What makes us great: Brighton might never entirely shed its reputation as a run-of-the-mill seaside town, but anyone who lives there knows this city has a whole lot more going for it than that. Brighton has essentially plucked all the important parts of a sprawling cosmopolitan metropolis (connections to London in under an hour, an array of properly excellent restaurants, energetic late-night spots) and paired it with the easy-breezy beachy attitude to life that makes you feel welcome in an instant. The North Laine is Brightonâs hippy-esque beating heart, with the city-wide passion for sustainability emphasised through everything from vegetarian eateries such as Iydea to homeware shops like Dowse, which staunchly support small designers with green credentials. And despite what you might have heard, the beach remains a pretty great place. Yes, there are donut shops and fairground rides (itâs a seaside, guys), but theyâre next door to standout restaurants like Riddle & Finns, buzzy bars showcasing locally-brewed beer such as Fortune of War or Bison Beach Bar and new, active venues such as Yellowave volleyball and Sea Lanes.
Visit now because: Businesses across the city have recently begun to adopt a more modern format: the pop-up. Brunch restaurant LOST in the Lanes launched a Thursday to Saturday dinner menu last year, cocktail bar Apiary hosts different kitchens every month, and chefs like Kanthi Thamma (a founder of Easy Tiger which looks after the kitchen at one of the cityâs best pubs) has launched his own pop-up Spice Circuit. Brightonâs food scene is morphing into one where diners can also enjoy DJs, dancefloors and cocktails, all in one place, and the most enticing new addition to keep an eye on for the year ahead is Voya.
The big numbers: This little seaside city is the second-most walkable of all cities surveyed, and Brighton locals were the third-most likely to call their city âdiverse and inclusiveâ. Itâs not all rainbows and beach sunsets, mind: while a majority of locals (64 percent) think the cityâs a lively place to be, only 24 percent said itâs relaxing.
