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
Category: Restaurant
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
JB’s American Diner
Like the name says, it’s a diner, and they’re not joking on that front. Huge space with classic red upholstery, booths and miscellaneous Americana. Also huge menu with loads of burgers, hot dogs, the works. And it was really tasty – we’ll be back! Word of warning: the shakes are HUGE (ie a glass, but then another glass and a half in the mixing cup) but they are delicious.
Verdict: Awesome
Location: 31 Kings Road
Ephesus
Plain-looking Turkish from the outside, super cosy on the inside. Just good things to say; fig jam with halloumi is delicious it turns out. Went as is apparently known for lamb spare ribs, which were delicious and juicy, but you’d be just as well off having any shish as the meat is wonderfully done. And all at a very reasonable price!
Verdict: Awesome
Location: 80-82 Preston Street
Brighton Burger
Only had Deliveroo of this; imaginative menu, quality ingredients, but ultimately the burgers were a bit dry and chewy. So a nice meal, but not hurrying back.
Verdict: Ok
Location: 11a Market Street
Taco Bell
Brighton’s outpost of the famous US chain; a touch more upmarket in decor and ingredients, but still ultimately pretty cheap stuff. Just: not bad, but not something you’d seek out.
Verdict: Ok
Location: 95-99 Western Road
Bincho Yakitori
This place is always booked up, and it’s easy to see why – a cosy, warm space, mostly at the “bar”, serving up a wide range of yakitori, at worst good, at best – stunning. And doesn’t break the bank either!
Verdict: Awesome
Location: 63 Preston Street