When we said we could eat a horse, we didn’t mean it quite so literally. So, while the international meat industry gets its house in order, we pick out six of the city’s finest vegetarian and vegan eating out specialists.
Cowley Club
London Rd
A pearl amongst swine on the love-it-or-hate-it London Road gateway to Brighton, this punky anarcho café/venue/meeting place is renowned for its fund-raising Sunday barbecues and bargain roasts. The Cowley serves the cheapest veggie lunch in town Wednesdays to Fridays, with a themed evening meal most Thursdays. It’s run by volunteers so expect an ever-changing menu at this friendly, politically active haven. You can also enjoy a fish gut-free beer from the vegan bar. (SC)
Gourmet Girls Pop-Up Restaurant
Islingword Rd
The only place in town that offers a wholly plant-based gourmet dining experience, Gourmet Girls’ informal Friday night pop-up restaurant at Fanny’s Of Hanover is a much-loved staple for Brighton’s vegans. The seating is spread across two floors and the always inspired menu takes on a different theme each week. This month they have Japanese, Spanish, North African and Thai nights prepared by expert chef Paula Young. This little bring-a-bottle gem is deservedly popular so book in advance. (SC)
Iydea
Kensington Gdns/Western Rd
A small sanctuary amidst the hubbub of Kensington Gardens, Iydea is a regular award winner where the ever cheery staff serve up a fresh selection of hot and cold dishes, tasty juices and excellent cakes. Join the queue and work your way along the counter, choosing from pies, curry, falafel, pasta or chilli before finishing off with some salad and a splodge of hummus. If there are no seats, grab a delicious cup of soup to go for under a quid. Also coming soon to Western Road. (SC)
The George
Trafalgar St
It’s incredibly brave for a pub to serve only vegetarian food, but this saintly boozer had our tipsy custom repeatedly before we even noticed the lack of meat. There’s a lot on offer at the George, and they encourage swapping sauces, dips and sides as you desire. The three-cheese nachos will keep even the most committed of carnivores sated, whilst the juicy halloumi burger makes us scoff at the memory of dry bean burgers and slimy portobello mushrooms. (JMM)
Terre À Terre
East St
One of Brighton’s long established and most coveted foodie hotspots for veggies and omnivores alike, the award-winning Terre à Terre on East Street has recently re-opened after a pre-Christmas kitchen fire. The layout may have changed slightly but the playfully indecipherable offerings remain. You may not be sure what you’re ordering but the presentation and combination of flavours rarely disappoint. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable and eating there always feels like a special occasion. (SC)
Food For Friends
Prince Albert St
Friendly and informal but still suitable for a special occasion, Food for Friends is, in many people’s opinion, the best vegetarian restaurant in the city. The food is absolutely delicious with a large variety of dishes and they also cater extremely well for people with food sensitivities. Dessert is a must as the banana fritters with rum batter are one of the best things we’ve ever tasted. Thoroughly deserving of being crowned Best Restaurant at the 2012 Brighton & Hove Foodies Awards. (RS)
And here’s some more:
Loving Hut
Brighton Sq
With the The Level’s rejuvenation in progress, the small Loving Hut café could soon become a goldmine. Part of a global chain overseen by the mysterious Vietnamese Supreme Master, this vegan fast food joint is one of the better franchises we’ve been to. It’s a mix of Asian stir frys and burgers, with an ever changing choice of desserts and, for your furry friends, a meat-free pet food selection. Entertainment is provided by a multilingual TV show of poetry and celebrity animal lovers. (SC)
V Bites
East St
The Lagoon café reopens in April but Heather Mills has a more central venue on the cards for her growing V Bites empire, having taken over the space formerly occupied by the much-missed Aloka on East Street. Offering two floors of dining, with the top floor earmarked for films and live performance, this is a great opportunity for Ms Mills to provide a more adventurous menu than the current fast food meat substitutes, especially given its proximity to Terre A Terre. Regardless it should be considered a win. (SC)
And another with a vegan menu:
Rock*Ola Coffee Bar
Tidy St
Feeling hungry? Find yourself humming the Happy Days theme? Then you’ll love the Formica and leatherette covered Rock*Ola café in the North Laine. With retro music and movie memorabilia on the walls, an enviable collection of funky salt and pepper pots and a well-stocked free jukebox, you can sip a milkshake and eat a burger in-between shopping or daytime bar hopping. Meat heads are also catered for and there’s even a separate vegan menu. Also, the carbtastic breakfasts are a proven hangover cure. (SC)
Words by Steve Clements, Jessica Marshall McHattie, Rosie Swaffer
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