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New to Camden? Me too. Looking for a delicious but cheap meal? Same here.
It's my first week after moving to London, and believe it or not, I've just gotten over a pretty bad case of food poisoning. No holiday feasting for me, just involuntarily losing 10 pounds before moving to a completely foreign place. To avoid going stir crazy in my still messy new home, and knowing I needed some delicious food to awaken my dead taste buds, I decided to venture around Camden Town's high street in search for some cheap eats. In this post, I'll tell you exactly how to spend less than £10 for a quick and tasty meal.
The Camden High Street leading into the Camden Market has a ton of visitors. Tourists and locals alike can be found searching for trendy jewelry and accessories, finding some good eats, or just socializing with friends.
To give you a bit of history about Camden Market: it opened in 1974 with just 16 stalls selling jewelry, antiques, and crafts along the Regent's Canal. It now has over 1,000 stalls selling food, crafts, jewelry, clothes, and so forth. If you're looking for a place to find gifts or souvenirs for family/friends to take back home with you, this is a great place to start or end up.
So, where do we start?
In support of London's #Veganuary movement, I searched among the many vegan eateries available in Camden Market. The first idea of food that popped into my mind was something that would feel like a warm blanket around me as I battled my cold, but hearty enough to fuel anyone for their walk around the market. Of course, we are sticking to the budget of spending less than £10. You can make a left onto Camden Lock and walk between the food stalls flanked on both sides. At the end of the road on the left is this gem called: Young Vegans Pie Shop.
When I say the word pie, if you're an American like me, you're immediately thinking of dessert (ie. pumpkin pie, apple pie, etc). In England, meat pies or in this case vegan meat pies, are a staple to the food pyramid. To be able to construct a tasty, hearty meat pie with a flaky not-too-dense crust is a baking art. If you don't believe me, I suggest you watch the internationally famous show The Great British Bake Off on Netflix.
I walked in to the shop and was greeted by the most friendly owner. I ordered the Steak and Ale Pie with a side of mashed potatoes, and upon request, covered in gravy which cost £8. The pies are priced at £3.50 each and can also be delivered to a local address.
This pie had a flaky, thick pastry crust enveloping a vegan steak and mushroom ale filling with a side of creamy mashed potatoes, covered in silky well-seasoned gravy and topped with crispies that taste like toasted garlic. It's comfort food heaven with excellent contrasting textures of crispy/crunch and tender. In this chilly weather, this will warm your insides and fuel you to take on the rest of the market.
Next time you're in London, take an easy tube or bus ride to the Camden for some comfort food and traditional British pies.
Want to contact me? Shoot me an email for weekly tips on cheap eats around London or a DM on Instagram. I can't wait to hear your thoughts.
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