Best Brighton Restaurants
Book your weekend away and visit some of Brighton’s renowned restaurants
If you’re planning a trip to Brighton, then you’ll need to know the best places to eat!
Brighton is known for its vibrant culture and lively atmosphere – and it’s no surprise that the city is home to some of the most delicious restaurants in England!
From down-to-earth British pubs with traditional comfort food dishes, to fresh seafood restaurants overlooking the beach – there’s something for everyone.
So grab your fork and knife and let’s take a look at Brighton’s must-try restaurants!
On the map
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Chilli Brighton
Tucked down Prince Albert Street in the Lanes, Chilli Brighton serves authentic Thai food with a specially curated cocktail menu you won't find at their other locations. The menu covers all the Thai classics done right, from fragrant curries to perfectly balanced stir-fries. Their blueberry sour gin cocktail is a standout worth trying alongside your meal.
etch. by Steven Edwards
etch. by Steven Edwards is one of those restaurants you hear about long before you finally get a table, and it more than lives up to the anticipation. Set on Church Road in Hove, this fine dining restaurant offers a multi-course tasting menu that changes with the seasons, with each dish as beautiful to look at as it is to eat. Steven Edwards, a MasterChef: The Professionals finalist, brings a quietly confident approach to modern British cooking that has earned etch. a 4.9-star rating from over 500 Google reviews. Book well in advance and treat yourself to one of the best dining experiences on the south coast.
Tonkotsu
If you are craving a serious bowl of ramen, Tonkotsu on New Road is the place. Noodles, broths, katsu curries and gyoza are all made from scratch, and the result is rich, deeply flavoured bowls that warm you from the inside out. Their weekday lunch deal at £10 for ramen plus a side is one of Brighton's best value meals, and the theatre deal with the Theatre Royal at £15.95 for a starter and main is worth knowing about. Sat right next to the Royal Pavilion, it's dog friendly, has solid vegetarian options, and is open daily from noon until 10pm.
Indian Summer
This is not your average curry house. Indian Summer on East Street has been a Brighton institution for years, and they continue to keep their menu fresh and exciting. Start with the buttery tikka paneer and crispy pakora before moving on to a spread of curries with fresh bread and rice. The cocktails, crafted by bartender Scott, are every bit as impressive as the food. With 4.6 stars from nearly 2,000 Google reviews, this is one of those places the whole city seems to agree on.
Fatto a Mano North Laine
Everyone told us to try Fatto a Mano, and it did not disappoint. Classic Neapolitan pizza made fresh in front of you and fired in seconds, with that perfect char around a soft, airy crust. The vegan burrata pizza with its beetroot base is a revelation, but whatever you order, do not skip the truffle arancini dipped in truffle mayo; it is the best we have ever tried. Finish with the gelato sandwich, which is as much a piece of art as it is a dessert. With locations in North Laine, this is wood-fired pizza at its finest.
O'Shio
O'Shio is our top pick for sushi in Brighton. A cosy, authentic spot on Trafalgar Street where the sushi is unreal and the ramen never misses. The menu covers Japanese and Korean favourites with the kind of precision and flavour that keeps regulars coming back week after week. With 4.6 stars from over 1,200 reviews and a loyal local following, this is one of those places where everything on the menu delivers.
Embers
Tucked away on Meeting House Lane in the Lanes, Embers is a wood-fired restaurant that takes steak seriously. Everything is cooked over flame, and you can taste the difference in every bite, from the perfectly charred cuts to the smoky sides. They have recently launched a weekend breakfast menu featuring chicken waffles with bacon jam and honey jalapeno dressing, steak and eggs, and what one regular described as their "dream breakfast." Generous portions, a spot-on atmosphere, and 4.8 stars from nearly a thousand reviews make Embers one of our favourite finds in the Lanes.
The Coconut Island
The Coconut Island on Western Road is not just a dinner out, it is a full night out. Authentic Sri Lankan street food with bold spices, sharing plates of curries, hoppers, kothu and battered bites, all served in a space covered with hand-painted Sri Lankan murals and beach canopy seating. The cocktails are something else entirely, with drinks served in whole pineapples that make you feel like you are on holiday. Fiery flavours, a party atmosphere and island energy make this one of Brighton's most fun dining experiences.
Fumi Restaurant
Fumi on Circus Street is an elegant Japanese dining at its best, with standout sushi and cocktails that make it the perfect choice for a special occasion or date night. The menu is refined without being fussy, letting quality ingredients speak for themselves. With 4.8 stars from nearly a thousand Google reviews, this is a restaurant that consistently delivers something memorable. Book ahead for an evening here; you will not regret it.
Halisco
Halisco on Preston Street has just been voted Brighton's number one restaurant by Time Out, and we are not going to argue. The Mexican small plates are fresh and packed with flavour, with the charred hispi cabbage the standout you should not skip and the cucumber and jalapeño fritters worth ordering twice. Cocktails come from a regularly changing specials menu, so alongside the spicy mango margarita we have long called the best in the city, you might land a mandarin margarita or a lychee coconut on your visit. It is the kind of place where you order one round of drinks and end up staying for three, with intimate rooms, genuinely warm staff, and a menu that keeps moving so you have a reason to come back.
Tutto
Tutto on Marlborough Place serves fresh, seasonal Italian dishes and sharing plates in a beautifully designed space that sets the mood from the moment you walk in. The beef carpaccio and carbonara are both must-tries, and the pistachio tiramisu is the kind of dessert you will be thinking about days later. Perfect for date night or a relaxed meal with friends, this is modern Italian cooking done with real care. With 4.7 stars from over a thousand reviews, it is clear Brighton feels the same way we do about Tutto.
Riddle & Finns The Lanes
This restaurant is for seafood enthusiasts and perfect for special occasions with its all day international menu which caters to all tastes. Riddler & Finns only use fresh and local ingredients cooked by the passionate chefs to create nourishing and flavoursome dishes. It’s a very popular place to stop for a bite to eat whilst exploring Brighton’s Lanes.
The Flint House
Part of the well established Gingerman Restaurant Group, The Flint House located in The Lanes offers counter-level dining with small plates paired with fantastic wine by the glass and served by the friendly and attentive team. There’s a good selection of cocktails you can enjoy in the first floor cocktail bar or rooftop terrace whilst watching the world go by. Having received fantastic feedback from diners, it’s definitely worth visiting when in Brighton.
Food for Friends
One of the most popular restaurants in Brighton, Food for Friends, located in The Lanes, has been serving delicious food to residents of the city and its visitors since 1981. The ingredients are locally sourced where possible, and the menu offers tasty and affordable dishes, with gluten-free and vegan options available. You will dine in a relaxed atmosphere served by friendly and attentive staff.
Adelfia
Family run by two brothers, Adelfia invites you to experience authentic Greek cuisine in the heart of Brighton. You will be welcomed by friendly owners and staff and served generous portions of great-tasting food. There’s also live Greek music and entertainment on selected dates- booking is essential!
Donatello
Donatello is a vibrant, family-run Italian restaurant that has been part of Brighton’s restaurant scene for many years. They serve authentic Italian food made with fresh ingredients and at reasonable prices. The portions are very generous, and plenty of space exists for large groups. They can accommodate close to 400 people inside and 50 people al fresco. They also have over 20 vegetarian options available.
Casa Don Carlos
Casa Don Carlos is popular throughout the day and evening, so always book to guarantee a table—a small restaurant but big on taste and great atmosphere. Excellent quality, traditional Spanish tapas served by friendly and happy staff that make you smile. A delightful and fun place to dine.
The Chilli Pickle
The Chilli Pickle remains a true Brighton institution. This vibrant spot brings the incredible, kaleidoscopic flavours of regional Indian cuisine right to the heart of the city. By day, the menu focuses on light bites, vibrant salads, and authentic street food. Come evening, it transforms into a full sharing experience, featuring classic and creative twists on regional curries, succulent kebabs, and their signature Barbecue Surf & Turf.
The Gingerman
Part of the Ginger-branded restaurants, including Ginger Fox, Ginger Pig & Ginger Dog, the Gingerman is, in our opinion, the finest of the four. Looking around, you can see the delight and ecstasy on the faces of the other diners. It’s where you want to crane your neck to see what others are eating because you simply don’t want to miss out. Service is impeccable, and the chef is at hand to make recommendations or answer questions. A small but perfectly formed restaurant which will leave you feeling like you’ve had THE meal of your life
Bincho Yakitori
Bincho Yakitori brings the late-night energy of a Tokyo izakaya straight to the heart of Brighton. Born out of the founder's time living and working long hours as a chef in Japan, the restaurant perfectly captures the authentic, tavern-style drinking and dining experience. The menu is a love letter to Japanese comfort food and expertly grilled yakitori, meant to be shared over drinks in a laid-back, bustling atmosphere.
Bonsai Plant Kitchen
Bonsai Plant Kitchen is a multi-award-winning, Tokyo-inspired neighbourhood restaurant bringing serious flavour to Brighton. Born in Brighton but fuelled by fire and Japanese tradition, everything in their kitchen revolves around a traditional bincho grill using premium Japanese coal. This time-honoured method infuses their menu with the unmistakable smoky, umami-rich BBQ flavours that define Tokyo street food culture.
Aberdeen Seafood
Aberdeen Seafood brings the flavours of Hong Kong to Brighton’s seafront, sitting right opposite the West Pier on King’s Road. Inspired by the famous floating seafood markets of Aberdeen harbour in Hong Kong, the menu is packed with generous portions of fresh seafood and Asian dishes at very reasonable prices. The beef flat noodles and whole sea bass are standout choices, and the baked lobster with cheese on E-Fu noodles is fast becoming a local favourite. Owner CK is a passionate and welcoming host who will happily talk you through the menu and the story behind the restaurant. With exposed brick walls, a laid-back atmosphere and pavement seating with sea views, it’s a brilliant addition to Brighton’s dining scene.
Burnt Orange
Set inside a beautifully converted 16th-century coaching inn on Middle Street, just moments from the seafront, Burnt Orange has a menu that is built around small plates cooked over wood fire, blending Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavours with seasonal British ingredients. The lamb cigars are legendary for good reason, and the smoked aubergine with pomegranate is worth the trip alone. From the same group behind The Salt Room and Coal Shed, it is no surprise that Burnt Orange has been voted Brighton's Best Restaurant multiple years running and holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand. Book ahead, especially for Friday or Saturday evenings when the restaurant transforms into a late-night cocktail bar that keeps going until 1am.
Kindling Restaurant
Kindling is a charcoal steakhouse on East Street in the Lanes, serving grass-fed British beef cooked over live fire in a relaxed, open-kitchen setting. It was voted the second best restaurant in the city at the 2026 Brighton Restaurant Awards, where it also took the award for Best Lunch in Brighton. The ribeye with peppercorn sauce is outstanding, but our personal favourite is the steak ciabatta: flat iron steak with caramelised onions, gouda, and peppercorn sauce on a ciabatta for £15. If you are visiting on a budget, that award-winning lunch deal is one of the best in Brighton: steak and chips or a burger and fries for £15, Monday to Saturday between 12 and 5pm. Do not skip the brisket and jalapeño croquettes to start, and leave room for the sticky toffee pudding.
terre à terre
A Brighton institution that made vegetarian dining exciting long before the rest of the country caught up. terre à terre sits on East Street in the heart of The Lanes, and its inventive, globally-influenced menu has just taken the top spot at the BRAVO Awards for the second time in three years. Expect plates that draw on flavours from across the world, all built on seasonal local ingredients and designed for sharing. Book ahead. This is one of our most-recommended places for anyone wanting to understand why Brighton's food scene stands apart.
Cyan Brighton
You will find Cyan inside the Grand Hotel on King's Road, with views straight out over the seafront and a dining room built for an occasion. Modern British cooking leads the menu, with local seafood, seasonal plates, and signature dishes from the grill. The cocktail bar picked up the top spot at this year's BRAVO Awards, and the Sunday roast came second. Worth the splurge for an anniversary, a birthday, or any dinner where you want to dress up a bit. It is the closest Brighton gets to grand hotel dining without leaving the beach behind.
English's of Brighton
Brighton's oldest restaurant, still going strong after more than 150 years, tucked into a corner of East Street in The Lanes. English's is the go-to for serious seafood in the city, from the famous oyster bar to whole lobsters and the dressed crab you will see on nearly every table. The wine list is something to linger over, and the service has a touch of old-school glamour that feels entirely Brighton. Book a table, order a dozen oysters and a glass of champagne, and settle in. One of our favourite places for an occasion that deserves a bit of theatre.
Furna
Furna is a chef-led tasting-menu restaurant on New Road, and its near-perfect 4.9 Google rating tells you most of what you need to know. Each dish on the contemporary tasting menu is precise, beautifully plated, and designed to build into a full evening out. The dining room is elegant without being stuffy, and the wine cellar is worth exploring. Pair the menu with one of the rare bottles from the list and you are set. This is where we send guests who want a serious, chef-led dinner in the city centre without disappearing into fine-dining formality.
Carne
Carne sits on Church Road in Hove, a neighbourhood bistro where meat and simple seasonal cooking take the lead. The menu changes regularly and leans on quality cuts, handmade pastas and generous sides, with the kind of pared-back Italian feel you get from a family-run place that knows exactly what it does well. It picked up 11th place in this year's BRAVO Awards Best Restaurant list, a clear sign that Hove locals have caught on. The dining room is warm, the staff are attentive, and the bill is fair. One for a long Saturday lunch or a relaxed evening with friends.
Wild Flor
Wild Flor is one of Hove's finest restaurants, a modern European neighbourhood place on Church Road that has earned a serious following since it opened. The kitchen runs a short, seasonal menu that changes constantly, with dishes built around local produce, British farmhouse cheeses, and carefully chosen wines, many of them natural or low-intervention. The dining room is small, warm, and beautifully put together. Book well ahead, particularly for weekends. This is where we send food-obsessed friends who want to understand what Hove can do.
Cin Cin
Cin Cin brings real Italian warmth to Western Road in Hove, with handmade pasta, cicchetti-style sharing plates, and a wine list that is almost entirely Italian. The restaurant is built around an open kitchen and a long marble counter, and the welcome is genuine from the moment you sit down. Book ahead, because it is consistently one of Brighton and Hove's hardest tables to get. You can order à la carte, but the tasting menu is the way to go if you want the full experience. In our opinion, it is the best Italian in the city.
Wabi Sabi
Wabi Sabi is a small, precise Japanese restaurant on Church Road in Hove, and it is one of the most carefully cooked meals you will find west of The Lanes. The menu leans on sushi, sashimi, and small hot plates, all built around seasonal ingredients and plated with real care. The dining room is stripped back and intimate, seating only a handful of tables, so booking ahead is essential. The matcha lattes and house cocktails are worth ordering too. One of our favourite spots in Hove when we fancy Japanese food done right.
Lost in The Lanes
Lost in The Lanes may be best known for its brunch, but from Thursday to Saturday it turns into one of central Brighton's most appealing dinner spots. The seasonal evening menu draws on the best of Sussex with a clear Mediterranean accent, running to small plates, handmade pasta, and generous mains designed for sharing. The dining room on Nile Street softens into something candlelit and intimate once the lights dip, and the wine list leans European with plenty worth a second round. One of our favourite places for a long, slow dinner after an afternoon spent exploring The Lanes.
The Coal Shed
The Coal Shed is Brighton's best-known grill restaurant, cooking every main dish over coals in a Josper oven on North Street. Steaks are the headline act, with dry-aged cuts sitting alongside smoked seafood, rotisserie chicken, and grilled vegetables. The dining room has a relaxed, stripped-back feel, and the cocktail list picked up 8th place in this year's BRAVO Awards Best Cocktails category. Book for dinner and you can be up in The Lanes for drinks afterwards in minutes. One for when you want serious cooking without the tablecloths.
Pearly Cow
Pearly Cow sits inside No. 124 on King's Road, with a live-fire kitchen that puts open-flame cooking at the heart of the menu. Steaks, whole fish, and charred vegetables come out of the grill, and the new Sunday roast menu has quickly become one of the most talked-about in the city. Both the roast beef and the pork belly are worth the journey, paired with potatoes that have exactly the crisp you want. The dining room is beautifully finished, and the seafront is right outside the door. A new favourite of ours for a long lunch with a view.
Fourth and Church
Fourth and Church is Hove's favourite wine-led dining room, part shop, part restaurant, on Church Road. The menu runs on small plates that rotate with the seasons and pair with whatever is open on the list of natural and low-intervention wines. You can eat in the main room or stop by the shop to pick up a bottle for home. It placed 13th at this year's BRAVO Awards Best Cocktails category, which tells you plenty about the range behind the bar too. One for a long evening of grazing and drinking well.
DaiU BBQ & Hotpot
DaiU on Black Lion Street is the UK's first all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue and Chinese hot pot buffet, and it has quickly become one of the most fun dinners in Brighton. You choose your hot pot broth (the Szechuan has a real kick), then cook fresh meat, seafood and vegetables at your own table, with a sushi bar, salad station and unlimited ice cream on the side. The room is modern and colourful and the format suits big groups, birthdays and anyone who likes to keep eating. There is plenty of seafood too, though strict vegetarians will find the choice thinner. Come hungry, book for weekends, and give yourself two hours.
Brusco
Brusco is a small Italian aperitivo and vermouth bar on Montpelier Place, a few streets up from the seafront, built around the idea that the hour before dinner deserves as much care as dinner itself. The kitchen writes a short menu of seasonal small plates that changes daily, with Nocellara olives and toasted pistachio, house bread with nduja and rosemary butter, and whatever came in that morning. Drinks lean into Italian bitters, vermouth and a serious wine list, so treat it as an evening of plates and glasses rather than a bargain pasta supper. It only opens from Thursday to Sunday evenings and the room is tiny, so book ahead.
Stem
Stem on Church Road in Hove is a design-led British bistro that treats music and art as part of the meal: a cocktail and vinyl bar at the front with resident DJs on Friday and Saturday, a cosy dining room at the back, and artwork on the walls that changes regularly. The blackboard runs to steaks and fish, native oysters with house pickles, deer tartare and a sticky toffee ice cream sandwich, and in summer Sundays turn into a barbecue menu of cola-glazed baby back ribs, Cornish mackerel with chimichurri and corn ribs. The bar takes its cocktails seriously (a Ramos gin fizz is on the list, which is a statement of intent) and the wine list leans natural and low intervention. In our view it is the most interesting new table in Hove; book a Friday if you want the full soundtrack.
Salt Shed
Salt Shed is Brighton's pastrami specialist, serving hot-smoked pastrami and dry-aged beef from its flagship on Church Street opposite the Royal Pavilion, with a second site in the arches by the West Pier. The thing to order is a sharing platter: pastrami steak glazed in barbecue sauce, slices of aged sirloin, smoked meats and a line of dipping sauces, all cooked over the grill and served on a board for the table. Hand-pressed burgers and pickled red chillies are there if you want something smaller, and there is a roast menu on Sundays. Book for Friday and Saturday nights, when North Laine fills up. If you are a meat eater, this is one of our first recommendations in the city.
Plates
Plates has taken over the old Gingerman site on Norfolk Square, just off Western Road, and it is the opening we have been most excited about this year. Phil Bartley, who founded Carne in Hove, has built it around Sussex growers and fish landed by local boats, with everything on the opening menu priced at £10 or less. Order the cod roe hash browns with caviar and dill, the paloma ceviche of sea bass with jalapeño, tequila and mint, and the pulled mutton flatbread with cucumber, feta and pomegranate. The wine list is exclusively English and the cocktails are made with Sussex spirits, so it is a quick way to taste the county in one sitting. There are only 30 covers, so book before you walk down.
Tamarind
Preston Street is Brighton's restaurant strip and Tamarind is the one we point people towards when the weather turns. The kitchen cooks Northern Thai, so alongside the curries there is a dedicated noodle bar running boat noodles, pad kee mao, Bangkok dry noodles and suki heng, and a bowl of any of them will warm you through an afternoon. The three flavour whole crispy seabass is the one to share if there are a few of you, while the hung ley curry and the tamarind duck are both worth a detour from the usual green and red. Finish with khanom tuay, the steamed coconut custards, and begin with one of the Thai inspired cocktails at the bar. It sits a short walk up from the seafront, which makes it an easy end to a day on the beach.
Dilsk
Dilsk sits in the basement of Drakes Hotel on Marine Parade, a calm, low-lit room of around 28 covers where chef Tom Stephens cooks some of the most thoughtful food in Brighton. He ran the kitchen at 64 Degrees before opening here, and his tasting menus are built almost entirely from East Sussex growers, fishermen and farmers, so what you eat depends on what the county is doing that week. You choose between a shorter and a fuller tasting menu, with a wine pairing or a non-alcoholic pairing alongside, and from Monday to Thursday there is a set menu that is one of the best-value ways into cooking of this level in the city. Book ahead and give it the whole evening; this is a dinner to linger over.
Maré by Rafael Cagali
Maré on Church Road in Hove won a Michelin star just six months after opening, the first the city has held in over 50 years. Chef-patron Rafael Cagali cooks Sussex and British produce with a thread of his Brazilian and Italian heritage running through it, and the name, Portuguese for tide, is a fair clue to how closely the menu follows the seasons. The Taste of Maré tasting menu is around £90 and the set lunch around £55, which makes a starred lunch in Hove a very reasonable treat. The wine list is playful rather than stuffy, and there are cocktails too. It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and tables go quickly, so book well ahead.
Amari
Look for the bright red shopfront on Baker Street, just off London Road, and you have found Amari, a small Spanish-inspired restaurant that punches well above its size. Chef Iain Swainson, who cooked at The Samling and The Pass at South Lodge, builds the menu around sharing plates: creamy croquetas, seasonal crudo, meat and fish from the grill, and a suckling pig that is the dish to order if there are a few of you. It is a short walk from Brighton Station and the Open Market, so it makes an easy first-night dinner. The room is small and it is closed from Sunday to Tuesday, so book ahead.
The Set
The Set spent 11 years popping up around Brighton before settling into its own home on Preston Road in 2026, and the result is one of the most personal meals in the city. There are just 12 seats around a counter facing the open kitchen, where chefs Dan Kenny and Marcin Miasik cook a tasting menu of around 17 small courses for about £99, often handing the plates over themselves. Phones stay in your pocket, which sounds strict but makes for a surprisingly sociable evening with whoever is sitting beside you. The kitchen shares the space with Japanese restaurant Masu on other nights, so check the dates and book early; 12 seats do not last long.
Kitgum Kitchen
Kitgum Kitchen tells a family story on a plate. The family left Uganda in 1972 with little more than their recipes, and the cooking draws on those Gujarati, Persian and East African roots, served as small plates that change as the kitchen evolves. If the Kitgum Rolex is on, order it: an omelette-filled chapati with potato, pickled carrots and tamarind, alongside samosas, mishkaki skewers and whatever curry is running that week. In 2026 it moved to a bigger 22-seat room with an open kitchen on Hampton Place, just off Western Road, with good wines, local beers and cocktails to match. It is open from Thursday to Saturday only, so plan a night around it and book.
No No Please
No No Please is a stylish South East Asian restaurant and bar on Preston Street, a couple of minutes' walk from the West Pier, run by brother and sister Euan MacDonald and Mel Culcross. The mid-century room is split into a dining room, a lounge and a bar, so it works as well for a couple of cocktails and snacks as it does for a full dinner. Start with the egg and soldier, a sesame prawn toast finger with cured egg yolk and soy, and follow it with the beef cheek and coconut curry if it is on. The cocktails are batch-made in their own cellar and worth a round on their own. Tables are held back for walk-ins and dogs are welcome, which makes it an easy call after a walk along the seafront.
Palmito
Palmito is a tiny 20-seat restaurant in a former takeaway on Western Road, right on the Brighton and Hove border, and it holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for good cooking at fair prices. A charcoal grill in the open kitchen drives everything, and the menu changes weekly with Ecuadorian and wider Latin American flavours at its heart: grilled squid, ox tongue tacos with adobo, a hogget chop with plantain and mussels encocado have all featured. Ingredients come from small local farms, fishermen and suppliers, so ask what has just come in. With so few seats booking is essential, and it is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
The Crazy Goose
The Crazy Goose comes from the team behind Burnt Orange and has taken over the old Coal Shed building on Boyce's Street, just off West Street and a few minutes from the seafront. The menu is built around charcoal rotisserie chicken, whole birds marinated for 48 hours and cooked slowly over coals, alongside oysters on ice, pies and sharing plates. There is a smart cocktail bar on the ground floor kept for walk-ins, a big, lively dining room upstairs and three private rooms, so it is one of the easier places in central Brighton to book for a large group. Order a whole chicken for the table and let everyone argue over the crispy bits.
The Vine House
The Vine House opened in Kemp Town Village in summer 2026, and it is three places in one: a wine shop, a wine bar built around a central counter, and a restaurant with a south-facing garden out the back. The founders ran 9 Vines for years, so the list leans towards independent producers you will not find on a supermarket shelf. The food comes from the kitchen team behind Wild Flor in Hove, cooking European plates such as crab and samphire linguine, with Jersey rock oysters to start. Come for a glass and a plate at the bar, stay for dinner in the garden, and pick up a bottle from the shop to take back to your holiday let. It is closed on Mondays.
Voya
Voya is a small, low-lit bar and restaurant on North Road in the North Laine where the music matters as much as the menu. Resident DJs play from their own record collections every evening, and each set is recorded and archived, so there is a real sense of occasion without it ever feeling like a club. The food is a short run of small plates inspired by bar snacks from around the world, and beef birria tacos, chicken wontons and a salty chocolate butter have all featured, with a classic cocktail list alongside; look out for the Rum Bread. It is open from Wednesday to Saturday, with lunch on Fridays and Saturdays, and tables are for up to six, so it suits a date night or a small group of friends.
Petit Pois
Petit Pois is a warm, rustic French bistro on Ship Street, a couple of minutes from the seafront at the bottom of The Lanes, and it is our pick when you want classic French cooking without any fuss. The menu runs from snails in garlic and parsley butter to bouillabaisse with local fish and shellfish and duck breast with celeriac dauphinois, and the wine list sticks to France. The Menu Rapide at lunch, around £23 for two courses, is one of the best-value lunches in the centre. There is a children's menu too, so it works for a family lunch as well as a date, but note that it is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
