Brighton is famed for its rock and fish & chips, but would you think of it as the hub of authentic Italian pizza? You will now, because Culture Calling’s dishing up our Top 5 pizza spots to be found in our favourite city by the sea. Here they come!
Brighton may be famous for fish & chips and rock, but would you think of it as the hub of authentic Italian pizza? Well, you will now, because at Culture Calling we’re dishing up the Top 5 pizza spots to be found in our favourite city by the sea.
Donatello
1-3 Brighton Place, Brighton BN1 1HJ
Chow down on a slice from one of Brighton’s culinary success stories; when Sardinian-born Pietro Addis bought Donatello (first called Pinocchio), the building was close to derelict. Now it has expanded across three sites and pioneered al fresco dining in Brighton - all thanks to tip-top Italian food. If you fancy a pizza, you can pick between their 21 different topping options, all made from fresh ingredients.
Plus, if one course just isn’t enough, pizzas are a staple of their set menu (top tip: their tiramisu is really something special!)
Pizzaface
3 locations in Hove, Kempton and Worthing; click here for more information
“It’s hard to find a good pizza. But a good pizza isn’t hard to do.”
This has been the mantra at Pizzaface since its birth in 2009, and it has paid off - Pizzaface won Best Pizza in the UK at the 2019 Casual Dining Magazine Pizza Awards. Now it’s one of Brighton’s most talked-about pizza spots, equiped with fresh veg, the best quality meat and top-notch Sardinian ‘oo’ flour.
They have 3 locations throughout the Brighton area, and with vegan and gluten-free (spelt base) options added to the menu, you have no reason not to get all up in Pizzaface - especially since they’ve recently teamed up with Boho Gelato to scoop up some game-changing ice creams and sorbets!
Pizza VIP
3 locations in central Brighton, Saltdean and Shelter Hall; click here for more information
The VIP stands for Very Italian Pizza - this family-run business was established in Naples all the way back in 1845, and is still delivering the goods five generations later! Their homemade sourdough recipe, traditional wood-burning technique, and high quality ingredients sourced from their farm in Naples (where they’ve produced dairy products for over 100 years) serve as the ultimate triple-threat in the hearts of Brighton and Saltdean.
Not feeling like straight-up, traditional pizza? Worry not, as there’s something for the vegetarians, vegans, those who go gluten-free, plus those who only want to stock up on some Italian cheese, pasta, tomatoes, wine and salami.
Fatto a Mano
3 locations in North Laine, Preston Circus and Church Road; click here for more information
What’s in a name?
Everything.
No, it doesn’t translate to “fat man”, but simply “made by hand”. Fatto a Mano’s famously soft and pillowy pies are achieved through their handmade dough being proved on site for 24 hours to ensure lightness and digestibility, making it one of the most sought-after slices outside of Naples.
Al Duomo
7 Pavilion Buildings, Brighton BN1 1EE
Al Duomo has been in business since 1979 and, just like the Pavilion, the city’s longest serving Italian restaurant is a Brighton institution (it was actually named after the famous dome over the India Entrance to the Royal Pavilion Gardens).
The original restaurant featured Brighton’s first wood-fired pizza oven, and they still cook their pizzas using this traditional method today under the new management of head chef Ercole Cappai, operating from an expanded kitchen - this place remains the place to go for some of the best pizza in Brighton. All of their stonebaked, wood-fired sourdough pizzas can be made with vegan ‘mozzarella’ style cheese, and there are plenty of gluten-free options too.
Think a simple sauce over freshlyly made ingredients - the authentic Italian way.