Until recently, Britain’s favourite seaside town (don’t @me Blackpool) wasn’t exactly blessed with fantastic pizza restaurants. With the popularity of fish’n’chips on the pebbles permeating every lunch and dinner choice, the humble pizza was marginalised, pushed to the back of the inappropriate fan ovens of Pizza Hut, Papa Johns et al.
Fortunately, that’s changed. Brighton now boasts some of the best pizza restaurants around, with wood fired ovens at 500°C churning out authentic Neapolitan style pies in just minutes. New Yorkian ‘by the slice’ joints are also enjoying some well deserved popularity in the city.
So, if you’re looking for the best places to get your pizza fix, whether it’s Neapolitan, Roman or New Yorker, and are wondering where to eat the best pizza in Brighton and Hove, then read on; here are the best pizza restaurants in Brighton & Hove.
Wild Flour Pizza, Ovingdean
Ideal for highly digestible dough, inventive toppings, and a seriously scenic alfresco dining spot…
Now that the weather’s warming up, one of our favourite things to do on a lazy, languid weekend in Brighton is to take a coastal walk out of the city centre, stopping to peruse the marina and fantasise about living on a houseboat, before strolling the striking Undercliff Walk a while. Then, we cut inland and uphill along Greenways in Ovingdean, all before looping back down into Brighton, with all the sweeping views of the city and sea tha entails. Heaven.
If that walk culminates in a seat on the picnic tables at Ovingdean’s Wild Flour Pizza, then it’s an even better day. We’re reluctant to call this place a ‘hidden gem’, as it’s hugely popular and rightly so, but its position outside of Brighton proper does help these premium pizza slingers retain an air of exclusivity.
Whisper it; this is one of Brighton’s very best pizzas, with a light and digestible dough that has enough structural integrity to hold up to the generous, sometimes inventive toppings deployed here. Significantly sturdier than their Neopolitan cousins, there’s still a lightness of touch at play here which we adore, the dough a labour of love and learning from owner Chris that has culminated in pure magic on the pizza paddle.
This is exemplified in the sometimes weekly special The Lebanese One, which sees a traditional tomato base and mozzarella given heft and funk from aromatic braised lamb and a lively, sharp chilli sauce. It’s a beautiful balancing act and a lesson in restraint; at no point does this pizza (which has already earned cult status in the city) get too heavy. If it’s on – there’s that air of exclusivity again – order it.
Don’t sweat if you pitch up and it’s not; the ever-present Seafood One is arguably even better, boasting marinated anchovies, capers and olives, and all that salty piquancy that the best pizza Napolis do. As you breathe in the sea air in this beautiful space, there’s no pizza – or place – that feels more appropriate. Heaven.
Website: wildflourpizza.co.uk
Address: Field End, Greenways BN2 7BA
Fatto a Mano, Various Locations
Ideal for finding authentic Neapolitan pizza, whatever corner of the city you’re in…
Nine years after the original Fatto a Mano opened on Brighton’s London Road, two more outposts have opened (one in Hove and one in the city’s North Laines) and world domination seems the only next logical step. Each restaurant is packed every day of the week and it’s easy to see why.
The pizzas are as authentic as they come; wood fired quickly, so the cheese remains delicate rather than singed, the dough soft and pillowy not burnt and crispy, with a blistered crust and restrained, respectful toppings, true to the Italian tradition. The name translates as ‘handmade’ in Italian, and that’s certainly the vibe here; everything is made from scratch and with love, and it shows. It’s great value, too, with no dish over a tenner.
Even if pizza isn’t your thing (how have you got this far into the article, by the way?), Fatto a Mano has some excellent starters and sides to see you well fed; their aubergine parmigiana, in particular, is ace.
Fatto a Mano offer delivery all over Brighton and Hove. And, testament to the quality of the pizzas here, there are now two Fatto a Manos in London, in Covent Garden and Kings Cross.
Website: www.fattoamanopizza.com
London Rd: 77 London Rd, Brighton BN1 4JF
North Laines: 21 Kensington St, Brighton BN1 4AJ
Hove: 65-67 Church Rd, Hove BN3 2BD
Nanninella, Preston Street
Ideal for trying Brighton’s best pizza…
Nanninella has been through almost as many rotations as Brighton’s famous observation tower in its 5 years on Preston Street. From authentic Neapolitan pizzeria to takeaway-only spot, then a post-COVID panini purveyor, before coming full circle (much like our seafront’s most iconic attraction) to its current incarnation as a traditional trattoria with pizza at its heart.
What’s remained wonderfully consistent throughout these transformations is the calibre of cooking at Nanninella (not to mention the reliably warm welcome from Sergio and family), with premium, imported Italian ingredients shining through in everything they serve up.
The pizzas are simply gold-standard; blistered, burnished and traditional, just as they should be. Don’t skip the traditional deep-fried street snacks either – the frittatina di pasta (deep-fried bucatini filled with bechamel, smoked mozzarella, roast ham and more) is a perfect example of Neapolitan street food done right, presented with authenticity on those clever, circular draining racks you see all over Naples. The vibe inside, all brightly coloured tiles and a view into the hot glow of the pizza oven, frames a hospitable, enjoyable place to spend time.
Our favourite pizza here – and in the whole of Brighton, in fact – is the provola e pepe, which uses smoked mozzarella and freshly ground black pepper to great effect. Yours for £13.50 and worth every penny. Any pizza featuring their premium imported fresh burrata is equally wonderful. Whichever guise we find this guy in, Nanninella is our favourite pizza restaurant in Brighton, floury hands down.
Address: 26 Preston St, Brighton BN1 2HN
Website: nanninellapizzeria.co.uk
Cutie Pies & Fries, Star & Garter
Ideal for breaking away from Neapolitan traditions with indulgent Detroit-style squares…
In a city swimming with Neapolitan pizzas, Cutie Pies brings something deliciously different to the paddle. Operating from the historic Star & Garter pub (a Victorian boozer that once hosted Winston Churchill and Charlie Chaplin, no less), these rectangular Detroit-style beauties are redefining what we expect from our pizza in the city.
The USP here is immediately apparent – these aren’t your typical round affairs (yep, we realised we’re rather labouring the point now). Instead, expect deep-dish dreams with gloriously crunchy bases and cheese pulls that would make any Instagram influencer weep with joy. Their signature XXL Pepp Monster (already a double award winner) is a thing of beauty, featuring a pepperoni-crusted base that’s loaded with marinara, mozzarella, double pepperoni, and finished with a drizzle of hot honey and roast garlic mayo. It’s designed to serve 3-4 people, though we won’t judge if you tackle it solo – though for £43, that would be mental and we are judging you.
For something a bit different, the Cutie Patootie (not a nice one to order out loud) combines chicken shawarma with fire-roasted peppers and kebab shop chillies – it shouldn’t work, but somehow it really does. Plant-based pizza lovers are particularly well served here too; with a vegan chef at the helm, the meat-free options aren’t mere afterthoughts but carefully crafted alternatives.
Don’t skip the loaded fries – the Cutie Fries topped with marinara, mozzarella and their signature tangy red pepper ranch sauce are the perfect accompaniment to these hefty squares. And if you’re feeling particularly decadent, the garlic bread dippers (house-baked focaccia style bread with garlic butter and Maldon salt) are worth every guilty bite.
Address: The Star & Garter, 16 Kings Rd, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 1NE
Website: cutiepiesandfrieds.com
Pizza Pilgrims, Ship Street
Ideal for trusting in crust…
When London institution Pizza Pilgrims announced that they were opening only their second restaurant outside the capital in Brighton in the summer of 2022, the city’s pizza aficionados might have been forgiven for asking ”is this really necessary?”
We already had two successful, homegrown pizza chains in Fatto e Mano and VIP Pizza, and Nanninella had redefined just how good pizza can be in this corner of South East England.
How wrong we are; the Brighton branch of Pizza Pilgrims has been a triumph, with superb pizzas rubbing shoulders with a fun and frivolous first floor in the restaurant dedicated to foosball tables and arcade games. How could this ever not succeed in a city so well known for its fun-loving spirit?
Pizza Pilgrim’s mantra is ‘In Crust We Trust’, and they stay true to this pledge with a base of lightness, chew, a hint of sourness and the requisite heat blisters that are the hallmark of a true pizza from Southern Italy. Our favourite order? It’s got to be the Double Pepperoni with Spicy Honey, a combination that works just beautifully.
Address: 35 Ship St, Brighton BN1 1AB
Website: pizzapilgrims.co.uk
Read: 9 of the best London pizza restaurants
VIP Pizza, Old Steine
Ideal for tasty rectangular pizzas right by the pebbles…
Very Italian Pizza…yep, it’s infuriating that’s it’s not called VIPizza, but there ya go. In fact, it’s sometimes stylised as PizzaVip, which makes things even more confusing. Regardless, since the first two joints on our list are collection only, and because the pizzas at VIP are lovely, we think it’s safe to say that these guys do the best pizza delivery in Brighton. Of course, you can dine in, too, at their restaurant on Old Steine Road, if getting out of your pants to get elbows deep in dough is your thing.
The pizzas here tick all the boxes you want from an ‘authentic’ offering; wood fired at high heat, a sourdough going back generations, a farm in Naples which provides the ingredients, San Marzano tomatoes, Caputo double zero flour…it’s all there and it’s all poetic AF. The result is something very delicious indeed. Don’t be put off by the huge menu; though pizza paradox of choice is a very real thing indeed, just go with your gut. It’ll thank you later.
In May 2021, VIP Pizza opened their second offering in Brighton’s excellent beachside food market Shelter Hall, under the name ‘Amalfi’. Though it’s now left the market, we miss its presence on the pebbles.
Website: pizzavip.co.uk
Address: 19 Old Steine, Brighton BN1 1EL
Pronto In Tavola, Cross Street
Ideal for crisp sourdough pizzas in a neighbourhood gem of a spot…
Tucked away off Western Road, on Cross Street, is Pronto In Tavola, a tiny Italian restaurant which packs a big punch. Though they may not have a proper wood fired oven, the vibe is so wonderfully chaotic, authentic and charming that we’re willing to overlook that. Opening times are unpredictable, wine bottles with candle wax dripping down the sides flicker, traditional Italian folk and opera plays, and chef Nino chats enthusiastically with guests over the pass or on the phone. Oh yes. What’s more, the pizzas are genuinely great, as is their arancini and gnocchi. An absolute blast of a neighbourhood restaurant.
Website: www.prontointavola.co.uk
Address: 43 Waterloo St, Brighton, Hove BN3 1AY
Purezza, St James Street
Ideal for groundbreaking, genuinely delicious plant-based pizzas…
Something a little different and a lot ‘Brighton’ to finish with. Purezza is the UK’s first plant based pizzeria, doing vegan, gluten free sourdough, ‘pioneering’ pizzas which don’t sacrifice on flavour. That’s partly because of the huge wood fired (nine times and counting) oven which is the centrepiece of the restaurant in Kemptown, and also in no small part down to their intriguing flavour combinations.
Purezza, meaning ‘purity’ and sounding a bit like pizza (that was the thinking behind the name, right?) use a surprisingly tasty rice based mozzarella, and heaps of delicious seasonal veg to great effect. If plant based is your vibe, or even if it isn’t, Purezza won’t let you down. They’ve proved themselves in a crowded market confidently.
Website: purezza.co.uk
Address: 12 St James’s St, Brighton BN2 1RE
Toby’s Pizza, Preston Road *currently closed*
If you’re after a pizza more in the New York style, then the (currently) delivery only Original Toby’s is quite comfortably the best of its kind in town.
The 12 inch pizza ‘pies’ boast a sturdier crust than their Italian cousins – here, adorned with freshly grated parmesan – and a base designed to support Toby’s super generous toppings.
Though a Toby’s Pizza is certainly one time we actively enjoy a hefty topping of meat on our pie, the absolute classic order here has got to be the charred courgette, which is a real winner.
Since their inception during lockdown (an opening we were incredibly grateful for during that surreal first stretch), the menu has grown, but one mainstay is the Original Toby’s dips, ideal both for that delicious crust we mentioned, and the fried potato skins. To really hammer home that American sensibility, we’re hopelessly devoted to their hamburglar dip….purists be damned; it’s amazing.
During Summer 2022, Toby’s were slinging their pizzas by-the-slice at Bison Beer North Laine. Brighton’s favourite craft brewery and one of the city’s best pizzas? It was a match made in heaven! This has too now ceased operating, but keep an eye out for more Toby’s around town soon.
Address: 38 Preston Rd, Brighton, BN1 4QF
Deliveroo: deliveroo.co.uk
Changed your mind on your dinner options? Or still hungry after your pizza? Or perhaps you’re planning tomorrow’s meal and are looking for noodles in Brighton? Aren’t we all? Well, check out our 6 IDEAL places to eat noodles in Brighton for, well….the clue’s in the name isn’t it?
Or how about a digestif? Here’s our roundup of the best cocktail bars in Brighton.