For many, takeaways have replaced the restaurant experience, and why wouldn’t it? The ability to eat food you want on demand, without the rigmarole of restaurant formalities has been a go to for some for years, but since lockdown, many more have come to the conclusion that a boxset and a takeaway tops the ordeal of venturing to a restaurant. But when faced with so much choice, where should you order from? You needn’t suffer the dread and guilt that comes with coughing up for a sub-par takeaway, as I provide you with some of my personal favourites. Whether you are visiting Brighton and want a lazy night at the hotel, or if you need a break from the ol’ faithful, here are my four favourite takeaways that always deliver on quality.
Ichiban Don
Ichiban Don provides fantastic Japanese street food, for a fair price, and stands out among other Japanese takeaways for the comfort it brings. Hot dishes are always warm on arrival and the flavours are exactly what you want from Japanese comfort food. The katsu curry (which I believe all good Japanese food places should be judged on) is rich and aromatic with seasonal veg, and Japanese pickle. It boasts an impressive selection of donburi, with plenty of sashimi and fish options. It’s simple food, and you might be able to find places with higher critical acclaim but it’s satisfying, to the point, tasty Japanese food.
15 – 17 Middle Street Brighton, BN11AL
Oowee Vegan
Oowee, whilst sounding like the cry of a goofy cartoon character, is pure, unapologetic vegan junk food. It’s not the first to attempt it, especially in Brighton, but it easily provides the best take on vegan fast food that I have tried here. The building itself is decorated exactly like major fast-food burger chains a-la Mcdonalds or Burger king, complete with a “walk-by” window to collect orders from. It has a surprisingly large selection of burgers to choose from, far more than most well known regular fast-food chains, and will offer a welcome treat for vegans and non-vegans alike. As someone who recently gave up meat, the imitation is spot on. It’s decadent and everything junk food should be, without having to endure the “post-maccies depression”.
23 Market St, Brighton BN1 1HH
Pizza ME
Pizza Me evokes a particularly joyous, yet long gone memory of being a young child on holiday in Europe. I stayed at a rather remote hotel, and could find nowhere to eat, bar a small independent pop-up Pizza vendor, just sitting on the street a twenty or so metres past the hotel. The pizza from that stall was one of the best Pizzas I have ever had, and Pizza Me gives me a glimpse into that long gone moment of time. After my first bite I was briefly transported into my 8 year old self, with innocence and naivety intact, and have been a fan of their Pizza since that bite. It’s a tiny hut placed at the bottom of Elm Grove where the road forks in multiple directions. As is often the case with smaller food places, it has a unique charm and produces food that tastes that little bit better, thanks to the genuine care put into it. A hearty selection of toppings and an authentic Italian style of Pizza, it’s certainly my go to Pizza place, even offering calzones and a range of Vegan Pizza. I can’t promise it’ll take you back to your childhood, or awaken a long lost feeling of comfort. But, at the very least, if authentic Italian Pizza is your desire, then I can promise you some damn good Pizza.
8 Elm Grove, Brighton BN2 3DD
PHO
It’s well documented that chicken noodle soup is the go-to for anyone under the weather or struggling with a rough morning after a few too many, but PHO provides food that seems to triple the rousing effect that a hot bowl of soup from your mother provides.
For the uninitiated, PHO is a Vietnamese place, and takes the spot as the number one takeaway/restaurant/miracle cure for hangovers or illness. With a healthy range of Vietnamese dishes, its focus (PHO-cus?) is warm, feel good food, that hits just right the morning after a night out, or can help lift you out of bed during a particularly bad cold. It also has plenty of Vegan options, which makes this cure for the rundown accessible to all. They even go as far as to offer a Hangover “Cure” bundle, consisting of a spicy beef brisket noodle soup (tofu and mushroom as the Vegan option), spring rolls and a can of coke. My first time trying the “cure” was in the middle of a bout of Flu, I had the chicken noodle Pho and it provided me some much needed respite from my ailing. It’s incredibly fresh and fragrant, with an abundance of bean sprouts, mint, lime, noodles and an exquisite broth that punches through the dulled taste buds of the unwell.
12 Black Lion St, Brighton BN1 1ND
