Brighton is sometimes called London-on-sea, and for good reason. The café culture here is strong, with great coffee roasters and baristas alike. I couldn’t name one single café as my favourite (just check my purse, bursting with loyalty cards), so I’ve made a whole list for you to choose from!
This guide is part of my Brighton Guides, a newly updated list I’ve put together after living here for over two years now. I’ve ensured there’s options in Brighton’s Lanes, North Laine, Hove, and Kemptown, so you’re never too far from your next coffee!
7 Of The Best Cafés In Brighton
Bread & Milk
82 Trafalgar Street, Brighton, BN1 4EB
It would be remiss of me to start my list of the best cafés in Brighton without Bread & Milk. I’m pretty sure I’ve worked through at least three loyalty cards since I started visiting this cafe, which is a stone’s throw from North Laine, and provides great coffee as well as generous indoor and outdoor seating.
Despite the name, Bread + Milk caters very well to vegans, with the usual plant milks available, as well as amazingly good vegan sausage sandwiches. Bookmark it!
Cafe Rust, Kemptown
115 St George’s Road, Kemptown, Brighton, BN2 1EA
While living in Kemptown (the East side of Brighton), Café Rust quickly became my favourite brunch spot. Situated in what’s locally known as ‘Kemptown Village’, the café is surrounded by lovely little independents, and a few of my favourite charity shops too. Here, they do incredibly good flat whites, as well as pastries, cakes, and a full dine-in menu. Be sure to sit outside in the summer!
Café Rust has a number of locations around Brighton, so if Kemptown is a little out of the way, I recommend visiting one of the others!
The Flour Pot
Kings Road Arches, 85-90, Brighton, BN1 2FN
For the best coffee on the beach, walk along the promenade to The Flour Pot. Somehow, everyone has heard of The Flour Pot before visiting Brighton, but in my opinion, I’d skip the Sydney Street branch and instead make a bee-line for their beach-front café instead. You’ll find less queues, and can enjoy your coffee out on the beach! The homemade iced tea is especially delicious on hot days.
Knoops
42 Market Street, Brighton, BN1 1HH
If you’re not really a coffee fan, but instead love hot chocolate, you’ll love Knoops. The Knoops café in The Lanes is the original café (don’t let the Londoners fool you!) and it’s home to some of the best chocolate drinks – milkshakes, iced hot chocolates, hot chocolates, and more! You can choose the percentage chocolate you’d like in your drink (many of these are vegan) and choose your milk too.
My pro tip? Don’t skip the extras – adding a dash of orange oil, or a sprinkle of sea salt, is a game changer!
Pelicano, North Laine
28 Sydney Street, Brighton, BN1 4EP
If you’re looking for a café around Brighton’s bustling North Laine, skip Flour Pot, and instead head to Pelicano. Last summer I got a little obsessed with cold brew, and Pelicano was my favourite place to get it when walking about in the city. After a few visits, I discovered they have a secret garden out back, with half of the tables sat out in the sun, and the other half shaded by a giant tree. It’s a dreamy coffee stop, just make sure not to tell too many people…
Salvage Cafe
84 Western Road, Hove, BN3 1JB
On my first ever visit to Brighton, I stayed in an Airbnb in Hove. I love Hove – it’s quieter, more residential, and has some of the best cafés and restaurants in the area. Salvage Café is my top pick for Hove. If you want to live and breathe vintage, head here! Sipping coffee among antiques? I can’t think of anything more fitting.
White Cloud Coffee
299 Madeira Drive, Brighton, BN2 1EN
Finally, one for the Sea Lanes! If I’m enjoying a beach day, you’ll likely find me down on the east-side of the coastline, back close to where I used to live. Before the Sea Lanes renovations began, White Cloud Coffee was my favourite spot to grab a cold brew to sip out in the sun. I hope they’ll be back this summer!
Looking for more Brighton recommendations? Check out my Brighton Travel Diaries!
