No matter how many years you spend in Brighton, there are always off-the-beaten-track places to discover when it comes to Brighton beer.
As a Brighton beer blogger and pub-splorer, I love how visiting a new pub gets you venturing into previously unexplored parts of town, and the Cleveland Arms, overlooking leafy Blakers Park, feels like the kind of cute, tucked-away gem the locals like to keep secret.
Previously a hotel, the building dates back to the 1890s when it would have been an inn on the outskirts of town. Current owners Jamie and Sarah, a husband-and-wife team, took over the pub from Jamie’s dad just before the pandemic.
They survived those unremitting months by serving takeaway Sunday roasts to the community, so it’s no surprise that they are now at the heart of that community and have a reputation for food.
Jamie describes the Cleveland Arms as a family-friendly, backstreet community pub offering home-cooked food. But he stresses that they are very much a pub, and despite winning a national Best Roast award in 2019, are “not trying to be a gastropub.”
The Brighton beer Breakdown
On cask, you can reliably find a couple of Sussex faves: Harvey’s Best and Dark Star’s Hophead.
Harvey’s Brewery of course need no introduction, but in case you’re new to Sussex, Harvey’s are Lewes’ historic family run brewery who trace their origins back 230-odd years to when beer was consumed as much as a source of nutrition as much as anything else, even by children.
Impressively, since 1957 the brewers have skimmed their yeast strain off every brew to make the next batch, probably over 3000 brews since they sourced the original yeast from John Smiths in Tadcaster. Miles Jenner (Head Brewer) believes this is the most discernible character of all of their beer range.
Dark Star was, of course, Brighton’s OG of craft brewing. Back in the ’90s, when only the Americans were doing anything remotely interesting with beer, Mark Tranter (founder of Burning Sky) and co. were getting experimental under the floorboards of the Evening Star.
Hophead was one of their great successes, an American hoppy pale ale that blew minds at the time. Dark Star was bought out by Fuller’s in 2018, who in turn sold their entire drinks production business to Asahi the following year.
It was a loss to the Sussex beer landscape when Asahi closed the Partridge Green brewery in 2022 and moved production of Hophead to London. Yet it remains a fan favourite in Brighton.
The pub is independently owned, but they have chosen to partner with Heineken in order to use their ‘SmartDispense’ system, which promises high-quality, consistently cold pints of keg beer. However, this arrangement ties them to stocking Heineken’s mass-market brands — Birra Moretti, Beavertown, Amstel — which limits room for local brewers. Guinness is, of course, available, and it’s great to see that it’s not the Extra Cold variety. The Irish have fervently rejected Guinness Extra Cold as a tourist’s drink, and I agree that Guinness should not be drunk as cold as lager.
There is a rotated keg tap, which usually hosts a local brewery. On this visit, Unbarred’s Joosy, a session-strength IPA, was featured, but sometimes 360 or others make an appearance.
At the bar, you can get a £1 happy hour discount on Hophead, Birra Moretti, Amstel, and Inch’s Cider, 3–6 pm, Monday to Friday.
In the fridge, there are a few additional beer options: an Adnams Pale Ale, Peroni, and a lemon-infused beer described to me as a shandy, which seemed a bit out of season. A craft stout option would have been nice to see. There are also a handful of 0% beer options, including Guinness 0.
Autumnal Tastes and Brighton beer
Like the orange-brown leaves in the park opposite, the autumn menu has landed at The Cleveland Arms and will be available until December.
At this time of year, pies are added — a homemade veggie pie changes weekly — and some of the small plates have also been updated.
The dining area is in a conservatory space connected to the main pub, but it’s perfectly warm and comfortable. There’s no dividing wall, but efforts have been made to make this space feel separate. The soft glow of fairy lights along with a textured golden wall lifts the space.
We kicked things off with two small plates as starters, though we overheard people ordering these as snacks at the bar as well.
Garlic Butter Prawns with Chorizo
Juicy, honey-sweet prawns, smoky chorizo, and a little zing from spring onion. The leftover sherry broth in the pan is addictive and great for dipping bread. This dish makes a great starter.
Confit Pigs’ Cheek Tacos
Two tacos of beautifully tender chunks of meat in a salsa roja giving loads of warming, herby flavour depth. Pickled onions add sharpness and heat. This dish is meaty, oily, and satisfying, with a generous portion that would make an excellent small plate for sharing and a great beer accompaniment.
As both starters gave Mediterranean or Latin vibes, I paired them with Estrella Spanish lager, which feels a bit more credible than other lager options here because it hasn’t been bought out by Heineken. The clarity and carbonation of a lager can cut through the heavy flavours and oil of these dishes, cleansing the palate for another bite.
Comforting Banter from the Bar
My wife and I agree that when you dine in a pub, you don’t expect a formal setting, so it was comforting to have the hubbub of pub noise drifting over to the dining area, along with a little easy-listening background music.
A Euros football match was on the TV in the far corner, but you wouldn’t have known it from where we were sitting. The volume was turned down, and there was no rowdiness.
And as it’s a Brighton beer pub, there’s no problem bringing along your furry family member. Our Fox Terrier, Lucie, joined us for the evening.
For our mains, we had to try a homemade pie, and since the mutton curry came highly recommended as a chef’s favourite, we continued down a meaty path.
West Indian Mutton Curry
Big chunks of mutton melt satisfyingly in the mouth, bathed in a deep, rich, mildly spicy sauce. The buttery, herby rice pairs brilliantly, and the battered plantain was an intriguing and enjoyable element.
Beef Shin & Red Wine Pie
Oh, wow, that pie! It’s small but mighty. A rich, biscuity crust encases hearty beef in a slightly fruity stew. Creamy mash pairs brilliantly, the greens were great, and there’s a gravy so thick with flavour that my fork would probably stand up in it.
To accompany the mains, I ordered a local favourite—a Brighton beer classic, Harvey’s Best Bitter
A pint of best is a fantastic partner to rich, hearty food. It’s thin enough to refresh the palate while providing some of its own density and flavour. The sweetness of the malt balances the saltiness of the food as well.
I’m aware that our choices leaned heavily toward meat, but there are vegan options such as a baba ganoush with flatbread starter and a West Indian roti and dahl.
Stuffed from the first two courses, my wife and I shared a Sticky Toffee Pudding for dessert. The salted caramel sauce tantalised the tongue, and the light vanilla ice cream paired brilliantly with the dense, bready pudding.
Effortlessly Enjoyable
It’s hard to pinpoint one element that made this evening so enjoyable. Perhaps because it’s a pub serving good Brighton beer, and not a fine-dining restaurant, portion sizes were very filling, offering excellent value despite being at the top end of pub food pricing. The food was rich, flavourful, and satisfying, and the atmosphere was relaxed. The evening just flowed effortlessly.
The Cleveland Arms truly excels with its friendly and welcoming service. The comfortable decor and its location on a pretty, leafy backstreet doesn’t hurt either. And the conservatory really cocoons you. It feels, dare I say, romantic.
