan friendly place, and I think that's actually really incorrect. The provision for vegans was great and I really had no problem filling my damn face every day so four for you Copenhagen, you go Copenhagen. Go visit this place 'cause it's rly rly rly the coolest.

recipe: (Danish) pizza tortillas

Here is the second post about my time in Copenhagen - this time a (completely easy and foolproof and so obvious that it doesn't really even warrant being called a) recipe for yr delectation. Obviously one of the best things to do when you go on holiday to a new country is to go to their supermarkets and laugh at the funny names for stuff. Pretty much as soon as we got to Copenhagen, this is what we did. Given my affinity for turning different kinds of bread into pizza, we were very excited to discover these on the shelves:

Your eyes do not mistake you. Those are tortilla wraps which are recommended for pizza making. In fact, they are extra thick so that they are optimised for pizza making. As you can imagine, I was overjoyed and had to buy them.

We made pizza tortillas on a couple of different occasions. They make a rly tasty snack - after spreading the squeezy pizza sauce (a genius invention; also considering this stuff is pre-made it tastes pretty good) on the tortilla, we added ripped up Toffutti mozzarella style slices (which is for real the best tasting vegan pizza cheese I have personally used yet - it is really really convincing in a way you would not expect from cheese slices, would recommend) some veggie toppings - jalapeños on one occasion, red onion, black olives and fresh basil after baking on another - and then drizzled them with olive oil for crispiness (v important that u do not miss out this step), and sprinkled some Italian seasoning and black pepper on top. Baked 'em in the oven for 10 mins at 180 degrees, et voila. 

  

As you can see from the picture at the top of the post, they came out looking real nice, and they tasted great. If u are about that thin and crispy pizza life, these will be right up your alley if u know what I mean ;-) (I do not know what I mean). Though obviously we don't have squeezy pizza sauce and tortillas directly intended for pizza making for sale in the UK (god bless u Denmark), I'm pretty sure you could make these on any kind of tortilla base and they'd still be great, as long as you don't overload on the toppings. I'd also probably add that really robust flavours don't work amazingly - we were not hugely into the jalapeño pizza, for example - just because a pizza tortilla as a whole is probably a little too delicate for really bold tasting toppings. The black olive and red onion version that you see at the beginning definitely went down best, and made for a really satisfying and speedy snack.

So yeah, pizza tortillas are cool and I am very pleased that the Danish prioritise turning different kinds of bread into pizza as much as I do. Perhaps I have found my people.

Pizza rating - 8/10

Nørrebro Express Pizza, Copenhagen - 26/07/14

Copenhagen is not a city known for its pizza. It is a city of history, architecture, and unfairly beautiful people, but not necessarily of dough and tomatoes and (fake) cheese.

However, it is my mission in life - nay, my calling - to make every city a city of pizza; to seek out the very best pies, exposing them for the world to see (I am being very dramatic, but it is literally that important to me and also I love attention). So, with that in mind, I present Nørrebro's Express Pizza for your viewing pleasure.

I am going to drop a pretty big statement right now: Express Pizza do probably the best intentionally 'vegan' pizza I have ever tasted. Though they also make pies with meat - and for sure, meat eaters should 100% visit too - they use probably the best fake cheese and meat I have ever tasted. I had pepperoni and Ben had ham and we both agree that it was insanely dope. Their dough, and especially the crispy crusts, has a texture such as would convince you it's made by the hands of angels, but it is honestly the sauce that's the star of the show. 

I have an Italian grandma (luv u Nonna), and she used to make the world's greatest pasta sauce - I know I mostly speak in hyperbole but this one is the honest truth. Express Pizza's pizza sauce smells and tastes EXACTLY like that sauce. Ben will testify to the fact that I sat sniffing a slice of my pizza for about a full minute because it smelled so good, and so similar to my grandma's old time-y cooking.

That's why Express Pizza, and especially their vegan pizza, is so fucking great, you see. Because so often, vegan pizza isn't really considered to be authentic (and often, it doesn't really taste it), 'cause it uses different ingredients to the classix. But Express Pizza makes vegan pizza totally authentic - the friendly owner who gave us free Cokes, and their small, mom and pop style location, complete with photos of dark haired, mustachio'd musicians on the walls, definitely adds to that authenticity - and most importantly, it also just makes it completely delicious. Whoever said Copenhagen doesn't know pizza obviously just never went to Express Pizza. 

Pizza rating - 10/10

Express Pizza Nørrebro

Mimersgade 102, 2200 København

http://www.expresspizza.dk

update/////B E A C O N S F E S T I V A L 2 0 1 4

What's up every1, I have returned from Copenhagen like Jesus on the third day (except I was just on holiday and he was like, actually dead) - please expect lots of pizza posts about my visit to the Danish capital soon! I'm also gonna be posting a more general, not necessarily pizza-themed round up of (mostly unhealthy) vegan spots around the city,  a) because those things are useful, and b) because I ate a ton of delicious stuff that wasn't pizza so, again Christ-like, I'll be sharing that with u all soon. Get excited for some srs #content.

But let's put that aside for a bit. My main reason for posting on this sunny Monday morning is to talk a little bit about Beacons Festival 2014. Beacons is a cool ass music and arts festival, which is now in its third year at Heslaker Farm in Skipton, North Yorkshire. Beacons is specifically gr8 because it is, actually and properly, "not your usual festival" - on top of the music (Action Bronson! The Fall! Charli XCX! Way more other dope shit!) there's film screenings, crafts, art installations, and a friggin theatre tent. However, for me what is most exciting about Beacons is the fact that it will also host a full scale Street Food Festival, which I am delighted (that's the adjective people use when they make 'announcements' about stuff, right?) to be covering for restinpizza this weekend!

The reason I wanted to visit Beacons in the first place, and the reason I'm really excited to be writing about it for you all to read about, is because as a veggie, it's really rare to have as much food choice at a festival as Beacons is offering. The range of food that will be available this weekend is mad diverse - every buzzy cuisine you can think of right now, from pies to pan-Asian, Mexican to Middle Eastern, is covered by independent vendors (loads more plus points). They're even gonna have vegan ice cream. Heart eyes emoji.

I wanted to know what motivated the people behind the Beacons street food festival to make food such an important part of the ~Beacons experience~, and why they've chosen the food and vendors that they have, so I had me a lil chat with Ben Davy, who organised the food festival, and who's also a part of Leeds' Dough Boys Pizza (expect lots of coverage on these guys in the upcoming 'pizza my heart' zine and also probably some photos of me trying desperately to be their best mate in exchange for a free slice). Here is that chat, for your reading pleasure:

RIP: Considering that most festivals are content to serve up suspiciously grey-looking burgers, limp chips and a bottle of Coke for more than your annual salary, something different, such as what is being offered at Beacons, is pretty refreshing, right? 

Ben: For us the food offered at Beacons is just as important as the music. Food is what fuels people and good fuel is what you need if you're gonna be partying in a field for 3 days. For years festival food was renowned for being corporate, overpriced, below-average crap, but people just accepted it and parted ways with their money as they had no other choice. The recent rise in popularity of street food has changed all that. It's now possible to get high quality, healthy, interesting food for a really reasonable price and that is what we've brought to the festival this year.

How have you gone about finding vendors for this year's festival? Are you re-using old favourites, or have you mostly gone for new faces? Has there been a particular emphasis on using independent vendors?
We run the monthly indoor street food festival 'Belgrave Street Feast' in Leeds which has served as a great way to try out new vendors, so some have come through that. A lot of the traders I've met through working the street food circuit with Dough Boys Pizza, others we've tried at various events around the country. So there are a lot of new faces but we've mixed it up with a few old Beacons favourites who we've worked with every year, like the Skipton Pie & Mash guys who've become a Beacons institution.   

One thing I've noticed is that the range of cuisines on offer is incredibly diverse - this is so impressive for a three day festival! How important has securing this level of diversity been for you?
Diversity in food is hugely important for me and I think it says a lot about the personality of the festival. There are a few familiar offers in the mix like Reds BBQ, Diamond Dogs and Patty Smith's Burgers for when you need something safe, but then we've got vendors who will make you question everything like Dorshi, Bundobust and Street Fodder. There's literally something for everyone and that's why we're really proud of the lineup. 

I'm a veggie, and one of the things that made me want to get in touch with Beacons in the first place was the sheer amount of choice for veggies and vegans at the festival. It's so cool, especially when we're so often an afterthought. What do you think that offering so many veggie options brings to the festival?

Again the mix of veggie/vegan/meat offerings is just part of the package: it's diversity, it's interesting, it opens new doors to people. If you stick a paneer wrap from Manjit's Kitchen in the hand of a devout meat eater and make them eat it, there is no way they wouldn't cry tears of joy because it tastes great! Tasty food is tasty food, meat or no meat. I don't want people to think of veggie food as an after thought, or as anything less exciting than meat based food because it's not. IF IT'S GOOD IT'S GOOD      

Finally - where are you personally most looking forward to eating during the festival? Do you have any personal favourite vendors?
I'll probably be too busy making pizzas to eat but my top 5 picks would be... Cafe Moor, Yummy Yorkshire Ice Cream, Dorshi, Bundobust and Margo&Rita… but then again Fish& are ace, and Diamond Dogs… and Manjit's Kitchen and Mumma Schnitzel - DON'T MAKE ME CHOOSE!     

So yeah, if you need me this weekend I'll probably have a gobful of something delicious and won't be able to communicate with you properly, but all for good reason. I'll be posting over the weekend on restinpizza's NEW NEW NEW Twitter and Instagram feeds (@restinpizza666 for both!) with some updates about what I'm eating at Beacons 2014. You can check out their full roster of food vendors here. Peace out xoxo

photo ℅ http://greetingsfrombeacons.com