A World First for Brighton
As any vegan worth their pound of nutritional yeast knows, Purezza Brighton, on St James’s Street, was the world’s first entirely plant-based pizzeria. Opening here in 2015, Purezza was a pioneer in reinventing comfort food classics for everyone to enjoy, not just vegans.
Eleven years on, they continue to think outside the crust when it comes to creative toppings, with new menus landing seasonally. If they ever wanted a niche accolade, I’d call Purezza “the Willy Wonka of vegan pizza”. New menus always seem to have something to surprise and delight in equal measure.
What You’ll Love
- Inventive seasonal pizzas far beyond the usual vegan offering
- A Brighton original that put plant-based pizza on the map
- Creative flavour combinations that genuinely work
- A vegan tiramisu that you’ll dream about later
- Perfect for takeaway pizza on a sunny beach day
On our latest visit, the restaurant was buzzing with local diners. We dived straight into two of the standout pizzas and shared them between us. It’s a move I’d highly recommend because choosing just one feels borderline impossible.
Seasonal Standouts and Cult Creations
First up was the Lasagne Picante pizza, which may well become one of Purezza’s cult creations. Comforting, rich and slightly chaotic in the very best way, it somehow captured all the layered satisfaction of a bubbling tray of lasagne while still delivering everything you want from a pizza. Deep savoury tomato notes, creamy elements melting into spicy pockets of heat and a beautifully blistered crust created something indulgent without becoming heavy. The spice level crept in gradually rather than overwhelming the palate, giving each bite a warmth that lingered just enough to keep you reaching for the next slice.
The texture balance here was what really impressed me. The dough’s crispy charred edges gave way to soft centres. The topping had a crumbly ‘meaty’ texture baked into a picante and smoky ragù, with dollops of cool, creamy béchamel. It’s the kind of pizza that’d spark conversation if you weren’t stuffing your face in greedy abandon. We managed little more than, “Ooo, this is good!”
Alongside it, the Steak and Chimichurri pizza brought a completely different energy. Bright, punchy and packed with herbaceous freshness, it cut through with vibrant garlic, parsley and peppery notes from the chimichurri, while the steak-style topping added a deeply savoury richness that made the whole thing feel satisfyingly robust.
The contrast between the two pizzas worked brilliantly. One leaned into warming comfort food territory, while the other delivered freshness and intensity.
Picpoul and Pizza: A Perfect Pair
To drink, we shared a bottle of Picpoul from Sustainable Wine Solutions, which paired beautifully with the food. Crisp, citrus-led and refreshingly mineral, it lifted the richness of the pizzas perfectly.
And Then Came Dessert
Purezza’s signature vegan tiramisu has already built a loyal following for good reason. Tiramisu in its traditional form is ridiculously un-vegan; the only thing that doesn’t seem to contain egg or dairy is the lashings of booze. But since Purezza successfully reinvented pizza, they were clearly qualified for the challenge.
Silky, creamy, boozy and full of coffee, it’s like eating Italy. It delivers all the decadence you’d expect from a classic tiramisu. The layers were beautifully balanced, with delicate sweetness never overpowering the espresso-soaked richness underneath. Paired with an excellent espresso to finish, it rounded off the meal perfectly.
A Brilliant Restaurant Full Stop
What continues to make Purezza special is that it never feels like it’s trying to “convince” people about vegan food anymore. It simply focuses on being a brilliant restaurant, full stop. The fact that everything happens to be plant-based almost becomes secondary once the food lands on the table.
There’s also something unmistakably Brighton about Purezza itself. Innovative but relaxed. Creative without pretension. Serious about quality but still fun. In many ways, it reflects the city’s food scene at its very best.
And while dining in is always worth the trip, their location on St James’s Street makes them ideal for grabbing a takeaway and heading down to the beach.
