VEGETARIAN and veganism has become a way of life for many rather than just a trend.

And restaurants in Brighton and Hove have started to pride themselves on the non-meat options offered to their customers in recent years, and veganism is also on the rise.

On these pages we have even seen the controversial creation of a mushroom cocktail, courtesy of Gung Ho bar owner Julien Barnett.

Now a couple have cut the ribbon on their vegetarian burger eatery in Hove’s Church Road.

Vegans Matt Dickens and his fiancee Amy Cowen launched Atlas Plant Based Burgers, a three-day per week pop-up at Body Fuel Cafe, last Friday.

“We didn’t want to do just another fast food restaurant,” said Matt.

“Healthy eating and living is our lives, and plant-based food is massively on the up.

“It is increasing in popularity.

“There are not many options for this kind of food in Hove, and the last thing we want for our customers is for their only vegetarian option to be falafel.

“It’s nice to be able to choose anything from the menu rather than just one thing.”

Matt, 31, is a performance coach for British MotoGP star Bradley Smith and has not always been as crazy about vegetarian food as you may think.

As recently as eight months ago, he was eating meat, as it was an “easy” source of protein.

But after researching the benefits of eating plant-based meals, Matt and Amy were converted – and want to share their love of vegan food with others.

“We don’t think the animal food industry is a good thing, and we didn’t want to contribute to it,” said Matt.

“We weren’t very aware of what was going on in it.

“You get so many more micronutrients and vitamins from plant-based meals.

“Our burgers are made from 100 per cent whole foods and have plenty of protein in them.”

The concept of Atlas was created by a love of cooking shared by Matt and Amy.

They used to host barbecues and parties with friends and family at their Hove home, and started learning through feedback from friends.

“We still have friends round to taste our burgers even after we stopped eating meat,” said Matt.

“Their feedback has helped us improve our recipes greatly, and we have ended up with some amazing food.

“There is nothing better than seeing people enjoy what you have cooked for them.”

Matt and Amy work in the kitchen together, though the former is often travelling abroad for his job during the MotoGP season.

They have found a healthy balance in juggling their other jobs – Amy is also a yoga instructor – and getting their “dream” of opening a cafe/restaurant off the ground.

Although he can be away for weeks on end, Matt can focus all his energy into Atlas in the time he is back in his home town.

Matt said he and Amy “would not have been able to” do the project without the help of friend James Szymik, who owns a pizza company.

Amy added: “We also have two amazing members of staff.”

Work to transform the cafe into Atlas begins shortly after closing time at 3pm, and from 5pm to 10.30pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, you can get stuck into some of their delicacies.

The long-term goal is to branch out and open their own restaurant, but they believe they are in the right place for now.

“I think Brighton and Hove is the second-biggest vegan and vegetarian city in the country at the moment,” Matt said.

“Except from London, where places like Shoreditch and Camden are full of vegetarians, Brighton is the best place to be for this kind of restaurant.”

Last Friday’s launch proved a huge success for Matt and Amy, who had a much busier night than anticipated.

They have also received support from the public via social media.

“The messages people have sent us have been amazing,” 29-year-old Amy said.

“People we don’t even know have been so kind and supportive.”

On the menu they aim to make their dishes as healthy as possible, even boiling and roasting their beans themselves.

One of their best dishes, Matt and Amy say, is a black bean and red pepper burger.

Despite their main aim of serving healthy, nutritious meals, the couple also have some naughty treats.

They have received rave reviews for their tempura cauliflower served with a sriracha sauce.

Although they have enjoyed a healthy start to their adventure, Matt believes there is always room for improvement.

“We welcome criticism from our customers, as long as it’s creative,” he said. “I think you can always keep on learning, right?”