Last Updated on 3 June 2026 by Dave King
Brunch in Brighton is not the same thing as breakfast. Breakfast is a coffee and something quick before you do something else. Brunch is the event itself. It is the reason you leave the house on a Saturday, the meal that turns into cocktails, the two hours you spend at a table with no intention of rushing. Brighton has a strong brunch scene, with enough variety that you could eat at a different spot every weekend for months. This guide covers the best brunch in Brighton based on places that treat it as the main event rather than a side note on a cafe menu.
Table of Contents
Quick Reference Table
| Venue | Area | Style | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jo and Co | Hove (Church Road) | Antipodean-inspired, award-winning | Families, celebrations, bubbles brunch |
| The Canopy | Seven Dials (Dyke Road) | Chef-led, seasonal, all-day | Fine dining quality without the formality |
| Kooks | North Laine | Boozy brunch, cocktails, all-day menu | Friends, cocktails, late starts |
| Black Mocha | North Laine (Gloucester Road) | Waste-conscious, seasonal, specialty coffee | Solo brunch, ethical eating, great coffee |
| Nord | Hove (Western Road) | Scandi interiors, creative dishes | Instagram-worthy plates, vegan options |
The Picks
Jo and Co
Jo and Co at 115 Church Road in Hove won Best Brunch and Most Family Friendly at the 2026 BRAVO Awards, Brighton’s biggest public-voted restaurant awards with over 71,000 votes. That double win tells you what the place does well: the food is strong enough to win a city-wide vote and the atmosphere is relaxed enough that you can bring children without feeling like you are ruining anyone’s morning.
The menu is inspired by owners Jo and Pete’s travels through Australia and New Zealand. Build-your-own pancakes are a signature. Brunch classics like eggs benedict, buttermilk pancakes and a full cooked breakfast sit alongside seasonal specials. Local suppliers include The Flour Pot Bakery, Mac’s Farm eggs and Brighton Sausage Company. There is also a bubbles brunch option pairing any brunch dish with a bottle of prosecco, which is popular with hen parties and celebrations.
Brunch runs until 3pm daily. Friday and Saturday evenings open for dinner. The interior is bright and spacious with a mezzanine level, and there is a sun-facing terrace outside. Booking is recommended at weekends.
Address: 115 Church Road, Hove BN3 2AF
The Canopy
The Canopy at 87-93 Dyke Road in Seven Dials opened in summer 2025 and has quickly become one of the best brunch in Brighton options for anyone who wants something more considered than a standard cafe. The kitchen is led by Michael Bremner, a Great British Menu winner and the chef behind 64 Degrees, one of Brighton’s most respected restaurants. At The Canopy, that pedigree shows in the food without showing in the prices or the formality.
The signature dish is the Canopy Hash, available with smoked salmon, spicy nduja or a vegetarian option. The rest of the menu covers avocado toast with sesame crunch, a full breakfast with homemade beans, scrambled eggs with oak-smoked salmon, and a fried chicken sandwich with firecracker sauce. Sweet options include the Biscoff crepe. Coffee comes from Skylark, a Brighton non-profit roaster.
The space is light and plant-filled with a large hidden garden that works well in warmer months. Dog friendly. Opens at 9am. Seven Dials is slightly outside the central tourist area, which means it is easier to get a table than most places in this guide.
Address: 87-93 Dyke Road, Brighton BN1 3JE
Kooks
Kooks in the heart of North Laine is the best brunch in Brighton if what you want is a late start, a cocktail in your hand and food that does not pretend brunch is a health event. The espresso martinis are a known quantity here, and the bloody marys are made properly. It is the kind of place where brunch slides into early afternoon drinks without anyone noticing.
The food holds up independently of the cocktails. The eggs benedict with homemade maple-glazed ham hock is a signature, and the rest of the menu covers pancake stacks, full cooked breakfasts, huevos rancheros and lighter options. Brunch runs all day.
Kooks is available for private hire, so it works for birthdays and group brunches. The North Laine location means you are right in the middle of Brighton’s independent shopping streets, which makes it a natural start to a day exploring the city.
Black Mocha
Black Mocha at 103 Gloucester Road is a small, independently run cafe on the edge of North Laine that takes both its food and its environmental impact seriously. Run by Heather and Paul Smith since 2014, everything served is made fresh on site. The cafe says it is working to reduce waste and chooses compostable or infinitely recyclable materials wherever possible, which fits the wider feel of the place: seasonal ingredients, minimal packaging and dishes that change with what is available.
The brunch menu runs from 8:30am to 3pm and covers a house brunch with herby potatoes and organic eggs, eggs benedict and florentine, shakshuka with sourdough, and the not-avocado, a smashed pea and bean mix on sourdough for anyone who wants the texture without the air miles. The namesake Black Mocha drink, a 70% Madagascan chocolate blended with espresso, is the thing most people order first and remember longest. There is also a strong range of gluten-free cakes and raw vegan bakes.
This is the pick if you want a quieter, more thoughtful brunch away from the busier North Laine spots. Bookings are available through OpenTable, limited to 90 minutes for brunch.
Address: 103 Gloucester Road, Brighton BN1 4AP
Nord
Nord at 83 Western Road in Hove is a newer addition to the brunch scene with a calm, Scandi-inspired interior and a menu that sits between wholesome and indulgent. The truffle butter scrambled eggs on sourdough are a standout, and the pistachio pancakes with strawberries and rose petals are the kind of dish that gets photographed before it gets eaten. The beetroot hummus bowl with poached eggs, smashed avocado and feta is another favourite.
Vegan and vegetarian options are clearly marked and well thought through rather than afterthoughts. The falafel bowl in particular gets consistently good feedback. The space is small but bright, with a focus on quality over quantity in both the menu and the seating.
Nord is on the BRAVO Awards Top 20 brunch list for 2026, voted by Brighton locals. It opens at 8am and closes at 5pm. Western Road has good bus links from central Brighton.
Address: 83 Western Road, Hove BN3 1JB
How This Post Differs from the Breakfast Guide
This site also has a separate best breakfast in Brighton guide. The breakfast post covers early starts, quick stops near the station, fry-ups and neighbourhood cafes. This post focuses on the longer, more leisurely meal: the kind of brunch you book a table for, the places where cocktails are part of the menu and the food is designed to be the highlight of your morning rather than fuel for the rest of it.
Practical Tips
Book for weekends. Jo and Co, The Canopy and Kooks all take bookings and all fill up on Saturdays. Black Mocha takes bookings through OpenTable. Nord is smaller and can be walk-in, but arriving early helps.
Boozy brunch. Kooks is the strongest option for cocktails with brunch. Jo and Co has a bubbles brunch with prosecco. The Canopy has a wine and cocktail list.
Vegan and plant-based. All five venues offer vegan options. Black Mocha and Nord are both particularly strong for plant-based brunch dishes.
Families. Jo and Co won Most Family Friendly at the 2026 BRAVOs and has a kids menu. The Canopy is family friendly with a kids menu and activity packs.
FAQs
Where is the best brunch in Brighton?
Jo and Co in Hove won Best Brunch at the 2026 BRAVO Awards, voted by over 71,000 people. The Canopy in Seven Dials offers chef-led brunch from a Great British Menu winner. Kooks in North Laine is the pick for cocktails. The best brunch in Brighton depends on what kind of morning you want.
Is brunch in Brighton expensive?
Mains at the venues in this guide typically range from £12 to £17 per dish. Black Mocha is at the more affordable end. Jo and Co and The Canopy are mid-range. Adding cocktails at Kooks will push the bill higher.
Do I need to book for brunch in Brighton?
For weekends, yes. Jo and Co, The Canopy and Black Mocha all take bookings and fill up on Saturdays and Sundays. Kooks takes bookings too. Arriving before 10am at any venue improves your chances of walking in.
What is the difference between breakfast and brunch in Brighton?
Breakfast is earlier, quicker and more traditional. Think fry-ups, quick coffees and places that open at 7am. Brunch is the longer meal, typically from 9 or 10am, with cocktails, more creative menus and a more social atmosphere. Brighton has strong options for both.
Where can I get a vegan brunch in Brighton?
Black Mocha has a dedicated approach to plant-based eating with dishes like the not-avocado on sourdough. Nord has a well-reviewed falafel bowl and clearly marked vegan options. All five venues in this guide cater for vegan diners.
Final Thoughts
The best brunch in Brighton has enough range that you do not need to settle for the same place twice. Jo and Co for the award-winning all-rounder. The Canopy for the chef-led quality. Kooks for the cocktails and the atmosphere. Black Mocha for the ethical, independent cafe experience. Nord for the creative plates and Scandi calm. Five different mornings, five different reasons to wake up.
