New restaurants Brighton & Hove
Our pick of the newest restaurants in the forever changing and fast-moving food scene in Brighton and Hove.
Brighton Bier Brewery and Beer Garden, East Brighton Park
Opening Friday 16 April 2021. Brighton Bier has established itself as a serious purveyor of excellent local beer and having a penchant for positioning their taprooms on steep inclines (Haus on the Hill on ear-popping Southover Street, and Beirhaus on slow-burn Edward Street). Breaking with this tradition the Brighton Bier team has opened their 66 seater beer garden at their new, very level, beer garden, adjoining their brewery near East Brighton Park. Pop-up food vendors will be adding to the festival vibes. Find out more via the Brighton Bier website.
Longrain Thai, St James’ Street
New on the scene from autumn 2020, Longrain Thai is a family-run restaurant serving a fusion of East-Asian cuisine. While the restaurant is new to Brighton the head chef, Chandra is well established in the city having previously worked at the acclaimed vegetarian restaurant, Food For Friends. Longrain Thai serves freshly prepared modern Thai food that perfectly balances the four principles of Asian flavour, salty, sweet, hot and sour. Fruity cocktails and exciting brunches as well as a fully gluten-free menu exploring with vegan options make this a great all-rounder that is able to stand out from the crowd.
Amarillo at Drakes Hotel, Marine parade
When Ian Swainson first opened his Spanish inspired fine dining pop up in central Brighton we knew the city was in for a treat, would Ian’s dazzling track record finally earn our food scene its first Michelin star in years? Post lockdown of spring/ summer 2020 and Amarillo has relocated into the Restaurant at Drakes, filling a deeply felt void in the city’s much loved fine dining restaurants. Amarillo at Drakes is something to really get excited about, mixing modern innovative cooking with the classic elegance of Brighton’s best boutique hotels.
The Watershed, Brighton Marina
The WatershedThe Watershed bar and diner is situated right on the Brighton marina front with outdoor seating and westerly aspect offering sea views and late evening sun. The Watershed has recently been taken over by Space + Thyme (The Black Lion and The Mesmerist), given a fresh nautically themed refurb and a menu of social sharing platters, lunch and Sunday roasts. It’s worth the trip away from the madding crowds alone, for that sunny spot to call your own as you indulge in your yacht club lifestyle fantasy (without the price tag of owning your own yacht attached).
Shelter Hall, Brighton seafront
Now entering its second season, Shelter Hall, will be opening from April 26 for outside dining and then daily from 8am – 12am. Returning again this Summer is BRAVO 2020 Good to Go Winners Lost Boys Chicken with their forever young concession, PAN. Kenny Tutt will be bringing his MasterChef skills to the table with his Robata Grill kitchen, Ox Block by Kenny Tutt. For a full listing of vendors for 2021 see our Shelter Hall feature page.
Cases Club, Curds and Whey
Opening in February 2020 and taking over the former La Cave a Fromage site on Western Road. Cases is a collaboration between Phil Bartley of The Great British Charcuterie and Steve Pineau from L’Atelier du Vin. Cases will specialise in English sparkling wine and world wines of distinction, offering both off-license and drink in. Curds and Whey bring quality cheeses and charcuterie from Great Britain, focussing on small producers. In re-opening on the much-loved La Cave a Fromage site, Cases, Curds and Whey have also re-employed the former team, returning familiar faces to Western Road.
Erpingham House, Duke Street
The UK’s largest 100% vegan restaurant, Erpingham House in Norwich, opened its second venue on Brighton’s popular Duke Street at the former site of Canna Kitchen in March 2020. The new restaurant will continue to use what has worked in Norwich but developing a concept unique to the Brighton audience.
Kitgum Kitchen
Having built up a good reputation as a pop up in many well known Brighton pubs. Kitgum’s owners Fayaz and Susie crowdfunded in order to realise their dream of a permanent home. Taking over the former residence of Circo by Senor Buddha Kitgum Kitchen brings all the fun of their fare to the eateries of Preston Circus.
The Vurger Co.
Another venue set to open its second home in Brighton and another vegan one to boot is The Vurger Co., serving 100% plant-based fast food. The Vurger Co. will be opening as part of the new Lanes development, which has seen an influx of life to the area.
Halloumi-licious, Brighton.
Halloumi-licious has opened its second venue in Brighton (the first being in Worthing) for all things squeaky cheese. You can have a halloumi breakfast, a halloumi lunch and a halloumi dessert (the line is thankfully drawn at halloumi drinks). Vegans are also catered for, with options such as tofu fries, seitan burgers and couscous salads.
Purezza Hove
Purezza opened up as the first-ever 100% vegan pizzeria in Kemptown in 2015 and went on to win national and global recognition, then opening a second venue in Camden. Now vegans of Hove can delight that their pizza commute is going to get a bit shorter, with the third Purezza now open in the gorgeously Art Deco style building that was once Patisserie Valerie at 86 – 87 Western Road.
Oeuf Café
Oeuf Café opened in the autumn 2020 bringing Parisian chic to Third Avenue, Hove, filling the gap where shabby chic Planet India Hove once was (Planet India Brighton is still going strong). Oeuf serves coffee, breakfast and brunch from 8 – 6 pm Monday to Wednesday, 8 am – 9 pm Thursday to Saturday and 9 am – 5 pm Sundays. As well as serving brunch, the renovated venue features an onsite florist and grab and go coffee and takeaway station and a cocktail and wine lounge. What’s that in the distance, the Eiffel Tower? Non, mon cher, it’s the i360.
Coming Soon…
Boxpark, Shoreham Beach
Plans have been revealed for ‘the seafront project’ on Shoreham Beach. Boxpark claims to have teamed up with The Big Beach Cafe, owned by none other than Norman Cook (Fat Boy Slim), and aim to covert the cafe into Shoreham’s Big Beach Box. There are plans for the space to have a central restaurant and cafe hub, with a roof terrace and a dedicated water sports centre!
Soho House, Madeira Terrace
Soho House is coming to Brighton and will be creating a new private members club to the East of Brighton pier. The worldwide brand of luxury private houses is aimed at those in the creative industries. In addition to private clubs, Soho House, bring restaurants, spas, workspaces and bedrooms to the cities they inhabit. The Brighton venue has been years in the planning, but finally got the go-ahead following a long consultation process. The development will be part of a regeneration of the Madeira Terraces area, which overlooks the pier and seafront with the Sea Life centre in the basement of the building. It will include a modern seafood restaurant in addition to a pizza, burger and chicken restaurant on the seafront.
