Popular UAE chain 800 Pizza has launched a new vegan option in its Dubai locations, the Classic Vegana.
According to its website, 800 Pizza is “considered by many to be the finest Italian restaurant in town.” It offers a wide selection of Roman-style pizzas with plenty of vegetarian options on the menu, however, the Classic Vegana is the chain’s first-ever 100 percent vegan offering.
Served with Italian plant-based cheese, olives, sweetcorn, and more, 800 Pizza’s Classic Vegana is available for takeaway and dine-in at a number of the chain’s Dubai’s branches; including Al Barsha, Dubai Marina, Ibn Battuta, Motor City, Arabian Center, Abidos (The Villa), and Aswaaq.
Across Dubai, the demand for vegan food is rising. In August, Bareburger became the first restaurant in the city to serve the plant-based meat-like “bleeding” Beyond Burger, created by U.S. brand Beyond Meat. And in May, Koita Foods, an Italian dairy company based in Dubai, announced a new line of vegan products due to consumer demand.
As a predominantly Islamic country, Ramadan is observed widely across UAE. This year, in a first for many restaurants, Iftar (the main meal of the fasting day) was served vegan in a number of Dubai eateries. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with one head chef, Alexi Mostert of restaurant Common Grounds, claiming he had never witnessed demand for plant-based food like it in the city.
“This was the first year we offered vegan Iftar. We went on a whim and thought ‘let’s try something different’ and we’ve had such great feedback,” said Mostert. “We were a bit skeptical at the start but it was phenomenal.” He added, “I’ve been in the UAE for seven years and never thought I would see a day when vegan food would be in such high demand.”
Ghalia Lul, the founder of Urth by Nabz&G, a vegan-friendly restaurant in the city, believes this demand is due to the accessibility of documentaries that reveal the reality behind animal agriculture. “There’s a huge business case for vegan food in Dubai,” he said. “People are watching documentaries and becoming conscious of the benefits of a plant-based diet.”
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