Young chef Isaac Bartlett-Copeland is the brains behind this tiny Scandi-style restaurant in Brighton and both him and his cooking are a hit, with one reader praising him as “a pioneer of genuinely local food, wines and craft ales”. Bartlett-Copeland and his crew work wonders in the kitchen, creating “maximum flavours from minimal ingredients”.
High levels of concentration and “passion” are needed to hone the delicately constructed, exquisitely presented plates of food, which provide valuable content for Brighton’s Instagram accounts. The multi-course tasting menu is super-seasonal and hyper-local (the number of food miles is listed for each ingredient), with the kitchen team sourcing ingredients locally on a daily basis. That means that the menu is constantly evolving, so you can expect dishes with lots of on-trend grace notes: celeriac with egg yolk and apple, lamb with Brussel sprouts and shallots, and haddock with cauliflower and parsley.
Meanwhile, foraged pickings come into their own when it comes to sweet treats such as bramley and chervil sorbet, or pear, cobnut and lemon thyme. The waiting staff are “brilliant on the wine front”, so ask for their advice when it comes to the all-Sussex list, which includes superb sparklers from Nyetimber and Ridgeview, whites from the Albourne Estate and even a fairly decent Pinot Noir from Davenports. Alternatively, opt for a Brighton Gin and Regency Tonic.
As well as the signature seven-course tasting menu, guests can instead opt to dine from a shorter four-course menu, while there is also a four-course pre-theatre menu available for guests who are heading to see a show at The Theatre Royal. For non-meat eaters, a vegetarian or vegan tasting menu can be requested. With its hi-spec, inclusive menu and welcoming atmosphere, we wholeheartedly agree with the fan who says this is “a real find” – “one of the best meals I’ve had outside London in a long time”.