"Brighton's restaurant scene has always had a bit of a thing for performance. From the Prince Regent's blowout banquets at the Royal Pavilion to today's chefs doing hot things on open flames, this city knows how to put on a show - and never takes itself too seriously while doing it. The energy right now? Inventive, irreverent and always hungry. Forget the tired clichés about Brighton being good for veggie cafés and bad for service (though yes, the tofu is still excellent)."
"Things here are bubbling. Menus sparkle with ferments, globetrotting fusion flavours and a healthy splash of chilli oil (many white t-shirts were sacrificed in the writing of this list). Open-fire cooking shows no sign of cooling off (thank Embers and Kindling for that). And, as you'd expect in the UK's first Green Party city, sustainability is more table stakes than tickbox. You'll often find ingredients locally grown, raised, picked, pickled and preserved - Sussex beef tartare on one menu and koji-roasted carrots on the next."
"Sure, The Lanes will always be a big draw for small plates and people-watching. And a mooch away, North Laine dishes out all the bao buns, brunches and natural wine bars-come-coffee shops you can stomach. But Brighton's most coveted tables aren't all about the central postcode. In Hove, things lean grown-up with bougie bistros and bottleshops, while on the other end of town unassuming Baker Street is rising in interest - home to Bonsai Plant Kitchen (recently crowned the city's best vegan restaurant of 2025), Amari (the best newcomer restaurant) and Bardsley's checkerboard-fronted chippy which has been serving the best fish and chips in Brighton since 1826."
Brighton's restaurant scene blends theatricality with irreverence and inventive cooking, combining open-fire techniques, bold global flavors and playful presentations. Menus emphasize ferments, globetrotting fusion flavours and liberal use of chilli oil alongside koji-roasted vegetables and classic Sussex dishes such as beef tartare. Sustainability and local sourcing are standard, with ingredients often grown, raised, picked, pickled or preserved nearby. Food neighborhoods vary: The Lanes for small plates and people-watching, North Laine for bao, brunch and natural wine, Hove for bougie bistros and bottleshops, and Baker Street for rising spots like Bonsai Plant Kitchen, Amari and Bardsley's historic chippy. Furna and chef Dave Mothersill earned top local awards in 2025.
Read at CN Traveller
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]