The Complete Guide to Gourmet Mushrooms — And How to Cook Them

At Love Shack in Cambridge Heath, we work with over a dozen varieties of mushroom every single week. Some are earthy and meaty. Some are silky and delicate. Some taste faintly of the sea. All of them are extraordinary. If you've ever wondered what to do with a king oyster mushroom or why shiitake is the umami king of the fungi world, this is the guide for you.

Why Gourmet Mushrooms Are the Most Exciting Ingredient in Vegan Cooking

Vegan cooking has a texture problem. Or rather, it used to. The challenge was always replacing the satisfying chew and depth that meat provides in a dish. Gourmet mushrooms solve this brilliantly — and naturally. Unlike processed meat substitutes, a king oyster mushroom scallop or a slow-cooked portobello steak is simply a mushroom, treated with heat and care. Nothing artificial. Nothing processed. Just extraordinary natural flavour.

The Love Shack Mushroom Glossary

Oyster Mushrooms

The oyster mushroom family — which includes regular oyster, king oyster, pink oyster, and golden oyster — is perhaps the most versatile in the gourmet world. Regular oyster mushrooms pull apart into satisfying shreds that replicate the texture of pulled pork or duck remarkably well. Our vegan Peking duck pancakes are made entirely with shredded oyster mushrooms coated in rich hoisin sauce — one of Love Shack's most celebrated dishes. King oyster mushrooms have a thick, dense stem that can be sliced into rounds and seared to create vegan scallops, or sliced lengthways for mushroom steaks.

Shiitake

Shiitake is the umami king. Its rich, savoury depth comes from lentinan — a beta-glucan compound that also happens to have immune-supporting properties, making shiitake both a gourmet and functional mushroom. Dried shiitake is particularly powerful: rehydrate them and the soaking liquid becomes an intensely flavoured stock.

Maitake / Hen of the Woods

Maitake means 'dancing mushroom' in Japanese — so named because foragers were said to dance with joy upon finding it. Its frilly, fan-like structure creates extraordinary texture when roasted: the edges crisp up while the interior stays tender. It also has significant functional properties, including promising research into blood sugar regulation and immune support.

Chanterelle

The golden chanterelle is one of the great seasonal treasures of European cooking. Its apricot-like aroma and subtly fruity flavour make it unlike any other mushroom. In the UK, chanterelle season runs from July through November — and at Love Shack, we incorporate them into seasonal specials whenever they're available from our suppliers.

Porcini

The porcini is arguably the most prized mushroom in European cuisine. Fresh porcini have a rich, nutty, deeply earthy flavour that is unmatched. Dried porcini — added to risotto, pasta, or slow-cooked sauces — release an intensity of umami that elevates an entire dish. Our 11-mushroom risotto uses dried porcini as a foundation layer of flavour.

How to Cook Mushrooms Perfectly — The Love Shack Way

The single biggest mistake people make with mushrooms is adding them to a pan before the oil is properly hot. Mushrooms are made of roughly 90% water. If the pan isn't hot enough, they steam rather than sear, becoming grey and soggy.

• Get the pan ripping hot before anything goes in — near-smoking point

• Add oil, then immediately add mushrooms in a single layer with space between pieces

• Do not stir for the first 2–3 minutes. Let a proper crust develop

• Season only after colour has developed — salt draws out moisture

• Finish with vegan butter, thyme, and garlic in the last minute

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best mushroom to use instead of meat?

King oyster mushrooms are widely considered the best meat substitute in vegan cooking due to their dense, chewy texture. They can be prepared as steaks, scallops, pulled 'pork', or 'calamari'. Portobello mushrooms also work excellently as burger patties or steak replacements.

Where can I eat gourmet mushroom dishes in London?

Love Shack in Cambridge Heath, East London, is one of London's best destinations for creative, fungi-forward vegan cooking. The restaurant serves dishes like shredded oyster mushroom Peking duck, an 11-mushroom risotto, oyster mushroom wings, and many more mushroom-led dishes. Find us at Arch 298-299, Cambridge Heath Road, London E2 9HA.

What mushrooms does Love Shack use?

Love Shack uses over a dozen mushroom varieties including king oyster, regular oyster, shiitake, porcini, Lion's Mane, maitake, chestnut, enoki, and chanterelle (seasonal). The restaurant's menu changes regularly to incorporate seasonal and foraged varieties.