The Lanes, Brighton: Where to Eat, Drink and Wander
Brighton's oldest, narrowest streets hold some of its best restaurants and bars. Here is how to eat and drink your way through the Lanes.
By Only Brighton Editorial
The Lanes are Brighton's oldest streets, a tangle of narrow alleys between North Street and the seafront, and they are where to eat if you only have one night in town. Our picks: terre à terre on East Street for vegetarian food that won Brighton's best restaurant in 2026, English's for oysters, Embers on Meeting House Lane for fire cooking and the city's best Sunday roast, Burnt Orange on Middle Street for wood-fired sharing plates, and The Flint House for small plates and a first-floor terrace bar. For drinks, try Permit Room, Blossoms and Twisted Lemon. Everything below was checked in October 2026. Get lost on purpose: everyone does anyway.
What and where are the Lanes?
The Lanes run roughly from North Street in the north to Prince Albert Street and Bartholomew Square in the south, with Ship Street on the west side and East Street or Market Street on the east, depending on who you ask. This was part of the original settlement of Brighthelmstone, and the streets were built up in the late 18th century, before the Prince Regent turned up and built the Royal Pavilion. Meeting House Lane is one of the wider lanes and winds from North Street round to Market Street. Dukes Lane, off Duke Street, looks old but is a reproduction built in 1979. The area is known for small independent shops, including several antique shops, and for squeezing a ridiculous number of restaurants into a very small space.
Where to eat
terre à terre, at 71 East Street, has been cooking vegetarian and vegan food since 1993 and was voted Best Brighton and Hove Restaurant at the 2026 BRAVO awards. English's, at 29 to 31 East Street, has been family owned since 1945 and has an oyster bar. Embers, at 42 Meeting House Lane, cooks over a wood fire and won Best Sunday Roast in 2025 and 2026. Burnt Orange, at 59 Middle Street, holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for its wood-fired Mediterranean sharing plates. The Flint House, at 13 Hanningtons Lane, is another Bib Gourmand, with global small plates and a first-floor bar with a terrace, open daily from noon. Riddle and Finns on Meeting House Lane does champagne and oysters, mostly walk-in. Food for Friends, at 17 to 18 Prince Albert Street, has been vegetarian since 1981. And The Coal Shed, on North Street, is the steak and grill option, with Sunday roasts from £20.
Coffee and brunch
17 Grams, at 12d Meeting House Lane, roasts its own beans and does brunch under a huge Alice in Wonderland mural. Trading Post, at 36 Ship Street, roasts its own and does a full brunch menu. The Milk Shed opened a new cafe at 13A Prince Albert Street in 2026, open daily. Lost in the Lanes on Nile Street does a bottomless brunch for when you have nothing planned for the afternoon.
Cocktails
The Lanes have the best density of good cocktail bars in the city. Dishoom's Permit Room, at 32 East Street, came second in the 2026 BRAVO cocktail vote with Bombay-inspired drinks. Blossoms, at 17 to 19 Brighton Square, does Japanese-leaning cocktails and sake and won the category in 2025. Twisted Lemon is down an alley at 41 Middle Street, with a long original list and a famous happy hour. Clementine and Co is on Duke Street, and The Golden Pineapple on Ship Street has the city's biggest tequila and mezcal selection. The 2026 BRAVO cocktail list has the full ranking.
The Royal Pavilion, next door
Strictly speaking it is just east of the Lanes, but you cannot come this far and miss it. The Royal Pavilion is a fantasy palace built for the Prince Regent, later George IV, and it has also served as a First World War hospital for Indian soldiers. The Dragons exhibition runs until 1 November 2026, and there is an official tour every Saturday at 2pm. Check Brighton and Hove Museums for opening times and tickets.
How to do the Lanes
Come in the morning for coffee and a wander before the crowds, when you can actually see the shop windows. Book dinner, because the good places fill up, especially on Friday and Saturday. Wear flat shoes: the alleys are narrow and uneven, and some are barely wider than your shoulders. And if you get properly lost, just walk downhill. You will hit the sea within five minutes, which is the best possible way to be lost.
