Brew and Wild
A plant-based grab + go cafe, focusing on organic, sugar free, gluten free and vegan.
West End Lane, West Hampstead.
Owner: Hannah Hussain
How long has your business been open and what was your goal?
I opened up Brew and Wild only two months ago. My goal for opening it was to give commuters and the community, the option to get healthier and quick vegan/gluten free options while on the go.
How did you come up with the name ‘Brew and Wild’?
I wanted the shop to have personality, I didn’t want it to be too stereotypically vegan or too obviously about health and wellness, so I chose Brew and Wild as Brew focuses on brewing tea or coffee, and wild emphasises it being plant based and focused around nature.
Why did you choose West Hampstead, and specifically this location?
I used to live in West Hampstead and I noticed a lack of quick and healthy options around here, and I thought this location would be perfect as it is within 100m of the Underground and Overground stations so it works great for people who maybe in a rush and want a healthier treat or a hot drink to have on the go.
What sort of food/drink options would a customer expect to see on your menu when coming into your shop?
We offer a huge range of hot drinks, including coffee, cinnamon bun black tea, gingerbread hot chocolate and matcha lattes, plus we have all plant-based milks on offer including soya, oat and coconut. We also have hot soup, in which the flavours vary and I make at home myself. A company called Plenty Vegan makes all of our sweet and savoury options, which vary but we always have something on offer in our shop. This can include peanut butter energy balls, matcha cookies, brownies plus so much more. In the New Year we will be offering 50% savoury options and 50% sweet options for our customers. We also make fresh juices to order, in which we recycle the pulp from the fruit and make them into super nutritious ‘Juice Pop Crackers’.
What is the most popular item on your menu?
We have a deal that gives customers a slice of banana bread and a coffee for £5, this is certainly our most popular offer, and we tend to go through 3-4 loaves of banana bread everyday! Our banana bread is also home-made by a lady, who lives within the West Hampstead area.
Why did you choose a Vegan and Gluten Free focus within your business?
I myself am plant-based so that had a lot to do with it, but I also noticed that there wasn’t a lot of vegan and gluten free options/cafes around here. I wanted everyone to be able to have the option to have a treat from my shop, regardless of any intolerance, and for it to include healthier and natural ingredients. Most of my customers don’t even realise that it’s all vegan, and they are pleasantly surprised by how good it all tastes! I also wanted to to keep everything within the business ethical and locally owned/made if possible. My packaging is all made of recycled materials by Veg Wear, all food is locally made by myself or various small business, and I use Organic Monmouth Espresso Beans.
You can find Brew + Wild only a short distance from West Hampstead Underground, Overground and Thameslink on West End Lane in West Hampstead, and they are open every Monday-Saturday from 7am-3pm. You can also find them on Instagram as @brewandwild