FOOD RECOMMENDATIONS
BREAKFAST/BRUNCH:
Moksha
Perpetual winner of the Best Brunch In Brighton award; this is where we took Tom when he came to visit.
Kenny's Rock & Soul Cafe
An excellent greasy spoon vibes place in North Laine which sits above some shops and has a balcony that looks out over Kensington Gardens which is probably one of the most Brighton-y bits of Brighton. If you want a hefty breakfast, this is the place.
Nowhere Man
Probably more brunch than breakfast, this place makes the best pancakes I've ever had.
The Flour Pot
A local chain of bakeries with enormous, flaky pastries that you will get all down your front.
LUNCH:
Iydea
Might be my favourite lunch place in Brighton—feels both healthy and hearty—you've definitely had some vegetables but they're always delicious and you always leave very full.
Smorl's
Smorl's makes the world's best hummus (also available in Brighton's crunchier food shops), and they do absolutely amazing stuffed pittas with their homemade falafel.
Bagelman
A Brighton institution, there's a couple of these about, they just do really nice bagels! I tend to go for the VLT with no tomato.
Earl's
The best bánh mì I have ever had. They also do vegan Vietnamese coffee! They often sell out of particular lunch ingredients, though, so you'll want to get in there early. (They've been selling out less frequently as of summer '24; they've also opened a second venue in Hove!)
Pitta Nitta
Takes a while to cook (do not believe their estimates) but a huge, delicious hot gözleme for £4 is absolutely worth the wait.
Caccia And Tails
When I worked in Lewes I used to bemoan the fact that there wasn't one in Brighton: now there is! Just off the bottom of Preston Park, one to takeaway and eat in the park; their donuts are next-level
BAM's Kitchen
The heartiest salads outside of Iydea, I often find myself with too much to finish! The broccoli one is my favourite.
DINNER:
Planet India
Probably my favourite restaurant in Brighton, and certainly the one I've been to the most (though it's at the end of my road so, y'know). Everything is the most delicious version of the thing you've ever had and the menus are hilarious. Make sure to have the bhajis, some sort of puri and the masoor dal.
Pompoko
Probably the restaurant I've been to second most because I was friends with a lot of weebs in uni and we were all broke. Still great, though. Warning: cash only (which possibly has something to do with its cheapness).
Fatto A Mano
Remarkably affordable and delicious pizza; a slowly growing Brighton chain (I remember when the first one opened, which makes me feel old as hell)
V.I.P.
Local small pizza chain that also functions as an Italian deli. They have a very nice chinotto
Purezza
Ace vegan pizza, the dough balls are particularly great.
Morelli Zorelli
Another pizza place, because what this list needed was more pizza. Out in Hove a bit, good chinotto, hefty pizzas.
No Catch
Vegan fish and chips place on the seafront; absolutely cracking and very hefty portions, I don't think I've ever fully finished a meal here!
Oowee Vegan
Marmite butter waffle fries >>>
What The Pitta
More a takeaway place—extremely hefty portions of vegan kebabs, this will keep you full for days.
The Bok Shop
Also more of a takeaway place, these guys are the best vegan fried chicken in Brighton after Really Happy Chicken closed down.
FANCY DINNER:
Terre a Terre
If you're looking for a Nice If Slightly Pricey Night Out, Terre à Terre is the grand old man of Brighton fancy veggie restauarants, in that it's literally as old as me. Make sure you get their tamari seeds if you go!
Botanique
Out in Hove a bit, but really, really lovely small-plates kinda place.
The Little Fish Market
I can't eat here any more bc vegan but they serve the best fish I've ever eaten.
Bonsai Plant Kitchen
A newer place but maybe the best pure vegan restaurant in the city?
PUBS:
The Geese
One of the nicest pubs in Brighton, ace bangers and mash.
The Basketmakers Arms
The food's not as good as it used to be, but it's still very pleasant. Lots of little messages in tins which is extremely sweet.
The Hope And Ruin
Probably the most Brighton Vibes pub, they also do extremely good vegan kebabs (though your guts will not always thank you for them the next day).
Easy Tiger At The Hampton
The food bit seems to have taken over the whole pub, but we go here a bit—the food's lovely, it's very chill and it's pretty close to Kat and Josef's.
The Joker
Cool pub which does very very good wings (and vegan chicken-esque things too)!
The Black Dove
Kemptown pub with a really interesting downstairs area.
CAFES:
need
Cafe in the Phoenix Arts Centre that always seems to have interesting folk wandering in and out.
Black Mocha
Their trademark Black Mocha is really pretty great; if you want something very very sugary their "the works" (or whatever it's called) hot chocolates are smashing.
Pelicano
A Brighton chain, there are a few around but I really like the one in a hut on the Level. A former barista pal of mine told me they're the best roasters in Brighton, but that may have changed in the intervening years.
Bond Street Coffee
Bit of a coffee wanker place but the coffee is very good, so,
Guru World Foods
Not exactly a cafe, but a world food shop in The Open Market that does the best chai and some other a+ takeaway drinks.
Trading Post (the one on the corner of Kensington Gardens)
Local chain, so there are a few around, but the one on the corner of Kensington Gardens is my fave—it's got a lovely roof terrace and they do a smashing vegan rarebit. sadly the vegan rarebit has been taken off the menu so I have moved this from 'lunch' to 'cafe'
THINGS TO DO
THE VOLKS ELECTRIC RAILWAY
The world's oldest still-operating electric railway can be found just there on the seafront! Sadly only open late spring-autumn.
THE PAVILION
Genuinely really impressive inside, think they've been jacking up the ticket prices but seriously
THE BEACH
Possibly a bit obvious but man I love the beach; living nearby means I take it for granted a bit and it can be mad busy especially at weekends but since you're down in the week you might be able to see it quieter + sunny. The real lifehack here is not sitting between the piers, the crowds thin out pretty quickly if you go outside that.
SNOOPER'S PARADISE and North Laine in general
A tat shop par excellence, you can spend hours in there, come out with nothing and still have a smashing time. It sits at the heart of North Laine, an area which is full of weird shops and many of the food recs listed above.
THE PIER
A lot of bad rides and silly amusements, but it's worth a wander down to the end for the views imo—though apparently they charge non-residents £1 for the privilege in peak season.
THE i360
Pricey but honestly I think it's pretty sick, you can see for miles from up there.
THE LANES
NOT THE SAME as the North Laine one of them has an I in it, there's a really obnoxious shop window in North Laine to this effect. The Lanes are closer to the sea, and have a lot of jewellery shops but they also have some interesting shops (one that just sells rubber ducks) and a certain mazelike quality that lends itself to wandering.
THE AQUARIUM
The world's oldest one! some very cool fish
THE BOOTH MUSEUM
This is one of those "one person's weird thing" museums—it's just a load of taxidermies animals, but a LOAD of them. very cool.
PRESTON MANOR
A cool old manor house, recently refurbished! Also recommend the church in the grounds and the Rockery over the road.