News & Reviews

The Canopy has regular 50% off brunch slots during the week on First Table - credit Honking Elephant Let’s face it, we’re all after a dining bargain if we can get one, writes Nick Mosley. This week he shares two online platforms that will save you pounds in Brighton and Hove. Each week in The Argus Taste section we share dining and drinking deals at restaurants, cafés and bars across the city and surrounding county so our readers can enjoy great value and local businesses can

Head chef Ben Wilkinson at The Pass - credit South Lodge Following an extensive refurbishment and the retention of a Michelin star for a fourth year, Nick Mosley heads to The Pass restaurant at South Lodge near Horsham. The restaurant’s dining room had literally just reopened on the evening I visited following a top-to-bottom refresh. Gone are the studded leather seats and paired down decor that was once cutting-edge but had started to feel a bit dated. The updated look is a

Beef short rib at Stem in Hove The stretch of Western Road and Church Road where Brighton politely shakes hands with Hove is firmly establishing itself as a go-to food and drink quarter, writes Nick Mosley. Fourth and Church, Wild Flor, Market, Nostos, Cases, Palmito, Youjuice and Little Fish Market have been flying the flag for a number of years. With Michelin starred Maré and the low-fi vibes of The Well and OnAir being more recent additions – in my mind, the neighbourhood

Tofaux egg and avocado toast at Redroaster With plant-based alternatives on the rise, Nick Mosley headed to Brighton’s Redroaster café to sample their new vegan ‘egg’. The numbers don’t lie. According to official statistics annual meat consumption per head in the UK is at its lowest since records began in the 1970s. That’s not just people converting to vegetarian or vegan diets; we’re all more aware of the not only the health implications of excessive meat and dairy in our di

The Dining Room at Gravetye Manor Last month Gravetye Manor in West Hoathly retained a coveted Michelin star at the annual awards ceremony, writes Nick Mosley. Its been a while – in fact too long – since my last visit to Gravetye Manor. Its a spectacular country house hotel in the heart of bucolic Sussex surrounded by flower gardens, woods, meadows and – most interestingly for me at least – amazing horticultural spaces that feed their restaurant, The Dining Room. Chefs workin

The Full Roaster at Redroaster at Brighton Dome I have to say I’ve been a long-time fan of Redroaster over the years, writes Nick Mosley. The original café in St James Street has long been a staple for coffee lovers and casual munchers, with their newer restaurant at the Dome being a shining example of hospitality’s revitalisation of New Road. Both venues have consistently been Brighton casual dining at its best: a quick coffee and pastry, a light bite or sandwich for lunch,

The Tern team - Johnny Stanford on the right Following their move from Worthing Pier to Warwick Street, Nick Mosley visits Tern to see whether this Sussex restaurant ’ s new home marks a bold new chapter. I’ve eaten at Tern on the pier several times, including a fantastic weekend brunch with my sister that involved way too many Bloody Marys. That venue’s stunning panoramic view back to the town and expanse of the seafront and South Downs was as much a feast for the eyes as ch

Lost in the Lanes in Nile Street, Brighton With many independent restaurants in Brighton’s Lanes reducing their hours and days of operation, Nick Mosley revisits a trusty favourite that has extended its opening times. Back in 2017 when Lost in The Lanes first opened its doors in Nile Street, the concept was informal daytime café offering guests a seamless transition from breakfast through brunch to lunch, with fresh seasonal ingredient-led dishes that are bursting with flavou

The Dining Room at Gravetye Manor The Michelin Star Awards 2026 for the UK and Ireland were held on Monday 9 February in Dublin with Sussex restaurants gaining clutch of coveted Stars, writes Nick Mosley. The benchmark for culinary excellence in the international restaurant world, Michelin stars rate restaurants on ingredient quality, harmony of flavours, the mastery of culinary techniques, how the chef’s personality shines through their cuisine and – crucially – consistency

Ed Johnstone founder of The Sussex Peasant Supporting the farmers, fishers and producers on our doorstep is more important than ever, writes Nick Mosley. He talks to local champion Ed Johnstone – founder of The Sussex Peasant mobile farm shops – about his un-erring passion in getting food from field to fork. Tell us a bit about yourself… I grew up in Sussex and have always been around farming and fresh produce, but my early career was rooted in hospitality. I worked in pubs a

The Shelter Hall team The city’s seafront is primed for the re-opening of Shelter Hall at the bottom of West Street on Monday 9 February, writes Nick Mosley. The iconic Victorian Shelter Hall was originally built in the 1880s to provide rest and refreshments to promenaders and beach-goers. The structure was topped with a glass dome and a decagonal glass-sided kiosk that lit the space from above that is now home to a local seafood restaurant. In the 1980s and 1990s, the space

Crazy Goose on Boyce's Street, Brighton (credit Richard Boll) With the much-anticipated opening of the Crazy Goose gastropub on Boyce’s Street in Brighton’s Lanes earlier in February, Nick Mosley takes a gander. I’ve got a bit of a soft-spot for this particular venue as its where the Black Rock Restaurant Group story began way back in 2011 when owner Raz Helalat took the plunge and opened his very own restaurant, The Coal Shed. The rest – as they say – is history, as Raz’s en

28 day aged Sussex sirloin of beef at The Bull in Ditchling A couple of years ago, I reviewed both the White Horse Inn and The Bull in Ditchling village and I have to say both were thoroughly unimpressive, writes Nick Mosley. The Bull marginally won out of the two but it was a close call and most definitely nothing to write home about, although I clearly did. All very disappointing as – before being sold to Young’s brewery – under former publican-owner Dominic Worrall and man

Steak frites at Côte Brighton Nick Mosley heads to Côte on North Road to see if it's still got ‘ooh-la-la’. For those unfamiliar with Côte, its a classic French brasserie concept that began rolling out across the country just under 20 years ago and now has over 70 sites in towns and cities nationwide proving to be a successful and enduring high street stalwart at a time. Serving classic, uncomplicated, ingredient-led gallic dishes that have endured the test of time in elegant

With brunch being the new lunch, Nick Mosley shares some of his favourite independents in Brighton and Hove. Veggie hash at The Canopy Café in Brighton - credit Honking Elephant The Canopy Café Having opened in summer 2025, The Canopy in Seven Dials is relatively new addition to the city’s brunch scene, but there’s no doubting that owner Carla Grassy is Brighton hospitality royalty having run the nationally acclaimed 64 Degrees and Murmur restaurants with business partner che

The Friar's Oak in Hassocks I have to hold my hands up and say I’m not much of a pub man, writes Nick Mosley. You’re much more likely find me sipping on dry gin martinis in a hotel bar than cradling a pint of warm Sussex Best at the Dog and Duck. However when I meet up with family, we often head out into the wilds of the county for lunch on a weekend. Hats off to my Olds who are relatively new to Sussex – they’ve certainly put the groundwork in over the past five years or so

Oyster specialist Jonathan Spiers and assistant manager Antonio Manno at English's of Brighton If there’s one restaurant that can quite rightly claim the title of Brighton dining institution, it’s English’s in East Street, writes Nick Mosley. The potted history goes something along the lines of this. When the doors first swung open way back in 1850, the building originally hosted a fishmonger then oyster bar before being taken over by Mr English in 1910 who expanded to a neig

Drift Bar and Restaurant at Brighton i360 It’s safe to say that over the years the catering at the Brighton i360 has had its ups and downs, writes Nick Mosley. The attraction’s first fast casual food offering was curated by chef Steven Edwards of Etch. Menus were packed with Sussex produce but unfortunately the concept didn’t really stack up for the location so Steve packed his knives and moved on. Following that, under the tenure-ship of the original operators of the i360 it

Sushi tacos at Mixto by Tropical Sushi Nick Mosley dusts of his culinary crystal ball to predict food and drink trends in Sussex for 2026. Pacific rim cuisine This is a trend that just won’t go away and for good reason because its absolutely delicious, varied and pretty healthy too. The kitchens of countries that border the Pacific ocean have taken the world by storm in recent years and in doing so they’ve not only championed their national dishes but also mashed things up wi

Napoletana pizza at Fatto a Mano North Laine, Brighton I think it's safe to say that everyone has their favourite pizza restaurant, writes Nick Mosley. Although my food heart belongs to Sicily, for me its a little place called Casa Sotto below St George’s Square in Valetta, Malta but neither are particularly easy to get to for a quick margarita. Now there are lots of different styles of pizza. In Italy, Naples is known for a puffy airy crust and soft centre with simple toppin