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Finally recovering from the cough attacks of this lingering cold, I decided to venture out to a gym for the first time in nearly 6 weeks after my bout of food poisoning and many trips to the hospital. I tried a HIIT workout nearby where I nearly passed out from the burpees, boxing, lifting, and spinning combo (yes, it was THAT crazy) and afterwards wanted a quick, cheap meal nearby to refuel. In the mood for some light pizza, I decided on lunch at Purezza, which makes vegan dough and vegan cheese-based pizza.
If you're a New Yorker, you can appreciate a true New York style pizza where the dough is chewy on the inside and crunchy on the outside and the crust is not too thick but also not paper thin. It's a delicate balance that we're very particular about. We also like the slices to be wide enough that we can fold it in half longways to take a less messy but very juicy bite.
This smoked mozzarella margherita pizza surprisingly came very close to a good New York slice! The dough has the crunchy outer shell and a soft chewy center. It's a bit softer, less dense, but thicker than a typical New York pizza and ultimately, very enjoyable. The light and perfectly seasoned tomato basil sauce and the smokiness of the vegan mozzarella are a perfect balance of flavors and textures, where I didn't feel the urge to reach for a soda to washed down the saltiness or cut the oiliness.
The popular Margherita pizza is only £8.95, so I decided to order this to help you stick to our budget of under £10. They have several other toppings if you add £1-2 more. If you come Mon-Fri before 4pm, you can order smaller lunch dishes for under £6, which includes a smaller Margherita pizza! The set lunch menu includes a cold pressed juice, a 7" pizza, and a scoop of ice cream for £10.95 all tallying up to under 500 calories so it doesn't feel like my strenuous HIIT workout went to waste.
Continuing in the spirit of the #veganlondon #Veganuary , Purezza invites you to bring a non-vegan friend and their pizza will be free after you sign up for a code on their website! I'll be bringing a friend so they can enjoy this delicious and cheap meal for themselves.
Next time you're in Camden London or Brighton and want a quick, cheap bite, check out Purezza. They're also available on Deliveroo!
My next stop was Mildred's. They have four locations and I went to the Camden shop. Mildred's menu for #veganuary was solely vegan and their site was very welcoming which drew me to want to visit. I ordered the teriyaki chick'n burger with plum teriyaki, shichimi mayo, kale, pickled red onion and carrot, on a brioche bun.
The fried chick'n was crispy and light. It didn't have that heavy greasy taste you often get with fried foods. The pickled vegetables were a great balance to the fried chick'n and slightly heavy shichimi mayo, but the mayo had dynamic flavor that added to the dish. A proper gourmet burger is finished with a delicious, light bun which this burger delivered. Of course, I won't steer you wrong with cheap eats and this one was £9. Check it out if you get the chance. I'm going back for round two.
If you're looking for Italian pasta, there's a good spot in Camden called Il Sugo. Rating a restaurant for me means 50% food quality and 50% customer service. Il Sugo has superb customer service. It's the kind that makes you want to go back again and again because they make you feel like you're receiving complete attention from the staff. The food is prepared well and quickly while the prices are low. We ordered a ton of food and shared them all amongst each other. Il Sugo is a perfect place to do so.
If you need tips on cheap delicious eats in the Camden Market, you'll find some in other post (click on the image below):
Next time you're in London, make sure you take a trip via tube/bus to Camden. It's a quaint town with tons of history and, of course, cheap delicious eats!
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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