My Favourite Sustainable Hangouts In Brighton

Close-up of terraced houses in Brighton

Thinking about visiting Brighton for a little UK holiday? I don’t blame you. What started off as a short-term let last year has turned into my full-time home – I just love Brighton! And while it’s a great destination to visit the sea and partake in some traditionally cheesy British seaside activities, there are also a number of sustainable spots in Brighton to discover too!

As I’m almost ready to celebrate my one year anniversary of becoming a Brightonian, I wanted to share a few of my favourite shops, cafés, and hangouts around the city. Plus, for all of these, they’re great to visit all year round!

Ensemble

2 Hanningtons Lane, Brighton, BN1 1GS

First up, let me take you to one of my favourite sustainable fashion stores. If you’re looking for a carefully curated selection of indie designers who care about the climate as much as their creativity, Ensemble is the place. This is one of my favourite places to browse fashion and discover intriguing and beautiful designs, and the brother and sister duo running the store are simply the sweetest. Well worth a visit if you find yourself lost in The Lanes.

Try… popping in every few weeks or so, because every new collection is worth discovering!

Wolf & Gypsy Vintage

30 Sydney Street, Brighton, BN1 4EP

Exterior of Wolf & Gypsy Vintage

Another delightful little sustainable fashion boutique dotted about Brighton is Wolf & Gypsy Vintage. They rival Ensemble’s ability to curate fashion, but for the most part it’s all vintage, one-off, unique pieces! One of my favourite vintage jumpers was found here, although I’ve had too many instances of trying to fit into vintage Levi’s without luck. I will find that dream pair one day…

Try… sneaking into the back room for more rails and unique finds.

Pelicano

28 Sydney Street, Brighton, BN1 4EP

Once you’ve exhausted yourself at Wolf & Gypsy, take a trip down the street to Pelicano. While The Flour Pot might be the café with the most buzz on Sydney Street, Pelicano and their cold brew coffees are just so much better. Pelicano has a few outposts in Brighton, but this one is a particular favourite, and the staff is always so friendly.

Try… taking a seat in the secret garden out the back. It’s gorgeous in the sunshine!

Alma’s Alterations

34 Church Street, Brighton, BN1 1RL

Ok, Alma’s Alterations makes the list more as a sustainable fashion spot, rather than a place to visit. But, I love their work. So far I’ve had two pieces of clothing altered by the team at Alma’s and they do such a great job. You can find out more about their service in my post on clothes alterations.

Try… the clothes alteration service, for any item, any time of year.

The Feminist Bookshop

48 Upper North Street, Brighton, BN1 3FH

Finding a good bookshop is quite a feat these days. Well, Brighton is home to one of the best – The Feminist Bookshop! Welcoming feminists of all genders and levels, the tiny yet tidy bookshop provides great reading material and great coffee too.

Try… the afternoon-tea events in collaboration with To The Moon And Snack. Best vegan food I’ve ever had!

Café Rust

115 St George’s Road, Kemptown, Brighton, BN2 1EA

For the best brunch in Brighton, head to Café Rust. My favourite establishment of theirs is located in Kemptown, as it’s a little quieter, but any of their locations that do brunch do it really, really well. Perfect poached eggs, perfect sourdough toast, perfect coffee… Café Rust has me spending all my money on avo on toast, and I’m here for it.

Try… the Welsh Rarebit. It’s a simple dish but the Rust team have a special twist!

Open Bakery

34 St George’s Road, Kemptown, Brighton, BN2 1ED

Having lived in Paris in my early 20’s, I’ve been a bit obsessed with good bakeries since then. Usually, the first thing I do in any new area is scout around local bakeries to find the best baked goods! Open Bakery is that place for me in Brighton. Their buttery croissants are generously sized and fairly priced, their vegan sausage rolls and salads are one of my favourite lunches, and their patisserie would stand up to French scrutiny! Open Bakery is based in Kemptown, but also has a little café in Queens Park that’s well worth visiting too.

Try… the buttery croissants, the banoffee macrons, and the pistachio madeleines. All heavenly!

Brighton Flea Market

31 Upper St. James’s Street, Kemptown, Brighton, BN2 1JN

Like any good flea market, Brighton’s own is a hodge-podge of old and new furniture, clothing, and all kinds of tat that can be seen as both trash or treasure. From here I’ve found a few lovely little items for my home, but the pièce de résistance has to be my purple shell chair. Era? No idea. Previous owner? Who knows. All I know is that it was half the price of a flimsy equivalent being sold in Oliver Bonas at the time!

Try… visiting the upstairs for a great selection of vintage lighting, but also avoid haggling because they won’t budge!

Wolfox Avenue

56 St. James’s Street, Kemptown, Brighton, BN2 1QG

St. James’ Street has a great selection of charity shops and Brighton Flea Market to meander around, but when it comes to finding a spot to eat, Wolfox Avenue is by far the best place. Never too busy, always a place to sit, and food that is as delicious as it is impressive… It’s heavenly. There are a few Wolfox cafés to choose from across Brighton and Hove, but Wolfox Avenue is my favourite.

Try… an oat flat white. Sounds simple but they do it perfectly here!

Advertisement

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline feedbacks
View all comments