Europe’s First Vegan Pizza Restaurant Adored by Diners

Purezza, hailed as Europe’s first and only all-vegan sit-down Italian restaurant, was profiled on the United Kingdom-based news outlet Metro. The Brighton-based pizza parlor opened in late 2015 and has been wowing diners ever since with classic pies, inventive specialty creations, dairy-free desserts, and even coconut-cheese-stuffed crusts. Co-owner Stefania Evangelista hails from Tuscany and said she wanted to bring traditionally inspired, cruelty-free fare to Brighton because “[it] is a thriving city perfect for a new and exciting vegan restaurant.” The thin, stone-baked crusts act as a foundation for a number of different combinations—from a classic Margherita to the Hoisin, a pie topped with a tomato base, soy cheese, enoki mushrooms, spring onions, and hoisin sauce. “We set out with the intention of proving that vegan food can be as enjoyable as meat,” co-owner Tim Barclay told Homemade. “We want to change the perception of plant-based food and remove the negative stereotype that is attached to it by creating a menu that you wouldn’t expect to see.” The restaurant joins the ranks of other high-end Italian pizzerias making waves with plant-based pies.