The best restaurants in Hove

Cin Cin started as a side hustle run by an Aussie lawyer with Italian roots, but now it's one of Brighton and Hove's best restaurants. Inside, you'll find an open kitchen buzzing with chefs making pasta, a robata grill firing up seasonal specials, and a bar pouring aperitivos and Italian wines. The menu changes monthly, but pasta's a constant, and there's also a tasting menu if you're in the mood to go all out.

The Urchin has long been a Hove favourite, functioning as a part-pub, part-seafood restaurant. The menu is award-winning, and splits between classics and a specials board where the chefs get creative. Sundays are for paella, cooked in giant pans, and the house beer is brewed in their own microbrewery downstairs.

Bincho Yakitori brings Tokyo's backstreet izakaya vibes to Hove, led by chef David's years living and working in Japan. It's all about simple, food done brilliantly with weekly-changing skewers, snacks, and sharing plates grilled over natural fire and served as they're ready, no starters, no mains. The drinks list is just as impressive, featuring cold Japanese beers, a range of sake (from well-known to lesser-known), whiskies, and the occasional cocktail.

This chic little spot brings a sliver of Spain to Hove, with dainty tapas and a cracking wine list that flits between Spanish bodegas and natural European bottles. The menu features all the classics and more, including gambas pil pil and sardines, as well as porchetta, with daily specials worth taking a look at. It's intimate, romantic and buzzing, equally great for date night or long, chatty dinners with pals.

Hidden away on a quiet Hove street, The Little Fish Market is one of the city's most coveted bookings. Chef Duncan Ray runs a one-man show: one chef, one menu, one sitting. The result is a delicious curated tasting menu built around the freshest seafood, often landed on the Sussex coast that same morning. 

Wild Flor has become one of the city's finest restaurants since opening in 2019. Now a regular in the Michelin Guide, it's earned acclaim for its French-inspired fare, quality seasonal ingredients and a seriously impressive little wine list. Daily-changing menus feature dishes of just-caught seafood, complemented by in-house butchered cuts, served in a relaxed, bistro-style dining room located on Church Road.

Halisco is a cosy spot in Hove where the tacos are next level and the menu includes everything from fried soft-shell crab and oyster mushrooms to a fresh watermelon salad with tajín. The vibe is laid-back and atmospheric, with extra seating downstairs in the basement, and a cocktail menu that specialises in margaritas. Once you've finished your tacos, you can carry on the evening at their other margarita bar just across the road.

Equal parts restaurant and wine bar, Fourth and Church is one of Hove's buzziest little gems. The food is a seasonal selection of small plates with a European inspiration, best enjoyed alongside their rotating list of sherries, wines, and cocktails. There's counter seating if you're just here for charcuterie and a glass, or you can settle in for long evenings of pop-ups, residencies and masterclasses.

Follow the charcoal smoke down Church Road and you'll eventually reach Shiraz, a little Persian restaurant that's snagged prizes like "Best Middle Eastern Takeaway" in the Deliveroo Awards. It's all about plates of smoked meats piled up high, flatbreads fresh out of the oven, and colourful meze perfect for sharing amongst the table. Nab a window seat if you can – it's ideal for people-watching with a kebab in hand.

From the outside, Unithai looks like a Thai supermarket, but head inside and you'll find one of Brighton & Hove's best-kept secrets. Amongst the supermarket shelves, there's a tiny dining room where they dish up bowls of noodles, curries and street-food classics that taste straight out of Bangkok. It's laid-back and very casual, but that almost makes it that little bit more endearing. 

Fatto a Mano began in Brighton and has grown into a local institution, with spots in Brighton, Hove, and London. The Hove branch serves up wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas, with dough proved for 24 hours and cooked at 450°C. The space is roomy, with indoor and outdoor seating, but the ultimate move is grabbing a takeaway to enjoy on the beach just across the road.

Since 2012, these guys have been cooking what many claim are Brighton & Hove's best burgers. They serve a range of burgers, but the classic cheeseburger is a favourite, made with the highest quality meat, homemade sauce and sandwiched between a fresh bun. The Hove branch is cosy with just a few tables, but the beach is just down the road, so you can grab one to enjoy with a view of the sea.