BRIGHTON
for those that don’t know, brighton is where i call home. i grew up by the sea in portsmouth, the moved to brighton for university, and after moving around between berlin, the french alps and london - i’ve always found myself back here by the seaside. a good majority of my customers and followers are london based, so this guide is for any of those ‘dfl’ (down from london) day trippers who want to spend a day or two like a local!
EATING & DRINKING
one of my long standing favourites in town, they bake all their bread, pastries & cakes in brighton and everything is delicious, they also roast their own coffee too! they have multiple locations across town, i like to hit the beach cafe post dog walk when its a nice early sunny morning and low tide, to grab a coffee and sit outside overlooking the old west pier. their thai chicken sandwich is my go to for lunch, i’m not actually a vegan but their vegan coconut pain au chocolate is yum, the cinnamon morning bun is also great, and i absolutely love the honey & dark choc friande, not to forget that on fridays they do their absolutely banging donuts - salt caramel is a must!
this is my local, they have recently updated the interior and it feels like you’re in a little european cafe which i totally love. plaster pink walls, old tiled flooring, vintage cafe furniture, french linen cafe curtains etc. they have a lovely mixture of deli produce including local cheeses, homemade takeaway suppers as well as pantry goods like bougie tinned tomatoes and pasta etc. their lunch spread is a feast, with daily changing salads and banging sandwiches - ham & egg is my favourite. if you are planning to head to the sea lanes or the beach box saunas this is a place to stop before/after.
i have a deep love for gelato and have made it my mission to try as many options brighton has to offer, i have to say boho gelato is one of the best. they have the classics and some experimental flavours too, their sour cherry is really a good one!
standing for very italian pizza, one of my favourites in town. it get super busy so i’d recommend booking a table and ask to sit upstairs as its a better atmosphere. stick with the pizza and ignore the rest of the menu, my favourites are the friariella and prosciutto e funghi. they get all their produce from their family farms in naples, which i love. inside the restaurant the walls are stacked with all your favourite italian pantry items, if you fancy a little something to take home with you.
a pizza popup created by my good friend si, who has been honing his love of pizza for the past 4/5 years and he’s nailed it. his pizza is honestly my favourite and i’ve spent the summer following his popups most weekends! check love’s instagram to find out upcoming dates.
i have paired these two together as they are sister restaurants. mange tout is one of the best breakfasts in brighton, it’s lunch and dinner menu are equally brilliant with seasonal changing dishes that have a easy going french influence. plateau is a great one for date night, as the name implies its focus is on sharing plates and they have a great selection of natural wines and do a good cocktail too!
a new spot in town, a very chic and very chill japanese restaurant. visually you feel like you’re in a spa with it’s calm low lighting but you’re really about to sit down, have a lovely plate of sushi and glass of sake. they offer a four or six course tasting menu which is ‘unrevealed’ and curated by the chefs which is something i love.
a vegan restaurant, but done really really well, so well i didnt actually realise it was vegan. the food is incredible and the interiors are lovely. they also have a nice selection of natural wines too.
a great little italian place which has grown from food truck to multi location restaurant. all their pasta is homemade and the dishes are delicious, on tuesdays they do a bowl of pasta and a glass of wine or beer for a tenner, or you can enjoy their tasting menu which is also great!
another option for a delicious pizza, they have a few spots across town but i like their restaurant in the lanes, on a good weather day it’s a great place for sitting outside and people watching. i love the aubergine & smoked ricotta and the SALSICCIA E FRIARIELLI.
i love this place, it is such a vibe and a peaceful place to eat. you can watch the skilled sushi chefs sometimes working in the centre of the restaurant, the staff are so sweet and attentive too. i absolutely love the miso aubergine and the bento boxes.
this place gets booked up months in advance, so you know its good and id say the hype isn’t just hot air, it’s a really good spot. delicious small plates for sharing in a cosy space which gives perfect date night vibes. the menu changes weekly, and specials change daily.
i’d say the best mexican in town and i’ve been going here for years, it was probably my most frequented restaurant as a student and the love is still strong! in the summer i love to get a meal to go and eat it on the beach. my go to is the prawn burrito with the almond pipian salsa and the street food salad.
another new spot in brighton, an italian menu made with local ingredients and a focus sharing plates. they have a weekday sharing menu which is cheap and cheerful - £20 for two courses or £25 for three. also, on sundays they have their ‘ domenica’ feasting menu, think giant plates of pasta, antipasti and classic parmigiana. the interiors are a vibe, with a red marble bar, parquette floors and pig colourful abstract canvases on the wood panelled walls
this place is a bit of a throwback, so it’s a little sentimental. it was one of the first wine bars in town that felt kind of modern and new. it always felt relaxed, even as a 21 year old who didn’t know anything about wine but wanted to have a taste! they have lots of different tasting menus, some including cheese too.
a cool winebar and taproom in a row of converted garages. they have a great selection of natural wines and locally brewed beers. the atmosphere is relaxed, it’s a great pit stop for a pre dinner sip!
brewery, taproom and shop, with a fun, young atmosphere - you can also order pizza which will be delivered to you at the bar from the previously mentioned fatto a mano. if you’re into beer and brewing they do tastings too!
originally from rye, knoops has now openend its doors in brighton (yay), a cafe dedicated to hot chocolate in all kinds of strengths, from white chocolate through milk, to dark choc. they also do delicious milkshakes and if you’re not a chocolate addict you can get a good coffee here too.
SHOPPING
recently they moved across the street to a bigger space and now have their coffee lab alongside their beautifully curated shop. jayson & ryan are probably the nicest shop owners you’ll ever meet which makes visiting their space even more wonderful and welcoming. they have al fresco seating in front of the store, or you can sip your coffee inside and enjoy the calming aromas of their great selection of candles and incense. their edit of lifestyle & homewares goods is thoughtful, simple & one for those who love a neutral earthy palette.
inspired by the general stores of los angeles, tidy street has a really beautiful edit of clothing, homewares & lifestyle pieces, all from small and independent brands. it’s a great spot for picking up little gifts and they have a nice selection of gold plated jewellery made in the uk, like letter and zodiac charms.
simple clothing from independet brands using really beautiful textiles, they aldo have lovely knits in the winter, most pieces are a oversized style. the also have a selection of santa maria novella fragrances and toiletries which i love and are so nostalgic!
one of the original ‘cool’ shops, they have womens & mens alongside accessories and lifestyle pieces. stocking brands like ganni, peace & quiet, meadows & st agni.
this is a menswear store and they have such a great selection of brands, really well made pieces and great for a workwear or outdoors look (not the type from mountain warehouse though). the staff who work here have great style and are really lovely.
originally stocking curated vintage, wolf & gyspsy now stock a few small brands too like baserange & giu giu. they also have a really cool selection of accessories, including their iconic chunky hoops (iykyk).
across the road from wolf and gyspsy, a vintage homewares store, mostly mid century pieces. they have great ceramics and glassware with some really great paintings too!
THINGS TO DO
ok, so this is more for those spending a weekend in brighton who fancy getting a good leg stretch in nature. one garden is situated in stanmer park, a large nature reserve with plentiful woodlands, stanmer house the gorgeous stately home (which does a cracking roast by the way, and allows doggies), stanmer village which has a cute little tea room (and fantastic chips), and the one garden, a beautiful walled garden with horticulture at its heart. in the garden you can enjoy a sit down lunch at the restaurant, or have a more casual affair and stop into the one market for a mid walk coffee and a rocky road. the one market has an amazing selection of local produce including cheese, meats, wine, gin, vegetables and more.
brightons first outdoor swimming pool, it’s heated and is a whopping 50 metres too! this is a really cool spot and you can even catch a sunset swim as the last swim time is at 20:20pm, one of my favourite things to do. this complex has very recently opened and is a real vibe. overlooking the pool is the bison bar & fika cafe, from wednesday evening into the weekend they often have a dj which sets a great atmosphere for an evening swim, followed by a cheeky apeol pritz at the bison bar. if you’re doing more of a daytime affair, fika have got you covered for a great coffee and an outrageously indulgent egg sandwich.
these horse box saunas are next door to the sealanes, so a great activity to add on before or after a swim! they have recently added a new, larger sauna with a window that overlooks the sea, really a beautiful and calming view. the saunas are wood fired, so theres tat comforting smell lingering in the air. on site there are three plunge pools, or you can pop down to the sea for a plunge au natural. on thursdays they have express sessions which are only £12.50 for 45 minutes, actually plenty of time to get a good sweat on and have a few plunges. they also have special events for full moons, which in clude a cacao ceremony and meditations around the fire pit.
a new reformer pilates studio based in hove on the lovely palmeira square. the space is big and bright with high ceilings and huge sash windows. they have a frequent class schedule, for a real arse kicking i’d recommend the dynamic reformer session, and for something that is equally fun as it is challenging the bounce session is great - you have a small trampoline instead of your footbar!
this is my regular spot for a facial, and juliette is honestly magic. her small, cosy treatment room is based in hove, focusing on problem prone skin and offering a range of treatments. my usual is the firm & tone facial which includes incredible deep facial massage and also uses micro-current, i finish my session with led light therapy too.
if you’re in for an hour of relaxation before a day of shopping, or to unwind from a day in town before a lovely dinner, hit float spa. on the second and fourth tuesday of each month they have their ‘darna days’ which offer a pay what you can afford option. i’m new to floating and im defintely hooked, it’s one of the most truly medatative and calming experiences.
now a picturehouse cinema, duke of yorks opened in 1910 and is one of the oldest cinemas in the uk. it has only one screen, and at the back their is a balcony from which you can enjoy your movie on a cosy velvet sofa. wathing a flick here feels more like you’re cosy at home than at an uncomfortable cinema, they have a bar upstairs too so you can enjoy a glass of vino alongside your cinema snacks.