Terre a Terre

71 East Street, Brighton, BN1 1HQ   Tel: 01273 729051  http://www.terreaterre.co.uk

Lunch / dinner / afternoon tea / treat price range

I always forget about Terre a Terre. We used eat there a lot years ago but there are so many new places opening we stopped. However, been back a couple of times lately and it is better than ever.

The menu is a mystery – literally not the faintest idea what most of the dishes are. My best advice for anyone new to Terre a Terre is ‘pick a dish with an ingredient you like and hope for the best’.

The Terre a Tapas is a selection of everything and a good bet if you can’t be bothered deciphering the menu. Everything is beautifully presented and everything is delicious. Any carnivores moaning about it being veggie need to get a grip.

An unexpected bonus at the weekend if you sit in the front part of the restaurant is watching all the stag and hen parties staggering up and down East Street. The best one so far was all the stag party dressed as toreadors with the stag as a Señorita in a red spotty flamenco dress – delightful!

They do great cocktails and also a really good range of range of non-alcoholic cocktails and drinks.  Their afternoon tea also looks amazing.

64 Degrees

53 Meeting House Ln, Brighton BN1 1HB Tel: 01273 770115   http://www.64degrees.co.uk

Good for lunch / dinner – treat price range

I am recommending 64 Degrees even though I probably wouldn’t rush back. It is a lovely experience, we sat at a shared table on little stools (or high stools at the bar) and just keep ordering small plates of interesting deliciousness. It has an open kitchen and I think if you are at the bar you can chat to the chefs as they are cooking.

It was relaxed, the menu is short and I think between us and our companions Mr & Mrs Prestonville we tried most of the dishes.

I tried things I hadn’t eaten before and the flavours and combinations were stunning and fresh. I am really glad I went. My only problem was that I like a ‘proper dinner’ and I am not sure all those little plates actually added up to enough food and I had to have a bit of toast when I got home.

Told you I wasn’t Jay Rayner.

Shuffle Bar

27 York Pl, Brighton BN1 4GU Tel: 01273 688891  www.theshufflebar.co.uk

Now lets be honest Shuffle Bar is not aimed at me. It is predominately a studenty place on the London Road. That said my age 40 something friends and I had a lovely old time there early evening one week night. The cocktails are great value with two for one offers during the week. The bar staff are really friendly and knowledgeable and above all quick. There is nothing worse than waiting weeks for your cocktail and these guys serve ‘em snappy.

There is an app you can download to your phone when you are there to pick music to play in the bar – like a digital jukebox – and the songs are put on shuffle hence the bar name.  The lovely staff showed us how to do and then gamely put up with the Taylor Swift and Guns ‘n’ Roses based playlist that we chose.

Marmalade 237 Eastern Rd, Brighton, BN2 5JJ Tel: 01273 606138 cafemarmalade.co.uk

Good for brunch/ lunch / tea and cake

This cafe really is the bees knees. It is out in Kemp Town but luckily the number 7 bus goes all the way from Hove to practically outside! I have been twice for lunch and had their small salad plate which is a (really quite decent sized) plate with three or four of their salads from the counter. They are amazing, really inventive and unusual and often featuring pomegranate, my favourite salad ingredient. Literally the most tasty thing. Mr Hove has had various pies and slices with his salads and they are fantastic as well. I can’t wait to go back for breakfast or brunch as I have heard great things about these too. They also do jolly nice cake.

Iydea 105 Western Road, Brighton, BN1 2AA, Tel: 01273 965 904 iydea.co.uk

Good for brunch / lunch / vegetarian. Value for money.

Now I love hardcore vegetarian food and have really missed the old canteen style Food for Friends. There are two Idyea’s one in the North Laine and one on Western Road and they have really filled this gap in the market. First the breakfasts – for those of you tired of the standard fry up this heavenly. I had a small breakfast with homemade veggie sausage, hash brown, homemade baked beans, soft poached egg and mushroom, avocado and tomato stir fry. My companion Mrs Fourroadsup had avocado and eggs on toast. Both filling and delicious but you left feeling you had given your body a lovely treat. Coffee also great and they have glasses and a drinking water fountain arrangement so you can just help yourself. For lunch they have a counter and you choose a main course, two side dishes and a topping for a set price. These meals are huge and I have found myself asking for a smaller portion but you can’t quibble with the value for money. Great, hearty, nourishing food.