Nice little Japanese place with the usual suspects of sushi, udon, bento and katsu. Pretty average food though, and won’t bother going back.
Verdict: Don’t go
Location: 32A Preston Street
The Cocktail Shack
Squirrelled away behind an unassuming frontage, the Cocktail Shack is surprisingly roomy and has a bit of a Java type theme. Most importantly its staff are great (table service!) and the cocktails are wonderful and mental and delicious – we’re talking Cast a-Wray (wray rum) done up like a grass mug with a toffee bon bon Wilson. Also tasty snacks from the cafe-type place attached.
Verdict: Awesome
Location: 34 Regency Square
Kamal
Nice Indian takeaway, I didn’t particularly enjoy mine but I think that was more the dish, I did however enjoy my garlic pizza naan and a biryani also enjoyed. Was “Ok”, now updated to “Don’t go” as had a deeply average korma and the mutter paneer had chickpeas instead of real peas.
Verdict: Don’t go
Location: 25 Upper Hamilton Road
https://kamal-brighton.co.uk/
Mange Tout
French cafe, went here for breakfast. Eggs benedict had piles of bacon on big chunks of sourdough and was extremely delicious; salmon omelette also good. They do dinner too. Internally points off for not selling Coke, though.
Verdict: Awesome
Location: 81 Trafalgar Street
The Gather Inn
Just near Hove Lagoon is this pub with attached B&B, which I obviously can’t speak to. We went in for a couple of pints and dinner – one of us had a fish cake starter and the other burger and chips. Fish cakes pretty small even for a starter, burger ok but not going to win awards. True of the whole place really, nothing wrong with it, but nothing dramatically right with it either. Just a very basic pub.
Verdict: Ok
Location 330 Kingsway
The Saint James
A solid example of a Brighton pub. A bit quirky in the decor, chilled out staff. I’m docking them though for only having fancy schmancy lagers.
Verdict: Ok
Location: 16 Madeira Place
Couldn’t find a website
The Black Dove
This was recommended by Time Out as a cool place with a mix of weird antiques and good cocktails. We headed in on a Sunday afternoon and the music was too loud to talk, so stuff that.
Verdict: Don’t go
Location 74 St James’s Street
The New Club
American-style food in a chilled out cafe type space by the sea; went here for an excellent full English, and a smashed avocado toast. Great food, really nice staff, although they are very busy! Dinner uses small plate concept and really keen to try it.
Verdict: Awesome
Location 133-134 King’s Road
Waggon and Horses
Went here to see about Brighton’s largest selection of whiskeys (whiskies?), which they do have – immense. On a Friday night though no-one’s going to tell you anything about it (I’m not going to fault them on this, since we went to the Great Eastern after to do the same with bourbon and had the same problem, unlike my first time). The draw I think is all the picnic tables outside (since the inside’s a bit…spartan) to drink your whiskey or beer. For those, it wins.
Verdict: Awesome
Location: 109 Church Street
Couldn’t find a website
Bar Valentino
Above El Mexicano, which I have yet to try, is a cocktail lounge rated highly by Time Out. Hit and miss for me. Bartenders are good, nice, and flair around the place, cocktail menu is imaginative and we enjoyed ours (correction, I enjoyed my spiced mint julep and everyone else thought it was gross), and you can stand outside on the balcony overlooking New Road. The inside space though is pretty small and very loud; I like my cocktails in a chilled environment.
Verdict: Ok
Location: 7 New Road
www.elmexicano.co.uk/bar-valentino-cocktail-bar