Features

Brighton on a plate with Matt Gillan
Published 24 February 2018

From steamed bao buns in The Lanes to fish and chips eaten on the beach, Matt Gillan of Heritage picks his favourite places to eat in Brighton

Best breakfast

The menu at Lucky Beach Cafe is interesting and reimagines what a beach cafe can be. They have a great drinks selection, with an awesome soundtrack, and it’s also right on the beach so what's not to love?

Best coffee

I'm very biased with this one as it’s our sister business but Redroaster has a variety of coffees including a Rwandan bean exclusive to us. We are one of the oldest specialty coffee roasters in the country and the only organic roasters in the south. It's also a beautiful space to just hang out, bringing a touch of Melbourne to Brighton.

Best brunch

Apart from my own daytime cafe Redroaster, there are a lot of very good places in Brighton where you can get a good brunch. The New Club on Kings Road has an American-style edge to what they do, and are consistently raved about.

Best lunch

Baby Bao resides at The Pond on North Laine and ticks the box perfectly. Awesome Taiwanese street food flavours stuffed into perfectly fluffy steamed buns and great value.

Best place for food shopping

Taj on Western Road is an exciting little place if you're into your Asian-influenced flavours. They have a great range of pretty much anything authentically Asian you need and also a great range of fresh fruit and veg.

Best place for a pint

Fourth & Church have a great range of craft beers plus wines supplied by the lovely Cassie and Henry from Butlers Wine. You can enjoy these with a few plates of charcuterie from the deli.

Best for Sunday lunch

There are many places to choose from when it comes to a Sunday roast but my choice has to be The Coal Shed. Meats cooked over coals in the Josper and everything served family style - in my opinion, it can't be beaten for a Sunday roast.

Pre-dinner cocktails

The Plotting Parlour on Steine Street serves the best cocktails. These guys know their drinks and deliver them in a sophisticated environment, with everything served table side. It's small, so booking is recommended.

Best place for dinner

In the last year, the dining scene is changed a lot in Brighton and to pick one place for dinner just wouldn't be fair. Bincho Yakitori serves seriously tasty Japanese food, tapas-style and that’s where the chefs hang out. I would also have to mention 64 Degrees because of its clever flavour combinations well delivered in a casual environment. Other favourites include Etch, Cin Cin and The Ginger Pig. It’s all down to personal preference.

Where to go for a post-pub snack

VIP (Very Italian Pizza) on Old Steine has a great selection of toppings, and the finished product is unreal. They certainly some of the best pizzas I've eaten. Also, just around the corner from VIP is Belgian Chips serving perfect chips and great sauces, both of which are perfect with pizza for a post-pub snack.

If I could eat only one thing in Brighton, it would have to be…

Fish and chips from Lucky Beach followed by one of the amazing gelato ice creams from Boho Gelato on Pool Valley - both eaten on the beach, naturally!

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Published February 2018