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Why You’ll Like Casa Don Carlos Restaurant Brighton
There are restaurants in Brighton that come and go with the seasons, and then there is Casa Don Carlos. Tucked away on Union Street in the heart of The Lanes, this small, family-run Spanish tapas restaurant has been doing things its own way for over forty years and shows absolutely no sign of changing. It still has no website. It does not need one. The queues outside on a Friday evening tell you everything you need to know.
Finding it for the first time is half the fun. The Lanes in Brighton are a labyrinth of narrow, winding streets lined with independent boutiques, jewellers, restaurants and bars, and Casa Don Carlos sits within this maze looking exactly as it should; plain white walls, red and white checked tablecloths outside and a warm, fairy-light glow that pulls you in from the street. It sits alongside some excellent company too, with tapas and Spanish options, Italian restaurants and a whole plethora of independent eateries within a few minutes walk in any direction.
The Food at Casa Don Carlos Brighton
Step inside and the room is tightly packed, buzzing and alive. This is not a place for lingering silently over a tasting menu. It is loud, warm, sociable and full of people who are clearly having a very good time. The variety of diners is telling; big groups celebrating, couples sharing a bottle of sangria, teenagers fuelling up before a night out, solo visitors who came on recommendation and kept coming back. Everyone is welcome at Casa Don Carlos Brighton, and everyone tends to leave happy.
The menu is a roll call of Spanish tapas classics executed with genuine care and considerable flavour. The Don Carlos flambé chorizo is the house speciality and an absolute must; handmade, theatrical and utterly delicious. Garlic and chilli prawns arrive sizzling and fragrant. The slow-cooked lamb is a dish that reviewers return for specifically. Grilled sardines, meatballs, patatas bravas, ham croquettes, stuffed peppers, fried aubergine and deeply satisfying chorizo al vino round out a menu that rewards sharing and exploring. The oxtail, when available, is particularly impressive. Wash it all down with the house sangria, which is worth ordering in a jug rather than a glass.
The portions are generous, the service is fast and friendly with a side order of genuine warmth, and the whole experience carries that rare quality of making you feel, as more than one diner has noted, as though you have somehow ended up in Spain rather than a side street in East Sussex.
Booking is Essential
Casa Don Carlos is one of those places that fills up night after night, year after year. It gets packed to the rafters on evenings and weekends, so booking is strongly advised. Walk-ins are possible at quieter times but do not be surprised to find a wait. For groups in particular, a reservation is essential.
With forty years of loyal custom, a menu of properly authentic Spanish cooking and an atmosphere that very few restaurants in the city can match, Casa Don Carlos Brighton is the kind of place that earns its reputation the old-fashioned way. By being genuinely, consistently brilliant.
Casa Don Carlos is located at 5 Union Street, The Lanes, Brighton, BN1 1HA.
