Food & Drink
Aizzy’s: Mind-blowing vegan Jamaican food in Bristol
Aizzy’s (pronounced eye-zees) is a hidden gem for amazing vegan food that we’re so happy we came across!
Currently cooking up each dish in a compact unit in St Jude's, we can confidently say that Aizzy’s is home to some of the best Jamaican vegan food in Bristol.
Serving up a variety of classic Jamaican dishes that have been veganised, Aizzy’s offers ‘boxes’ that include anything from mac and cheeze, vegan fried chicken, seasoned chips, curried goat, rice & peas - all completely vegan.
If you’re looking for something lighter, Aizzy’s regularly has special deals and lunchtime offers, with one of their most popular deals being the fried chicken, seasoned chips and drinks deal - all for under ten pounds.
Available on Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Food Stuff in Bristol, believe us when we say Aizzy’s isn’t to be missed.
Where it started
It was a pleasure to speak to Ria, the owner of Aizzy’s. Her passion for creating fantastic vegan food really shone through during our conversation, and she let us know the story behind how her family-run business first started:
“Aizzy’s actually first started under a different name, ‘The Taste of Life’, back in 2018. I was running my business from my home at the beginning.”
Ria’s father is Jamaican and mother is English. She grew up eating delicious Jamaican food and always loved cooking.
“When I went vegan, I wanted to recreate the same flavours from my childhood, just without the meat or dairy.”
After falling pregnant with her daughter, Ria realised she wanted to have the freedom to spend time with her new family. This merged with her love of cooking fantastic Jamaican vegan food and sparked the start of Aizzy’s as we know it now (which is named after her daughter, Aissa).
The Feast Box
We were lucky enough to try one of Aizzy’s highly rated Feast Boxes, which consisted of vegan fried chicken, curried ‘no goat’, rice & peas, mac and cheeze, fried plantain, a pot of coleslaw, and topped off with a generous tub of jerk gravy.
The Feast Box comes in a large tub filled to the brim with each dish, with all the flavours coming together and complementing each other so well.
The creaminess of the mac and cheeze pairs beautifully with the rich sauce of the curried ‘no goat’. For each mouthful, you want to combine a bit of each option so you can taste it all!
There are such a fantastic variety of different dishes in this box, we think it’s worth giving a run down of the key parts of this meal.
Curried ‘no goat’
Aizzy’s curried ‘no goat’ is a take on the popular Jamaican dish of curried goat.
The flavours were rich and comforting, with each bite making you want to return for more.
With generous portions of vegan ‘goat’, the meat is recreated using lentils and wheat gluten, which soaked up the seasonings in this dish.
You can enjoy authentic flavours when having Aizzy’s curried ‘no goat’, cooked using garlic, pimento, potatoes, peppers, onions, and a generous helping of scotch bonnet, perfect for vegans who love a bit of spice.
When we asked Ria what her favourite dish was from Aizzy’s, she answered with certainty, “Definitely the curried goat. I was amazed at how well I could recreate the flavours in the vegan version.”
Vegan fried chicken
The vegan fried chicken from Aizzy’s truly blew our minds. Coated in a golden crispy batter and complemented by the flaky and tender inside of the ‘vegan chicken’ (made from wheat gluten and soy!).
With the Feast Box, you get two large pieces of vegan fried chicken, which is a match made in heaven when dipped in the jerk gravy.
If you can’t have soy or prefer a different option, you also have the option to have fried oyster mushroom instead, which also comes in the flavour-packed crispy batter.
Mac and cheeze
Mac and cheeze is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, and Aizzy’s vegan version is not to be missed.
Their creamy baked mac and cheeze comes with a generous amount of cheeze sauce. Creamy and light with a distinctive cheesy flavour, this dish is topped off with a sprinkle of onions and chives that cuts through the softer flavours.
Available in both the Feast Box and Mega Box options, the gooey mac and cheeze pairs well with the crispy fried chicken and rich sauce from the curried ‘no goat’.
The coleslaw (not to be underestimated!)
Rarely do we find a vegan coleslaw as good as Aizzy’s. The crunchy and creamy texture of the coleslaw is almost addictive, with a slight hint of sweetness. It’s not to be missed with the Feast Box.
“You have to have coleslaw with the dishes, especially the curried goat!” says Ria.
Jerk gravy
Added as a complimentary sauce with any box from Aizzy, this fruity yet fiery helping of jerk gravy helps bring together all the flavours in Aizzy’s vegan Jamaican food.
Rich, smoky and with a slight hint of spice, the gravy is the perfect accompaniment to any dish at Aizzy’s, whether dipping your vegan fried chicken, or pouring it straight over each dish in the Feast Box.
You can tell that so much love and time has gone into every part of Aizzy’s. With such a great variety of Jamaican vegan food, you’re spoilt for choice when ordering from this family-run business.
Whether you live in Bristol or are planning your next visit, read our guide to the best vegan restaurants and where to go for vegan cocktails.