Taking a stroll along the narrow pavements in Brighton and its laines, one is bound to come across at least 16 new coffee places, all within 400 yards. From the usual coffee chains; Café Nero, Starbucks, Costas to city’s independent coffee shops and cafes, Brighton-ians are arguably the biggest coffee drinkers in the UK.
Some of the best cafes in Brighton to grab a cup of coffee, or meet your friends or work in peace are listed below:
1. Pavilion Gardens Café
The Pavilion Gardens Café is a family-run open-air café that has been around since 1941. They deliver traditional homemade food; bacon sandwiches, smoked salmon and cream cheese, baked potatoes, and they house freshly baked and irresistible rock cakes. The café is situated in the heart of the city, in the historic Royal Pavilion Gardens and they seek to provide the best all-round experience to every customer.
Address: 29 New Road, Brighton BN1 1UG
2. Marmalade
Marmalade is a beautiful, Instagram- worthy café serving freshly prepared food to the Brighton and Hove community since 2012. They have free Wi-Fi and the venue is also wheelchair accessible. They also offer take-out and outdoor seating. It is tucked away in the beautiful old Kemptown, and they believe in cooking simple, hearty meals, that everyone would love. They are known to experiment with childhood classics and traditional recipes and give them an unusual twist. Their delicious menu includes breakfast, porridge, croissant, bacon sandwich, cheese on toast, scrambled egg, ice cream milkshakes, coffee and cakes etc. Very close to the café is their store where you could buy basic provisions, chutneys, baguettes and so on.
Address: 237 Eastern Road, Brighton BN2 5JJ
3. Cafe Coho
Café Coho prides itself as an award-winning independent café serving high- quality coffee and delicious food since 2010. Their service and spacing are also pleasant, and it is also accessible. The café’s signature dishes are their homemade cakes, artisan sandwiches, freshly made juices, and they also have various vegan and gluten-free options. They use union hand-roasted coffee, and their place is suitable for hosting events as they can cater for up to 40 people.
Address: 53 Ship Street, Brighton BN1 1AF
4. The Flour Pot Bakery
The bakery is one of the most aesthetic and minimalist places you could ever find in the city. It is a franchise of around six cafes spread out across the city, and each branch is as beautiful as the other. Their sourdough bread is straight out of heaven and to die for and matches the aesthetics of the café. They offer fresh bread and pastries, homemade sandwiches and fantastic small-batch coffee. They have also started with a service of delivering basic provisions such as bread, eggs and milk in maximum 48- hours in times of the Coronavirus.
Address: Multiple locations
5. Curry Leaf Cafe
Curry Leaf Café is one of the cafes with the most- awards and their delicious food and great service is a testimony to their much- deserved wins. Curry Leaf serves teas, coffees, Indian masala chai and light and crisp street-food inspired lunch at reasonable prices. It is well- worth a visit. There is also a kiosk at Brighton station which serves a sumptuous menu of takeaway breakfasts, snacks and are all served in biodegradable packaging.
Address: Ship Street
6. Pelicano
Pelicano is a recent addition to the cafes in Brighton and one that you surely wouldn’t want to miss. It serves a massive selection of cakes, brownies and sandwiches served by some of Brighton’s loveliest staff! It also has a great seating capacity with the café spread across two floors, has outdoor seating as well, and seating arrangements in the beautiful garden in the back.
Address: Multiple locations
7. Coffeetzar
Coffeetzar is a quaint little café situated in the ever so vibrant North Laines of the city. It is a heaven for calm souls who love their me-time. Coffeetzar is a personal favourite and has a chic feel to it, it boasts of being an “artisan coffee shop with a Mediterranean feel”. It serves beautiful and smooth Cuban coffee and a selection of homemade cakes and savouries, with gluten-free and vegan options. It was also in the list of best top 10 coffee shops in Brighton in 2018, and its charm is still intact.
Address: 97 Trafalgar Street
8. Bond Street Coffee
These people are the coffee connoisseurs of Brighton. Their coffee is ethically sourced from private farms and cooperatives and the beans are roasted in their own roastery near Handcross, West Sussex. Their coffee recipes are the best in the world- aimed at enhancing the natural coffee taste. Their coffee often has a vibrant, subtle and complex flavours and they recommend tasting it before adding sugar! (which is quite rare). They are the only ones using bottomless portafilters with La Marzocco Strada EP espresso machine to maximise their unique coffee flavour.
Address: 15 Bond Street
9. Moksha
Moksha opened its doors in 2007 and since then has grown from a humble coffee shop to a café restaurant. Their “Moksha blend” is worth trying. It is run by Oliver de Trafford who has got a lengthy background in hospitality where he originally trained and worked as a chef. With a dream of running his own restaurant, he eventually left his job as a manager for a high street coffee chain to set up Moksha with the help of his mum Kate and stepdad Karl. Moksha means release and liberation, which is also a fitting name for a café, hoping to provide its customers with just that and good food! They are also very much into animal welfare and have only used free-range eggs since they opened.
Address: 4-5 York Pl
10. That Little Tea Shop In The Lanes
That Little Tea Shop In the Lanes, is a small tea shop, but perfect for visiting while you are on Brighton sightseeing day. It is a blink and miss, but you should definitely visit this little gem. The shop is tiny but full of character. It has a vintage feel to it with its china saucers, classic tablecloths, and the servers even dress in old maid costumes. They serve great tea and coffee options and is an altogether enjoyable experience. They serve freshly baked cakes and pastries at dirt- low prices.
