I have been to Iydea twice, and found it a bit overwhelming both times. They have buffets with a wide variety of dishes, but it's a bit much to take in all at once. The staff is helpful in decoding the multitude of dishes though. And the food has been good.
My main complaint is that the place is very noisy and easily feels crowded.
Really pleasant place in the North Laine, Brighton with a good atmosphere. Staff were friendly and helpful and the range of options was good. Alot for vegans too as most that wasn't could be made vegan. Had the Big Breakfast and a smoothie and they werent lying on the size, but it was tasty. Only problem we ever have is finding a table as it is often busy, but well worth it if you can get in!
Pros: Good Vegan Selection, Friendly StaffIn fact, I nearly did live here the week I spent in Brighton. The food is stunningly delicious, the staff are lovely and there are plenty of vegan dishes, clearly labelled and all the ingredients listed. I came here for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea and loved every one of them. The only slight negatives would be how crowded it can get, which can make it hard to get a table, and the fact that I don't think it has a toilet. However, overall, this is one of the best places I've ever eaten. Consistently fabulous. Go now.
Pros: Excellent food, Friendly staff, Fantastic valueThis is a really lovely place... friendly staff and tasty food. Seems really good value for what you get.
There are lots of choices and everything is vegetarian with lots of vegan options. Cakes too, for anyone with a sweet tooth.
If you opt to take out, it is really good value too. I did that, since it was so incredibly full during the lunch time I visited.
Recommended. I would definitely go again and recommend this place!
Updated from previous review on Friday August 10, 2012
Updated from previous review on Friday August 10, 2012
Having spent a good part of two days exploring Brighton on foot and browsing numerous menus of vegetarian and vege friendly cafes I have to say Iydea seems the best. I have eaten there on two occasions now - once takeaway, once eating in. The prices for take-out are slightly cheaper but sometimes you just want to sit down in the cafe, though it can get incredibly busy around 12:30 so I'd suggest getting there early.
The ingredients are listed above the food and this is very useful for me as I have a lemon allergy and find it difficult ascertaining if it is in food. There are plenty of vegan options, these include the best vegan lasagne I have ever eaten. There is a excellent selection of side dishes and toppings, so much so that you can end up holding up the ever busy queue trying to decide!
Well worth a visit.
Pros: Food selection, Good quality ingredients, Great valueThere is a reason this place is busy - it's amazing. fresh and tasty veggie food, decent prices, great variety. friendly, laidback atmosphere and helpful staff. If you visit brighton, don't leave until you try their gnocci!
Does great breakfast and lunches but can get quite busy. Everything is labelled as vegan and gluten free and the ingredients are all listed (handy for those with a food allergy). Does a nice range in vegan cakes too. Can get very crowded at times though.
Pros: good range of food, great vegan cakes, friendly staffI had lunch here quite recently for 6.50 GBP chowing down some yummy Shepherd's Pie, roasted carrots with sweet potatoes, some tomato based salad, and the entire plate topped off with a spoonful of hoummos and salsa. It was quite packed inside so I sat outside on the not too wet picnic benches. Welcoming staff and good value food, there is absolutely nothing weird or unhygienic about this place as other comments might suggest. It is a canteen style cafe after all.
Pros: Close to shopping areas., Good value food, and drinks available., Great décor.Have been a few times and haven't been that impressed. There are lots of vegan choices and the food is always good value for money which tastes OK but never amazing. You do not choose from a menu but choose either a small or large plate and fill it with whats on offer that day from a canteen style set-up. There are hot and cold (salad) selections with choices of dressings and dips. There is large selection of fresh juices/smoothies which are good. Quite often busy and cramped seating with the possibility of ending up on a table with people you don't know. Good if you want quick food at a reasonable price.
Pros: healthy fast food, good pricesFab veggie cafe with a great selection of good value, unpretentious but tasty, freshly cooked food. Great example for all the people who think vegetarians just eat lentils, tofu and salad leaves!
It would be nice if it was also open in the evenings though!
A counter service cafe with lots of selection and choice for vegans. Everything clearly marked with ingredients/suitability for vegans etc. It is quite small and did get pretty busy nearer lunchtime, but good value for money and great to choose what sides hot or cold you want with your main meal
Pros: lots of variety, vegan options cleary marked, tastyDo you remember Food for Friends in the good old days when you queued out of the shop to get to the counter for a plateful of good-value filling yummy bakes, veg and salads? Ahh, if you just sighed, you will really like this cafe.
We've eaten here a few times and there's usually a good choice for vegans, including the all-important sweet selection. Only had one meal we didn't enjoy - arrived between breakfast and lunch which meant there wasn't much available and the staff could probably have done with a break. Other times we have had great tasting food, good filling stuff in a real cafe atmosphere.
Had the full breakfast. Each component had been pre-made and it seemed like several parts had been sitting for a very long time. The veggie sausages were completely dried out/rubbery and the mushrooms had also clearly been sitting perhaps overnight. The point is, none of this was freshly prepared.
BAKED BEANS FROM A TIN
SAUSAGES FROM A PACKET
While the lady serving my food did seem quite polite, I went to this place to eat food, not to pay to see her. So i dont want the people running this place to think they are bad at their jobs, they just need to learn to serve freshly prepared food. I was really honestly horrified when i saw them scooping all this stuff from metal bins behind the counter. I may as well have gone to mcdonalds. Seriously. What is the point of running a restaurant like this [edited by staff-see tos]
So beware folks. That is all i'm saying, beware.
I was impressed with the many deserts i could choose from. Amazing food, maybe could of had more main meals to choose from but not complaining cos i was happy with what was on offer. Very reasonably priced i could afford it and that means its not expensive! Great atmosphere, had place up stairs too. Easy to find and had friendly staff.
Pros: great desserts, fab atmopshere, tasty and filling foodI had the veggie cooked breakfast. It was very nice, and the portion sizes were great (so much, I couldn't finish it all!). Staff were also pleasant.
The only down side was that I didn't have enough room to try the vegan choc fudge cake.
I have lived here all my life and i would say this is the best veggie place in town. The food is always great with a good mix and selection at all times. Staff are always nice and friendly + i'd say it's good value for your money. i will be going back again... and again... and again.....
Pros: good selection, always tasty, good valueI first ate here summer 2006 when they had just opened.
I ate there several times summer 2007.
The food is excellent and offers good value for money.
I like to sit outside, relax and watch the world go by.
One of the places to eat in Brighton.
http://www.heureka.clara.net/sussex/brighton.htm
Also worth trying is Infinity Foods and Bom-Bane's (not veggie, but serves good veggie food).
Iydea is also a BookCrossing zone.
http://www.heureka.clara.net/books/bookcrossing.htm
Pros: good food, good value, nice atmosphere
This is a little gem of a place. Although the vegan main dishes is normally limited to one dish the veg and salad to go with it are fantastic and really fresh. I had the Hickory pie with carrots and roatsed parsnips which were great and for a fiver. A good selection of vegan cakes and soya drinks. One of the best veggie places to eat in Brighton and well worth a visit.
Pros: Fresh, Wholesome, Well pricedMore veggie places to eat in brighton than you could shake a stick at (one of the reasons i have moved here from london!)
Iydea is a brilliant cafe that has got everything right. It has fast counter service for take away or eat in. Interesting dishes, different each day with lots of fresh veg & salad lovingly prepared.The staff are a joy, very welcoming and friendly and added to this lunch will cost you around £5.We really look forward to going there.
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I'm personally very sorry to here that your expectations of iydea were not met. Your feedback is very much appreciated and we now make all breakfast components in-house as we do with our lunch. We have also radically changed the way we serve breakfast. We now serve a pick and mix, point and get breakfast which has over 25 hot and cold housemade items to choose from. Once again thank you for the feedback but please be mindful that "scooping from metal bins" is actually what we are all about. Kind regards Seb (owner)