Amazingly fun little place with 80s nostalgia everywhere – posters, toys, even Super Nintendos to play at your tables. I wanted to love it, but unfortunately the pie was just ok.
Verdict: Ok
Location: 41 Meeting House Lane
Category: Restaurant
The Flint House
The newest addition to the Gingerman Group is a small number with most of the seating at the bar or on stools looking out the window. Small plate type deal; really enjoyed chicken schnitzel and mushroom tempura, and service was impeccable. Food pricing pretty great too. Two reasons it’s not awesome: first, the wine list only has a couple of wines under £30 for red and white; there’s no reason to have to pay £40 for a Malbec (in fairness the food costs balance this a bit!). Most importantly, no reservations. We happened to be nearby so gave it a go but normally I won’t even bother.
Verdict: Ok
Location: 13 Hanningtons Lane
Jojo’s Gelato
Another dessert restaurant with cookie dough, crepes, waffles, shakes and piles of ice cream flavours. Brightly lit, pleasant, and tasty.
Verdict: Awesome
Location: 123-124 Western Road
Semolina
Alleged Italian, although you wouldn’t particularly know it from the menu; this is for info and not a bad thing at all. Small (like what, 20 covers?) and personable place with just amazing food at really good prices. Had amazing beef croquettes, cod dumplings, confit pork, beautiful chips, great desserts – really punches massively above its prices.
Verdict: Awesome
Location: 15 Baker Street
Baqueano
Family-run Argentinian steakhouse and you can really tell; they are super passionate about their menu and great service in general (some little taster desserts for example). Some amazing starters, and a few different mains, which were all fine but the steak was just amazing, so have that (it was the cheapest one too!).
Verdict: Awesome (but have steak)
Location: 125 Western Road
Moonstone
Family-owned Sri Lankan restaurant; with only average experiences in actual Sri Lanka, wasn’t sure about this – and I was very wrong. Amazing food, attentive service and all very reasonably priced indeed.
Verdict: Awesome
Location: 208 Church Road
Lucky Khao
The Red Roaster cafe turns into Northern Thai barbecue at night, and it’s a great place for a restaurant – spacious, high ceilings, things you don’t typically get in a Brighton cafe! Lucky Khao does small (ish) plate sharing and it was really top stuff. From spicy papaya salad to amazing goat ribs to curries, great thing is a lot of variety for one restaurant (lots of spiciness!). Charcoal stuff the best. Great service and very reasonably priced!
Verdict: Awesome
Location: 1d St James’s Street
Il Bistro
Cosy little space in the Lanes, but good service doesn’t make up for what could be called at best workmanlike food; calamari fried to death and average steak cooked averagely.
Verdict: Don’t go
Location: 6 Market Street
The Big Bowl
Promising authentic Vietnamese food, this is a cheap and cheerful cash-only affair – perfectly nice inside but pretty basic. Really great chilli squid, but otherwise I found my food pretty disappointing, the meat especially pretty lacklustre. Not cheap enough for the quality.
Verdict: Don’t go
Location: 54 Preston Street
The Better Half
Fantastic gastropub, cosy with a lot of personality. Lovely service and great food, all for a reasonable price. Bookings strongly advised!
Verdict: Awesome
Location: 1 Hove Place