Terre a Terre

Food	Service	Atmosphere	Value
7.25	6.69	6.31	5.5

A vegetarian restaurant situated near Brighton Pavillion, the menu is exciting and innovative. The restaurant was started 13 years ago by classically trained chefs Amanda Powley and Philip Taylor, who wanted to test out their ideas about cooking without meat. There is a good selection of organic wines, beers and ciders. Menu options include soy steeped deep fried hoi sin sesame toasted tofu, sherry and balsamic vinegar coated sun-dried tomatoes, sodden socca and more. And remember, just because you aren’t a vegetarian doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy the food.

March 2005

Well, I've read the other reviews and maybe the restaurant has got better! It was highly recommended to us, so I took my husband there last year as a specal birthday treat.
The staff were arrogant and dismissive and the food was mediocre, well presented but lacking in taste. I was so disappointed and we would not consider going there again.

Anna - Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Is Terre a Terre becoming complacent? After several years of winning awards and generally being regarded as one of Brighton's best, the new menu is left wanting. The food is now either overly experimental with poorly chosen flavours that clash on the palate or far too basic, using cheap and simple ingredients thrown together with lacking inspiration. The menu is full of the usual spin of course, designed to wow us with it's knowledge of unusual ingredients, but in reality, what you get is no better than something you could rustle up in the kitchen yourself on a busy friday night. One haloumi kebab with a bit of fried potato on the side?! Is that really worth £15?
The service is, as always, polite, helpful and friendly. Yet, we left there recently feeling like we'd been ripped off. Having frequented the place for years, we won't be going back until we've heard that it's worth that little bit extra. At an average of £70 for a two course meal for 2 with a bottle of wine and tip, it's worth spending your hard earned cash elsewhere if you are looking for value for money and a full stomach. The portions are very small, apart from the classic rosti of course, and that's only worth trying once. The side dishes cost extra and even the (weak) coffee is served in the tiniest cups available.
Terre a Terre may still be booked up for now, but for how much longer can they ride on their previous success? Shame.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Had the tapas starter which is the best vegetarian food i have ever had. The only thing i wasn't too impressed with was the tandoori halloumi, not quite the right flavours. And unfortunately i had the kebabs for mains, basically its a measly halloumi portion on a cocktail stick with sitting on a bed of cabbage in sea of risotto. Very average! My partner had the mushroom main and that was superb.
Overall really impressed. Portions are massive. Service is very good.

Al - Monday, March 10, 2008

My boyfriend and I ate here the other night and received excellent service and a real feast for the tastebuds. I reckon this place is not for culinary faint-hearted, as the menu is more than adventurous - I'm pretty clued up food wise but still had to ask our waitress what a lot of things were.
This is a classy place that proves that vegetarian food isn't all about pasta and risottos.

Natalia - Friday, February 15, 2008

We ate at Terre a Terre on the Saturday eve. prior to christmas, thankfully no christmas menu nor party hat or streamers were seen.
The restaurant was full, but not cramped, the service was superb from the moment we entered, the waiter was attentive without being overly so, drinks were offered immediately and the order was taken promptly, the meal was served expertly and all with just the right amount of time between, and the food, well it was possibly the best meal we have ever had, the flavours were sublime the presentation was superb etc etc and not a rack of lamb or side of beef to be seen.
we'll travel the 100mile round trip again for sure

Richard - Tuesday, January 22, 2008

This place is superb! I recently ate there with some friends, and apart from one of our group who ordered something that was gluten, wheat, and about a million other things free, and that took some time to arrive, we all had the most fabulous food. I would challenge anyone who insists of having a carcass to much on, not to enjoy this vegetarian delight. Not a dull salad or bland nut roast in sight. Wonderful wonderful food.
I can’t recommend this place enough.

Paul - Thursday, December 20, 2007

This was my second visit to Terre a Terre and last time, although I though the food was amazing, the presentation came across as a bit pretentious and the plates were just too busy.
However, there was none of that this time. The food was just as fab as last time but the dishes were complete full rounded meals where everything on the plate went together.
Starting with the wasabi cashews (a must) followed by the tapas of starters I then moved onto a mushroom dish with a side of bang bang chips (another must) and then caramelised bananas, custard, ice cream and rice pudding for dessert. It was all magnificent. I'm not quite sure how I managed to stuff it all in, but somehow I did.
If there is any criticism, it is that some of the prices are a little high (£3.25 for a small bowl of the nuts was a bit steep - but they are wonderful...) and that there is too much nice stuff on the menu..! They should really have a tasting menu so that you can try a selection of the dishes as, at the prices, you would not visit too often.
Also, it is a bit noisy at the rear of the restaurant and at the front where it is quieter, it tends to fill up with people waiting for tables which is a bit off-putting when you're eating. Perhaps a small redesign of the front (maybe only on busy nights) into a waiting area where drinks could be served would be a possibility.

Apart from those small niggles, this is a fabulous place, vegetarian or not.

Gaz - Monday, December 03, 2007

Best meal we have had in Brighton.
Paid a visit on a wet Tuesday afternoon so feel a little unfair to comment on the atmosphere as it was very quite.
For a confirmed carnivore I found the menu tasty and exciting.
Went for the selection option which gave us lots of little tasters of most of the mains on the menu.
Left feeling full, but not stuffed.
Not cheapest in Brighton, but then not again the most expensive, but have paid the same and had much worse.
If you think veggie food is bland and unexciting leave your prejudices at the door and pay it a visit.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

I have been to the restaurant twice now and can't fault it in any way.
The food is fabulous, it can't be faulted especially for the price you pay. Its not the dull vegetarian food some would expect but different and so full of flavour.
I can see that some people have given this restaurant negative reviews in some areas.
My father went to this retaurant with a mind that being a meat eater this wasn't going to be to his liking in any way, he was veyr much surprised and enjoyed all his dishes.
The service to some may be slow, but i like to enjoy my food and take my time in a restaurant, so many places now try to rush you through quickly to make an extra few bucks..
You are going to find at a weekend as in many restaurants that during the day children will be around, i've never had a problem, though if these kids other people have mentioned were behaving in such a manner, then i'm not impressed that the staff didn't have words with the parents/guardians and put a stop to this.
This place can't be that bad if a certain famous vegetarian eats in there from time to time.

SS - Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Poor.
Food decent quality but service apallingly slow and staff hopeless but at least with a smile. Everything slow, somethings forgotten, only the bill dealt with swiftly.

The smallest coca-cola bottles ever invented and only designed to make you feel both cheated and determined to make one last all night (especially the 15 year olds we took who know the value of money). Only in Ibiza, with their miniscule water bottles do they know how to take the p*** and make you feel embarrassed to feel ripped off in this way.
As a meat eater I was pleasantly surprised by the food but by the time we were served I could have eaten a donner kebab. Gave me endless amunition to take the mickey out of veggie mates.
Probably created on principles but utterly sold out to milk the masses. All I can think of is how rich a veggie restaurant will make me. Look foward to "Soya-oo-coming" soon.

Topaz - Friday, October 26, 2007