The Roundhill opened in 2018 as Brighton’s first entirely plant-based ‘foodie’ pub and was quickly embraced locally and heralded nationally. In January 2023 it changed hands but not ethos, and continues to deliver an exceptional modern pub menu that’s plant-based, sustainable and accessible to all.
A sunny arrival and a familiar welcome
We arrived on a very sunny Friday evening in early May. The pleasant sound of parties of friends, already gathered to start the weekend, mingled with the tempting scents coming from the kitchen. It seemed the lure of a sunny evening didn’t hold sway over these guests, and why should it? The Roundhill streams with evening light through its plant-filled bar and outdoor seating catches the evening rays.
Our server greeted us and took us to our table. We side-eyed each other suspiciously until we realised she’d been our server some three or four years ago when I last came to check out the autumn menu for RB. When a venue prides itself on sustainability and community, meeting well-tenured staff members is a promising sign.
We were swiftly introduced to the cocktail menu to get us started and opted for chilli margaritas. Hitting that perfect sweet-spot of tangy sharp-sweet and a little bit of heat. I honestly think a well-mixed margarita is the best way to limber up the taste buds and lubricate an evening. And The Roundhill mixes a mean margarita.
Fish-free Friday
The sunny spring evening had me hankering for light fresh flavours and crisp white wine. So I opted for dinner that leant into classic fish dishes for inspiration. I started with Salt and Pepper ‘Calamari’. Marinated king oyster mushrooms provided that good chewy and meaty texture coated in crisp breadcrumbs and served with sweet chilli sauce. These were delicious and I gobbled them up with a double dose of delight at my good choice of both starter and fungophobe guest. These were too good for sharing.
We did share some fat, juicy, green olives which were breaded and deep fried and served with Bloody Mary mayo. Similar to my ‘calamari’, these played wonderfully with crispy and meaty textures and rich and piquant flavours.
For my main, I continued to swim in my fish-free theme and went for the tofu ‘salmon’. The Roundhill sources its ingredients locally and asparagus is only really good in the UK for about three months from spring to early summer.
These spears were perfect, slightly charred and al dente on a mound of golden sweet and crispy roasted new potatoes. The tofu salmon was flavoured with nori to give it a taste of the sea. It was delicate and clean and its distinct flavour was complemented by the silky smooth dill and mustard cream.
My plus one also fancied something light and clean. He opted for the Caesar Salad which came with a healthy serving of homemade chargrilled seitan chicken and crispy coconut bacon bits. The crisp iceberg lettuce was liberally tossed in a luxurious homemade dressing and focaccia croutons provided a flavoursome additional texture. We paired all this with a bottle of organic Verdejo, its slightly sharper flavour pairing well with our meal.
All The Roundhill’s wine is from Sustainable Wine Solutions who source top quality, sustainable wines from around the world and deliver them to venues using formats to minimise environmental impact.
Sorbet? You bet! (we lost the bet…)
We were suitably full at this point but were persuaded that leaving without trying the sorbet would be criminal. We weren’t convinced we could manage it, but our server was confident we’d find the room. The bet was on.
Generous scoops of strawberry and ‘G and T’ sorbet arrived and we were soon lost to their power! These were closer to gelato than sorbet, creamy and silky and exploding with flavour. The bits of our brains that could tell us we were full got switched off by brain freeze and we ploughed through them.
Now outside to finish off our lovely wine in the last of the evening sunshine, we remarked on how The Roundhill really does keep rolling out the wins.
