A popular day-trip destination from London, seaside city Brighton is quirky, eccentric, cosmopolitan and full of independent coffee shops. Seeing as eating and drinking is my favourite pastime, I thought I’d put together this guide of the best of the best places to grab a cup of coffee. I’ll keep adding to it as I go so keep checking back.
Marwoods
It’s Kitsch. It’s retro. It’s just so.. Brighton. Speak to anyone who knows coffee in Brighton and they would have heard of Marwoods. Tucked away in the South Lanes this cafe serves no fuss high quality coffees and also doubles up as a bar so you can get something a little stronger. There’s plenty of space to sit including a cute courtyard round the back.
The Flour Pot Bakery
A Brighton Institution, The Flour Pot Bakery is an independent company known well in the city. Since starting, it’s grown five cafe’s across Brighton, all serving the best locally made bread including sourdough and focaccia, cakes and pastries, (homemade donuts on Fridays) and coffees.
Wai Kika Moo Cow
If there’s a free table outside on a sunny day then I can’t walk by without going here for lunch. I think last year there was a period where I came here everyday for the halloumi wrap because it’s so good, but there’s other dished to choose from as well. It specialises in vegan and vegetarian food so expect lots of hummus and falafel. It’s also great for a vegetarian breakfast in the North Laine. Loads of vegan milk alternatives here too.
Cafe Plenty
A new favourite, Cafe Plenty has just recently opened up at the far end of London Road and it is already making a name for itself. With its minimalist decor and laid back feel, Cafe Plenty feels half Californian beach, half New York- Greenwich Village. It’s the kind of place you’d want to bring your laptop to and do a bit of freelance writing and with its laptop station, great wi-fi and business room which you can rent out hourly, it’s a great place to do just that. There’s a wide range of food to choose from including mac and cheese, sandwiches and American pancakes. There’s many vegan alternatives too, (see the vegan tower below), along with a good selection of cakes, teas and coffees.
Black Mocha
The best for people watching, Black Mocha is relatively new to the coffee scene. Tiny on the outside with a deceptive amount of seats inside, this cafe is perfectly situated right in the heart of The North Laine. They sell three different types of vegan hot chocolate, white, milk and 70% dark, along with serving a section of savoury pastries and frittata’s and cakes. It’s a must visit for healthy vegan desserts made from raw and natural ingredients such as coconut oil, cacao and nuts. One of the most popular is the vegan snickers.
Cloud 9
Google cupcakes in Brighton and Cloud 9 will come up. Everything about this place, even its decor is indulgent. Bright pink on the outside, even more so on the inside, Cloud 9 is the place of childhood dreams. Indulge your inner child in a gloriously sickly teeth sinking layer of frosting on one of their cupcakes or grab a cone of ice-cream, all homemade. Or if you dare, try their famous multi layered rainbow cake. Cloud 9 also do whole cakes available to pre-order for special events, along with sundaes, milkshakes, brownies and waffles. They have now expanded to three stores with the flagship being in Brighton place, and the other two in Kensington gardens and London road.
Small Batch Coffee
Small Batch is the driving force behind Brighton’s coffee scene. Starting out as a small coffee cart outside of Brighton station, Small Batch has now expanded into a well established Brighton business. Along with having numerous coffee shops, Small Batch beans and cakes are sold in many cafes across the city. The company was the first to bring the Australian coffee culture over here and the coffees are as good today as they were when they were first being served from the coffee cart back in 2005, except now you can get a slab of flourless chocolate cake to go with it.
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