Brighton's local dining scene reigns as one of the hippest and most exciting in southeast England. It's packed with buzzy restaurants and local food stalls and fronts a pebbly beach that's a hive of activity in the summer months. 

The best local restaurants in Brighton are places that offer a taste of regional delicacies, proper English comfort food, and creative fusion dishes. Look for them along the salt-billowing shoreline and in the cool gastronomy quarter of The Lanes, but also in lesser-known parts of the vibrant city.

  • 1

    Thewitchez Restaurant

    Enjoy a great meal and get your photo taken

    Thewitchez Restaurant
    • Food

    Thewitchez Restaurant is the brainchild of two local graphic designers who decided to create their own café-cum-eatery to work from. It's located just a few steps from the Brighton seafront, in a studio diner space on the salt-washed Marine Parade.

    The theme is photography, photography, and more photography. The ceilings are dotted with more framed photos than you can shake your latte at. They even offer a passport photo-taking service – talk about quirky, eh? The menu is eclectic, putting hearty British stews next to smoked Polish cheeses and Austrian schnitzels.

    Location: 16 Marine Parade, Kemptown, Brighton BN2 1TL, UK

    Open: Wednesday–Friday from 5 pm to 9 pm, Saturdays from 4 pm to 9 pm

    Phone: +44 (0)1273 673652

    Map
  • 2

    Petit Pois

    A local restaurant with a touch of the je ne sais quoi

    Petit Pois
    • Food

    Petit Pois is a go-to spot for a touch of that fancy French dining. It's sat on the south side of the gastronomy hub that is The Lanes, but still close enough to Brighton Beach to hear the winds whistling down the promenades.

    The establishment is pint-sized and cosy, with a blue-painted exterior that's adorned with blooming flowers. The inside channels one part Parisian bistro, one part rustic French country kitchen. The food does the same – think bouillabaisse and mussels, charcuterie boards and duck breast. There's an excellent wine list of Loire and Bordeaux labels to go with the food.

    Location: 70 Ship St, Brighton BN1 1AE, UK

    Open: Mondays from 12 pm to 3 pm and from 6 pm to 10 pm, Thursdays–Friday from 12 pm to 3 pm and from 6 pm to 10 pm, Saturday–Sunday from 12 pm to 10 pm

    Phone: +44 (0)1273 911211

    Map
  • 3

    Burnt Orange

    Food straight off the grill

    Burnt Orange
    • Food

    Burnt Orange is about two things – wood-fired foods and fantastic cocktails. The spot has a prime place that's almost equidistance from the buzzy food quarter of The Lanes and the wave-lapped seafront, and it's walking distance from both. You're looking for the come-sit-in-me bistro under the copper sign.

    The menu here is sure to get the taste buds watering. It brings elements of the east – zaatar-topped butter flatbreads and smoked harissa – and matches them with all-British mains – think stone bass crudo and fire-roasted monkfish. Stick around until later to sink cocktails in the lounge space before heading out.

    Location: 59 Middle St, Brighton BN1 1AL, UK

    Open: Monday–Wednesday from 12 pm to 12 am, Thursday–Saturday from 12 pm to 1 am, Sundays from 12 pm to 11 pm

    Phone: +44 (0)1273 929923

    Map
  • 4

    Kindling Restaurant

    Sustainable dining

    Kindling Restaurant
    • Food

    Kindling Restaurant channels the eco credentials of Brighton to offer up one of the country's first seriously ecological restaurants. Wedged between the shops, pubs, and bars of East Street, it's easy to access but a touch hard to find – the place has an unassuming, stripped-down exterior that leads to an inside clad in natural woods and coloured in neutral tones of musk and beige.

    The menu is anything but beige, though. It changes regularly to offer seasonal, sustainable ingredients. Chilled borscht with pickled cucumber, salt-baked kohlrabi with beef, and pan-fried squash with ricotta are the sorts of dishes you can look forward to.

    Location: 69 East St, Brighton BN1 1HQ, UK

    Open: Wednesdays from 6 pm to 9 pm, Thursdays from 12 pm to 2.30 pm and from 6 pm to 9 pm, Friday–Saturday from 12 pm to 2.30 pm and from 6 pm to 9.30 pm, Sundays from 12 pm to 2.30 pm and from 6 pm to 9 pm

    Phone: +44 (0)1273 732534

    Map
  • 5

    Chamuyo

    Something from the Gauchos

    Chamuyo
    • Food

    Chamuyo is surely up there with the top-rated Argentinian eateries in the whole of Brighton. It clings to one side of Middle Street, which is one of the main entry points to The Lanes dining quarter, but also just a few short steps off the Brighton Seafront. In other words – it's not a hard bistro to find.

    You'll get a whiff of rustic South America from the outside – check the timber signage and the Wild West lettering. That comes through on the menu, too, which lists off steaks, steaks, and more steaks, from rib-eye to rump to fillet. There's not much for veggies, but there is a fantastic wine menu that offers fine Argentine labels like San Telmo Reserve and more.

    Location: 62 Middle St, Brighton BN1 1AL, UK

    Open: Monday–Thursday from 6 pm to 10 pm, Friday–Saturday from 6 pm to 11 pm, Sundays from 5 pm to 10 pm

    Phone: +44 (0)1273 748448

    Map

    photo by Hassocks5489 (CC0 1.0) modified

  • 6

    Olive Grove

    A taste of the Med

    Olive Grove
    • Food

    Olive Grove is a taste of southern Europe in the thick of the Brighton Lanes. It's got a terracotta-tiled terrace and a small outdoor seating area that sprouts – you guessed it – olive trees. This is all wedged into Meeting House Lane, about a 5-minute walk back from the seafront.

    The spot is well regarded by vegetarians, with one whole section of the menu purely plant-based or dairy. There are sharing platters combining feta cheese and filo pastry spanakopita, halloumi plates with smoked chili chutney, and chickpeas and baked eggs. You can also get fish dishes like octopus and classic lamb moussakas.

    Location: 5 Meeting House Ln, Brighton BN1 1HB, UK

    Open: Monday–Thursday from 12 pm to 11 pm, Friday–Saturday from 10.30 am to 11 pm, Sundays from 11 am to 10 pm

    Phone: +44 (0)1273 722325

    Map
  • 7

    Munchies' Craft

    Pancakes and pumping soul music

    Munchies' Craft
    • Food

    Munchies' Craft is a local legend amid the happening Lanes area of Brighton. It's been offering a hip hangout for students and young professionals for some years, found smack dab in the middle of vibrant Market Street in the heart of the downtown.

    In the summer, the space spills out onto the street, where vintage sofas and colourful Pride signs start things rolling. Go in and you're greeted with a kitschy mix of neon lights and Pop Art. The food is a fun medley of shakshukas, breakfast plates, and blue-tinged pancake stacks. Later on, craft cocktails take over.

    Location: 19 Market St, Brighton BN1 1HH, UK

    Open: Monday–Friday from 11 am to 10.30 pm, Saturdays from 10 am to 10.30 pm, Sundays from 10 am to 5 pm

    Phone: +44 (0)1273 227784

    Map
  • 8

    Baqueano

    Aged steaks and rich red wines

    Baqueano
    • Food

    Baqueano stands out from the crowd of restaurants that string down Western Road through the heart of the Brighton City Centre, mainly due to its offering of some of the most sought-after and celebrated steaks in town. It's easy to reach on foot in 15 minutes from the train station and just 5 from the seafront.

    Run by Argentine natives Adriana and Jorge from Cordoba, the joint is Latin America through and through. They serve the highest quality meat from the La Pampa region of the country, but also traditional empanadas, mollejas sweetbreads, and cold cut platters. The wine list does its best to showcase the crème-de-la-crème of the Mendoza Valley.

    Location: 125 Western Rd, Brighton BN1 2AD, UK

    Open: Wednesday–Thursday from 5.30 pm to 10 pm, Friday–Saturday from 12 pm to 10.30 pm, Sundays from 12 pm to 10 pm

    Phone: +44 (0)1273 911991

    Map
  • 9

    Ephesus

    A taste of Türkiye

    Ephesus
    • Food

    Ephesus is about one thing and one thing only – bringing a taste of Türkiye to the salty streets of Brighton. They're centrally located for diners who come off the main seafront promenade – it's less than a 30-second walk from there. And the spot can be accessed in under 15 minutes from The Lanes or Brighton train station.

    What awaits is a mezze platter's worth of treats from the Eastern Mediterranean. The menu rolls off bowls of smoky baba ghanoush, aubergine salads, stuffed vine leaves, and olive-feta tasters. For something more filling, try the combo kebabs, which put a whole load of marinated chicken shish with salad and chilis.

    Location: 80-82 Preston St, Brighton BN1 2HG, UK

    Open: Sunday–Thursday from 12 pm to 10 pm, Friday–Saturday from 12 pm to 11 pm

    Phone: +44 (0)1273 329989

    Map
  • 10

    Donatello

    Get tangled in the tagliatelle

    Donatello
    • Food

    Donatello has been serving up authentic Italian dishes to the people of Brighton for over three decades now. Its place in the midst of The Lanes ensures there's a steady flow of through traffic, even despite the 400-plus covers they can manage between their indoor-outdoor space and conservatory area.

    The menu is unashamedly Italian from start to finish. Taster plates mean stacks of bianchetti alla diavola – whitebait with capsicum – and cozze marinara – white wine-doused mussels. There's a whole range of first plates of pasta, from simple cheese spaghetti to tuna and anchovy mixes. Pizza is there, too, along with tasty desserts, like the in-house tiramisu.

    Location: 1-3 Brighton Pl, Brighton BN1 1HJ, UK

    Open: Daily from 11.30 am to 10.30 pm

    Phone: +44 (0)1273 775477

    Map

    photo by Hassocks5489 (CC0 1.0) modified

Joseph Francis | Contributing Writer