2 Filtered Reviews of VBites

The reviews below were either questionable or violated our site terms. They therefore are not factored into this business's overall star rating.

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b79

Points +13

Vegetarian
16 Aug 2009

it's okay

vbites is an okay place. as a vegetarian brighton has plenty of other better options, although vegans might find it a bit more special. i had the chicky korma which tasted nice, but it was too dry (it needed more sauce) and the rice also could have been better quality. it also has no veggies in at all, so i would question how healthy it actually is (something heather mills' says is the main point of vbites). my friends had burgers which they enjoyed. however, you had to pay extra for the chips, which seemed quite dry and burnt around the edges. ketchup was also extra, which seems unnecessary. for drinks we all had beers (leffe and corona) which were served too warm.
the highlight of the evening was cake - vbites has what is i'm sure the largest selection of vegan cakes in brighton. i tried the walnut and coffee (solid) and the passion and lime (really good).
so, all in all, vbites is no gourmet destination and i might go again if i'm in nearby, although i think it would be better for lunch (or coffee and cake!). the staff were friendly and the prices are not over the top.

Jessiekitten

Points +13

Vegetarian
11 Jun 2011

My worst dining experience as a vegetarian

On a whim, my partner and I decided to give Vbites a whirl. Neither of us had been before, but I'd heard some decent reviews so assumed it would be a good experience. How wrong I was!

The cafe itself was drab and dirty. It resembles a youth club tuck shop and completely lacks any personality. In spite of the fact that there were only four other customers in at the time, there were several dirty tables. Not a good sign.

I ordered the bacon cheeseburger and my partner ordered the chicken burger and a portion of chips for us to share. Again, in spite of there being only four other customers, they managed to mess our order up. When the food did arrive, it was practically cold. The burger itself was luke warm but the bacon was cold and so was the bun. The chips were standard frozen crinkle cut chips and left a lot to be desired. The burger was unpleasant to say the least. I managed a few mouthfuls before admitting defeat. I have been vegetarian for 10 years now (with a few periods of being vegan) and this is without a doubt, the worst food I have eaten in that time. It's as though it were cooked by somebody who assumed that veggies don't actually enjoy food, or expect food of a decent standard. I'm by no means a food snob, but I expect a certain standard, especially in an area of the UK famed for its vegetarian eateries!
[edited by staff]
Yes, I know that Vbites has never proclaimed to be gourmet or ground-breaking in its offerings, but I honestly wouldn't eat there even if it was free.

In summary, disgusting food and poor service. There are some amazing places to eat in Brighton and Hove, but this isn't one of them.

Pros: Dog friendly

Cons: Abysmal food, Poor service, Dirty, drab interior

David Jones

25 Jun 2011

i also got the impression that this is a fast food restaurant - but speaking as someone who visited the cafe 40 years ago as a child - it was fast food then and thats what we wanted!! Fast food is indeed not to everyones taste, but i was quite happy with the food served and this very harsh review appears to have been prompted by some other factor than the actual experience encountered there. I would highly recommend trying out this vegan cafe and forming your own opinion. I am pretty sure that you will like it.