terre à terre

Serving “vegetarian food that’s a joy to eat” since 1993, this coolly contemporary but accessible restaurant remains a meat-free diamond in a city known for its open-minded approach to all things gastronomic. As ever, the kitchen knows how to dazzle when it comes to putting ingredients together, while the flavours in the astonishing Asian-edged food continue to challenge and excite.

Long descriptions may baffle, but the results are all down to sublime spicing and inspired combinations. Korean fried cauliflower with sweet ‘n’ sour sesame, onigiri rice, soused daikon, kohlrabi and pickled mirin ginger jelly is an enticing oriental combo, while aubergine dengaku sees slow-baked aubergine sizzled with tahini, sesame and white miso, and served with edamame, and a puffed rice seaweed cracker dusted with nori salt.  

To finish, check out the ‘churrismo’, which are doughnut straws with vodka-steeped cherries and sticky salt caramel ‘dunker’, or stick to the conventional with your choice of terre à terre’s homemade ice creams.

If you’re on the hunt for an afternoon delight, terre à terre’s Asian take on afternoon tea is also popular. The tea is served daily and features a savoury tier filled with the likes of a tapioca seaweed cracker with pickled vegetables, and a steamed rice bun stuffed with Szechuan marinated halloumi. The sweeter offering meanwhile sees indulgent bites of chocolate hazelnut truffle cake, and orange and almond polenta cake served with clementine sorbet.

The rest of the family can also join in on the fun, as terre à terree boasts a children’s menu which is sure to entice young food lovers. Kids can nibble on the likes of teeny weeny spaghettini and smoky scrunch chips which are seasoned with bang bang spice dust, before finishing up with vanilla ice cream crowned with shortbread biscuits and chocolate sauce.  

terre à terre also scores points for its imaginative wine list which features organic and biodynamic offerings, as well as the restaurant’s personable, informed service which ticks customer’s boxes.

Founded by chefs Amanda Powley and Philip Taylor in 1993, terre à terre has become one of Brighton's best loved restaurants, and a standard bearer for plant-based cooking in Brighton and around the UK. Not only is the restaurant committed to sharing great, meat-free food, terre à terre is also one of Brighton's original ethical restaurants, and has been central in sharing information about recycling, food waste management and how to run a sustainable restaurant. 

Everything served at the restaurant is vegetarian, with a wide selection of dishes also suitable for vegans and gluten-free diets. terre à terre has a wide range of menus to suit all sorts of different occasions - not just an a la carte, but also a 'Little Terrors' children's menu, a two-course 'Plantyful' menu served at lunch and in the early evening, and a 'terre a tapas' set menu, where guests get a selection of tapas-style dishes and a carafe of wine. The Asian-inspired afternoon tea menu is also popular, thanks to unique nibbles and snacks like the steamed rice bun stuffed with Szechuan-marinated halloumi, and seaweed tapioca cracker with pickled vegetables, as well as an assortment of sweets. 

The main menu, meanwhile, takes inspiration from global flavours - there are nibbles like wasabi-crusted cashews, deep-fried lavash breads topped with spices and served with charred aubergine zhuganoush (a combination of zhug and babaganoush), followed by classics like the terre à terre Korean fried cauliflower, rolled in tamari black vinegar and sesame, crispy-fried potato, onion and garlic rostis with buttered spinach, poached egg and mustard rarebit topping, and a dessert menu with treats like a lemon verbena creme brulee. 

terre à terre also sells a range of products in-store and online, including sweets, nibbles, jams, pickles, chutneys, hampers and organic wines.