The 20 Best Cocktail Bars in Brighton 2026

Cocktail Bars in the Lanes Brighton

The Lanes are the undisputed heart of Brighton’s cocktail bar scene, with more destination-worthy venues concentrated in this small maze of streets than almost anywhere else in the south of England. Blossoms Bar takes fourth place in this year’s BRAVO rankings with its Japanese-inspired cocktail menu of yuzu, cherry and miso serves alongside an impressive sake list and a beautifully designed space that feels genuinely transportive. Burnt Orange sits on Middle Street at seventh, combining one of the most inventive cocktail lists in the city with outstanding wood-fired food and a late-night bar atmosphere that keeps people here well into the evening. Twisted Lemon is tucked down an alleyway off Middle Street at eleventh, a hidden gem known to locals for its extensive and original cocktail list and an exceptional happy hour. Bohemia finishes twentieth on Meeting House Lane, a multi-floor bar and diner with a roof terrace and a cocktail list that leans into theatrical drama with dry ice and bold, vivid serves. The Plotting Parlour also deserves a mention here in its wider Lanes context, as does The Golden Pineapple on Ship Street in the South Lanes, finishing seventeenth with Brighton’s largest selection of tequila and mezcal alongside an intimate, romantic atmosphere that makes it one of the most distinctive bars in Brighton.

Cocktail Bars in Central Brighton

Beyond the Lanes, central Brighton has a strong cluster of cocktail destinations within easy reach of each other. Clementine and Co on Duke Street, just outside the Lanes and moments from the seafront, takes third place as one of Brighton’s most dedicated cocktail bars, built around premium spirits and creative seasonal serves with outstanding no and low alcohol options. Dishoom Permit Room finishes second with a Bombay-inspired cocktail list spanning Morning Glories, Frosted Highballs and Twisted Classics, and while Dishoom sits within the Lanes, its all-day café-bar character gives it a energy all of its own, making it one of the most enjoyable and distinctive spots for cocktails in the city. FUMI takes fifth, hidden in Brighton’s Circus Quarter with Japanese-inspired cocktails built around the philosophy of treasuring each moment; the Roku Negroni and whisky sour are the obvious starting points. Bar Valentino on New Road near the Theatre Royal finishes fifteenth and remains one of the most atmospheric and warmly recommended cocktail bars in the city, while Bar 50ml takes ninth as a polished Italian aperitivo bar serving beautifully balanced negronis and espresso martinis alongside house signatures in intimate, warm-lit surroundings. Plateau finishes nineteenth in central Brighton, rounding out a city centre that covers almost every cocktail style and occasion.

Cocktail Bars on the Brighton Seafront

The seafront stretch of Brighton is home to some of the most celebrated cocktail drinking in the city. The Grand and Cyan Restaurant on Kings Road takes first place overall, and rightly so; the bar here combines iconic seafront glamour with exceptional bartending, seasonal menus and the kind of elegant, unhurried service that makes a cocktail feel like a genuine occasion. Pearly Cow also sits on Kings Road at fourteenth, its cocktail bar helmed by mixologist Josh Williams and serving Pearly Cow signature creations alongside classics and thoughtful alcohol-free alternatives in a stunning seafront setting. For anyone looking for seafront bars in Brighton with genuine cocktail credentials, this stretch of Kings Road represents an exceptional evening in its own right.

Cocktail Bars in Kemptown Brighton

Kemptown has a vibrant bar scene anchored around St James’s Street and the streets feeding off it, with a distinct energy that differs from the city centre and the Lanes. The Plotting Parlour on Steine Street takes tenth place with a speakeasy feel, artfully distressed interiors, leather armchairs and a cocktail list built around locally sourced ingredients and quality spirits; the Peanut Butter and Maple Old Fashioned has become something of a local legend. Kemptown Klub finishes twelfth, a fun and inclusive venue that has become central to the neighbourhood’s social life. Brighton Rocks takes sixteenth and is one of Brighton’s most established and beloved gay bars, serving good cocktails in a space that has been at the heart of the LGBTQ+ community for many years.

Cocktail Bars on the Brighton and Hove Border

Between the city centre and Hove proper, a couple of notable venues deserve specific mention. Apiary on Norfolk Square finishes thirteenth and is one of Brighton’s most distinctive and original cocktail bars, run by passionate beekeepers and serving honey-infused cocktails, mead and an imaginative drinks list built around organic, biodynamic and carbon-neutral producers. It is one of the most genuinely unique cocktail experiences in the city, as much for the philosophy behind the drinks as for the drinks themselves. To the other side of the city, Bonsai Plant Kitchen on Baker Street in North Laine finishes sixth with innovative, Japanese-inspired cocktails that complement its celebrated plant-based food.

Cocktails in Hove

Hove brings its own character to the cocktail map, with venues that tend to feel a little more neighbourhood and a little less frenetic than the Brighton city centre scene. Carne finishes eighth and is one of Hove’s most stylish cocktail destinations, with seasonal signature serves including Blood Orange Margarita and Spicy Jalapeño Margarita alongside thoughtful alcohol-free alternatives, with options to drink at the open bar, on the front terrace or in the hidden heated garden.

Restaurants with Exceptional Cocktails in Brighton

One of the pleasures of Brighton’s drinks scene is how many of the best restaurants also serve genuinely outstanding cocktails. Dishoom Permit Room is perhaps the purest example, with a cocktail programme that rivals any dedicated bar in the city. Burnt Orange has long been celebrated for cocktails that are as inventive as its food, and the all-day nature of the venue means you can start with a drink long before dinner arrives. FUMI treats its Japanese-inspired cocktail menu with the same precision applied to its food, and Bonsai Plant Kitchen demonstrates that plant-based dining and outstanding cocktails make for a very natural pairing.

Brighton Cocktail Bars by Area: The Full Picture

Mapping the top 20 across Brighton and Hove reveals a city where excellent cocktail bars are spread across every neighbourhood, each with its own distinct character.

The Lanes dominate with the strongest cluster: Blossoms, Burnt Orange, Twisted Lemon, Bohemia, The Golden Pineapple and Plateau all sitting within this compact area, making it the obvious starting point for any cocktail evening in Brighton. Central Brighton adds Clementine and Co on Duke Street, Dishoom Permit Room, FUMI in the Circus Quarter, Bar Valentino near the Theatre Royal and Bar 50ml, covering an extraordinary range of cocktail styles within walking distance of each other.

The seafront delivers The Grand and Cyan at the top of the rankings alongside Pearly Cow, all on or immediately adjacent to Kings Road. Kemptown contributes The Plotting Parlour on Steine Street, Kemptown Klub and Brighton Rocks, giving the eastern end of the city a vibrant late-night cocktail culture of its own. Norfolk Square brings Apiary to the Brighton/Hove border, and Hove proper adds Carne to a list that is geographically diverse and consistently impressive.

Whether you are planning a cocktail making class in Brighton, looking for happy hour cocktails in Brighton, organising a hen party, a birthday evening or simply a well-deserved drink at the end of a long week, this city covers every occasion and every style. Brighton’s cocktail bar scene is one of the finest in the UK outside London, and this top 20 is the most reliable guide to where to find the best of it.