"I once overheard someone standing on the corner saying, ‘There’s the light shop that never closes and this is the cafe that never opens’.”

Luckily for Iydea owner and founder Steve Billam, everything has changed in the past few weeks.

After a four-year closing down sale, Classical Lighting, which overlooks his new business on the corner of Western Road and Temple Road, has finally shut its doors. And last week, after six months of additional unexpected renovations to the former Trattoria Pascal, the brown paper came down from the windows and Iydea finally opened the doors of its second city branch.

Judging by the numbers of people coming in on a sunny Tuesday afternoon, the bright and welcoming cafe/restaurant is proving a hit.

It is no doubt building on the success of its older sibling in Kensington Gardens – which has been named best cafe in the Brighton And Hove Foodie Awards and won the Vegetarian Society’s National Best Eating Out Award.

“We wanted to do evenings, as it is the most requested thing we are asked,” says Billam.

“Kensington Gardens is so dead at night, we needed another location.

“Also our kitchen in the other branch is so small – we wanted to give our kitchen staff some room. We never guessed how busy the Kensington Gardens cafe would get, so this is easing working conditions.”

Indeed the new kitchen at the Western Road cafe has been specifically designed and custom-built to the chef’s needs, which was part of the reason the refurbishment took so long following an initial announcement that it would open its doors in December.

The other reason was the opening up of Iydea’s first floor into a beautiful airy space overlooking the crowds pouring down Western Road. It means the venue can offer 60 covers over two floors – almost double the amount of its sister cafe.

The new venue has summery yellow walls adorned with artwork from Iydea staff.

And Billam has added quirky Brightonian touches, ranging from a series of colourful trays on the upstairs wall, to lightshades made from old cymbals.

“We don’t want to be bland,” says Billam. “It’s about introducing character.”

Existing staff from Iydea, including general manager Lulu McQueen, have been brought to the new branch to carry on the Iydea ethos and augment the 30 new employees joining the company.

And the menu of vegetarian fast food still includes evergreen favourite the chilli bean enchilada, which has been a staple at the cafe for seven years.

Everything is cooked on site and what is on offer changes on a daily basis – with each day’s menu posted on Facebook (facebook.com/pages/Iydea/130698363025).

Customers have a choice of eight main courses – on Tuesday the options included goat’s cheese arancini, roast vegetable lasagna and leek and mushroom pie. The prices include a selection of toppings and delicious sides, ranging from roast carrots to chickpea, goat’s cheese and cranberry in a sweet chilli dressing. Food is available to take away as well as eat in – especially good for anyone wanting a picnic on the beach only a couple of streets away.

Having tasted a sample, the food is packed with mouth-watering flavours and interesting textures – especially recommended is the coronation coleslaw and gnocchi, goat’s cheese and peppers.

Billam ensures that wherever possible everything is created onsite. Don’t expect to pick up a Coke, instead try the home-made sparkling raspberry lemonade, or the range of fresh fruit juices, teas and coffees to quench a summer thirst.

The cafe also has an alcohol licence for anyone looking for something stronger.

Billam doesn’t expect this new branch of Iydea to be an overnight success.

“It took four or five years to get the original Iydea right,” he says. “It will take a while for us to get this how we want it.

“I come from an engineering background – when I opened the first branch I had no idea of the true cost of setting up a restaurant. I understand now how so many people run out of money.

“When I hit 40 I decided I needed to get serious and make a decision about what I wanted to do with my life. I had to do healthy vegetarian fast food – and that became Iydea.

“Opening Iydea was the best thing I have ever done. It’s a perfect business. You could be a plumber, where people call you out of misery – they don’t really want you there and don’t like giving you money.

“Instead, here we are providing healthy food, trying to be good to the environment and seeing happy people.”

  • Iydea, Western Road, Brighton, 01273 965904