The Best Pubs in Brighton

This pub is a craft beer haven with 20 taps and over 200 cans to enjoy. The food is all locally sourced and cooked exceptionally well, all at a reasonable price. Be sure to start with a Negroni as an aperitif before diving into the excellent beer selection and great quality food. It is a welcoming spot with outdoor seating, highly recommended as one of the best pubs in the area.

Welcome to The Pond, an independent pub serving delicious beer from around the planet, including their own Pondwater Pale Ale. The kitchen knocks out an enormous amount of Taiwanese steamed bun bao goodness with a menu that changes with the seasons. It is a cozy boozer that doesn't take itself too seriously, open from midday to midnight seven days a week.

This pub is a true community corner boozer that brews and sells its own beers alongside local ales and interesting imports. It began its journey in 2015 and is described as an incredible, safe, comfortable, and happy place where everybody is welcome. The pub proudly absorbs the community’s personality and shares its space for interesting, unusual, and rare events.

This is Brighton's original ale house, a village pub that has been pouring ale on Surrey Street since 1854. Now an independently run free house, it offers 22 taps of the freshest beer and cider, including 7 lines of fresh, cask conditioned ale. For almost 30 years, real ale has been the first love here, and the hand pumps now sit alongside 12 keg taps with beer from independent breweries in the UK, Czech Republic, and Bavaria. The pop up partners Two Wolves Vegan Kitchen serve tasty burgers, fries, and ever changing specials from the pub kitchen.

The Basketmakers Arms is a true gem that pulls in crowds from far and wide for its top tier real ales and excellent organic food. This traditional boozer is packed with character, serving up a legendary Sunday roast alongside perfectly kept cask beers from Fuller’s. Grab a pint of HSB or ESB, dig into a seafood platter, and soak up the lively yet cosy vibe that keeps this place buzzing.

The Hop Poles is a Brighton institution known for its lovely, heated, and covered garden that stays open all night. It offers a wide range of drinks, including local craft beers, traditional lagers, and alcohol free options on tap. The pub hosts a live DJ every Friday and Saturday night from 9pm until 2am, making it an upbeat destination venue by night. Its interior features solid pine tables, retro magazine covered walls, and lampshades your granny would be proud of, blending the traditional with the kooky.

The Lion & Lobster is a Brighton institution serving mouth-watering food across three characterful floors, from a classic pub and elegant Regency restaurant to a hidden rooftop terrace. All dishes are freshly prepared on-site using the best local ingredients, with weekly specials including Friday steak night and a deluxe Sunday roast. The pub welcomes everyone, including families, couples, and dogs, and offers a handpicked selection of wines, beers, and cocktails. You can choose to sit in the cosy pub or head up to the beautiful roof terrace, and joining the pub club gets you a free drink with a special birthday treat.

The Watchmakers Arms is Brighton and Hove's first micropub, a warm and welcoming space focused on conversation without music, TVs, or games machines. It features cask beer kept at cellar temperature, plus keg lines for stronger beers, real cider, and wines. The pub brews its own beer weekly on a closed day, with popular house beers like old timer and bezel bitter that sell out quickly.

Step into The Great Eastern, a lively boozer that buzzes with character and the warmth of a true local. This place is a haven for whiskey lovers and anyone after a perfectly poured pint of Landlord, served exactly how you like it. With DJs spinning vinyl and a suitably dark, cozy interior, it’s the kind of spot where you’ll find great drinks, friendly faces, and always someone interesting to chat with.

This pub offers a large, stylish space with three separate inside areas and one of the largest and most attractive beer gardens around. The garden features heated pods, large covered areas, and tables perfect for relaxing in the sunshine. It serves locally sourced, freshly prepared food daily and is both child friendly until 8.30pm and dog friendly inside and out.