Vegan Pie and Mash Specialists Turn to Pizza in Hackney

Young Vegans, known for its creatively named vegan pie combinations, is diversifying and will open Young Vegans Pizza Shop this evening at 393 Cambridge Heath Road, on the former site of Antonio’s Kitchen. The Camden pie shop is among the best places to eat vegan fast food in the city.

An Instagram post yesterday notes the efforts involved in opening the pizza shop: “We have been planning the opening of our restaurant for the last six months, all independently without any investment,” the post read. “It has hit us hard financially and emotionally, but we are proud to be a 100% independent vegan business and we are now ready to open our doors to the world.”

The Young Vegans Pizza Shop will serve special pizzas, sides, and desserts, including toppings such as seitan pepperoni, seitan ham, samphire, whipped ricotta, and smoked mushrooms, among other vegan staples. Sides include deep fried mozzarella fingers, mac n cheeze — from the Young Vegans pie shop — and pastel de nata and cheesecake for dessert. It also offers locally sourced craft beers, wine, and Aperol spritz.

The new pizza shop will be at the former site of Antonio’s Kitchen, which opened in the summer of 2018 and was a popular venue for London’s vegan community. Chef and owner Antonio Rucco, 39, died in February 2019. The restaurant had operated at 393 Cambridge Heath Road since the summer of 2018. It had relocated from Hackney Wick, where it started out selling vegan piadini, under the brand Piadina Genuina, in April 2017.

Young Vegans Pizza Shop opens at 5 p.m. today.