What To Eat, See And Do

A vibrant coastal city on the south coast of England, Brighton is as famous for its diverse nightlife as its iconic pebble beach and pier. Whether you’re strolling along the historic pier, exploring quirky shops in the historic Lanes, or enjoying the city’s renowned food scene, Brighton is a must-visit destination.

Where to Stay

Drakes (bed and breakfast rates starting from £225) is ideally located on Marine parade, on the seafront overlooking Brighton Pier. All the main visitor sites are five minutes away including the pier with its amusements, the Royal Pavilion, Sea Lanes swimming and the historic lanes with their shops and cafes. Each of the 20 bedrooms at Drakes is individually designed and many have amazing sea and sunset views. Roll-top bathtubs and telescopes are among the special features of some rooms. Each room offers free WiFi, tea and coffee, complimentary water and bath and body products by British brand Green & Spring. And a definite bonus, the hotel has 14 parking spaces in a notoriously difficult to park area. Adjoining the hotel is an excellent restaurant Dilsk serving up superb modern British food made from local products. They have a four courses for £40 offer running at the moment.

Where to Eat and Drink

Blake’s at the Artist Residence hotel is an attractive neighborhood restaurant and late-night cocktail bar in a Georgian building on historic Regency Square. The dining room is cosy and intimate while the Modern British menu includes dishes prepared in the open kitchen such as wild prawns, chilli and garlic butter, moreish corn ribs, roast duck with cassis sauce and for dessert, delicious buttered rum.

The Coal Shed is a serious steak house serving local beef cooked over live fire and seafood. The 140-seat restaurant in the city center also has a great bar with some of the best cocktails in town. Decor is a chic industrial aesthetic inspired by NYC brasseries and the atmosphere is buzzy. The daily changing specials board features rare breed cuts from specialist farms. For seafood fans, there is a selection of fresh fish and crustaceans from the South Coast.

Dilsk is a Modern British menu that uses the abundance of quality produce from the rolling South Downs to the English Channel including smoked squid, Orkney scallop and south coast cod. The four-course tasting menu is excellent value at £40.

Grind and Slice in the North lanes is an excellent choice for coffee or lunch, especially if you fancy pizza or toasted sandwiches. The young owners, Negin Hakimmaani and Mahdi Mohammadi, from Sweden, aim to offer freshly made pizza and great coffee at reasonable prices.

What to Do

The Verdict jazz club in Kemptown, run by drummer producer Tristan Banks, is the only full time jazz venue outside of London in the south of England. And what a brilliant club this intimate basement venue is and a worthy winner of the prestigious Parliamentary jazz award for best UK jazz venue 2024. On a recent visit, we enjoyed the excellent quintet led by saxophonist Tom Barford, who British jazz legend Evan Parker has described as “a new star in the Jazz firmament.” The quintet, which included James Copus on trumpet, Ivo Neame on piano, Tim Giles on drums and Dave Whitford on double bass, kept the crowd entertained with dynamic original compositions and clever reworked classics.

Shop where the locals hang out, in the Bohemian North Lanes for an eclectic selection of cafes and shops. Vinyl junkies will be thrilled by the number of record stores, including Across the Tracks, Resident Music and Bella Union, owned by the bassist of the Cocteau twins. The store sells records from its own indie rock label as well as an interesting mix of experimental and trippy music.

For architecture and history buffs, the Royal Pavilion is a must visit. The former seaside pleasure palace of the playboy King George IV features Indian and Chinese influences blended with traditional Regency design. Today, visitors can explore the lavish interiors, including the ornate Banqueting Room, the striking Music Room and the exotic décor of the Royal Bedrooms. The Pavilion also hosts various events, from art exhibitions to performances and concerts.