Arcobaleno Brighton – ‘there’s no place like home’
Arcobaleno (Italian for Rainbow) is a Brighton restaurant, cocktail bar, entertainment venue and social hub in the heart of Kemptown. Taking over the former Old Bank Steakhouse, Arcobalano Brighton boasts a large, well-fortified Brighton bar, with booths and table seating where the stage is often the focus. Out the back is a secluded Brighton beer garden offering alfresco drinking and dining in the warmer months. And downstairs is their Rainbow Bar – a cocktail bar which is perfect for events.
Arcobaleno’s ethos and history
In 2020, mother and son team, Luciana and Nick, founded a community outreach group called Across Rainbows. Its aim is to address the growing mental health crisis affecting the LGBTQ+ community. In 2022 they realised their dream of opening up Arcobaleno Brighton, a physical venue to bring together the LGBTQ+ community and their allies in a safe and welcoming space.
Brighton’s only Maltese-led restaurant
In creating a menu, the team behind Arcobaleno Brighton wanted something that was homely and feel good while also healthy. They turned to their native Maltese cuisine as it contains many elements that are familiar while also offering something new to experience. You can visit food brunch, lunch, dinner or a Sunday roast.
What’s on the menu at Arcobaleno?
The food is centred around sharing, there’s a selection of platters, loaded fries, main dishes which include the Arco Burger and Rainbow Slaw with a veggie option. Or their Kapunata (a hearty stew similar to ratatouille), and homemade meatballs in a rich tomato sauce and Timpana (a pasta pie served with pickles).
The all day breakfast and lunch menu includes dishes such as their granola which comes with fresh fruit, yoghurt and Maltese honey. There’s a Barbuljata which is a Maltese breakfast of scrambled eggs with a twist. We love the sound of their breakfast buns – the tofu scramble with vegan sausage sounds like a delicious filling.
The platters will transport you to the Mediterranean with ingredients such as burnt aubergine, Bigilla, sun-dried tomatoes, red pepper houmous, olives and lots more! There’s a vegan version too.
Arcobaleno also deliver an outstanding gold plated Sunday roast, find out what our blogger thought on his visit.
Signature cocktails
Cocktails are an important part of the Arcobaleno Brighton experience. You’ll find a menu of signature cocktails which take on a pop culture theme and has fun with it, think Wizard of Oz-themed cocktails, or the cult classic feel good movie Mean Girls. Cocktails are always talking points and Arcobaleno is all about getting people talking.
Their talented mixologists can serve you up classic cocktails if you prefer those, and there’s a selection of non-alcoholic mocktails too along with almost every other beverage you could hope for in a well-stocked bar. You can enjoy your cocktails in the either main area of Arcobaleno or their secret Rainbow Bar tucked away downstairs.
Entertainment at Arcobaleno
The stage is an important feature of the bar restaurant. Here you’ll find a wealth of entertainment from local and emerging talent, giving the limelight to performers you might not find elsewhere on the Brighton scene. Expect drag shows, subversive comedy, live music, burlesque and quiz nights.
Reviews
Post a Review
Getting There
INFO
What a find ! Amazing food, very friendly staff spent a lovely evening here highly recommend it