Raquel Sereno, a designer with a sustainable approach, and a resident of this city in the south of England, shared her favorites with us.
What is the hottest neighborhood right now and why?
North Lanes is full of artists and independent businesses offering options from vintage to green. It is also a place with many great cafes and bars.
What are the best places to walk in the city?
The most beautiful option is to walk along the coast, from Hove to Brighton, passing by the piers that are full of games, incredible restaurants, art galleries, and stalls with sweets for everyone. Also in summer, it is filled with music, skaters, and kitesurfers.
What do you recommend to those interested in art and culture?
Brighton is a city full of art and culture in the form of galleries, workshops, and design and craft offices. There are also museums and historical places such as the Royal Pavilion, one of the eccentricities of King George IV, with Hindu architecture on the outside and Chinese decorative aspects on the inside.
I also recommend taking advantage of the open house studios, which are held twice a year, where the city’s artists open their homes to invite you to buy their pieces and learn about their work in a more personal environment. You can do this tour by taking some breaks at the local pub in each neighborhood or neighborhood.
What is the most spectacular view of the city?
There are different iconic points with great views, first, there is the Royal Pavilion with the sunset in the background, which you can enjoy from one of its neighboring cafes or tea places. Another great view of the sunset is on the coast, at the height of the Old Pier, a pier that has the best sunset adorned with starlings that draw perfect flights in the sky.
How can travelers have a local experience in Brighton?
Visiting the pubs, cafes, and second-hand or antique ratchet shops of both the North and South Lanes. And for something more eccentric and flavorful, Kemp Town is the one. I also recommend staying at a traditional English B&B in Regency Square, like Brighton House.
What are your favorite cafes and restaurants?
Small Batch Coffee Company, there are two or three of these cafes in Brighton, they have the best coffee in the city, excellent baristas, decadent desserts and it’s eco-friendly too. Marwoods Café, on Ship Street, is a bit more eccentric and authentic to Brighton, decorated like a crazy fantasy world, and has a soup of the day to die for.
Other favorites of mine are Foodilic (salads), The Giggling Squid (very affordable Thai food), and Food For Friends (the first vegetarian restaurant in the entire country). If you want to experience a Nordic night full of drinks and live music you have to go to Northern Lights and relive the next day with a Japanese lunch at Pompoko. Now if you want to enjoy a traditional English Sunday Roast, the best option is the Yeo Man Pub and its incredible apple crumble for dessert.
What is the trendy drink?
Tuaca is the liqueur (a short drink) that you will only find in Brighton, almost all the pubs and bars in the city prepare it. It is a rich and sweet Italian vanilla-based liqueur, you can’t miss it.
What are the best plans to relax?
Seven Sisters for a day out in the countryside, Hove Loans to enjoy the coast, Devils Dyke for a day of walking, and the Pavilion Gardens to forget about the city for a bit.
What gives the city a unique personality?
Brighton is its people: they come in all colors, flavors, styles, and with all kinds of virtues. The city is a great community that welcomes any traveler as if they were at home. A large part of the population today came to visit and never left.