Brighton Pubs and Food Stops: Plan Your Day
Brighton spreads its eating and drinking across distinct quarters. The Lanes holds The Cricketers, a Victorian-panelled pub on Black Lion Street where the kitchen shuts well before the bar, so plan a lunch or early evening stop. East in Kemptown, Bardsley's serves fish and chips on Baker Street, fifteen minutes' walk from the pier.
Real ale runs through the North Laine and the station side. The Basketmakers Arms on Gloucester Road keeps its bitter exceptionally well in a cramped room walled with vintage tin boxes; nearby, Bison Beer's three-floor crafthouse sits on North Road, not North Street. The Evening Star, near the station, pours Dark Star and guest taps that swing in strength, and staff will let you taste before you commit.
For something quicker, Julien Plumart on Queens Road sells Paris-Brest and macarons in a 20-to-40-minute stop, though the counter sells out early. The Heart & Hand on Upper St James's Street has no food and little room, so arrive early as a pair. Book ahead at The Cricketers and Bardsley's; most other stops need no reservation.
| Place | Area |
|---|---|
| The Cricketers, Brighton | Black Lion Street, The Lanes |
| Bardsley's Brighton | Baker Street, Kemptown |
| Bison Beer Brighton | North Laine (North Road) and Hove (Church Road) |
| Julien Plumart Brighton | Queens Road |
| Heart & Hand, Brighton | Upper St James's Street, Kemptown |
| Basketmakers Arms Brighton | North Laine, 12 Gloucester Road |
| The Evening Star, Brighton | station side of central Brighton |
Brighton pub and food landmark guides
The Cricketers, Brighton: The Lanes Pub Worth a Stop?
A Victorian-panelled pub on Black Lion Street in the Lanes, good for home-cooked classics and cask ale. Visitors trip up by arriving late: the kitchen shuts well before the bar, so aim for lunch or early evening.
Book ahead · Best for pub lunch in the Lanes
Bardsley's Brighton: the Kemptown Chippy Worth the Walk
A traditional chippy with a takeaway counter and sit-down restaurant on Baker Street in Kemptown, about fifteen minutes' walk east of the pier. Prices aren't published, so check the board inside before you order.
60 minutes · Book ahead · Best for fish and chips by the sea
Bison Beer Brighton: Where to Find It and What to Expect
Two separate Bison Beer sites in Brighton: a three-floor crafthouse on North Road in the North Laine for sit-in pints, and a Church Road bar with a bottle shop in Hove for takeaway. Watch the street name — North Road, not North Street.
Best for craft beer drinkers, groups
Julien Plumart Brighton: The Queens Road Patisserie
A French patisserie on Queens Road where the Paris-Brest and macarons are the reason to stop. It is a short visit of 20 to 40 minutes, and the counter sells out, so come early.
20-40 minutes · Best for French pastry and macarons
Heart & Hand, Brighton: Kemptown Pub Guide
A compact Kemptown drinking pub with a vinyl jukebox, real ale on tap and card-only table service. There's no food and little room, so come early as a pair, not as a party of ten.
Best for pints, vinyl and conversation
Basketmakers Arms Brighton: A Local's Pub Guide
A corner pub in the North Laine, chosen for its exceptionally well-kept bitter and a cramped room walled with vintage tin boxes; open one for a handwritten note and leave your own. Arrive early — it fills fast.
Best for real ale drinkers
The Evening Star, Brighton: A Beer-Lover's Pub Guide
A station-side boozer where cask ale is the point: Dark Star on draught plus guest taps whose strengths can swing from sessionable to nearly six per cent. Ask for a taste before committing to a pint.
Best for cask ale drinkers near the station
One day in Brighton: the stops to prioritise
Start with The Cricketers in the Lanes for a pub lunch, arriving well before the kitchen closes. Then walk east to Bardsley's in Kemptown for fish and chips, about fifteen minutes from the pier. If time allows, add Julien Plumart on Queens Road for a pastry — the counter sells out, so go early.
Where to book ahead in Brighton
Booking is recommended at The Cricketers and Bardsley's. The Cricketers fills for lunch and early evening in the Lanes, and Bardsley's has a sit-down restaurant as well as a takeaway counter, so reserve if you want a table. Elsewhere, The Heart & Hand needs no booking but has little room and no food, so come early as a pair.