It's a terrific time to be vegan in London. If you haven't yet calmed down after hearing that one of New York's coolest plant-based eateries is coming to the capital next year, you may want to take a few deep breaths because there's another drool-worthy vegan establishment on its way.
Purezza, the first fully vegan pizzeria in the UK (and Europe!) with a branch in Brighton, will be opening its doors in north London's Camden in February. The two-floor restaurant will seat 100 diners and is a mere two minutes' walk away from Camden Town tube station.
Mainstream pizza joints increasingly cater to vegans – Pizza Hut just rolled out vegan cheese across its restaurants nationwide, while Pizza Express and Firezza have been offering it for a while, so it's heartening that the smaller vegan businesses who spearheaded the movement (or "trend", depending on your take) are continuing to thrive. Pickywops is another that has been offering vegan pizzas to Londoners for a while.
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Purezza offers three types of pizza base – sourdough, hemp flour and gluten-free – and makes a variety of vegan cheeses, including a rice-blend mozzarella as well as options made from coconut, almond, and cashews, as Metro.co.uk reported.
Its toppings are equally creative and adventurous: there's "Indigo island" (roasted purple sweet potato, freshly cut pineapple and pea pancetta), "one night in Bangkok" (stir fried vegetables, sprouted beans, sriracha sauce and peanut sauce), and the "fumosa" (smokey tomato base, chestnut mushrooms, smoked beet and fried tofu, topped with BBQ sauce), to name just a few.
But if pizza doesn't float your boat, there will be plenty of other plant-based dishes on offer: from mac 'n' cheese, cheesy doughballs and lasagne, to a "pure bowl" and creamy courgette spaghetti. There's also a whole host of delicious-looking desserts on offer, including vegan versions of the classic tiramisu, crème brûlée and gelato.
Why Camden? "Camden is very similar to Brighton in many ways, there is a great community feel and loads of innovative places that offer vegan food," Tim Barclay, the restaurant's managing director, told Metro.co.uk, name-checking Club Mexicana, V Burger and Young Vegans. "We are very much looking forward to trying What the Pitta, Temple of Seitan and Hash Green in the coming months," he added. It sounds like a trip to Camden is in order.
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