An Insider’s Guide To Brighton, From Places To Stay To Things To Do
I love living by the sea. From the blissful breeze that runs through my hair on a windy day to wandering up and down the tourist-filled pier, Brighton is the seaside city I’ve gladly called home for eight years. As we head into the heart of summer, I’ve put together a complete guide to doing Brighton like a true local.
Here’s where to head for the best things to do in Brighton, from places to stay to must-visit restaurants and activities.
Where to stay
Moda Living
If the darker months have you quietly fantasising about relocating to the coast — even just for a little while — Moda Brighton and Hove Central makes the idea feel wonderfully achievable. This new design-led residential neighbourhood hub brings a boutique-hotel polish to living, with interiors inspired by Brighton’s creative edge: warm textures, soft coastal tones, curated art, and social spaces that feel more like a lounge bar than a lobby.
What sets Moda apart is the lifestyle. Residents don’t just live here; they become part of a ready-made community shaped by wellness, culture, and Brighton’s famously welcoming energy. Think drag nights, DJ sets in the lounge, dog socials on the terrace, cinema screenings, and festive gatherings that make winter by the sea feel bright rather than bleak. The building also partners with local food, drink, and creative brands, giving residents a direct line into the city’s independent spirit.
If you’ve ever romanticised the idea of switching the London grey for sea air, coastal walks, and a community that actually interacts, this is one of the most stylish ways to do it. While moving cities is a bit of a commitment, there’s nowhere better than this residential neighbourhood, even if just for a couple of months (or years).
Where: 11 Boulevard Place, Brighton and Hove, Hove BN3 7RX
Website: www.modaliving.com
No.124 by Guesthouse
You may have noticed boutique hotel group GuestHouse Hotels popping up across a few of your favourite UK destinations. Slotted right on the seafront, this Regency-style townhouse boasts 32 rooms, complete with a wellness concept, Pearly Cow restaurant and an outdoor terrace bar. In keeping with the brand’s personality, the interiors are beautiful, celebrating the best of local talent and craftsmanship. Expect neutral tones, quirky artwork and views overlooking the West Pier.
The building boasts sweeping sea views that look out across the English Channel, and many of the bigger rooms also offer these gorgeous vistas. No. 124 houses three lovely suites, the most majestic of them all being the Hideout Suite, which has its own entrance, lounge and secret passage into the hotel. Also, one thing to note if you’re travelling by train is that the property also offers complimentary luggage collection from the station to make your journey a little more comfortable – we love a hotel that pays attention to the little things.
124 Kings Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 2FY
guesthousehotels.co.uk
Artist Residence
Artist Residence has taken the best aspects of Brighton – its eccentricity, creativity and boho vibes – and brought them to life through its interiors.
From the outside, you could mistake Artist Residence for any other townhouse on Regency Square, but inside it brings the city to play through its art and hipster design. Home to 24 rooms, all are filled with original artist murals, vintage and reclaimed furniture, with some even boasting views out over the West Pier (the burnt-down structure for those who aren’t locals or regular Brighton frequenters).
The hotel’s onsite restaurant and cocktail bar is the perfect place to start your morning or cosy into one of the chairs and wind down for the evening with a nightcap.
33 REGENCY SQUARE, BRIGHTON, EAST SUSSEX, BN1 2GG
WWW.ARTISTRESIDENCE.CO.UK
Lansdowne House
For a cosier, home-away-from-home vibe, look to Lansdowne House. The quaint guest house launched in 2022 and is filled with old townhouse charm and character. The rooms are bright and airy, with breakfast available in the walled garden downstairs.
If you’re staying for a longer period or with a group, you can opt for The Old Pantry, a self-contained apartment featuring two bedrooms, a shower room, a family bathroom and a small courtyard.
Handily a walk away from Hove seafront and a flurry of independent shops, this is a spot that only those ‘in the know‘ know about.
45 Lansdowne Place, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 1HF
www.lansdownehousehove.co.uk
Harbour Hotel
If you are looking for sea views, then checking yourself into the Harbour Hotel’s Brighton location is a must. Its unrivalled location directly overlooks the city’s iconic seafront, taking pride of place on the promenade. The Victorian hotel invites its guests to unwind and soak up the sea air, all while being a stone’s throw away from the city’s vibrant and bustling centre.
During the stay, guests can also pay a visit to the hotel’s bespoke spa and kitchen. The subterranean spa and gym serve as the perfect place to recharge and escape the noise of day-to-day life. Guests are invited to choose from a range of treatments in collaboration with Elemis.
Where: 64 Kings Rd, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 1NA
Website: www.harbourhotels.com
The Grand
This Grade II listed Victorian hotel is a monumental landmark on Brighton’s seafront. Following a recent renovation, it now boasts an impressive spa in its historic basement vaults, complete with a thermal suite, hydrotherapy pool, sauna, and steam room. The hotel has also seen some famous faces walk through its doors, with the likes of ABBA and even Winston Churchill being among its most high-profile guests.
If you want to fall asleep to waves crashing against the pier and wake up to interrupted views of Brighton Pier, there really is no better place to stay
Elly, Founder & CEO
Where: 97-99 Kings Rd, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 2FW
Website: www.thegrand.com
Where to eat
Embers
The clue’s in the name of this gem, but Embers is a Michelin-starred restaurant specialising in dishes cooked over wood fire. Celebrating Sussex produce, the restaurant is the joint venture of long-time friends and chefs Dave Marrow and Isaac Bartlett-Copeland.
Embers is a Michelin-starred restaurant specialising in dishes cooked over wood fire.
Featuring a mix of small plates and centrepiece dishes, menu highlights include flamed sea bass with salsa rosso and preserved lemon; charred broccoli with sweetcorn cream, mole and hazelnut; and bigger dishes like the dry-aged pork tomahawk with fish sauce caramel and scratchings and the vegan shiitake and cashew laab with sticky rice, bitter herbs, charred hispi and miso.
42 Meeting House Lane, Brighton, BN1 1HB
www.embersbrighton.co.uk
Kindling
For a sustainable eatery done well, Kindling is the perfect place to dine by the sea. Located just off the seafront on East Street, it’s a restaurant that champions the best of seasonal British produce through three elements: land, sea and fire.
The fish they use is sustainably and locally caught, their plant-based dishes bring out the best of local ingredients and their natural flavours, and the majority of their food is cooked over natural charcoal. The result is simply sublime.
69 East Street, Brighton, BN1 1HQ
www.kindlingrestaurant.com
The Ginger Pig
Traditional grub, done fancy. The Ginger Pig in Hove is renowned for its refined fare, sourced from Sussex’s finest suppliers. Expect classically British ingredients, from whole filleted Sussex mackerel with cime di rapa, roast fennel, cherry tomatoes and balsamic to Himalayan salt-aged sirloin with truffle butter and duck fat chips.
Upstairs the restaurant is also home to 11 en-suite double rooms spread across two floors. This boutique inn-turned-hotel is understated yet stylish, equipped with everything you could need.
3 Hove Street, Hove, BN3 2TR
www.thegingerpigpub.com
Bonsai Plant Kitchen
Brighton is renowned for its vegan delicacies, but high up on the restaurant list, regardless of it being plant-based, is Bonsai Plant Kitchen. Everyone I know who has been here has loved it, which is probably why it won Brighton’s Best Vegan Food Award 2024 at a recent local awards. Expect a mix of Southeast Asian flavours to come alive through their small plate menu.
Everyone I know who has been here has loved it, which is probably why it won Brighton’s Best Vegan Food Award 2024
44-45 Baker Street, Brighton, BN1 4JN
www.bonsaiplantkitchen.co.uk
Bread and Milk
Bread and Milk makes for a lovely spot for a coffee and a breakfast sandwich, just a few minutes from the station.
It is renowned for its signature butterscotch flat white, which locals pair with almond croissants and vegan cinnamon buns.
Have a quick breakfast here before heading to the lanes for a day of shopping!
Where: 82 Trafalgar St, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 4EB
Website: www.breadandmilk.com
The Salt Room
Is a trip to the seaside complete without a splash of seafood? We think not. Which is why Brighton’s The Salt Room is so popular. Home to views of the burnt-down West Pier and seafront, the restaurant serves up modern British seafood, celebrating cooking over coal. Expect dishes such as hamachi sashimi with charred cucumber, wasabi and furikake; tiger prawn coconut curry, and butcher’s cut, fresh every day and cooked over fire.
106 King’s Road, Brighton, BN1 2FU
www.saltroom-restaurant.co.uk
Wild Flor
One for a celebration, Wild Flor is a relaxed neighbourhood restaurant that serves up some of the best food in the seaside city. Home to rustic interiors, a brilliant wine list and delicious food, it’s hard to beat – and it’s a restaurant that’s been featured in The Michelin Guide.
42 Church Road, Hove, BN3 2FN
www.wildflor.com
Tony’s
Situated on Trafalgar Street, Tony’s is serving up fresh pizza as part of a new venture for chef Toby Cackett. The pizza is described as a blend between Neopolitan and New York style, with a selection of beloved classics and some more alternative toppings to choose from.
Among the pizzas at the top of my list to try is the mushroom and smoked mascarpone and the Sussex blue, which is topped with roasted pears.
Pair your pizza with a cocktail from its eclectic cocktail menu, and you’re onto a winner.
Where: 15 Trafalgar St, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 4EQ
Website: www.Tonys.com
The Pond
Levelling up what it means to be ‘pub grub’, The Pond is my port of call for a casual night date or catch-up with friends. Hands down, you’ll find the best bao in Brighton here, from vegan chicken skewers with Chinever chive, spring onion and ginger sauces, and Togarashi, to Tonkatsu pork bao with Brighton Sausage Company Free Range pork belly, cabbage and Tonkatsu.
49 Gloucester Road, Brighton, BN1 4AQ
www.thepondbrighton.com
Burnt Orange
Burnt Orange’s description of ‘wood-fired flavours and well-made drinks’ sums up this restaurant-cum-intimate-bar perfectly. Hidden on Middle Street, the restaurant has stunning interiors, great cocktails and a cosy plant-lined outdoor terrace.
Head here for an intimate date night packed with flavours such as charred grey mullet with buttermilk crab curry, apricot tandoori cauliflower with raita and pickles, and barbeque skirt steak served with fermented chilli vinaigrette and carrot.
59 Middle Street, Brighton, BN1 1AL
www.burnt-orange.co.uk
The Flint House
The Flint House can be found nestled inside Brighton’s newest South Lane. It specialises in small plates and counter-side dining, and it serves up brilliant cocktails from its cocktail bar and rooftop terrace. Grab your friends and venture down to sample a little bit of everything, or opt for the chef’s menu with wine pairing for a taste of the chef’s favourites.
13 Hanningtons Lane, Brighton, BN1 1GS
www.flinthousebrighton.com
Riddle & Finns
Brighton’s best seafood restaurant, Riddle & Finns, has been serving champagne and oysters since opening its first restaurant in 2006. Now boasting three locations across the city, it’s become a restaurant renowned for its fine cuisine, fruits de mer platters and sustainably sourced fish dishes.
65 Kings Road, Brighton, BN1 1NA
12B Meeting House Lane, Brighton, BN1 1HB
139 Kings Roach Arches, Brighton, BN1 2FN
www.riddleandfinns.co.uk
Where to drink
Twisted Lemon
For a cocktail haunt off the beaten track, Twisted Lemon is the hotspot every Brightonian will know, but daytrippers might not. Situated just off Middle Street, the award-winning bar serves up expertly mixed cocktails, from your classics through to bespoke, signature cocktails.
If you can’t find a seat, down the road you’ll also find their sister company, Twisted Lime.
41 Middle Street, Brighton, BN1 1AL
Follow them on Instagram
Plateau Brighton
Plateau Brighton is a natural wine and cocktail bar situated in Brighton’s South Lanes. Established in 2010, it has evolved from a simple wine-and-charcuterie bar, into one of Brighton’s most beloved spots. Beyond wine, they have an array of unique cocktails on offer, including bacon-washed vodka espresso martinis and oyster water gin martinis.
The moment my train pulls in I am heading straight to Plateau for a glass of orange wine and the life-changing crispy potatoes.
Kitty, Social Media Director
Where: 1 Bartholomews, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 1HG
Website: www.plateaubrighton.com
Six
From boozy brunch to cocktails at sunset, Six is the sundowner spot to know. Home to dreamy interiors and roadside seating, head here for cocktails. The ‘Six Sours’, made with lemon juice, sugar syrup, aqua faba, smoke and oak bitters, and your choice of spirit from their selection, is a personal favourite.
Six is part of a wider group, home to coffee shops, restaurants and bars across the capital, so if you like this, you’ll love those too.
102-104 Western Road, Brighton, BN3 1FA
www.sixbrighton.com
Brighton Beach House
Soho House’s first Brighton location, Brighton Beach House, is the place to head to for sea views with a side of luxury – only if you’re lucky enough to have a membership or know someone who has, of course. Expect the usual Soho House style, complete with a wraparound sea-facing terrace, palm trees, stylish parasols and an outdoor pool.
The Terraces, Madeira Drive, brighton, BN2 1AY
www.sohohouse.com
Mash Tun Pub
The pub you’ll find every Brightonian in on a Saturday night. Located on the corner of Church Street and New Road, it is a Brighton landmark known for its high-energy atmosphere and prime people-watching.
Beyond having a great selection of pints on draft and a crowd-pleasing food menu, the Mash Tun is also famed for its late-night music, where often the tables are pushed back to make way for a dance floor.
Where: Church St, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 1UJ
Website: www.mashtun.com
Pelicano Coffee
This one isn’t booze related, but if you’re in need of a caffeine hit or fancy somewhere trendy to hang and work, Pelicano is at the top of my list. There are three venues in the city, and both sum Brighton up in a coffee shop – think great speciality coffee, tasty cakes and a cosmopolitan vibe.
The Level, BN1 4SB
28 Sydney Street, BN1 4EP | 15 Lewes Road, BN2 3HP
www.pelicanocoffee.com
Things to do
Beach Box Sauna Spa
Fancy taking your spa experience to the next level? Beach Box Sauna Spa is located literally on the beach. This year-round experience will see you relaxing in the open air. Made from converted horse trailers, the saunas use wood-fired stoves to build up the heat. When the heat gets too much, there’s an icy plunge pool or they recommend running into the sea to cool off.
This year-round experience will see you relaxing in the open air.
Banjo Groyne, Madeira Drive, Brighton
www.beachboxspa.co.uk
Snoopers Paradise
The epitome of Brighton thrifting, Snoopers Paradise is an emporium filled with mayhem, mischief, and miscellaneous items. You can honestly spend a whole day in here, and you won’t have spotted all of the weird and wonderful things lining every inch of the walls, shelves and floor.
It’s worth mentioning here that it’s located in the heart of The Lanes, which Brighton is so renowned for. Spend the afternoon wandering up and down the mazes, perusing the shops, stopping for coffee and pondering life.
7-8 Kensington Gardens, Brighton, BN1 4AL
www.snoopersparadise.co.uk
Brighton Pavilion
Add some culture to your visit and book a tour around the Royal Pavilion & Garden. Brighton’s pride and joy, the epic palace, is the former seaside escape for King George IV. The exteriors are reminiscent of the Taj Mahal, while inside, the interiors are inspired by oriental designs.
4/5 Pavilion Buildings, Brighton BN1 1EE
www.brightonmuseums.org.uk
Duke of York’s
One for the film fanatics… Duke of York’s is one of the oldest cinemas in the world, home to one giant screen. Regularly showing a mix of old classics and new releases, fall back in love with the art of cinema with a screening here. Plus, grab a drink out on their tiny outdoor terrace for views over Brighton – it’s a hidden secret that only a few know about!
Preston Road, Brighton, BN1 4NA
www.picturehouses.com
i360
Yes, it may be a little obnoxious to the eyes, but I have a sweet spot for the i360. Whizz up the 162m tower and you’ll capture some of the best views over Brighton, Sussex and beyond.
Lower Kings Road, Brighton, BN1 2LN
www.britishairwaysi360.com
Brighton’s festival season
Brighton is best enjoyed during the festival season, from the Brighton Fringe – think Edinburgh Fringe by the sea – and Brighton Festival to Great Escape, the independent music festival taking place in venues around the city. And, of course, Brighton Pride is renowned the world over for its community spirit and a blast of fun.
