Where to eat in Brighton
10 years ago Brighton had only a handful of good quality restaurants but today it’s a very different story. The city’s food scene is evolving at a fierce pace and is now home to an array of nationally acclaimed restaurants, plus plenty of exciting new ones.
Bincho Yakitori
Bincho is a spot that really brings the phrase ‘hidden gem’ to life. It sits on Preston Street alongside the greasy fast-food joints, but don’t let that put you off – it serves the best street food in the city.
The Japanese izakaya-style food is all freshly cooked-to-order, skipping fancy frills and unnecessary elaborate presentation, to get straight to powerfully flavoured and well-cooked dishes. The average dish costs around £4-£5, so you can greedily order your way through as many temptations as your stomach can handle. Go for the Korean fried chicken or pork belly skewers.
Isaac At
On the corner of Gloucester Street in the North Laine lies award-winning fine dining restaurant Isaac at, open Tuesday through to Saturday. Choose from the seven-course menu (£60), four-course menu (£40) or an excellent value pre-theatre menu (£35).
Head chef Isaac cares greatly about sourcing and often visits his suppliers to build a good relationship with local producers. Plus, it gives him plenty of inspiration when it comes to the dishes for his ever-changing menu. The food mileage of the, often foraged, ingredients are listed on scrolls alongside the menu so you can see exactly where your food has come from. Book a seat at the pass for an up-close view of all the action in the kitchen.
64 Degrees
Tucked away in the South Lanes is this small but mighty restaurant, which serves up an array of sharing plates using fresh, local produce.
The restaurant is owned by Head Chef and Great British Menu 2017 winner Michael Bremner, who created the space to celebrate social dining. It features a big open kitchen where guests can see their meal being made, along with an ever-evolving menu that features a variety of small, well-executed plates.
MARKET
A little way out of the city centre lies this hard-to-miss restaurant, which dons a stunning Victorian green exterior. Inside, the décor is just as loud with green metro-tiled walls alongside dazzling bevelled mirrors.
The menu is crammed with tasty treats inspired by the owner’s Neil and Kate’s travels and is divided into main-course dishes ‘from the greengrocer’, ‘fish monger’, ‘butcher’ and so on. They also offer a Tapas menu featuring a selection of smaller plates – perfect as a starter or sharing meal, served with some of their excellent wines.
The Set
Independent British restaurant The Set started its journey in 2015 and can be found inside the hip Artist Residence Hotel – a regency townhouse overlooking the seafront.
Unless you’re dining from the brunch menu, there isn’t an à la carte option as such. Choose from the constantly-changing set lunch menu (2 courses for £34 or 3 courses for £38) or the fabulous Sunday sharer menu. The dishes are creative, exciting and utterly beautiful with the likes of miso pumpkin, lamb and taramasalata, pork belly with scallops and a duck egg custard tart gracing the menu.
The Chilli Pickle
If you’re on the hunt for authentic Indian cuisine in the city centre, The Chilli Pickle makes a good bet. Offering superb service and an award winning menu, it’s a great option for groups, couples, kids and more.
Choose from a selection of nibbles, vegetarian, seafood, meat, street food andTandoor dishes, or go for their set menu (£22-£25.50). Unless you have some bizarre aversion to curry, this place won’t let you down and will soon become a regular haunt.
Fatto A Mano
For a slice of Italy, a must-visit is Fatto A Mano with restaurants in both Hove and Brighton. It dishes up classic Neapolitan pizzas with soft, pillowy bases and a choice of either red (San Marzano tomato base) or white pizzas (without tomato base). The dough is made by hand and baked for just 90 seconds in the wood-fired oven, which reaches highs of 450 degrees!
Food for Friends
Food for Friends is a vegetarian restaurant that has stood the test of time in Brighton – and it shows no signs of going anywhere. This place is popular with everyone, veggie or not, and offers a variety of crowd-pleasing, indulgent dishes with a grown-up twist – think porcini arancini, tarka dhal, pumpkin risotto, Malaysian laksa and a brilliant veggie burger.