It was a Monday evening, not unlike any other. The day of work that preceded, acting like a sobering slice of lucidity between the doughy haze of the weekend past and the crusty working week to come.

Back to reality. Little did we know that our pizza dreams were about to come true…

We had been invited to Morelli Zorelli’s vegan pizza tasting evening.

On the menu were 14 different pizza topping combinations (I recall a couple non menu additions too!) to tantalise and appease the most discerning of vegan pizza connoisseurs, a selection of delicious fresh vegetables, Cheezly and Veganic cheeses and VBites meat alternatives atop of their fantastic sourdough bases.

The resounding message from the team at MZ was one of inclusivity. In Brighton we are fortunate enough to have some fantastic places to eat, regardless of dietary requirements or culinary preference. As a wider society we are a diverse bunch, and we all get hungry. It makes perfect sense to provide great options for all. We should all be able to eat great food. MZ are amongst those making it not only possible, but thanks to the great taste and quality, a luxurious prerequisite.

The menu:

Veggie Hot: Vegan mozzarella, caramelised red onions, olives, mixed peppers, mushrooms, fresh chillies

Courgette, Aubergine & Mushroom: Vegan mozzarella, chargrilled aubergine, chargrilled courgettes, mushrooms, sundried tomatoes

Smoked Tofu & Asparagus: Vegan mozzarella, smoked tofu, chargrilled courgettes, asparagus, roasted vine tomatoes

Pesto, Mushroom & Asparagus: Vegan mozzarella, vegan pesto, mixed Italian mushrooms, asparagus

Vegan BBQ Chicken: Vegan mozzarella, vegan chicken in BBQ sauce, mixed peppers, caramelised red onions

Vegan Smokey Joe: Vegan mozzarella, smoked tofu, mixed peppers, roasted vine tomatoes, fresh chillies, smoked paprika

Vegan Ham & Mushroom: Vegan mozzarella, vegan ham, mushroom

Smoked Tofu & Artichoke: Vegan mozzarella, smoked tofu, marinated artichokes, sundried tomatoes, mushrooms, caramelised red onions

Spinach & Blue Cheese: Vegan cheese, vegan blue cheese, spinach, caramelised red onions

Mushroom: Vegan mozzarella, mixed Italian mushrooms, chargrilled courgettes, vegan blue cheese

Vegan Meat Feast: Vegan mozzarella, vegan pepperoni, vegan chorizo, vegan ham, mushrooms, caramelised red onions

Vegan Chicken & Pesto: Vegan mozzarella, vegan chicken, vegan pesto, black olives, marinated artichokes, fresh rocket

Vegan Duck: Vegan mozzarella, marinated vegan duck in hoisin sauce, caramelised red onion

Vegan Ham & Pineapple: Vegan mozzarella, vegan ham, pineapple

OUR TOP 5

1. Spinach & Blue Cheese – This one seemed to be a surprise to everyone yet proved to be one of the most popular combinations as well as both of our favourites! An unexpected winner! It was deliciously flavourful and distinct.

2. Chicken & Pesto – The close second to being our mutual favourite! The pesto was a great addition and worked really well with the other toppings.

3. Courgette, Aubergine & Mushroom – Three of my favourite pals together at last!

4. Vegan BBQ Chicken – This one was really great and would be on a level playing field with the Chicken & Pesto pizza, we just felt that the BBQ flavour needed a little more dominance.

5. Smoked Tofu & Artichoke – I’m a big fan of artichokes on pizza. I recall a second non-menu pizza featuring artichokes and vegan chorizo too, which was equally awesome!

I’m sure for all involved, the vegan taster evening at Morelli Zorelli was a resounding success. It was a great opportunity to chat to the team, and witness their passion and dedication to not only great pizza, but also great customer service and we can’t wait to see which of the pizzas become permanent fixtures to the menu! We’ll be coming back really soon. If you get the chance, definitely pay them a visit!