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This is a great little cafe right at the top of North Laine. It's got classic tunes on the stereo - motown, soul and rock and roll - and the cash till was in Quadrophenia. In keeping with the retro theme everything is served on vintage crockery, think 50s Pyrex plates and coffee cups. They have a good range of sandwiches and cake as well as coffee and a lovely coke float. In the summer you can sit outside on the street, or on a patio at the back. It makes the walk up the hill totally worth it, and it's the perfect way to round off a shopping trip.
37 Sydney St, Brighton, BN1 4EP;
01273 604206
Upmarket greengrocers and, more importantly, cafe/restaurant. Some simple and some not-so-simple fare, prepared with the freshest ingredients; and the puddings! They look like they've been designed by an architect and are a meal in themselves. Shared tables and friendly staff mean that this is a place to meet people, eat well and go away with a little treat for later (they do takeaways too).
The Depot, 100 North Road.
tel: 01273 692 894;
www.billsproducestore.co.uk
Vegetarian Indian street food restaurant run by a friendly couple in Preston Street. It is one of the few places that I have been to as a vegetarian where I can hold my head up with carnivorous friends. The food provided is delicious - especially the Bhel Puri for starters and the peas and paneer main. It also has a wine list to die for - fabulous organic wines or a range of real ales or eastern European beers for those who want a more traditional accompaniment to a curry.
54 Preston Street, Brighton;
tel: 01273 275717
Top notch takeaway chippie. It comes into its own, though, when you eat in. The decor is plain, but you have a choice of the freshest fish sourced locally and cooked to perfection. I'd challenge anyone to go away hungry, and they have a BYO policy. So delicious fish washed down with cold beers from the Co-op down the road. Budget heaven!
22-23 Baker St, off London Road;
tel: 01273 681 256
In the last few months Brighton's gone from having two clubs you could go to on a Saturday night - Revenge and The Club @ Charles Street - to five; with the opening of V2 (formerly Storm), The Joint (popular with bears), and Monkey (from the team behind Wild Fruit). The Honey Club on the seafront is a very mixed and thus very Brighton house club. Tony Chapman, the former owner of Revenge is also opening a new club in September. Ironically for this seaside town, summer is the quietest period in queer clubland, and there are simply too many venues chasing a limited number of punters right now. Nights offering something a little bit different – i.e not funky house - are doing the best. Try the trash cabaret Dynamite Boogaloo at Audio on Thursdays, or the "homo electro punk disco", F*ck The Pain Away. And Brighton Pride on Saturday August 5th really is the best one in the country!
For full listing details see www.realbrighton.com
An excellent fish and steak restaurant on the beach at St Helens. When I went I had fantastic mussels. I recommend cycling there if you can.
Duver Road, St. Helens, Isle of Wight;
tel: 01983 873 259
This hotel does great food, fab wines (of course) and has a walk-in humidor. It is part of a chain, and a great chain too. Highly recommended, even if you just pop in to visit the bar. You won't be disappointed.
Ship Street; tel: 01273 718588;
email: info@brighton.hotelduvin.com;
www.hotelduvin.com
Trencher's is a fantastic fish and chip restaurant. It isn't a takeaway - you eat in. The fish and chips are fantastic. Obviously you can't go to Whitby without having fish and chips at least once and I recommend here.
New Quay Road, Whitby, North Yorkshire;
tel: 01947 603212
Telephone: 01947 603212
Email: enquiries@trenchersrestaurant.co.uk
To avoid the crowds in Brighton, head further west along the coast to Shoreham-by-Sea. Shoreham beach is lovely and rarely crowded. The Seafood Experience, just back from the beach, is great for tapas and seafood platters.
Regular buses and trains from Brighton to Shoreham-by-Sea. Journey time is around 10 minutes;
The Seafood Experience: 29 Ferry Road, Shoreham Beach;
tel: 01273 464768;
www.seafoodexperience.com
It's one of the best tours in the UK and it is totally free - it's the weirdest tour, but gripping! It's about a dead agnostic physics teacher and her alternative Edinburgh guide - really has to be done to be believed. Takes you to places tourists would never be aware of. I've done the tour and it changed my perception of Edinburgh completely. Suitable for everyone I would say.
When I was artist in residence at Embassy Court (www.myspace.com/asrubyscomet ) I would eat in this nearly-veggie cafe for breakfast, lunch and dinner every single day. It has loads of lovely fresh salads and quiche and such like, and is light and airy, and has very cheap live music nights nearly every night. Absolutely wonderful. Oh and Wifi.
51-55 Brunswick Street East, Hove;
tel: 01273 770 002;
open: Mon-Sun, 9am-11pm;
www.sanctuarycafe.co.uk
The most incredible selection of handmade (mostly) organic chocolate bars, truffles, drinking chocolate and other wonderful things in flavour combinations that will make you weep.
And it's a local, ethical, family owned company - always great to support.
15 Duke Street;
tel: 01273 324 979;
open: Mon-Sat 9.30am-6pm, Sun 11am-5pm;
www.montezumas.co.uk
Pub with "garden" where you can watch the world and its dog walk past of a weekend. Near to all the B&Bs, it can seem a bit intimidating, but don't despair, it's full of friendly locals.
2-3 High Street (on the corner of St James's Street); tel: 01273 681 634
Pub in central Brighton with enough brass and red carpet to still be called a pub - and not a bar. It has a great barn-like seating area, lots of little sections, a function/cocktail room upstairs and a great - and good value - menu. It's fab.
15 Black Lion St, Brighton; tel: 01273 329472
A great pub with a fab patio, that gets very crowded with local people for a good reason. A cheeky (honestly, it is cheeky) menu offering home-cooked food in enormous portions, always with freshly baked bread on the side. I can't tell you how good it is, you just have to try it. It's a Brighton thing.
13 Middle Street, Brighton; tel: 01273710444;
pen: Mon-Sat 12pm-11pm, Sun 12pm-10.30pm
Walk away from Brighton towards Hove along the seafront, the Meeting Place Cafe is on the border between the two. Great on a Sunday morning for watching everyone bike, blade and walk by and much better breakfasts than most of the overpriced fish restaurants along the front between here and the Pier. It's not that sophisticated (not a bad thing in Brighton) but the location's perfect.
Brighton & Hove Boundary, Kings Road, Brighton;
tel: 01273 206417;
www.themeetingplacecafe.co.uk
Every evening around dusk thousands of starlings congregate and swarm in an amazing display over what was once the West Pier. Simply an incredible natural phenomenon. Best seen at sunset with a cold pint.
West Pier - the burnt out one on the beach;
www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/west_pier_personal2.htm
If it's a very clear day, you can see the Isle of Wight. Magical!
Great hotel located on the front with a good view out to sea. Friendly staff, nice cocktails, comfortable beds and nice touches in the rooms.
Close proximity to the centre, Lanes, etc.
44 Marine Parade, Brighton;
tel: 01273 696934;
www.drakesofbrighton.com
Loads of shoes not made from leather, a bit pricey but they look and feel great! Sandals, work shoes, DMs and more.
Gardner Street basically opposite Komedia, and near the pavilion.
www.vegetarian-shoes.co.uk
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