Vegan pizza crowned best in the UK at national awards

The winning dish uses dairy-free cheese

(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

You might think good pizza is all about cheese, but the times are a changin'.

As veganism becomes an increasingly popular lifestyle choice in the UK, with an estimated seven per cent of the population following the diet, the "best pizza" in the UK is now in fact vegan, according to an esteemed awards ceremony.

The National Pizza Awards is an annual event honouring the best pizzas in the country and is judged by a panel of industry experts.

While previous winners have been hailed for indulgent toppings such as prosciutto and Fior di Latte cheese, this year’s victor is made from entirely plant-based ingredients.

Inspired by a classic Italian parmigiana, the winning pizza by Brighton and London-based chain Purezza is made from a plant-based mozzarella and is topped with fried aubergine and vegan sausage.

The restaurant’s Parmigiana Party pizza is one of its most popular and was praised by judges for its innovative ingredients, which reflect the rising demand for vegan-friendly alternatives in the British food scene.

“The increase in the number of people following a plant-based diet has led to a high demand for better-quality vegan products and a rise in establishments that cater to this market,” comments Charlotte Mellor, the editor of Casual Dining Magazine, who announced the winner on the night.

The Parmigiama Party pizza is topped with fried aubergine (Purezza)

“Not only does Purezza represent this growth, but it’s also celebrated by its customers for simply making great pizza”.

She added that the dish “really surprised” all of the judges, who included Pizza Pilgrims founders Thom and James Elliot, Marks & Spencer development & innovation chef Jon Jones, and Giuseppe Motisi, managing director at Italian food wholesalers Salvo 1968.

Finalists were judged on a number of factors, including flavour profile, presentation, texture, choice of ingredients and how the base is made.

Filippo Rosato, head chef at Purezza, was thrilled to hear his plant-based pizza had beaten 13 other non-vegan finalists to the top spot:

“It’s unbelievable - to get this sort of recognition for something that I love is the best feeling I’ve ever had. I’m really proud, because I really believe in this project.

“I started to believe in vegan food in 2015, and to spend time with Tim and Stefania [Purezza founders] and join them on this trip, and now to win this award, is something that I’m really proud of.

"This will be a new starting point where we can say: ‘It’s true – we can do something really special.’”

The vegan pizzeria has a branch in Camden, north London (Purezza)

The accolade comes after a vegan burger beat its meaty competitors to be awarded "best burger in the world" by GQ in 2015.

The Superiority Burger, available at an East Village, New York City eatery, costs just $6 (£4.60) and while the recipe has been highly praised, it remains a secret to this day.

In 2016, the number of vegans in the UK was estimated to be around 540,000, however, The Vegan Society assumes that this figure is now much higher.

In addition to Purezza, there are now a number of all-vegan restaurants around the UK.

Just this week saw the opening of London’s first all-vegan fish and chip shop, which serves “fish” made from banana blossom and “prawns” made using Japanese potato starch.