Cook it: Sensational Brighton
Why the city has knocked London off the top spot
It always grates when people confront me with the idea that there is nowhere decent to dine in Brighton and Hove. I usually respond by counting out my top ten favourite culinary haunts on my fingers and then asking if they need me to remove my shoes and socks and carry on counting on my toes. Brighton and Hove is blessed with more than its fair share of good fare, and in comparison to other cities it is really very impressive.
So what is it that makes it so good? Well the answer is simple; the city embraces independent business, from our thriving retail scene to bars and restaurants. We may have all the predictable chains, but it is the independents that make us so special.
So much so that this year, Condé Naste Traveller readers voted Brighton and Hove the top travel destination in the UK for great food and drink, knocking London off top spot, and firmly placing the city in the top ten world wide.
That is something that our food industry should be duly proud of. In a world where it is pretty tough to make a go of any new business, in a world where VAT is a seriously damaging factor for food businesses trying to offer great quality and value at an affordable price, Brighton and Hove can hold its head high.
So where are my favorite places that I believe have really made the city so highly thought of? Let me start with fun and affordable. La Choza sprang onto the scene in a flurry of bright colours and spice. They converted me from indifference to Mexican food to a love of their simple and affordable street dishes and now with two venues they continue to excite.
My passion for Indian cuisine was spurred on when Alun and Dawn Sperring opened The Chilli Pickle. Their attention to detail, great regional dishes and stylish and modern approach took the curry out of the dark ages and since then they have gone on to achieve national acclaim.
Chef Kanthi Thamma and business partner Euan Spey have added to the city’s Indian scene with their acclaimed Curry Leaf Cafe, new on the block but already a firm favourite with locals and visitors alike. The atmosphere is relaxed and fun, the menu offers great value, and if you like it hot, they can do hot!
There is little doubt that chef Ben and Pamela McKellar’s group of Ginger restaurants and gastro pubs have taken the city’s food profile up several notches and I am a fan of both the Ginger Pig and Ginger Dog where the modern take on traditional dishes hits exactly the right note.
Andy McKenzie at Drakes is also a chef of note and his classic cuisine with a modern twist is exemplary, worth going if only to sample one of his superb souffés.
Graze in Western Road is superb at pushing boundaries, their tasting menus and excellent wine list are well worth visiting, and they have the prettiest private dining room in town.
Terre à Terre is without a doubt one of the most excting kitchens to be found anywhere in the UK, if not Europe, and the fact that it is vegetarian makes it even more special. I love it and have done now for over 20 years.
Finally, in this list – not complete – of my favourites, has to be 64 Degrees. It opened quietly a year ago and has gone on to become perhaps the most talked about restaurant for many years. Chef Michael Bremner and his talented team work before your very eyes to produce some of the most exciting food that I have tasted. The small plate concept works so well and allows you to take a real food journey each time you visit, and do not leave without having a rum jelly bear.
There you have it, a few of the talented independent food heroes of out city, the men and women who kick culinary ass and helped to dislodge London from that coveted position.
I raise a glass to them all.
The Chilli Pickle: 01273 900383
Curry Leaf Cafe: 01273 207070
Terre à Terre: 01273 729051
Drakes: 01273 696934
The Ginger Pig: 01273 736123
The Ginger Dog: 01273 620990
64 Degrees: 01273 770115
La Choza: 01273 945926
Graze: 01273 823707
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