I’ve a few favourite pizza kitchens in Brighton but for a sit-down meal Pizza Pilgrims tends to be my go-to, writes Nick Mosley.
You’d try very hard to miss Pizza Pilgrims opposite the Ivy at the top end of Ship Street. For a start there’s a somewhat tubby Spiderman character, who’s clearly enjoyed a little too much dough, painted on the side of the building.
The quirkiness continues with the interiors featuring irreverent graffiti, eclectic neon signs, retro table tops and colourful murals. Its as if the designer banged their head and threw a box of paint and bunting in the air. This is a restaurant that doesn’t take itself too seriously – and that’s what I really love about it because it sets the scene for truly chilled dining that ticks the box for friends and families of all ages.
Pizza Pilgrims is spread over three levels. The main floor features the open kitchen and main restaurant, additional seating is on the first floor – perfect for private hire events – and the wackiness continues in the basement with an utterly unexpected indoor football pitch and arcade machines that are popular for kid’s parties and work team-building alike.
Putting the thoroughly engaging theatrical environment and guest generated atmosphere of bonhomie to one side, the pizza is the reason that I keep coming back. I’m bored of the lacklustre old-school Italian restaurants that line the main drag from Brighton to Hove serving the same old, same old; and – naming no names – I find the copy-and-paste feel of ‘modern’ trattoria style chains and their incessant banging on about sourdough bases painfully dull. I won’t even comment on chain pizza restaurants.
Pizza Pilgrims’ menu features around 14 different pizzas. Of course, there’s the always classic margarita alongside spicy pepperoni and njuda sausage topped options. There are also some Pizza Pilgrim originals: why have a four cheese pizza when you can have eight? Like hotdog and French fries… then there’s the Americana that I have no doubt is particularly popular with younger diners.
For once, I was dining with my actual partner rather than a friend or colleague. We started with an early evening espresso martini pick-me-up before getting our heads stuck into the menu. Following two separate personal recommendations from earlier in the day, Ron opted for double pepperoni with chilli infused honey and relayed that the sweetness, spiciness and – shall we say – ‘sausage-ness’ made perfect bedfellows.
In the interests of research, I chose their monthly Veganuary special – the Mariana Extra featuring what are claimed to be ‘the best tomatoes in the world’. In the world of tomatoes, I’m not sure if that can be entirely backed up but I have to say the San Marzano sauce was supremely sweet and flavoursome. Whilst the pizza is vegan, I was a bit of a bad boy and asked for sausage on top. At £10.95 it was super value.
Pizzas are priced at £11-15 with beers and wine by the glass starting at around £6.50-7 so you can easily have a filling, fun and memorable meal for less than £20 per head. The restaurant caters for vegetarians and vegans, and a gluten free base is available although it is cooked in the same oven as the regular pizzas.
If you’re in the centre of Brighton and looking for an easy lunch – or are looking for a uniquely engaging atmosphere with great service for a family meal – then look no further. Pizza Pilgrims ticks everyone’s box.
Nick Mosley
Pizza Pilgrims, 35 Ship Street, Brighton BN1 1AB
Comments