Nostalgia - Old Restaurants and Bars in Brighton

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jcdenton08

Offended Liver Sausage
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Oct 17, 2008
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The Black Chapati at the bottom of Old Shoreham Road on Preston Circus was brilliant.

Lords Winebar under The Wick or in that general direction? Can't find any reference to it, but had the first date with my wife there in Feb 1991.

And what a trip down memory lane this thread has been.
Minor correction, The Black Chapati was in Circus Parade at the bottom of New England Road. It was run by a guy called Steve I think! Went a few times and it was great. There was also a cracking takeaway/kebab house on the other side of the road called Big Bites.
 


South Stand Bonfire

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Jan 24, 2009
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Shoreham-a-la-mer
Sampsons in Kemp Town was a regular for birthday treats. If it was still going now it would making an absolute fortune. As would the coffee roasters that was on Sydney Street.

The Gloucester where I pulled the now Mrs Branson and of course the Escape. I remember standing at the bar age 16 when the police walked in. Gave me the once over and walked out. I think there was a little bit of wee.
Was that Samsons the posh burger restaurant opposite the flower shop in Kemp Town or another restaurant?. I only went to One Paston Place once but that was a really good restaurant. I think it was co-owned by Michael Caine?
 


heathgate

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Apr 13, 2015
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William Tell in Queens Rd ( 1st pub in town to have a video juke box),... often a first stop after getting off the train from a footy trip or last stop if heading for the trains home.... now it is the scruffy looking Hope and Ruin I think.
 








Biscuit Barrel

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Jan 28, 2014
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Southwick
Another mention for Samsons in Kemp Town..

I can remember my dad taking the family there after he won a few quid on Hello Dandy in the 1984 grand national.
 










Comrade Sam

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Jan 31, 2013
1,924
Walthamstow
Very late to this thread and apologies if the following have been mentioned and I have missed these:

Dayvilles ice cream parlour in North Street - 32(?) flavours in 1977, America Had landed in Brighton!

Crocketts/the Electric Grape, basement bar in Queens Road, great post-punkery memories

The Thurlow, Edward Street - Friday lunchtime treat, then back to Amex House, to while away the afternoon before the weekend.
Dayvilles 32 flavours was a must when we came to town from Shoreham, along with Uncle Sam's on Montpelier Road.
Didn't reread the thread but what about the rotund Danish restaurant at the front of Churchill Square (first place I had danish pastry), Dig in the Ribs (Preston Street) and it's sister Pie in the Sky?
Also Choys opposite the town hall - As a younger Mod I took a couple of girlfriends there and made sure we had the table at the back to overlook Jim's alley. I was such a romantic.
 




Herr Tubthumper

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Jul 11, 2003
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The Fatherland
The Black Chapati at the bottom of Old Shoreham Road on Preston Circus was brilliant.

Lords Winebar under The Wick or in that general direction? Can't find any reference to it, but had the first date with my wife there in Feb 1991.

And what a trip down memory lane this thread has been.
It was! I remember when they closed and they suggested theyd be back. I never heard of them again.
 


ozzygull

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Oct 6, 2003
4,173
Reading
I used to love "Dig in the Ribs" in Preston Street in the 90s when it opened.

First time I tried a bottle of beer with a lime stuck in it and a dog bowl on the table for the rib bones.

last I heard it was a place to avoid now as it had gone really down hill, don't know if it's still running.
 


Diocletian

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Feb 16, 2023
581
I used to love "Dig in the Ribs" in Preston Street in the 90s when it opened.

First time I tried a bottle of beer with a lime stuck in it and a dog bowl on the table for the rib bones.

last I heard it was a place to avoid now as it had gone really down hill, don't know if it's still running.
It closed down a while ago.
In its place is aTurkish restaurant called ETCI
 




Guinness Boy

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Jul 23, 2003
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Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
Was that Samsons the posh burger restaurant opposite the flower shop in Kemp Town or another restaurant?. I only went to One Paston Place once but that was a really good restaurant. I think it was co-owned by Michael Caine?
Samsons was the posh burger place. My mum lived in a flat in Kemp Town just round the corner from it after she'd split up with my dad and it was our regular place to eat when I saw her.

One Paston Place was one of those places I took Mrs GB when I wanted to impress her. The food was excellent but very rich IIRC. Later on it was taken over by a bloke called Sam who I played poker with, who subsequently sold it and moved to New Zealand. Previously he had the old Burger King on 7 Dials (I think it might even have been called Sam's). They did a thing where you could work in the kitchen in the morning and then have a three course lunch. I did it and made a load of bread rolls, a gazpacho and banana tarte tatin. Great fun!
 


Guinness Boy

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Jul 23, 2003
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Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
What was the name of the bar next to Casablanca's on Middle Street? Or was it just a part of Casablanca? Always stopped in there on the way to West St on drinking club nights out. Dancing nights were Frock and Jacket followed by Zap. After a while it was all dancing nights and no more West St, less agg, better music and open later.
 


Robinjakarta

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Jul 14, 2014
2,163
Jakarta
Don't think these have been mentioned:
The Crown of Jade Chinese restaurant at Brighton Square. Relatively sophisticated and pricey. Good food but small portions.
O'Hagens hot dogs on the seafront just east of West Street. Best in town. Take away only, I believe.
Il Parmigiano Italian restaurant somewhere around the bottom of Edward Street. Good.
 








dolphins

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Jan 26, 2012
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Is Kaps nightclub on Western Rd, under the kebab shop still open? Spent many a Friday night in there in the early 2000's then it turned really dodgy with the staff nicking handbags and wallets, the bouncers punching women if challenged. Grim.

Cactus Canteen opposite what used to Rounders records. Many a staff night out there getting slaughtered on free tequila.

Blind Lemon Alley. Lovely food, great staff, a huge range of unusual drinks. Got utterly chateauxed on Absinthe in there on the Mrs' birthday back in 2004. The last time I got truly, utterly, beyond funny, trollied.

The Tin Drum on the Dials. Used to frequent here often. Ran by a lovely chap Nigel, who now runs Riddle & Finns. Good food and booze and far nicer than the other two in the same group.
Cactus Canteen was great, as was Blind Lemon Alley. HOWEVER, BLA replaced Annie's which was even better. They'd have an incredible lamb and apricot pie on occasionally as a special which would always sell out instantly - the staff said that everyone kept asking for it to be on the menu permanently, but never explained why they never did this!
 


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