I’ve talked about neighbourhoods in Brighton for shopping like a local. Today, I want to share a guide to my favourite independent shops in Brighton with you.

These are, my go-to Brighton shops for food, homewares, souvenirs, gifts and cards, and sometimes just for a browse, each one unique and interesting in its own way.

You’ll find some located the bohemian North Laine area in the centre of Brighton, and others further out in local Brighton neighbourhoods, like leafy Fiveways and chic Seven Dials.

Hopefully, this list of my favourite independent shops in Brighton will come in handy if you’re planning your next weekend in Brighton itinerary.

the best Independent Shops in Brighton

1. Tidy Street General Store (North Laine). This beautiful small shop with a lovely corner location (next door to this postage-sized cafe that does the best hot chocolate) packs in French label clothes, shoes, accessories, pretty ceramics and the best selection of baskets.

2. Abode Living (North Laine). Despite this shop’s teeny size, it manages to fit in lots of cool homewares, like rattan mirrors and chairs, eclectic crockery, and vintage travel posters.

3. Brighton Flea Market (Kemptown). Snoopers Paradise in the central North Laine neighbourhood is an amazing vintage market, but it gets busy, especially at the weekend.

This is a quieter option across town with the same amount of vintage finds to browse spread across two huge floors – think antique glassware, 1970s bookcases, crockery, artwork, mirrors, and more.

It’s also an excuse to visit Cafe Marmalade, one of Brighton’s most unique and unusual cafes.

4. Preloved of Brighton (Fiveways). It’s always a fun surprise to walk past this neighbourhood gem, a second-hand clothes shop with an ever-changing themed window display filled with fashion bargains, vintage and new.

5. Seven Cellars (Seven Dials). Lovely local wine shop in what was an old butcher’s shop – you can still see the old tiles and hatch behind the till. It’s always packed with new things to try, and they also have tasting nights.

6. Yashar Bish (North Laine). This is an Aladdin’s cave of exotic soft furnishings – think Afghan rugs, Kilim cushion covers in all kinds of colour schemes, patterns, sizes and shapes, Turkish mosaic lamps and tribal jewellery.

7. Yum Yum Oriental Supermarket (Sydney Street, North Laine). Looking in supermarkets abroad is one of my favourite things to do on holiday – fact!

So, if I want to feel like I’m on holiday, I’ll come here and lose myself for a while browsing the shelves packed with interesting-looking Asian products that make me want to go home and whip up some noodles.

It’s also a welcome break from the hipsterville craziness of the North Laine. I love the little Chinese soaps that come in rose, jasmine and ginseng, and they also sell fortune cookies!

8. Black Out Shop (North Laine). Off the beaten path on the fringes of the North Laine is this wonderland of kitsch filled to the brim with all kinds of fun trinkets, gifts, cards, homewares and clothes from around the world.

Think Mexican Loteria cards, Morrocan melamine plates, candles and jewellery and tons of Indian kitsch – tin ornaments, woven bags, as well as kitschy Christmas decorations. Be prepared to lose yourself for a while.

9. Real Patiserrie (North Laine). Inventors of the city-famous chewy brown and white bread, this trio of patisserie shops give French bakeries a run for their money.

Be prepared to come for a loaf, get carried away, and leave with armfuls of paper bags filled with sweet treats. They also do quiches, sandwiches, party food and the most amazing Viennese-style mince pies at Christmas time.

10. Pen to Paper (North Laine). To me, shops don’t need to be fancy to be enticing. In fact, the more fancy the interior design, the more intimidating the shop in my opinion.

This is why I love this time-worn place that thinks more about what it stocks – tons of notebooks, chic cards, fun pens, beautiful wrapping paper etc – than its interior design. They also have a great selection of Rhodia notebooks, made in France since 1934.

11. New Fabric Fair (Gardner Street, North Laine). This feast for the eyes is my favourite place to buy fabric if I’m in a sewing mood which I am occasionally. It’s been open for over 80 years (!!!) and for the past 40 years by Monty and Shashi who took over in the 1980s.

Inside, it’s organised chaos with shelves bursting with fabric from all over the world, that spills onto the pavement outside.

There’s also a mesmerising collection of haberdashery including buttons, zips and all sorts of other useful bits and pieces.

12. Rainbow Organic Chocolates (Open Market, London Road). After lunch at this incredible falafel bar, a trip to Rainbow Chocolates is a must for a palette-cleansing sweet treat.

Owner Suzanne, a former scientist, relocated to Brighton six years ago after starting the business in Edinburgh 10 years ago. She makes every beautiful piece of chocolate herself, to her own recipes using the best organic seasonal ingredients.

No plastic is used in the packaging and she isn’t afraid to experiment – they currently have a dark chocolate ganache truffle with liquorice in store.

Bestsellers are the seasonal chocolate collection which boasts several award-nominated chocolates, including the delectable marmalade truffle.

13. Utility (North Laine). Stepping inside this no-nonsense honest homeware shop is like time-travelling to 40s, 50s or 60s Britain or onto the set of the BBC comedy, Open All Hours.

It’s been open an incredible 25 years, probably because it steers clear of trends, favouring products that are designed so well there’s been no need to change them. Think Spode crockery, Duralex glassware and Silvine stationery.

14. City Books (Hove). A Brighton institution, this family-run shop is the city’s best-loved local independent bookshop. It’s a nice destination to find after a wander along the seafront from the centre of Brighton.

It’s well stocked with bestsellers and classics as well as a big range of local books, which includes a guidebook I wrote to the city’s unsung treasures, Secret Brighton.

15. Audrey’s Chocolates (Hove). This nostalgic hidden sweet shop has roots in the 1920s, an original shop interior dating to the 1960s  and connections to Fortnum and Mason. Each chocolate is made by hand in its mini chocolate factory, hiding on the first floor.

16. Hi Cacti (Seven Dials). This is Brighton’s only shop specialising in cacti, and easy-care houseplants and it’s run by the lovely Sabine Palermo who started it when she moved to England from Austin, Texas. This explains the Tex-Mex meets Palm Springs vibes inside. If you’re having a bad day and arrive here sad, you will leave full of inspiration and cheer.

17. Kate Langdale Florist (Seven Dials). Kate makes showstopping flowery bunches and creations and this is her workshop to be discovered on my hidden walk around Seven Dials.

Call ahead to order in advance for pick up here – she is great at understanding what you want whatever the budget. You won’t be disappointed.

18. The Feminist Bookshop (Seven Dials). One of my favourite Brighton bookshops is also the city’s newest and most radical. Set in the founder, Ruth’s, front room, it began life as a pop-up book club but grew fast.

Every book stocked is either written by a female author or takes a feminist stance. It manages to fit in a little vegan café, too.

19. Hollingdean Wholefoods (Fiveways). This hidden whole food shop is within an artists’ studio and gallery space.

As it’s tucked in a residential street, it’s highly unlikely you’d discover it unless you live in or are visiting the street or someone’s told you about it.

The shop is run by volunteers and stocks all kinds of organic fruit and veg and whole food staples like lentils, pasta, rice, and other things.

20. Tribeca (North Laine). No need to go to London for designer fashion when you have this tiny well-stocked emporium to browse.

It carries French favourites like Isabel Marant and jewellery by local makers. I personally also love it for its dusky purple facade, old fisherman’s cottage setting and intriguing window in the roof.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed reading this post, would you consider buying me a coffee?

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