Drift @ Brighton i360 review: great quality, good value, a very solid offering
- Nick Mosley
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
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 became a bit ‘meh’ to say the least, delivering a rather generic and average seaside offering that hardly gave a reason to visit the restaurant.
If I’m honest, I was initially quite skeptical as to what the offering of Nightcap – the new operators of the i360 – would be but on my recent visit at the tail end of 2025 I was rather impressed and I think that shows an awful lot of promise for 2026 for this location to attract both locals out for a seafront stroll and our vital visitors.
On a blustery late autumn afternoon, I had a very late lunch with my ever-dependable – and always hungry – dining companion Little Miss Greedy Guts and also The Queen who has made a career of creating social and business networks in Brighton a fine art.
Although the interior of the space – now rebranded as Drift Bar & Kitchen – has been reimagined, the original showcase circular bar is still very much the centrepiece. Aesthetically, it remains one of the most spectacular bars in the city, perhaps only rivalled by the stunning but underutilised bar spaces at The Ivy and Ivy Asia. As the autumnal light faded, the venue effortlessly became considerably more sophisticated with a subtle aesthetic mood change.
But the proof of the pudding is always in the eating, or rather in my case the martini. Although martinis are possibly one of the simplest of cocktails, everyone has their own preference. For me I like it stirred and bone dry: a decent London dry-style gin – locally produced if possible – and the merest whiff of dry vermouth with a twist of lemon. My preference was duly noted. Job done, no messing – Aron, Luke and the team absolutely know what they’re doing when it comes to shaking and making.
We weren’t in a hurry as there was an awful lot of Brighton – and Sussex – tourism jibber-jabber to digest. The daytime menu consists of snacks, burgers, salads and fish dishes. Starters are around £8 with main courses sitting at around £18 give-or-take a pound or two.
To start we shared lightly battered cauliflower and baked halloumi bites. I find the current incessant dining trend for cauliflower a bit on the dull side but the sticky buffalo glaze, slithers of red chilli and lime dip made this a truly delicious dish. The cauliflower also held its structure so was cooked to a tee. Impressive.
I literally can’t get enough halloumi down my neck. At home, I cook it all the time so I know when this cheese is on the right side of ‘squeak’. Yet again, another faultlessly executed – and very generous – dish for £7.50.
For the main event, Little Miss Greedy Guts got stuck into a flat-iron half chicken with a hefty portion of seasoned fries. She knows her chicken – literally inside out as if I have one more conversation about the pros-and-cons of leg meat I’m gonna throttle her. Apparently this was cooked to perfection but was somewhat overwhelmed by too much of the citrusy and herby sauce that would have made a better side than topping. There’s no pleasing some people.
Having wined and dined with The Queen now on numerous occasions, I know she’s a big fan of fish and chips which somewhat belies her stylish demeanour. We concurred that Drift’s offering was very good – the steaming white flakes were perfectly cooked but if, I’m honest, the batter could have been a bit crispier. I’d put that down to either the temperature of the oil or perhaps the fish just needed another minute in the fryer. Easily rectifiable either way.
I’m no fan of beef burgers. I think they are an exercise in notional chewing and deliver no flavour other than the dollops of sauce, mounds of tasteless cheese and – perhaps – a pickle if you’re lucky. And often the aesthetic outweighs the jaw dislocation and messy slop that accompanies the munching.
Thankfully, Drift’s burger was none of this. The perfectly seasoned beef actually tasted of something; it wasn’t overly complicated and the stack of onion chutney, smoked cheddar, gherkins, lettuce and sauce actually came together as a whole rather than being the usual showy car-crash. It was genuinely one of the best things I’ve popped in my mouth for a long time and that is high praise indeed.
With my dietary and allergen radar switched on, there’s more than enough on the menu to keep everyone fed. There is a separate fryer for fries and gluten free options.
You can pop into Drift any time from 11am but the neighbouring café opens for coffees and breakfast snacks at 8am. Sunday lunch is around £20 with various flight and dining packages also available. Also remember locals can take a flight on the pod for £5 adults or £2.50 for children if you preregister on their website.
Although I haven’t experienced the more elevated ‘Drift After Dark’ evening menu, having thoroughly enjoyed my lunch I doubt I’d be disappointed. This isn’t cooking that is going to change your world; but its great quality, good value and what I’d term a very solid offering that ticks the box for all ages and tastes.
There are still a few tweaks to be done at Drift however I think their daytime casual food and drink offering is 95% there. Operationally, the Brighton i360 is a massive venue with a lot of proverbial plates spinning but I for one am very impressed with the progress that’s been made and the friendly professional team that’s making it happen. It’s head and shoulders over what was in place a year or so back.
Drift Bar & Kitchen, 128 Kings Road, Brighton BN1 2LN
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