This September, London's Camden Market will launch a new dining destination called North Yard – and to celebrate, it’s giving away 400 aubergine-based dishes.
The mighty aubergine may have taken on a somewhat salacious meaning in recent years, thanks to a combination of emojis and dirty-minded Tweeters, but we shouldn’t forget that it’s also the king of the vegetable patch – versatile and delicious, we’re not afraid to say that we heart aubergines.
It seems that Camden Market does too, as it will be celebrating the launch of The North Yard with a giant aubergine installation, alongside a giveaway of 400 free dishes from its selection of restaurants and traders.
Specials you can expect to find include a Mindful Moussaka Burger from Rudy’s Dirty Vegan Diner which is served alongside aubergine fries. This will be joined by the likes of a ‘Aubergine Melt’ from The Cheese Bar and a Brinjal Moju Pizza from Pamban’s, which is a traditional Sri Lankan twist on pizza that features aubergine pickle and pomegranate.
So, how do you go about claiming your free aubergine dish? Simply head to #TheBigAubergine installation in The North Yard on 19 September, where you’ll be able to pick up a free, actual real-life aubergine at giveaway points. You can then decide whether you want to take it home to cook with, or exchange it at one of North Yard’s restaurants or food stalls for one of the seasonal giveaway dishes (we know what we’ll be doing).
Located at the foot of the Amy Winehouse memorial statue and accessible via the Chalk Farm Road entrance, the North Yard offers a quieter and slower paced market experience than the rest of Camden’s world-famous market. As well as being home to several restaurants and street food traders, North Yard also features ingredients and produce that you can buy, while those keen to learn can partake in the packed events schedule – think everything from butchery masterclasses to traditional chai workshops.
North Yard reopens on 19 September, with #TheBigAubergine giveaway happening on that day only. The Aubergine installation however, will be sticking around for the entire month of September.
Can’t get enough of street food markets? Check out our guide to Kerb Seven Dials Market.