Vegan pizzeria picks Camden for second site
The opening comes as the brand gears up for an aggressive expansion plan.
The Brighton-based restaurant has chosen a 100-cover, two-storey site in Camden as the location for its second site.
It will offer a fully vegan menu comprising wholegrain sourdough pizzas; pastas; burgers; raw dishes, and gluten-free food.
The pizza selection includes conventional options such as a margarita and vegan ham and pineapple, alongside more adventurous offerings such as the “one night in Bangkok”, which is topped with stir fried vegetables, sprouted beans, sriracha sauce and peanut sauce.
Non-pizza options will consist of dishes like cheesy doughballs; lasagne; salad bowls; and courgette spaghetti.
The restaurant makes its own plant-based cheese and meats in a lab, including a houseblend rice mozzarella, which is used as standard on its pizzas, and pancetta, mince and burger patties created with plant proteins.
The business is seeking further investment for expansion, Big Hospitality’s sister publication MCA understands.
“We’re thinking about the expansion plans and we’ve got a private investor on board” Tim Barclay, managing director of Purezza told MCA.
“After Camden we’re hoping to open in Manchester and Bristol later in the year.”
Operating since November 2015, Purezza has benefited greatly from the UK’s growing appetite for vegan options, and is now ranked in Brighton’s top 10 restaurants on TripAdvisor.
“London is a hub for both great food and innovation, meaning a London-based Purezza has always been an ambition of ours,” Stefania Evangelisti, co-founder of Purezza said.
“We are at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what we can create with plants, and we look forward to having London join us on the journey to see where things can develop next.”
Mainstream pizza restaurants are increasingly catering to vegans. This week, Pizza Hut rolled out vegan cheese as an option across its restaurants nationwide, while Pizza Express and Firezza have been offering it for some time.
Vegan fried chicken shop Temple of Seitan has also announced it will open a second restaurant, and it has also chosen a Camden location.
