I visited Wahaca in Brighton during Veganuary of this year to try their vegan set menu and the newest drinks added as part of Dry January. I have wanted to visit Wahaca for quite a while now, with many friends recommending it. Having just returned from Mexico, I felt like it was the perfect time for a visit to check out what everyone is raving about when they recommend Wahaca.
A fun fact I discovered about Wahaca during my visit to Mexico is that the venue name is written like you would say “Oaxaca,” which is a city as well as a state in southern Mexico. I learnt a little about this region during a cultural show I attended, but before this, I had no idea about the existence of this place or even how to pronounce it.
Wahaca in Brighton 2024
I made a reservation for 7 pm, and upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by a member of staff who took us to our table. We received our menus, and although there were many vegetarian options, I couldn’t see the vegan set menu option anywhere. After asking our waitress about it, I discovered that Wahaca offers a whole separate vegan menu!
The vegan menu had so many great options to choose from beyond the set menu, and I often find that restaurants don’t always cater well to vegans and vegetarians with only a couple of basic options to choose from, but kudos to Wahaca for going above and beyond to cater to different dietary needs. On top of this, they also offered gluten-free dishes with a whole designated gluten-free menu on offer.
Throughout our visit, we ended up with two waiters as well as additional staff who brought us food. Our first waiter, Calvin, came over to us as soon as we were seated and took our drink orders. We started off with the Blackberry Sour which was sweet and fruity with hints of tang. I really loved the presentation with the cute design of a flower in what I assume was tajin powder. The blackberry flavour was prominent, and there was an interesting basil-like taste, which worked very well.
Our second waiter (whose name I didn’t catch but was lovely) took our food order shortly after the drinks arrived. We went for the Vegan Set menu, which served two people for £45 (£22.50 each) with a range of tapas dishes, including Smoky Sonoran Hummus and Homemade Tortilla Chips, Ancho Mushroom Tacos, Plantain Tacos, Plant-based Chicken & Avocado Tacos, Black Bean & Cheese Quesadilla, Zesty BeanTostadas,s and Seasonal Greens.
The first dish we received was the Smoky Sonoran Hummus and Homemade Tortilla Chips. Straight off the bat, I must say the hummus was TO DIE FOR. Having only ever tried store-bought hummus, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to eat it again. The hummus had a full, rich flavour and tasted of paprika and sun-blushed tomatoes with a slight hint of smokiness, and the seeds added a subtle crunch. There was a slight spicy tang to it too, but it was very mild. The tortillas tasted fresh and were extremely crunchy, pairing perfectly with the hummus. I ended up eating so much I felt like I didn’t have space for any of the other dishes that were on the way.
Next arrived the seasonal greens along with the Black Bean and Cheese Quesadillas. The greens included broccoli, raddish, and some other greens, and they were fresh and soft with a lemony flavour.
Quesadillas are one of my favourite dishes, and I must say these were phenomenal. It can be hit or miss when it comes to vegan cheese, but the cheese used for these at Wahaca was perfectly melted and complimented the black beans well. The filling of the quesadillas was simple with mushed black beans, cheese, and seasoning, but boy was this dish flavourful. I ended up having both quesadillas as my partner isn’t a fan of black beans.
Plant-based Chicken & Avocado Tacos came shortly after I finished the quesadillas. At this point, I was quite stuffed, but the attentive staff were delivering our dishes as they were made, and it aligned perfectly with every dish we finished. When I first saw the menu, I thought maybe it wouldn’t be enough food, but at this point, I knew I was wrong.
As a vegetarian, I am generally not a fan of plant-based meat alternatives, so the plant-based Chicken and Avocado Tacos had me a little worried, but I was still willing to try them. My partner really enjoyed this, and as a meat eater, he said that he couldn’t tell the difference. I was quite surprised, as I also enjoyed it. The plant-based chicken did have a meaty flavour and texture, so it just depends if you’re into plant-based alternatives. The dish was made up of a flavourful pesto, mushed avocado, and crispy plant-based chicken strips, and all the flavours went well together and provided a pleasant smoky aftertaste.
Our second round of drinks was the non-alcoholic margarita, which was refreshing with a hint of spice, and the cup was rimmed with a mix of salt and tajin in true Mexican fashion. It reminded me a lot of the non-alcoholic margaritas I had in Mexico a week prior to my visit, so this was a very positive addition to the experience.
Prior to seeing this dish, I had no idea what tostadas were. To me, the dish was some sort of crispy fried tortilla with a mix of sweetcorn, beans, and tomatoes with a spicy and zesty sauce. I must say the flavour of this dish was great; however, the spice was too much for me as someone with quite a low spice tolerance. My boyfriend ended up eating both tostadas and really enjoying them, even though he found them quite spicy but said that it was a “pleasant spice.”
Our last two dishes came at the same time and included the Ancho Mushroom Tacos and Plantain Tacos. Plaintain was something I had the opportunity to try in Mexico but didn’t as I was worried I wouldn’t enjoy it. This dish was unfortunately a pass for me, as I was right in thinking the texture wasn’t for me. I ended up giving the plantain taco to my partner, but luckily for me, my partner doesn’t like mushrooms, which I LOVE, so I got two of the Ancho Mushroom Tacos.
My favourite thing about the Ancho Mushroom Tacos was the pesto sauce and the crunchy beetroot chips on top of it. I love the Tyrrell Mixed Root Vegetable Crisps, and these beets reminded me of the ones you get in the packet, and I couldn’t get enough of them. The mushrooms were soft and perfectly cooked, and I loved every bite of this taco.
What I really enjoyed about the set menu is that each dish came as a pair and we could mix and match; for example, if I wanted to eat both parts of one dish, I could, which gave us a nice variety of dishes to enjoy that we liked. Whether you’re after a set menu or just some Mexican dishes, Wahaca in Brighton is a must. I know I’ll be back in due time to try some of their other vegetarian and vegan dishes.
Address: 160 – 161 North St, Brighton, BN1 1EZ
Website: https://www.wahaca.co.uk/
