The city's finest tables — from seafront splurges to hidden gems in the Lanes
Brighton has always punched above its weight for food. The city's mix of adventurous locals, day-trippers with high expectations, and a deep vein of independent-minded cooking has produced a restaurant scene that routinely outperforms cities twice its size. These are the places worth booking.
Restaurants
££
Inventive sharing plates in a beautifully designed room on Middle Street. Brighton at its best.
✦ Editor's note
"The sharing plates are the format here — order more than you think you need. The smashed aubergine is the dish."
Restaurants
££
Open-fire cooking at its most considered. One of Brighton's most exciting openings.
✦ Editor's note
"Everything off the fire. The lamb is extraordinary. Book well ahead."
Restaurants
££
Wood-fired seasonal cooking from a kitchen that knows exactly what it's doing.
✦ Editor's note
"The most quietly impressive restaurant in Brighton. Let the staff guide you through the seasonal menu."
Restaurants
£££
Exceptional seafood on Brighton seafront. The fish is as good as the view.
✦ Editor's note
"The whole roasted fish for two. Window table. The sea views are part of the meal."
Restaurants
£££
Brighton's best steak restaurant. Serious meat, serious cooking, seriously good.
✦ Editor's note
"The dry-aged ribeye. Don't argue with it. The triple-cooked chips are not optional."
Restaurants
££
Intimate small plates restaurant in the Lanes. Every dish earns its place.
✦ Editor's note
"Order the whole menu between two of you. The bread is made in-house and it shows."
