Coffee Shops

We’re blessed in Brighton with a wealth of high-end artisan coffee shops. Turn a corner, take a random alleyway or simply head straight, and you’re likely to come into contact with speciality coffee, using speciality equipment, soon enough. For some, buying the best gadgets and appliances on the market can create a case of all the gear but no idea, whereas for others, the high-end nature of the store only helps to add to the quality on offer.

Yet, push outside the walls of central Brighton and Hove and the odds of stumbling across elite coffee shops start to reduce. It’s not that these shops don’t exist, they just take some searching. As is the case for Okka, found midway up Dyke Road as it meets with the Upper Drive.

The upscale aesthetic of the interior is striking as soon as you enter; exposed brick walls, vintage wooden counters, chic lighting hanging from the ceiling, and quirky ornaments, that include a table-top telescope, all combine elegantly to create a luxurious shop layout.

This, however, doesn’t take away from the coffee at all. Serving Square Mile’s Red Brick blend on their Sanremo espresso machine, the coffee offered a creamy mouthfeel with rich, fudge-like notes before giving way to flavours of orange and brown sugar as it cooled.

With an eye for detail and a focus on quality, Okka is a worth a trip outside of the city’s centre. Just make sure you know where you’re going.

Coffee and cycling. Two pursuits that define the typical Brightonian and two pursuits that rely heavily upon one another. Visit any major city throughout Europe and you’re likely to find at least one speciality coffee shop which is not only dedicated to artisanal coffee but to the maintenance and upgrading of bicycles as well. The unity of the duo is obvious: whether it is a quick pick-me-up prior to a cycle ride, a sweet boost halfway through, or a rejuvenating brew at the end of a long journey, there is a certain dependency upon one another.

However, in Brighton and Hove we have lacked a shop which caters for both to a high level. Well, that is, until we made our way to Cafe Porteur in West Hove, right at the end of Church Road. As we approach, there are two bikes locked up outside the shop, with another hanging in the window.

Upon entering Porteur, you can’t help but enjoy the aesthetically-pleasing layout: wooden slats line the counter, rustic scaffold board dining tables extend out from the walls, which themselves are bedecked with cycling hats, socks, water bottles and cycling-centric posters.

Meanwhile, downstairs in the basement is the bicycle workshop, where you can book in your bike for maintenance or repair and, in this spacious basement area, there is also a cinema room for visitors to sit back and watch live races while enjoying their brew.

On the coffee front, Porteur serve Pharmacie Coffee beans on their Sanremo espresso machine, which offers a smooth and fruity espresso and upholds the high standards set by Pharmacie at their own shop.

There’s a selection of home-made food on offer too and, with seating inside and out and all the coffee and live cycling you could want, this is perfect for any riding fanatic and a great visit for fans of good coffee.

Overlooking the beautiful Palmeira Square as you enter Hove, Down To Earth Coffee is the first coffee shop to take advantage of this idyllic setting and this new coffee hot spot is just as peaceful inside.

With wooden slats lining the counter, seats, shelves and more, this shop offers an extremely laid-back vibe with welcoming staff and chilled tunes. 

While they offer a range of rotating guest espressos and filter options, they also roast their own coffee in cooperation with Pharmacie Coffee Roasters in Hove, which allows them to finely roast their coffee to suit their flavour palette. This not only allows them to offer detailed analysis of the coffee’s taste and mouthfeel but also allows them to help you match it with the milk or food they have on offer. 

During our visit we tried an espresso from Strangers Coffee using their Fine City blend, which produced a super sweet aroma before creating notes of pear and citrus, cooling down to reveal berry flavours and a creamy mouthfeel that coasts the mouth to reveal a very balanced coffee. With picturesque views, great coffee and a relaxed atmosphere, this is just what the area needed. Pay a visit and find out for yourself.

Like its sister store at Norfolk Square, Small Batch Seven Dials is a former bank. The atmosphere is always relaxed and the location seems to catch the sun at any time of day, and at any time of year.

Due to its narrow dimensions, it also manages to pull a neat trick of being both large and spacious as well as being small and cosy, so it’s perfect for any occasion.  Like all Small Batch stores, Seven Dials offers their Goldstone blend on espresso, Blue Note blend on filter, and a choice of a single origin on hand brew.

The Seven Dials laboratory is also where home brew courses are held, enabling you to get cafe quality drink in your own home, or perhaps even a career in the coffee industry itself.

The all inclusive courses educate on the entire process, from the farms in the far flung corners of the world, to how the beans are roasted, and finally to the cup in front of you.