Restaurant-Guide.com
hand picked restaurants

Brighton is a resort of many faces when it comes to all sorts of things, but not least is it apparent in the numbers of places to eat, ranging from the very grand to the extremely humble, but all with their own public, their own ideas and ambitions, their own successes and setbacks.

Owners Ken Handley and Jane Hughes took a conscious decision that they wanted to set up their first restaurant doing things their way. As passionate believers in quality over quantity they had no previous experience, but they had eaten out a good deal and seldom if ever did they find the results 100% appealing. Cynics might say they never will, but not only is this not true it is also pretty negative.

The result of all this is Seasons Café Bar and Bistro to give its full title, where an analysis of their success reveals that vital key, attention to detail. If you read their mission creed you'll begin to understand just how this colours their whole approach. It starts with location, in the heart of Brighton, in the North Laine only five minutes from the railway station one way and the night life the other. Reference to their opening times will show careful research, and at any day except Monday when they are enjoying life beyond running a café/bistro, they open at 10am.

Situated in New Road, Brighton, Zafferelli's is an Italian bistro serving classic fare. There's starters and salads to wake your taste buds, pasta's, risotto's and meat dishes for entrée's, dessert to top it off and an expansive array of wines to make a classic, wholesome, Italian meal.

The setting is unassuming and the service friendly. You can choose affetatto italiano, a selection of Italian salami for starters, verdune alla griglia, mixed grilled vegetables, and fungi e proscuito, pizza topped with ham, mushroom, tomato and mozzarella. Finally, bring on a tiramisu. The restaurant's wine list brings together wines from all parts of Italy and is comprehensive.

Zafferelli's is a cosy nook where you can enjoy a hearty meal with your friends and family in an inconspicuous setting.

Amongst the many restaurants and eating places all vying to supply the worthy citizens of Brighton and their visitors with sustenance, Bombay Aloo goes the extra mile. In terms of value for money it is hard to believe and that may depend heavily on the buffet style approach. This allows customers to indulge themselves freely, the only inhibition being their ability to expand within whatever items came to hand when they opened the wardrobe door. Only snag, if you're a dyed in the wool carnivore you could be in trouble. Go for it, and make sure you find a table in the upper room. And by the way should you decide to give the tinies (under 3) an introduction to their future, they eat free.

Our traditional carving table restaurant hosts a treat of daily dishes, a true feast, sure to please the most discerning appetite, set in wonderful surroundings with high Victorian ceilings and beautiful chandeliers.

Sunday brunch - £17.50 (12.45 - 2.30pm) including a complimentary cocktail on arrival & jazz band.

If you happen to walk down Trafalgar Street in Brighton, then drop in at Nia, a contemporary and stylish cafe and restaurant, which serves delicious meals throughout the day. Slowly but impeccably, this eatery has built a reputation of tasty fare crafted from the freshest local produce, which diners can enjoy in the relaxing and laidback atmosphere.

Breakfast, served until 1 pm, includes smoked haddock with soft poached egg on toast amongst other delights such as pain au chocolat or American style buttermilk pancakes. At lunchtime, salads, sandwiches and burgers can appease your hunger pangs while a meal later in the day could comprise of starters of house smoked tiger prawns with avocado, roast pepper and paprika aioli. Main courses bring the butterfly lamb chop with homemade mint sauce, potatoes, salad and seasonal vegetables.

Food for Friends in Prince Albert Street, part of the Brighton Lanes, is one of the newer restaurants where vegetarianism is no longer a café item, but stands on its own as a sophisticated element of the restaurant world. They have much the same aims as others but go about them in a different way, reflecting a passion for Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and North African cuisines where healthy eating is known to be instrumental in promoting longevity and a better quality of life.

Starters of a Thai sharing platter, or roasted seeds, nuts and olives from Kalamata set the scene, and main courses of wild mushroom rosti, crispy arancini, or sweet potato and coconut curry bring a seasonal whiff of fresh local ingredients. Sticky toffee pudding strays well away from its birthplace at Cartmel, and molten chocolate, described as a pudding with gooey hot chocolate served with Bailey's ice cream is enough to bring any errant vegetarian back to the fold.

Food for Friends now has a takeaway operation, a real sign of the times and success, and finally a sobering thought - some 70% of Food for Friends' customers are not vegetarian. At least some of them must be refugees from the truly awful ways in which other types of restaurants not infrequently serve their vegetables. Good then to see recipes on their Website for turning healthy ingredients into well appreciated dishes.