When it comes to pubs in Brighton and Hove, people always talk about the city having one for every day of the year. I also read somewhere that Brighton has more pubs per square mile than London.
Honestly, I’ve never counted, but I do know Brighton pubs are everywhere! It’s a challenge to walk more than 10 minutes without passing one.
This means you’re never far from your next pint by a roaring fire or kicking back in a sunny beer garden with a chilled wine.
I’ve lived in Brighton over 15 years and know the city’s pub scene well. So today I’m suggesting a little pub crawl to discover some of my favourites.
From gastropubs and laid-back neighbourhood locals, to live music haunts and spots for a seaside pint, these are Brighton’s best independent pubs.
I’ve also pinned them all onto a handy map at the end of the post to help you plan your route.
Seven Dials Pubs
Shakespeare’s Head
Best for: sausage and mash and a roaring fire
Some pubs are made for winter, like ‘the Shakies’ as it’s known. It’s small, laid-back, rustic and cosy with a roaring fire. But there’s also a little front terrace for summer pints.
This is my go-to if I’m in the mood for sausage and mash. There are 11 sausage varieties, seven flavours of mash and six gravies to choose from.
“That’s 560 meal combinations. If you come in five days a week, you’d still be discovering new flavour combinations over two years later!” according to its website.
I often order cumberland sausages, truffle mash and classic gravy. But there are plenty of veggie and vegan options, too.
Portions are generous; three sausages on a heap of mash and veg for £15. Sundays are for roasts only.
Set on the fringes of Seven Dials, it’s a great place to start your pub crawl of Seven Dials, the pretty Brighton neighbourhood.
Find The Shakespeare’s Head at 1 Chatham Place, Brighton BN1 3TP
The Crescent
Best for: neighbourhood charm and summer terrace pints
This historic local pub is one of the stops on my self-guided hidden walk around the area. In summer, I love coming here for a Pimms on its spacious suntrap terrace. But there’s a fire inside for cold winter nights.
The decor is unpretentious and it serves as a hub for the community rather than a destination pub. They do pizza and pub classics like ham, egg and chips. It has rooms upstairs – Seven Dials has no hotels, only Airbnbs – which makes it one of the few bases in the neighbourhood.
Find The Crescent at 3 Clifton Hill, Brighton BN1 3HL
West Hill Tavern
Best for: negronis and quiz nights
For ages, the “Westie,” as it’s known, was so run down it looked like the kind of pub you’d only go to for a fight. Thanks to a recent revamp, it has a funky, 70s vibe – think warm wood tones and a bar that lures you to linger. It’s close to Brighton Station, so it’s an easy first or last stop on a pub crawl.
To me, the most fun part is that they specialise in negronis and have six on the menu, each with its own twist. My favourite? The breakfast negroni made with Campari, Martini Rosso and Aber Falls Marmalade Gin. Delicious but dangerous.
Popular bottomless brunch sessions on Saturday morning and quiz nights on Wednesday, draw the crowds.
Find The West Hill Tavern at 67 Buckingham Place, Brighton BN1 3PQ
The Chimney House
Best for: family-friendly farm-to-table dining
North Laine Pubs
The Heart and Hand
Best for: a seat and meeting Bailey the pub cat
I love this family run Brighton pub for its tiled façade. Every time I walk past, I cannot resist snapping a photo even though I have lots. I have several for every season.
It has a vinyl jukebox packed with 1960s tunes and a resident cat, called Bailey, a chilled out character with his own Instagram account.
It often amazes me that despite its setting on one of the North Laine’s busiest corners, I always find a seat. Worth bearing in mind for the next time you’re in this busy part of Brighton.
Find The Heart and Hand at 75 North Road, Brighton BN1 1YD
The Earth and Stars
Best for: plant-based pub food and a genuinely warm atmosphere
This long-standing North Laine spot is an eco-friendly pub with a solar panel on the roof. It’s relaxed and serves gastro-level plant-based pub food, with an Asian twist.
For lunch think tofish finger buns with battered tofu, nori and tartare sauce and tofish and chips for dinner. They also do killer Sunday roasts (book ahead for those).
Lively vinyl playlists curated by local record shops, musicians and promoters give it an edge.
Find The Earth and Stars at 46 Windsor Street, Brighton BN1 1RJ
The Great Eastern
Best for: darkened saloon vibes and whiskey chasers
Arriving at the Great Eastern is fun. Walking through the curved frosted front door and down into the bar feels like entering a Western film set. There’s a spit-n-sawdust saloon vibe – but without the spit and sawdust.
Think low ceilings, stripped wood floors, and wood panelling. Apart from the fairy lights, it feels unchanged for decades, down to the brass door handles.
They don’t serve food, so don’t expect to settle in for a meal. The Great Eastern is all about great beer and whiskey – a huge list written on the wall behind the bar.
It’s also popular so prepare to jostle for a perch inside or stand on outside, where you almost expect a duel to take place.
Find The Great Eastern at 103 Trafalgar Street, Brighton BN1 4ER
The Basketmakers Arms
Best for: the full Brighton pub experience and renowned roasts
Brighton’s much-loved traditional pub has a characterful decor. Hundreds of tobacco tins cover the walls, each one filled with messages, jokes and random musings scribbled on receipts, flyers and random bits of paper.
They’re fun to discover over a pint. Beers on tap – the range is huge – include local brews Dark Star and Gale’s. While people visit The Basketmakers as much for its excellent food as they do the ale.
The pub classics like burgers and fish and chips are well worth the money. But I like ordering a few small plates to share, like Branston Pickle croquettes – tastier than they sound. Renowned Sunday roasts sell out fast so book ahead.
Find The Basketmakers Arms at 12 Gloucester Road, Brighton BN1 4AD
The Prince Albert
Best for: live music and a lived-in atmosphere close to the station
A pub for music fans, the Prince Albert is a satisfying warren of small rooms plastered with old gig flyers and band posters. It’s famous for its mural featuring the faces of famous musicians like Jimi Hendrix and Amy Winehouse and a replica of Banksy’s Kissing Coppers – the original sold years ago.
The line up leans into punk, rock, indie, garage and ska, but also features acoustic sets, folk acts and tribute nights. Needless to say nights here can get loud and a little chaotic! But it’s all part of the appeal.
Rotating ales include local names like Abyss make it worth a visit even without a gig ticket. They don’t do food, but you can order local takeout food to your table if you get peckish mid-set.
Find The Prince Albert at Trafalgar Street, Brighton BN1 4ED
Preston Park/Roundhill Pubs
The Preston Park Tavern
Best for: a stylish neighbourhood local with gastro-level food
The PPT is one of Brighton’s most beautiful pubs. It also happens to be my local, with a lovely setting on a leafy residential street near Fiveways.
It’s quiet during the week – a proper spot to read a paper or catch up with a friend – and busier at weekends, especially Sunday when the roasts (£17) are on offer and it’s worth booking ahead.
The gastro-level menu changes regularly, but there’s always a fish, meat and veggie option and the chargrilled beef burger is always good.
Find The Preston Park Tavern at 88 Havelock Road, Brighton BN1 6GF
The Jolly Brewer
Best for: eccentric charm and cheap drinks
This friendly community local is one of the most welcoming pubs in Brighton. Visit on Christmas Day, and your first drink is on the house. Thanks to owner, Matty!
They don’t serve food, so it stands out in the area as a good old-fashioned drinking pub. Drinks are cheap and they also do a few cocktails.
It’s the kind of place you go to intending to have just the one but see a familiar face and end up leaving at closing time!
They host events like quizzes and music nights, some more bizarre than others – and it’s not unusual for one of the owners to play the saw.
Find The Jolly Brewer at 176 Ditchling Road, Brighton BN1 6JA
Other nearby options include the The Signalman at 76 Ditchling Rise, The Open House at 146 Springfield Road, The Joker at 2 Preston Road, The Hare and Hounds at 75 London Road and The World’s End at 66 London Road.
Hanover Pubs
The Geese
Best for: dive-bar charm and sausage and mash
Another Brighton pub people go to for sausage and mash, available in a ridiculous number of combinations. They also do hotdogs and cheap cocktails on Thursday, which attracts a young crowd.
I love it for the dive-bar aesthetic: there’s a neon sign, windowsills crammed with empty bottles, walls plastered with beer mats, photos behind the bar of nights gone by, and the owners’ collection of retro cycling caps.
Find The Geese at 16 Southover Street, Brighton BN2 9UA
The Village
Best for: all-day café-bar with chintzy charm
This cool café-bar-pub is all about chintz: Think: armchairs, crochet blankets and tasselled standard lamps.
Its a comfy spot to enjoy daily brunch served until 3pm. The veggie village hash is divine – homemade potato hash with mushroom and spinach, melted Cheddar and topped with a fried egg.
Daily happy hour, Thai food in the evening and Sunday roasts are other good reasons to visit.
Find The Village at 129 Islingword Road, Brighton BN2 9SH
Other nearby options include The Dover Castle at 43 Southover Street, The Greys at 105 Southover Street and The Constant Service at 96 Islingword Street.
KempTown Pubs
Black Dove
Best for: an edgy atmosphere and excellent cocktails
This could be the coolest pub in the city. Despite it’s location at the furthest end of Kemptown, people will travel across town to drink here.
They do amazing cocktails and is unique for its underground drinking den, a room in the basement for clandestine date nights, which they also hire out for parties.
There’s a DJ spinning rock n roll tunes at the weekend. And they don’t serve food, but you can order pizza to eat from the nearby Pizzaface if you’re in it for the long run.
Find The Black Dove at 74 St James’s Street, Kemptown, Brighton BN2 1PA
Hand in Hand
Best for: quirky decor and Sunday jazz nights
This tiny, colourful, pub in Kemptown village is special. Its curio-filled bar room is crammed with random decorations, including ties pinned to the beams, ceramic beer mugs, all kinds of pictures.It feels like
Not many people know about its secret microbrewery – the Hand Brew Co – where they make their own range of unusual beers like toasted-coconut porter, cocoa nib, and oat-filled breakfast stout.
Sunday nights are for jazz sessions when everyone crams in.
Find the Hand in Hand at 33 Upper St James’s Street, Brighton BN2 1JN
Hove pubs
Lion and Lobster
Best for: cosy corners and getting lost across four floors
This charming side-street pub in my favourite part of Hove, not far from the seafront, is one of the stops on my self-guided hidden walk around Brunswick Town.
It’s spread across four floors so a wander around its maze-like interior is an adventure. It has two Regency dining rooms, two bars each one full of nooks, booths and crannies perfect for cosying up in winter, and two outside terraces.
Décor-wise, it’s traditional pub meets vintage shop: there are brass features and rich mahogany panelling and furniture, rich reddish/purple carpets, mixed with framed old maps, historical pictures and candles in bottles on the tables.
Find the Lion and Lobster at 24 Sillwood Street, Brighton BN1 2PS
Paris House
Best for: French wine and gypsy jazz nights
There are a couple of French bars in town, but this one is the most quirky. With its checkerboard floor and black-and-white photos of French greats on the walls, it feels like stepping into a time-worn Parisian bar.
Not surprisingly, the wine list is extensive andmeat and cheese boards platters are on offer. Weekend gypsy jazz nights are popular and attract a real mix of customers.
Find The Paris House at 21 Western Road, Hove BN3 1AF
Central Brighton/seafront pubs
Fortune of War
Best for: a pint with a sea view
Tucked into a seafront arch on King’s Road, the Fortune of War is the first pub I ever visited in Brighton and has stayed a favourite ever since.
Inside it’s designed to resemble a boat, with a wood-panelled interior, nautical curios and pieces and decades of history on the walls. In summer the outdoor terrace fills up fast – and makes an excellent spot for people watching and listening to music spilling out from the Tempest next-door.
Find the Fortune of War at 156 Kings Road, Brighton BN1 1NB
The Hop Poles
Best for: old-school charm near the seafront
It’s one of the first pubs I ever hung out in, and I had my first Brighton Sunday roast here – which makes it a properly nostalgic stop on this list.
It’s one to note as a good, old-fashioned pub near the seafront. Its cheerful décor hasn’t changed in years – the hops hanging from the ceiling and the funky light fittings have been here since I first visited years ago!
Antiques dotting the space are fun to take in over a pink from the old radio and soda syphon.
Find The Hop Poles at 13 Middle Street, Brighton BN1 1AL
The Quadrant
Best for: eccentric charm, Victorian details and a hidden music venue
This friendly, historic pub has eccentric charm and a curio-filled decor. It dates to Victorian times, and plenty of features around the pub look as if they haven’t changed at all. I particularly love ducking here to escape the city centre shopping crowds.
Let’s not forget the seagull theme, a nod to the Brighton football team – from a mural outside to the local beers in illustrated glasses. And like so many pubs nowadays they also do cocktails, too, including a great spicy margarita.
Head up the little spiral staircase to discover a secret venue. Known as the Folklore Rooms, it’s the setting for regular live music gigs and a Monday night cinema.
Find The Quadrant at North Street, Brighton BN1 3GJ
1 Comment
On my days out by train to Brighton I have not given pubs enough attention – I do sneakily nip in the two Weatherspoons in the town (Spoons) as I can get a coffee with free refill to take away for a quid and then sit on the beach with it – they also have nice toilets. However, they aren’t as pretty as the ones you have featured and so I will do further research 🙂