Fantastic Four
In her review of Fourth And Church for The Guardian five years ago, award-winning restaurant critic Grace Dent wrote about how the Hove establishment was “one of the greatest restaurants I’ve been to” with a world-class menu that she likened to “a riot of ideas”. And it only takes one visit to see why she was so overwhelmingly convinced and enthralled. This cosy little spot on Church Road has become a firm favourite among Brightonians and Hovarians alike since opening its doors in 2015 – from revolutionary food to drinks of just about every kind, it has something for everyone.
What You’ll Love
- Grace Dent-approved “riot of ideas” menu
- Hundreds of bottles, rare small-producer wines, special sherry + expert recommendations
- Regular Barstool Sessions: plant-based tasting – Thu 22 Jan 2026
- NoLo done right: boozy Botivo Spagliato and more
- Showstopping dishes + standout vegan small plates
Message in a bottle
With hundreds of bottles lined up against its walls, Fourth And Church prides itself of being one of the best wine shops in the area, with an extensive selection of handpicked offerings chosen by owners Sam Pryor and Paul Morgan. It’s the kind of place that’s only too happy to provide that all-important personal touch, with their highly approachable and well-knowledgeable staff on hand to help you choose the right bottle for whatever you are cooking or celebrating. They specialise in rare wines made by small producers – things you simply can’t find anywhere else in town – and are also highly vocal about their passion for sherry and what they refer to as “its amazing capability of pairing with food”.
Hangover free fun
In celebration of both Veganuary and Dry January, Fourth And Church are currently promoting their meat-free small plates and low alcohol drinks menus. The next event will be their Barstool Sessions: Plant Based Food night on Thursday 22 January 2026, from 7pm to 9pm. Our evening kicks off with their Botivo Spagliato cocktail, which is made out of bittersweet Botivo (a non-alcoholic aperitif), Rooibos (a South African herbal tea) and tonic. Thanks to its unusual blend of apple cider vinegar, wildflower honey, fresh herbs, and botanical infusions, as well as some extra bitterness from the tonic, we’re left flabbergasted by how it’s quite possibly the booziest non-alcoholic drink we’ve ever tasted. There are also hangover free wines and low per cent beers to choose from – bringing all of the pleasure without any of the pain.
Plant-powered goodness
We’re there to try vegan dishes from the menu, which begin with some mamoosh pitta with confit garlic and za’atar, alongside some red pepper muhammara with green harissa and walnuts and crispy fried sprouts in citrus dressing. It’s all delicately curated with an intoxicating Middle Eastern twist – you won’t be able to stop yourself dipping that soft and fluffy bread into the sweet and tangy dip. Interestingly, the stand-out here is crispy fried sprouts, which pair crunch and zest in ways we’d never have imagined. Honestly, this is as mind-blowing as food gets.
A game of two halves
The next round of small plates is remarkable in its sense of duality. You get a fresh salad-style dish alongside something more earthy and cooked, and they compliment each other in perfect harmony. There’s the shaved cauliflower with hazelnut dukkah, clementine and pomegranate salsa bringing notes of summer and then the roasted squash with pumpkin seed Tajin, ancho, caramelised onion and whipped tofu lime crema as the winter warmer. It would only be natural to expect amazing things at this stage of our meal and somehow, we’re still surprised by the brilliance of each and every bite. The contrast between the two dishes makes it all even more magical.
A helping hand
At this stage of our evening, we’re naturally wondering what kind of wine would compliment the flavours on our plates – a difficult decision given how many bottles adorn the walls on each side of the room. Thankfully, our sommelier Max is on-hand to talk us through the best options for the ingredients in front of us and suggests pairing it all with a Spanish orange wine, the Daniel Ramos 2023 Berrakin Blanco. The soft lemon, orange and green apple flavours work wonderfully – providing the right kind of florals and a refreshing acidity.
The final round
The last of the savoury dishes then arrives – the celeriac fondant with roasted shallots, chestnuts and salsa verde. It’s easy to see why this one’s the showstopper, presented almost as a sumptuous tower of plant-based innovation and we’re happy to report it tastes every bit as good as it looks. For this dish, Max recommends another Daniel Ramos wine – this time the Berrakin 2023 Garnacha – with a heavenly balance between its berry fruit and herbaceous depth, via a soft tannic structure. Again, every bite and sip is so expertly curated, there can be no doubt at all that we’re in foodie heaven. As Grace Dent herself put it “Fourth And Church is an example of why we will always need restaurants, no matter what”.
Something sweet
To round it all off, Max brings out the malt and pepper dessert – a malted ice cream with puffed rice, shortbread and peppered caramel. It’s undoubtedly one of the most delightful afters you’ll find in the BN postcode: surprisingly creamy given its dairy-free recipe with a familiar malt twist that will please fans of Maltesers and Ovaltine, in a suitably upmarket kind of way, of course. It also pairs rather wonderfully with what’s left of our Garnacha, which has had some time to open up and breathe, bringing more emphasis to the notes of strawberry and cherry in the glass.
Take me to church
Even just as a wine shop, Fourth And Church goes above and beyond the call of duty – with an incredible selection to choose from and sommeliers who will happily guide you through the best choices for your budgets and needs. But it’s when you sit down to let the food and drinks take you on a journey where this place really comes into its own. Naturally, with it being a prestigious wine bar, there’s no shortage of meaty options like smoked Tuscan salami, beetroot cured salmon and roasted lamb rump – all of which are renowned for being dependably spectacular among locals. But we’re also pleased to say, for plant-based small plates as well as alcohol-free cocktails, it really doesn’t get much better than this.
