Vegetarianism is a way of diet that only includes nutrition of vegetable and dairy foods with the rejection of meat of animal origin (including poultry, fish and seafood). Some vegetarian options may exclude eggs and dairy products. Veganism is the most severe form of vegetarianism, excluding the consumption of all sorts of animal products.
Vegan is a person following the principles of veganism. Vegans refuse to consume all types of meat, milk (not including breast milk when feeding infants), eggs, honey, as well as other substances and additives produced using animals (such as gelatin or carmine). This can make the options of ready-made food for them very limited. Most vegans cook their own meals at home although now there are more and more vegan restaurants become available in big cities. But how about bakeries and cake shops? Is it possible to find some in Moscow? The answer is: YES!
1. Taste & Color
In the vegetarian cafe “Taste & Color” they prepare sinless – that is, vegan – Napoleon. The recipe was invented by Alain Zlobin, the founder and ideological inspirer of the project. At the heart is puff pastry, the cream is made from coconut cream, wheat flour and grape sugar. In addition to Napoleon, the cafe has healthy sweets, homemade vegan snickers and other healthy sweets.
2. Veganutye
In the new project of Gayana Breiova and Alexander Orlov in Depot, everything is vegan, from borsch with pizza to desserts. They have three best desserts: nut cake with cream from avocado, ground cocoa beans and dates. Banffee cake – sandwich made from almond-coconut flour, garnished with whipped coconut cream with tartar and raw chocolate (chocolate made from unroasted cocoa beans). And orange sweets with lavender, raw chocolate and hemp seeds.
3. Over the Counter
In the cafe-confectionery “Over the Counter” they prepare sweets according to the recipes of the founder Alena Andreasyan; without wheat flour and white sugar. Adhere to the philosophy: desserts should be as delicate in composition and clean in taste. The most popular is the royal date, stuffed with cashew paste, with dark chocolate ganache and raw cocoa nibs. In addition to dates, there are vegan tarts, several types of raw chocolate and nut candies.
4. Flora No Fauna
At Flora No Fauna in the Central Market, all vegan desserts are made from whole grain flour and without refined sugar. Of the sweeteners that are promised to be added in a minimal amount: Jerusalem artichoke syrup, coconut or cane sugar. In the assortment: muffins and cheesecakes without milk and eggs (gluten-free lemon muffin and lime cheesecake), desserts in glasses (miso tiramisu and earl-gray mousse / chocolate), chocolate sponge ring with chocolate and hazelnut crumbs, raw-candy and unusual snickers for secret recipe. The favorite among customers is chocolate cookies with matcha cashew cream.
5. Botwa
This first independent project by Chef Elena Savchuk with a predominantly vegan-vegetarian menu is located in the Central Market on Maroseyka, not to be confused with Trubnaya. All sweets are prepared without eggs, dairy products and honey, and can be made to order without gluten and sugar. Vegan cashew and chickpea cheesecake with blackcurrant puree that is baked in the oven is especially praised. You should also check out the rice donuts and lemon biscuit with coconut cream.
6. Richter
The menu of the recently opened Richter vegan restaurant is based on French and Italian dishes with the author’s twist of chef Ivan Dubkov. They cook without meat and fish. He also recommends branded rice flour crumble with cocoa butter, fruit chutney and mango passion fruit sorbet. The chef loved this dessert from the time of his work in the kitchen at KM20: simple and contrasting, crumble managed to become the obligatory end to lunch or dinner. Chocolate sweet tart with buckwheat can also be made from sweets.
7. Fresh
Fresh Vegetarian Restaurant offers at least three egg-free variations. The first is a raw blueberry cheesecake: cake made from almonds, dates, coconut flakes with a “cheese” mass of cashews, legume vanilla, coconut oil, blueberries, coconut cream and lime fresh. The second is a Napoleon vegan cake: puff yeast-free pastry with custard coconut cream, strawberry sauce and dried currants. And the third is chocolate cake: a sponge cake made from vanilla milk, vegan chocolate, premium flour, cocoa, grape syrup, Cointreau, brown sugar and salt. Chocolate cream is made from vanilla milk, peanut butter and vegan chocolate.
8. Moss
Look for desserts made from hazelnut milk and other plant-based ingredients in the Moss vegan cafe in the Volna bar on Artplay and in the Les coffee shop on Pokrovka. Under the guidance of confectioner Inna Malina, they prepare cakes, cheesecakes and pastries, according to the creators, indistinguishable from the traditional non-vegan. There is peanut cake with miso-caramel, chocolate with popcorn, blackcurrant with sesame paste tkhina, soft coconut-lime cookies, viscous ginger and intense chocolate. Desserts often use chocolate ganache made from dark chocolate, coconut cream and salt, homemade salted caramel and marshmallows.
9. KM20
The menu of the restaurant “KM20” is a whole scattering of desserts without eggs. There is a panna cotta in coconut milk with vegan meringue and passion fruit sorbet, raspberry cheesecake stuffed with cashew nuts on a cake of almonds, goji berries, dates and oatmeal. But the most spring-summer options are three types of popsicle: from avocado (on coconut milk, with avocado, lime juice, poppy seeds and a drop of grape syrup), chocolate (on coconut milk with peanut butter and dark chocolate) and mango-passion fruit (from mashed potatoes designated fruits and cream).
There are also a lot of vegan restauranst allover Moscow you can find. So, it is safe to say that vegans who visit Moscow or have just moved to the city don’t need to worry about having their need for comfort food covered. Some of the cake shops also provide delivery services for the customer’s convenience.