Today, I’m sharing my four favourite no-frills restaurants in Brighton I return to time and again for cheap eats. Each has a cosy decor and serves great authentic food. It’s a list I’ll be adding to as time goes on…
Four places for cheap eats in Brighton
Pizza 500, Proper Italian pizza
Pizza 500 is a tiny, simple and rustic little local gem restaurant of Preston Park in Brighton. I’ve recommended it to friends and family who have stayed in our house while we’ve been away, and received feedback that it was “the best pizza they’d ever had in Brighton, maybe ever!” It’s also cool because it’s set in an old garage so in the summer, the big garage door opens up to let the summer breeze in.
Find Pizza 500 at 83 London Road, Brighton BN1 4QG.
Unithai, Brighton’s secret restaurant
Walk to the back of Unithai supermarket on Church Road in Hove and hidden inside is this no-frills Thai cafe. Or as I like to call it, Brighton’s secret Thai restaurant.
It feels like you’ve been invited for homemade Thai food in someone’s home. The decor is simple and pretty, the tables are decorated with fresh flowers, and the walls are hung with printed-out menus and traditional Thai paintings. There are little cubby holes filled with Thai trinkets, ornaments and curios. For about £20-£25, two people can tuck into a king-size feast of two main dishes and two sides leaving you with full tummies.
Find Unithai at 10 Church Road, Hove BN3 2FL. Note: It’s open Monday to Wednesday 10 – 6.30pm, Thursday to Saturday 10 – 8.30pm and Sunday 12 – 5pm.
Bardsley’s, Brighton’s backstreet chippy
Where to find the best fish and chips in Brighton is a hot debate. There are so many places to choose from, it can be hard to know which ones are good. Luckily, Ellie & Co have just about tested them all (well almost) and are excited to share one of – if not – the best…
Bardsley’s Fish and Chips tucked up a quirky side street near Preston Circus serves the best fish and chips in Brighton. The secret is in the freshness of the food. The fish is always deliciously flaky and moist, the chips piping hot and crisped to perfection. Oh, and you can order a glass of prosecco to have with your seaside platter. It’s also one of the longest-running restaurants in Brighton. Open since 1926 and run by the same family who are so friendly they fall over themselves to make you feel welcome.
Find Bardsley’s Fish n Chips at 22-23a Baker Street, Brighton BN1 4JN.
E-Kagen, Fantastic Japanese noodles and sushi above a supermarket
E-Kagen is a no-frills noodle house in the North Laine. There’s no pretense here, at all. It’s about eating great noodles and everything else is second. This tiny little canteen restaurant and open kitchen is tucked about the Yum Yum oriental market. It’s old-fashioned in its décor, but every Friday, Saturday and Sunday for lunch and dinner it serves up the most amazing steaming hot big bowls of ramen, as well as delicious sushi and dumplings.
Find E-Kagen at 22-23 Sydney Street, Brighton BN1 4EN.
Update: E-Kagen has closed and Happy Maki, a vegan sushi restaurant, has opened in its place.
I hope you enjoyed your tour of some of Brighton’s excellent no-frills restaurants. I’ll update this list every time I come across a new gem.
New to Ellie & Co? Join thousands more and sign up for my monthly newsletter. Or follow my stories on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
3 Comments
Oh that street food fair-how I long to be there!
You need to make a trip!
Yum, I love being the Guinea Pig for these posts, also try…DoughBo, We Love Falafel, Sunbird Deli & Cafe Del Golfo (great coffee and cannoli)