Brighton's Dining Trends Revealed: Burgers, Breweries and a Very Good Sunday Roast
Brighton Palace Pier on a clear September day (Photo: Emma Harrel, RestaurantsBrighton.co.uk)
Brighton has always known how to eat well, and the city’s appetite is as healthy as ever. With thanks to the team at RestaurantsBrighton.co.uk, the independent food and drink guide that has championed the city’s dining scene since 2011, here are the biggest food and drink trends of the year.
The team looked at hundreds of the key phrases people search for when they are looking for somewhere to eat and drink in Brighton and Hove. They compared October 2024 to October 2025 with October 2025 to October 2026. The result is a snapshot of how the city’s tastes are changing, and plenty of it will make you hungry.
The city behind the searches
Behind every search is a very big food scene. The Food Standards Agency’s public register, pulled on 20 October 2026, lists 3,010 food businesses in Brighton and Hove. More than half of them, 1,604, are places to eat and drink out: 1,012 restaurants, cafés and canteens, 337 pubs, bars and nightclubs, and 255 takeaways and sandwich shops. Another 73 are mobile caterers.
Most of that eating and drinking happens in central Brighton. Of the 1,604 restaurants, cafés, pubs, bars, nightclubs and takeaways, 844 have a BN1 postcode, which covers the centre of the city. Brighton’s BN2 postcodes have 357 and Hove’s BN3 postcodes have 356, with 46 more in Portslade’s BN41.
The same register shows how well the city scores on hygiene. Of the 2,793 Brighton and Hove food businesses with a published rating, 2,310 hold the top score of 5, which is 82.7%. Among restaurants, cafés and canteens with a rating, 81.3% have a 5, and among pubs, bars and nightclubs it is 85.2%.
Counts are of trading names on the Food Standards Agency register for Brighton and Hove, which lists businesses registered with Brighton and Hove City Council. Ratings are the register’s published scores on the day it was pulled.
Brighton has gone burger mad
The headline grabber is the humble burger. Burger searches across the city rose by a third, and searches for a Brighton burger restaurant jumped by 86%. Searches for the best burger in Brighton climbed by almost a quarter.
“A great burger is the ultimate affordable treat. It feels indulgent, it’s sociable, and you know exactly what you’re getting. Brighton has some brilliant burger kitchens, and diners are clearly seeking them out.”
Nick Harvey, founder of Restaurants Brighton
The city has form. Brighton’s Burger Brothers has been named Britain’s Best Burger in the Unilever Food Solutions competition, trade title The Caterer reports. New names keep arriving too: Burger and Beyond opened its doors in the Lanes in July, and the Restaurants Brighton burger guide, updated in September, lists everything from burger specialists to pubs and seafront bars.
Every occasion is a reason to celebrate
The happiest trend of the year is how much Brighton loves a reason to get together. Searches for family restaurants almost doubled, and kids eat free searches rose by half. Searches for romantic restaurants climbed by 24%, and Mother’s Day searches were up 29%. Taken together, searches built around a special occasion rose by 44%, the biggest jump of any theme in the report.
“Eating out is becoming more meaningful. People are choosing their moments, whether that’s a family lunch, a date night or a catch up with friends, and they want those moments to be special.”
Nick Harvey, Restaurants Brighton
The Restaurants Brighton BRAVO Awards, voted for by the public, point the same way. In 2026, Jo & Co took both Best Brunch and Most Family Friendly, and The Grand won Best Cocktails.
Pub grub is having its moment
Brighton’s pubs are thriving, and food is leading the charge. Searches for the best pub food in Brighton almost tripled, and searches for the best pubs in Brighton for food nearly doubled. Searches for pubs in Brighton rose by 30%, and football pub searches grew by a quarter. Our own guide to the best pubs in Brighton in 2026 is a good place to start.
The public vote agrees that there is plenty to choose from. The Signalman was named Best Brighton and Hove Pub at the 2026 BRAVO Awards, and the city has 337 pubs, bars and nightclubs on the Food Standards Agency register.
Brighton’s brewers step into the light
Beer lovers are getting curious too. Searches for breweries and taprooms rose by 44%, with searches for a Brighton brewery up 86%. It seems the city does not just want a great pint; it wants to meet the people who brew it.
The Restaurants Brighton microbrewery guide shows where to find them.
Source: Restaurants Brighton microbrewery guide, last updated 13 August 2025. Check with each venue before visiting.
The Sunday roast reigns supreme
Some traditions never fade. Searches for the best Sunday roast in Brighton rose by 23% to around 1,600 a month. Brighton does not just want a roast; it wants the very best one, with crisp potatoes, Yorkshire puddings and gravy by the jug.
The Restaurants Brighton roast guide, updated on 12 October, names Embers in the Lanes as Best Sunday Roast at the 2026 BRAVO Awards, its second year in a row. Its ranked list continues with The Grand and Cyan Restaurant, The Bell Tower in Kemp Town, The Thatched Inn in Hassocks and Earth & Stars in North Laine.
Wine bars are the new date night
Raise a glass to this one. Searches for wine bars in Brighton jumped by 50%, and wine related searches grew by 28% overall. A glass of something lovely in a cosy corner has become the evening of choice for plenty of people across the city.
“The mood has shifted from the big night out to something more relaxed. A glass of wine, a hearty plate and a seat by the fire. That’s what Brighton wants this winter.”
Nick Harvey, Restaurants Brighton
The Restaurants Brighton wine bar guide, updated in September, puts Hotel Du Vin, Bar 50ml and Plateau at the top of its list of Brighton wine bars.
Slurp, share and savour
Brighton’s love of bold, sharing style food is going strong. Searches for pho rose by 21% to around 2,900 a month, making those steaming noodle bowls one of the most searched dishes in the city. Searches for sushi in Brighton rose by more than three quarters, and dim sum searches grew by almost a quarter.
Pizza fans were busy too, with searches for the best pizza in Brighton up by more than a fifth, and new openings such as Connie’s Pizza on Gardner Street are joining the list. And in true seaside style, fish and chips held firm as one of the city’s favourite searches, at around 2,400 a month.
A great meal at a fair price
Brighton diners love a good deal. Searches for lunch deals rose by 55%, and searches for set menus rose by 57%. Searches for restaurant offers grew strongly too. If you are watching the pennies, our best cheap eats in Brighton guide has more.
The public vote rewarded value too. Fatto a Mano won Best Value at the 2026 BRAVO Awards, Kindling won Best Lunch, and Starfish & Coffee was named Best Café.
The city still loves a treat, though. Searches for private dining rose by 23%, and searches for Michelin star restaurants in Brighton climbed by 22%.
Brighton’s first Michelin star in half a century
That Michelin interest has a clear reason. In February 2026, Maré by Rafael Cagali, at 60 Church Road in Hove, won a Michelin star about six months after it opened in September 2025, according to Restaurants Brighton. Scene magazine describes it as the city’s first Michelin star in almost half a century, and the first for a Brighton and Hove chef since Le Français in Paston Place, Kemp Town, closed in the 1970s.
The chef’s Brazilian Italian heritage meets seasonal Sussex and British produce, with a focus on sustainability. Restaurants Brighton’s Michelin guide, updated in February, also lists four Brighton and Hove restaurants with a Bib Gourmand, the guide’s award for good quality and good value: Burnt Orange, The Flint House in the Lanes, Palmito and Cin Cin in Hove. Cin Cin has held its Bib for 2026, its ninth year.
Prices from the Restaurants Brighton listing, updated 9 September 2026. Check with the restaurant for current menus.
Veggie Brighton is going strong
Brighton remains one of the most plant friendly cities in the country, and the figures prove it. Searches for vegetarian restaurants in Brighton rose by half, and vegan restaurant searches held steady.
The public vote tells the same story. terre à terre, which is fully vegetarian, was named Best Brighton and Hove Restaurant at the 2026 BRAVO Awards. In the Plant Champions top 20, the pub Earth & Stars in North Laine took first place, followed by Bonsai Plant Kitchen, terre à terre, Moksha and Majahma.
Christmas is coming early
If you are planning a festive get together, you are in very good company. Searches for Christmas parties in Brighton rose by 24%, Christmas party venue searches doubled, and Christmas menu searches rose by more than half. The figures show festive planning starting as early as September, so if the office do is not booked yet, now is the time.
The Restaurants Brighton Christmas party guide, updated on 8 October, covers restaurants, pubs, hotels and event spaces across Brighton, Hove and Sussex, with options from around £22 to £80 per person. It also lists some booking perks:
- Book by 1 November for a complimentary glass of bubbly
- £10 per person deposit and pre-order required
- Menu excludes Sundays, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
- Bookings made by 1 November receive a complimentary glass of fizz
- £10 per person deposit applies, with pre-order
- Mention Restaurants Brighton when enquiring for a complimentary Prosecco reception
- No venue hire fee, but a minimum spend applies
Offers as listed by Restaurants Brighton on 8 October 2026. Check dates and terms with each venue.
Loyal locals know where they’re going
One of the loveliest findings is how loyal Brighton is to its favourite spots. Searches for the city’s restaurants, pubs, cafés and bars by name held firm, and they now make up around a quarter of all the searches the team looked at. Plenty of us already know exactly where we are heading, and that is a wonderful thing for the independent venues that make this city so special.
The people’s choice: BRAVO 2026
Loyalty is exactly what the BRAVO Awards measure. BRAVO stands for Brighton Restaurant Awards Vote Online, and 2026 was its tenth year. There are no critics and no panels. Restaurants Brighton says the public cast 71,285 votes, 785 venues took part and 190 were recognised, including 33 new entries.
Source: Restaurants Brighton, BRAVO 2026 winners. Best Sussex restaurant went to Andalucia in Ferring and Best Sussex pub to the Eight Bells in Jevington.
Brighton’s food year so far
A gift that works across the city
With Christmas on the way, Restaurants Brighton sells flexible gift vouchers that can be spent at more than 35 venues in Brighton and Hove, plus selected Sussex venues. You choose the amount, the voucher arrives by email straight away or by post, and the person you give it to picks where to eat.
Any balance left after a meal can be used on a later visit. Some venues have their own restrictions, so check the voucher page before you buy.
Buy a Restaurants Brighton gift voucherrestaurantsbrighton.co.uk/restaurant-gift-vouchersWho is behind the figures
Restaurants Brighton was founded in September 2011 by Nick Harvey and Ivanka Majic, and Nick has run it full time since 2013. It is an independent, family owned food and drink guide covering Brighton, Hove and Sussex. Read more about Nick Harvey.
A city that loves to eat
“Brighton has always had one of the best food scenes in the country, and it keeps evolving. This year it’s all about comfort, quality and a good reason to get together. Honestly, I can’t think of a better recipe.”
Nick Harvey, Restaurants Brighton
Our thanks go to Nick Harvey and the team at Restaurants Brighton for sharing their findings. For more local food news, keep an eye on our Food & Drink section.
Photography: Emma Harrel, RestaurantsBrighton.co.uk. Published in partnership with Restaurants Brighton.
Sources
- Restaurants Brighton: search trend findings, October 2024 to October 2026
- Food Standards Agency: Food Hygiene Rating Scheme open data for Brighton and Hove, pulled 20 October 2026
- Restaurants Brighton: BRAVO 2026 winners
- Restaurants Brighton: Maré by Rafael Cagali, updated 9 September 2026 and Michelin guide to Brighton and Hove
- Scene magazine: Michelin star for Brighton as hospitality champion Rafael Cagali honoured, 12 February 2026
- The Caterer: Burger Brothers awarded Britain’s Best Burger
- Restaurants Brighton: Sunday roast guide, updated 12 October 2026
- Restaurants Brighton: Plant Champions and microbrewery guide
- Restaurants Brighton: Christmas party guide, updated 8 October 2026
- Restaurants Brighton: gift vouchers
- Restaurants Brighton: about Nick Harvey
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