Plates

Why you’ll like Plates:

Modern small plates, mixology-led cocktails and an all-English wine list have arrived in Norfolk Square, courtesy of the team behind Carne in Hove.

Plates has taken up residence in the old Gingerman site on Norfolk Square, and the neighbourhood is all the richer for it. Brought to you by the team behind Carne, this is a small, intimate room built for grazing your way through a menu of inventive small plates, sipping expertly mixed cocktails and working through a wine list that champions England from top to bottom, with Sussex leading the charge.

Everything about Plates is a love letter to the county. From the Shrub-sourced spirits behind the bar to the Chapmans Fish that lands fresh from Rye, this is a kitchen and bar team determined to put Sussex produce, and Sussex drink, centre stage. With just 30 covers, it is snug, sociable and made for lingering over several rounds of plates rather than rushing through three courses.

The concept

Small plates are the whole point here, and the menu is built for sharing. Expect somewhere between eight and ten ever-changing plates alongside a handful of larger dishes designed for the table, spanning meat, fish and vegetables, so however you like to eat, there is something to dive into. The kitchen team, several of whom cut their teeth at the celebrated Dill in Lewes, bring a playful, produce-led style to proceedings, mixing classic technique with bold, sometimes unexpected pairings.

Dishes to look out for include lobster rolls with chicken skin for crunch, a zingy paloma ceviche of bass with jalapeno and tequila, and gruyere milk bread served with chicken fat butter for the ultimate indulgent starter. Goat burrata arrives with barbecued peach, ham and hazelnut, while nduja prawn toast brings serious heat with its crispy chilli and sesame finish. Elsewhere, cod roe hashbrowns are topped with taramasalata and caviar, and a playful take on surf and turf pairs beef tartare with anchovy and dripping bread.

Vegetarian and vegan diners are equally well looked after, with whipped feta dressed in hot honey and pistachio, a heritage tomato plate lifted by greengage and nasturtium, and smoked summer slaw with raisin and walnut offering something a little different to the usual sides. Look out too for the mutton flatbread with pomegranate and feta, and a merguez sausage plate that brings warming spice to the table.

Mixology and cocktails

Cocktails are every bit as important as the food at Plates, and the drinks menu reads like a masterclass in inventive mixology. Expect the likes of a miso paloma, a charred pineapple sour built on smoked agave and aquafaba, and a strawberry balsamic americano that plays sweet against bitter beautifully. The in a pickle martini, finished with dill pickle brine, is one for adventurous drinkers, while the salted honey daiquiri and banana espresso rumtini bring a playful, dessert-like edge to proceedings. A black tea whiskey sour and chilli marmalade margarita round out a list built to be worked through over the course of an evening, alongside a shorter selection of lighter, lower proof serves including a rhubarb jasmine spritz and a salted grapefruit highball.

Sussex spirits feature heavily behind the bar, sourced locally and used generously across the list, so you can expect a genuinely regional slant even on the classics.

The wine list

Wine lovers are in for a treat, with a full English wine list that leans heavily into Sussex, alongside bottles from London, Kent, Devon, Hampshire and Herefordshire. Sparkling and rose drinkers can work through Sussex names such as Sugrue, Artelium and Albourne, while the reds and natural section brings together the likes of Tillingham and Bolney alongside a scattering of London producers. It is a list that champions English winemaking with genuine enthusiasm, and staff are on hand to help you navigate it glass by glass or bottle by bottle.

The atmosphere

Music matters at Plates, and vinyl spins throughout service, setting a relaxed, unhurried tone that suits the small plates format perfectly. With just 30 covers, the room feels intimate rather than cramped, making it a natural fit for date nights, small celebrations or simply catching up with friends over several rounds of plates and cocktails.

The Essentials

• Located at 21a Norfolk Square, Brighton and Hove, in the former home of The Gingerman, just a short stroll from the seafront
• Open Thursday to Sunday, with the kitchen running until midnight Friday and Saturday for late night grazing
• Small and intimate, with just 30 covers, so booking ahead is recommended
• Fully licensed, with an all-English wine list and a mixology-led cocktail menu built around locally sourced Sussex spirits
• Vegetarian and vegan diners are well catered for, with several small plates marked accordingly across the menu
• Music is at the heart of the experience, with vinyl spinning throughout service to set a relaxed, unhurried tone