Rudy's Dirty Vegan Diner Is Gluttony At Its Finest

There are two strands in the rise of veganism. For one strand it's a bit of a fad, the latest diet that everyone's talking about, not too dissimilar from gluten-free before it. For the other, it comes down to principles — people who refuse to eat meat or dairy products because of an ethical and environmental stance. Rudy's Dirty Vegan Diner in Camden Market is most definitely a place for people who fall into the latter camp.

Tucked away in the burgeoning food district in the west of Camden Market — near the Amy Winehouse statue — Rudy's amasses quite a crowd on a Sunday afternoon, despite its recent opening. In a part of London where space is at a premium, Rudy's has a perfect spot — enough room for a few tables both inside and out, and even some stools to sit at the bar. That's all necessary, as this is food you need to be seated for.

That's because Rudy's is gluttony at it's finest. We go for a selection to share between three of us; the Dirty Burger, a Reuben Sandwich, Mac'n'Cheez and Dirty Fries. We start with the Reuben, which comes specially recommended. One bite in, it zooms to the pinnacle of London's vegan scene. This sandwich proudly stands up against any other Reuben we've had — and yes, we're including ones with real beef in them.

Nothing else lives up to the sandwich's majestic standard, but each dish is still fantastic in its own right. The Dirty Burger and the Dirty Fries both live up to their billing — we get through a lot of napkins — each with flavours combining to create something special. We also get through a shedload of plain hand-cut fries, which come as part of the meal deal. Again, they are of the highest quality.

The Mac'n'Cheez is for a 10 year old we're babysitting on the day. She's not a vegan, and is much more accustomed to a regular mac'n'cheese, but falls head over heels for this. "It's an 11 out of 10", she beams. We take a bite to make sure it's not just her naive palette speaking, but she's right. The dish is excellent.

At the end of the meal, despite having gone up two belt notches, we manage to try out one of the Oreo Brownies. These are baked by the acclaimed Ms. Cupcake, and they delivered in spades. Our two guests both claim they are "too stuffed" to have any more, but when it arrives, they just can't help themselves and grab forks and dive in.

After an incredible meal we stumble away through the market, and it's fascinating to see how many vegan food stalls there now are. Well, competitors beware. The bar just got raised.

Rudy's Dirty Vegan Diner, Camden Market.