Where to eat sushi and Japanese food in Brighton

Brighton does Japanese food in more shapes than you might expect. There is a conveyor belt, a tiny charcoal izakaya, a ramen bar, plant-based sushi and a few fusion ideas on top. Roundups from That's Up and DesignMyNight both cover that spread. Here is where to start, by corner.

The Lanes: Moshimo, Bartholomew Square

Moshimo sits in Bartholomew Square, next to Brighton Town Hall. According to Restaurants Brighton it has been open since 2000, is independently run, and was Brighton's first conveyor-belt sushi restaurant. Some listings still use the old name, Moshi Moshi. The building is the Opticon, designed to look like a floating lantern, so it is easy to spot.

You can grab plates off the belt or order from the kitchen and the sushi station. The menu runs to sushi, bento, gyoza, udon, tempura and Kozara small plates. The dishes singled out are the Moshimo Moreish Maki, the soft shell crab and the homemade teriyaki sauce. If you are with a group that cannot agree, a sushi boat is listed too (DesignMyNight), and the belt solves most arguments by itself.

It is a good first stop for anyone who wants the full sushi experience without a long wait for the kitchen. Online booking is available through Dishcult, and the phone number is 01273 719 195.

Preston Street: the Japanese cluster

Restaurants Brighton calls Preston Street "restaurant street", and Tripadvisor reviewers rate it as the best Asian food street in the city. Two Japanese places are worth knowing here.

Bincho Yakitori, 63 Preston Street

This is a tiny izakaya modelled on a Tokyo back-street original. Produce is cooked over a wood-burning charcoal grill, and the drinks list includes Asahi, sake and a sake sampler. The room is small, with second-hand wood furniture and bar seating, and front-of-house staff are Japanese. It won Best International Restaurant at the 2022 Brighton Restaurant Awards, and Tripadvisor puts it at 4.7 out of 5 from nearly 500 reviews.

Order the yakitori skewers and the sake sampler, and sit at the bar if you can. Book ahead: a reviewer on Restaurants Brighton says it fills up fast. Check its website, binchoyakitori.com, for current opening days before you go.

Goemon Ramen Bar, 12 Preston Street

A minimal, traditional ramen and izakaya spot that, according to First Table, is regularly frequented by Japanese diners. Start with edamame, kara-age fried chicken and gyoza (pork or shrimp). The rice bowls include the Goemon Kara-age Don and the pork chashu bowl. Vegetarian and vegan options are listed, and it sits in the $$ price band.

North Laine: Happy Maki, Gardner Street

Happy Maki, at 49 Gardner Street, is fully plant-based. That's Up lists rolls with sweet potato, roasted coconut and crispy faux duck, plus poke bowls and sushi burritos. It is relaxed and geared to quick stops, so it suits a lunch between the shops.

Seafront: Temaki Bros, Shelter Hall

Temaki Bros is one of the seven kitchens inside Shelter Hall on the seafront. DesignMyNight lists hand-rolled temaki cones, rice bowls and bao buns. It is an easy pick if you are wandering the front and want something quick and Japanese-leaning.

Quick and cheap

• itsu, directly opposite the Clock Tower on North Street: sushi, ramen, noodles and rice bowls, eat in or takeaway.
• Wagamama, the Argus Building, 30 Kensington Street, North Laine: pan-Asian rather than strictly Japanese, but reliable for noodles.

Tips for choosing

• Want theatre and variety: Moshimo and its belt.
• Want something small, smoky and sake-led: Bincho Yakitori.
• Want a bowl of ramen and fried chicken: Goemon.
• Plant-based: Happy Maki.

Hours and menus change, so check each venue's own website or ring ahead before you set off. Further reading: Restaurants Brighton on Moshimo, on Bincho Yakitori, That's Up's sushi guide and First Table on Goemon.