Best restaurants in Brighton: Find your seaside gem

Encapsulating the edgy, hip, leftfield and idiosyncratic identity of Brighton itself, this rock n’ roll restaurant offers excellent British food with a thrillingly theatrical concept. From the open kitchen, dishes such as flat iron misozuko with Bovril and shallot; Gorgonzola, kimchi and hazelnut in a boisterous veggie constellation; or brill with grapefruit and chilli impress. Dishes come out as and when they are ready, which adds to the constantly buzzy atmosphere – you can soak all of this up directly at the pass perched on top of yellow-topped bar stools.  

It may be chic inside, but Nostos has the heart and soul of a proper rustic taverna, with food to match. From Cretan pastries and bowls of deep-fried crispy squid to gigantes humming with rich tomato and herbs, Nostos is a knockout - it's no wonder it gets so busy. 

As you might have guessed, locally-sourced seafood is at the forefront of this bijou, beachfront restaurant. If the weather allows, sit outside for some epic views of the beach and the ocean, which will fill your nostrils with that salty sea air that will undoubtedly add to your experience. Gulp down ceviche dressed with a chilli, red onion and lime salsa, or fresh oysters. If you’re feeling brave, why not opt for the whole crab or lobster?

Taking up residence in a beautiful Georgian townhouse near Royal Pavilion Gardens, Furna's luxurious tasting menus combine exceptional ingredients with pitch-perfect cooking. The interiors are beautifully done too, combining grand period details with contemporary touches, and wine pairings and cocktails - should you want such things - are expertly curated. Make no mistake, Furna is a true gem. 

This sophisticated little tasting menu spot in Drakes Hotel offers sublime cooking across compact, seasonal menus. Dilsk shows off some of the most inventive, delicious cooking in Brighton, and we love the minimal, whitewashed interiors too.

One of the best restaurants in Brighton Lanes, Embers focuses around dishes cooked over wood fire, including the likes of sticky aubergine with tahini cream, and chicken leg with honey butter and pul biber aioli. Worth a visit for the entertainment of the cooking as well as excellent food.

MasterChef: The Professionals 2013 winner Steven Edwards has been a fixture in Hove for some years now, impressive with technical tasting menus. These days Etch is affordable too - the signature menu is five courses and priced very reasonably as a result, making Etch more of a regular neighbourhood haunt than a special occasion restaurant. A sleek basement speakeasy completes the experience with a play for pre- and post-dinner drinks.

Bringing a slice of Japan to the streets of Brighton, this smoky barbecue restaurant evokes the indulgent spirit of izakaya bars in Tokyo with its grilled small-plates. Chef Dave Miney cooks behind the open kitchen on the binchotan coal grill in this industrial looking site just off Brighton beach. The result? Skewers of chicken hearts, pork belly and Korean chicken wings, all oozing with umami, spice and smokiness. Sweetcorn with miso butter also gets our vote, and we recommend you wash it all down with one of the Japanese craft beers on offer.  

The Rockwater team have done a fabulous job with this gorgeous seafront restaurant in Hove - the interiors of this multi-floor space are beautifully decorated, and the food is great too, kicking off with fresh baked pastries, before transitioning into an easy-going lunch and dinner menu.

From the team behind the much-loved Gingerman restaurant (also in Brighton) comes this light and airy gastropub serving locally sourced dishes. The food is suitably trendy, but always tasty, with fans claiming they have never had a bad experience here. You might expect crispy pork neck with kimchi puree and grilled lettuce or roast monkfish with spiced potatoes, crispy squid, black garlic, spinach and curry velouté. Pickled mackerel with cherry tomatoes, grilled fennel and pickled cucumber makes for a light and summery dish, and if you’re visiting on a Sunday, the roasts are hugely popular.  

This is Indian with a deft, complex and creative interpretation, which goes down well with the hip foodies of Brighton. Chef Alun Sperring has taken his experience at the Cinnamon Club in London to the southern shores to create signature dishes such as red tandoori sea bream, rose water-infused mutton biryani and oxtail Madras. All is delivered with freshness and attention to detail, lifting the experience to fine-dining levels. The colourful dining room, scattered with atmospheric fairy lights and shelves stacked with provisions bring things back to earth again.

It might be hidden down a nondescript side street in Hove, but there is nothing nondescript about this tiny fish restaurant (we’re talking 20 covers). It serves up absolutely terrific seafood in a seriously refined way, in the shape of a fixed-price tasting menu, which changes every month or so. Although dedicated to showcasing the catch from the local boats, the menu delivers meat and vegetable dishes worthy of royalty. Reserve your table well in advance, though – this place books out quickly.

If fusion is your thing, this Brighton restaurant will be right up your alley. It merges French food with Spanish tapas, with a few Asian twists thrown in for good measure. The result is sharing platters laden with homemade terrines, squid tempura or grilled steak skewers. Have you tried gnocchi with edamame beans before? Now’s the time. The dining room is small, with tightly-packed tables, but the intimate setting makes it one of our favourite places to eat out in Brighton.

There is more than meets the eye with this family-run neighbourhood bistro. The exceptionally well-priced French food is always solid and always delivered with a friendly smile. Through the open kitchen, head chef David Roy can be spotted conjuring up the likes of escargot, frog’s legs and duck rillettes as starters, while pan-fried sea bream fillets with bouillabaisse sauce from the mains section will transport diners from the south of England to the south of France in no time.

Brighton isn’t short of great wine bars, but Med is definitely worth a visit. This Brighton Lanes restaurant is just a short walk from the seafront, and mixes a well-constructed wine list (including lots of natural and low-intervention options) with easy-going bistro-style plates.

Overlooking Brighton’s seafront, this is a real special-occasion place with a menu to match. It majors in locally-sourced seafood and grilled meats cooked over a coal fire. Dishes not to miss include lemon sole with spiced potted crab butter, cucumber and seaweed-roasted potatoes; the ‘Surfboard’ stuffed with grilled shellfish from the south coast of Scotland; and the ‘Taste of the Pier’ dessert, featuring doughnuts, fudge and chocolate ‘pebbles’. For warmer days, head to the ocean-front terrace for that ultimate seaside experience.   

Chef and owner Dan Kenny brings his experience cooking at the renowned Gingerman to this progressive, boundary-pushing restaurant. There is only one weekly-changing tasting menu of between 16-20 courses, focused around micro-seasonal British ingredients and sustainable produce. Dishes change all the time, but examples might include scallop tikka masala, parfait and port, and milk bread with cheese burger butter.

With an unassuming little front on the main road to Hove, Wild Flor is totally unpretentious, but there’s some brilliant cooking and wine selection happening behind the scenes. Interiors are spacious, comfortable and laid back, with a bright, airy bistro feel, and the menu takes that concept and modernises it a touch, with dishes like pea and lavender veloute with sheep's milk and spelt tortellino, and glazed short rib, asparagus and watercress with pomme puree. Wines are bang on too - arguably some of the best you’ll find in the city.

A much-loved neighbourhood restaurant in the Hove area, Fourth & Church is always buzzing. The quick-fire small plates and tapas dishes have Fourth & Church feeling like a British version of a tapas bar, and it’s a wine merchant too so you can take any good bottles away with you.

The talented restaurant team at Lucky Khao have worked at some of the best restaurants in Bangkok (including renowned Bo.Lan and 100 Mahaseth), before bringing a taste of authentic Thai barbecue back to Brighton. Get stuck into dishes like chicken larb, chilli lamb skewers, lucky crab fried rice and drunken noodles with lemongrass chicken, as well as sustainable cocktails. A thumping soundtrack of 90s hip hop and rock helps to keep the atmosphere buzzing.

This is the original restaurant by Brighton chef legend Ben McKellar. A recent refurbishment now allows plenty of natural light to flood the dining room, where French-leaning food is served. Top-drawer ingredients are used and combined in simple pairings, resulting in ace dishes. A starter of asparagus soup with poached quail’s egg, toasted ciabatta, Old Sussex Cheddar and home-cured lardo virtually sings on the plate, while desserts such as lemon parfait with buttermilk and Gingerman honey sorbet are a triumph.

Another success story from restaurateur Razak Helalat (the man behind The Salt Room and The Coal Shed), Burnt Orange is a little more relaxed and buzzy, promising signature cocktails and music late into the night. The food is good too - think spiced calamari fritti, grilled halloumi with spiced fig honey, barbecue chicken thighs with celeriac remoulade, and wood-fired cod with green coconut curry.

FUMI’s massive monochrome wall mural is immediately striking, but there’s a lot about this all-day hangout that is pleasantly understated. FUMI is a gentle coffee house in the mornings, before switching into a menu of bento boxes and sushi come lunchtime.

Sister restaurant to Brighton’s The Salt Room, this barbecue-leaning restaurant is mostly known for to-die-for beef – locally sourced fillet, rib-eye and rump is sizzled on the restaurant’s Josper grill and served with a choice of sauces – the green peppercorn is a knock-out – alongside indulgent sides such as truffle mac ‘n’ cheese and beef-dripping chips.

This meat-free diamond has been serving vegetarian food since 1993 and is a popular spot for open-minded B-towners. The food is equally open-minded and always dazzles the crowds with unusual flavour combinations and intriguing ingredient pairings, leaning towards Asia. Korean fried cauliflower, say, comes with sweet and sour sesame sauce and onigiri rice, soused daikon, kohlrabi and pickled mirin ginger jelly. The restaurant’s Asian take on afternoon tea is also spectacular with twists such as steamed rice buns stuffed with Szechuan marinated halloumi. 

A follow-up from the team behind the brilliant Gingerman (which is also on this list, by the way), The Flint House is a calming little oasis amid the buzz of the Brighton Lanes. Stop in for snacking plates like sweetcorn fritters with jalapeno mayonnaise, lardo on toast with truffle and honey, and crispy ox cheek with chilli miso emulsion and tenderstem broccoli, all washed down with a masterful list of wines by the glass.

This sleek, minimal Japanese sushi counter in Hove knocks out tremendous maki and nigiri for the price, and a seat at the counter gives you unrestricted views of all the prep work. Splash out and go for some of the more exciting nigiri, like Wagyu and eel. 

One of many excellent tapas-style restaurants in Brighton, Market is a gorgeous little space, with gleaming green ceramic tiles lining the walls and jamon legs hanging over the bar. The menus are typical Spain by way of Sussex, celebrating local ingredients and producers.

This petite Latin American restaurant does a lot with a little - an old takeaway space has been carved out into a 20-seater paradise of exotic flavours, with wonderful dishes emerging from a charcoal grill in the kitchen.