Pizza Pilgrims Manchester Vegan Pizza Review

As a committed vegetarian for over 30 years, there are quirks of meat-free living that can still be frustrating, like dining out with friends. One of the things I love most about the meat-free movement and the UK’s growing dairy-curious crowd is that restaurants have really done their bit to catch up. So many of them now proactively find ways to make it easier for veggies and vegans to order well and have a good time, without the cat-and-mouse routine with a waiter about the menu. This month, for my treat out with a friend, we ventured out to find the best pizza in Manchester and ended up at Pizza Pilgrims after hearing good whispers about the flexible menu and their vegan burrata. Plant-based folks dining out are used to adapting menus and politely asking for cheese to be left off, but it’s honestly so refreshing when a restaurant builds decent alternatives into their menu from the get-go. This thoughtful (and delicious) swap made me feel like I wasn’t missing out on a gloriously oozy pizza.

Pizza Pilgrims, Deansgate, Manchester

The restaurant itself is cute, set over two floors with a Naples-style mural on the wall and a vintage Fiat Panda built into the bar, which I thought was wonderfully daft. The vibe was buzzy without being deafening (a delightful surprise for a Saturday night). The service was quick and genuinely helpful. Our waitress knew exactly which pizzas could be made vegan with the cheese swap and which couldn’t (basically, all the meat ones). She was informed about my options, didn’t make me feel like I was being awkward and I really appreciated not having to ask three times.

Starter – XL Sicilian Nocellara Olives

We started with a bowl of the XL Sicilian Nocellara olives, which were delicious, though I’d have enjoyed them even more on a beach in Ibiza. Still, we made do! I love this type of olive, and these ones were all that they should be: plump, briny, and served with fennel seed taralli crackers. If you haven’t tried taralli before, grab yourself a packet for the next picnic or drinks party with the pals. Almost shortbread-like in texture, they’re the perfect little snack to nibble alongside a cocktail, and I actually ended up finding them on Amazon when I got home. We didn’t have the artichoke fritti this time, but I’d definitely pick up a plate next time as they looked deliciously crispy heading over to the table next door. Always good to have another excuse to come back though.

Main Course – Vegan Margherita with Plant-Based Burrata

The Vegan Margherita comes as standard on the menu and is built from a slow-proved Neapolitan dough base, San Marzano DOP tomatoes, fresh basil, olive oil, and the much-talked-about plant-based burrata. The base was beautifully blistered around the edges with proper Naples-style charred beauty spots, making it both light and chewy. I’m pleased to report that this vegan burrata had actual flavour. It melted. It looked like cheese. It tasted like cheese. I’m still slightly suspicious. For the first time in years, I had a vegan pizza where I didn’t feel like I had to readjust to what was missing. It was just a seriously good pizza that happened to be vegan.

The Vegan Swap

Here’s the part vegans and vegetarians will really want to know about. Pizza Pilgrims will swap the dairy mozzarella on any of their cheese-based pizzas for their plant-based burrata at no extra charge. Read that again. No extra charge. This means the entire vegetarian section of the menu is suddenly vegan if you want it to be. The Mushroom & Truffle (ricotta base, mozzarella, truffle oil) becomes a vegan dream when the dairy comes out. Most places charge extra and the vegan cheese can be…well, just not like cheese. A free swap and genuinely good vegan cheese? Frankly, delightful.

After Pizza – Sicilian Lemon Sorbet

I had the Sicilian lemon sorbet, which is already vegan (yay) and arrived in its own lemon skin, a slightly retro 70s aesthetic I’m really loving at the moment. The sorbet was sharp, refreshing and naturally lemony. No notes. The price felt reasonable for sorbet, and the cute presentation made it worth it. I was tempted by the Nutella Pizza Ring, but after a large pie (which yes, I did eat myself), I felt like I couldn’t take any more gluten and make it home safely. The couple on the table behind us were braver though, and looked like they were loving theirs.

Price/Value

My Vegan Margherita cost a little more than I’d normally expect to pay, but considering the ingredient list (San Marzano DOP tomatoes, Caputo flour from Naples, and plant-based burrata), the quality more than justified the price. The olives and the sorbet pushed the bill up, but the quality was great, and this was a treat so we weren’t out to skimp. The total bill for two, with a glass of wine each, came to around £55 before tip, which felt fair. I’d definitely go back for the vegan pizza, and I’m already plotting a visit to try the Mushroom & Truffle with the burrata swap. I’m hopeful that more Italian and pizza restaurants will follow their lead and treat meat-free and dairy-free diners thoughtfully.

If you’ve been already and tried their vegan pizza, I’d love to know what you thought of it.