United Kingdom
Boutique hotel with cocktail bar, private karaoke rooms, restuarant and plenty of history.
Just off the seafront.
Old Steine, Brighton
www.royalyorkbrighton.co.uk/
It's a tiny little tea house tucked away off the beaten tourist track in the Hanover area of Brighton, run by a couple of young gay guys, with space for 16 guests seated. Kitch and as camp as they come!
The tea room is like stepping inside a memorabilia shop, like someone's front room, with an eclectic mixture of decor dedicated to the Royals, with Union Jacks ablaze, a grand piano and pictures of Diana adorning the walls.
The house rules are hilarious (not to be taken too seriously) ie no dunking of biscuits, no clanking of spoons when stirring your tea etc!
The menu is humorous, with items such as "The Duchies Cream Tea, Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth High Tea, The Lady Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales Afternoon Tea" and the unforgetable "The Julie Goodyear High Tea" (aka Corrie's Bet Lynch!) [you get the idea!)
It kind of epitomises Brighton's eclectic campness. Well worth a visit for a fun cream tea.
www.theteacosy.co.uk/
107 Southover Street, Brighton, East sussex, BN2 9UA.
This cocktail bar takes some hunting out (up some narrow stairs from an inconspicuous door on the street) but when you get up there it's a real find. Delicious cocktails served by really friendly, unpretentious staff. It gets quite busy at the weekends but there's usually more space (and often a DJ) in the two bars at the back - they're for members only but you can call in advance for free entry or sign up online for free membership. Try the Marylebone mojito - it's out of this world.
135 Western Road (beside Waitrose)
www.kobauk.com
Tel: 01273 720059
Nearest station: Brighton
My boyfriend and i recently discovered this contemporary jewellers opposite the dome in brighton. As a designer myself it is truely inspiring and the new cherub and heart pendants are at the top of my birthday list. Apparently they've very recently oppened the first floor and like the rest of the shop it is worth checking out for the interior alone!
114 Church street (opposite dome and corn exchange)
Brighton 01273 604010
www.johnharrington.co.uk
Fantastic vegetarian and vegan cafe/canteen. Salads and specials are great. Friendly staff. Homemade lemonade and organic wines.
Kensington Gardens
North Laine
Brighton
www.iydea.co.uk/
Varied veggie and vegan menu - inspired by flavours from around the world. The tapas is excellent, the veggie breakfast is tasty and very filling and the cakes are delicious. We enjoy the leisurely atmosphere - you are not rushed to finish and move on. We can't wait to go back.
Wai Kika Moo Kau, 42 Meeting House Lane, Brighton, East Sussex,
Tel: 01273 323824
Simply the best veggie restaurant that I have ever visited. Reading the menu is part of the pleasure - it has a language all of its own, e.g. Bengal Babs -Tandoori spice loaded halloumi kebab, served with smoked almond custard risotto, tamarind tang, pink onion and green mango sas, and podi dust tomatoes; Cigarillo Mejoolie - Deep-fried parchment pastry crammed with cardamon mejool date and pistachio lemon mince, cinnamon dust, fennel seed sugar, served with pomegranate bead, orange and grapefruit fillets and a mint tisane granita. The flavours and textures are divine. The staff are efficient and friendly and the restaurant also caters for vegans and those who need a gluten free diet. I visit regularly and am never disappointed.
www.terreaterre.co.uk
71 East Street, Brighton BN1 1HQ
Tel: 01273 729051
Amazing vegetarian restaurant which serves innovative and interesting food, has a good wine list, and the staff are very friendly too.
17-18 Prince Albert Street, The Lanes
www.foodforfriends.com/
Italian Cafe. Good caff snacks of the Italian variety but truly delicious, excellent quality, homemade ice cream in a multitude of flavours (try a dollop of chocolate and a dollop of pistachio.. or hazel.. the strawberry is v. good too... oh dear. I'm getting over excited!
Eating a Marrocco's ice cream whilst staring at the sea is an essential Brighton experience.
On The Kingsway Beach Front (near King Alfred Centr)e.
Bardsley's is just the most friendly fish and chip shop imaginable with top quality fish and chips. "If you see someone without a smile give them one of yours" says the notice above the counter. And it's absolutely true. Along with the most delicious fish and chips imaginable, and many other fish choices as well as a good vegetarian selection.
22-23 Baker Street, Brighton BN1 4JN
Excellent B&B just near the seafront and pier. Modern and stylish rooms and run by an interesting ex-academic who was friendly and welcoming.
13 Madeira Place
Brighton
East Sussex
BN2 1TN
(01273) 605761
www.aquarium-guesthouse.co.uk
Part of the phenomena of daily photo blogs started by Eric in Paris, BrightonDailyPhoto is a blog specifically about Brighton which features a photo a day with a short commentary. It's a great way to discover the stuff that doesn't appear in travel books.
BRIGHTON:
brightondailyphoto.blogspot.com/
PARIS (the original)
parisdailyphoto.com/
Massive selection of Belgian beer in bottles and on tap. The food here is excellent, restaurant quality but in a pub, a 'proper' pub at that. This is NOT a bar. Oh, and it has bands/musicians!
www.greyspub.com
105 Southover Street, Brighton
Great beer and great music. Constantly rotating guest ales. The DJ plays rock and indie from Johnny Cash to Metallica. Very entertaining and freindly.
10 New England Road, Brighton
Tel: 01273 328 931
Probably the best kept Harveys in Brighton. Classic unspoilt pub. Friendly staff.
www.thelordnelsoninn.co.uk
36 Trafalgar St, Brighton
2 mins from station.
It's a wonderful, superb restaurant in the lanes. Its colonial in look but the most impressive thing is the food. The 5 of us all chose different starters, mains & puds and they were all divine. Especially mine: squid with ink risotto - yum! Expensive but wonderful as a treat. Oh and the staff were brilliant too.
HAVANA
32 Duke Street
Brighton
Tel: 01273 773388
9am-11pm 7 days
These museums are worth a visit. Really enjoyed both and best of all - they are free entry!
Brighton Museum: Royal Pavilion Gardens, Brighton, BN1 1EE
tel: + 44 (0)1273 290900;
www.brighton.virtualmuseum.info
Hove Museum: 19 New Church Road, Hove, BN3 4AB;
tel: 01273 290200;
www.hove.virtualmuseum.info
The most authentic tapas I have had in the UK. The atmosphere is that of eating at someone's house, intimate, welcoming, hosts bending over backwards to make you happy, and the home-grown house wine and sherry is something else. You can buy bottles of wine to take home, along with many of the ingredients that you'll find on the menu.
111 Church Street, North Laine, Brighton BN1, opposite Brighton Dome/Corn Exchange;
tel: 01273 674116
Wonderful, buzzy tapas restaurant in seven dials with a serene, sheltered garden for eating outside. Staff are all delightful and the food is a contender for the best Spanish in Brighton - dare I say it just as good as Pintxo People (much lauded newcomer on Western Road) but more hearty fare and not as self-consciously flash.
87-93 Dyke Road, just off Seven Dials roundabout (near Brighton station); tel: 01273 220 220
Several thousand children, dressed as fish, pirates or spacerockets, cram the streets at the start of the Brighton Festival on the first Saturday of May. Mad, loud and brilliant; the city grinds to a halt.
Search Been there