We lift the lid on some of the best new restaurants and cafés in Sussex that are throwing open their doors to guests in 2021
Burnt Orange
Brighton
Opening date: Early June.
If you like the vibe of a bar but want all the deliciousness of a restaurant, you’re sure to be impressed with Burnt Orange, which has been designed to deliver exactly that. The new all-day and late-night hangout is the brainchild of restaurateur Razak Helalat and promises to win you over with its casual yet sophisticated ambience, complete with a specially curated music programme by DJ Norman Cook (aka Fatboy Slim).
It conjures the Mediterranean dining culture with a vibrant menu by head chef Peter Dantanus who is honing in on well-sourced, high-quality seasonal ingredients cooked predominantly over a fire. Grazing dishes are the order of the day - highlights including locally sourced Crab & Samphire Fritters - which sit alongside a selection of larger plates, including Shawarma Pork Belly and Charcoal-Roasted Octopus.
Wines and cocktails will be served until the early hours - we say try the signature Burnt Orange Gin Martini. At weekends you’ll be lured by the lavish brunches.
Situated within a 16th-century former coach house with cosy character features, the restaurant is close to the seafront, just a few streets from Brighton Lanes. There’s space for 54 indoors, as well as a courtyard and private dining room with seating for 10.
Open from noon to midnight Monday to Wednesday; noon to 1 am Thursday & Friday; 10 am-1 am Saturday, and 10 am-11 pm on Sunday. burnt-orange.co.uk
Tonkotsu
Brighton
Opening date: June, with a two-day gyoza pop-up on May 28 & 29.
If you love ramen, then you’ll want to be first in line at Tonkotsu in Brighton. It’s the brand’s first full site outside of London, bringing its signature ramen, gyoza and chicken kara-age to the city for the very first time.
Located on New Road, you can tuck into the signature ramen bowls made with Tonkotsu’s own fresh noodles - three different types are made in-house every day using mid-century machines imported from Tokyo. The stocks are also made from scratch and are simmered for hours for maximum flavour.
Try the signature Tonkotsu ramen - a rich and creamy pork and lardo broth with thin-cut noodles and topped with roast pork belly, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, spring onions, burnt garlic oil and a seasoned egg. You can customise any soup with extra toppings, such as kimchi or the super spicy scotch bonnet hotshot. Don’t leave without trying a freshly steamed batch of the classic pork, ginger and garlic gyoza.
For drinks, there is a Sake made especially for the restaurant by the Tsuji Brewery in Okayama.
Ahead of the opening, the founders are hosting a two-day gyoza pop-up at Brighton's UnBarred Brewery on May 28 and 29.
Open from noon to 10 pm daily. tonkotsu.co.uk
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Shelter Hall
Brighton
Opening date: The venue opened for outdoor dining on April 26 and is open for indoor dining from May 17
Brighton’s only food hall, Shelter Hall by Sessions Market (a business set up by former Deliveroo managing director Dan Warne), enjoys a stellar address on the seafront, smack bang at the centre of Brighton Beach. Diners can expect a side of entertainment with their meal as the concept brings together an electric mix of local chefs, musicians and artists in the landmark Victorian building, which dates to the 1880s.
There are seven chef-led kitchens to discover, including a brand-new concept from MasterChef Winner Kenny Tutt. Other dining options within this cool new gastronomy hub include Lost Boys Chicken, Hanoi Kitchen, Crabshack, Sugardough bakery and VIP Pizza.
It’s all designed to help the city’s ‘foodpreneurs’ to grow and flourish in the wake of the pandemic. Check out the Incubator Kitchen offering four-month residencies to local chefs and start-ups.
Open from 8 am to midnight, from Monday to Sunday. Tables are available to book, but a selection are reserved for walk-ins. shelterhall.co.uk
READ MORE: 13 of the prettiest places to eat outside in Sussex
The Beach @ Littlehampton café
Littlehampton
Opening date: May 2021
This purpose-built beachside eatery is linked to the activity centre Loop, which is offering water sports tuition from mid-May. It’s the perfect place to unwind after a fun session on the water, where you can meet like-minded people and learn more about what the local area has to offer. The menu places community, accessibility and expertise at the fore. If you fancy taking a seat and enjoying the view, you can take your pick from the main dining menu – at the time of writing, the menus were still being developed, but burgers, toasties and pizzas are a sign of things to come. For those who are squeezed for time, there is a takeaway service available, as well as tasty bites from the beachside shack. It’s also a great pit stop for drinks, from creamy milkshakes for the kids to an aromatic cup of coffee.
thebeachlittlehampton.co.uk
And one more to watch...
Bayside Social
Worthing
Opening date: Summer 2021.
We don’t know a huge amount about this new venue but watch this space. What we do know so far is that it's by MasterChef winner Kenny Tutt. Add to that the fact that it is pegged as an all-day casual restaurant and takeaway with a 180-degree beachside view of the Worthing coastline. You can get in line for early access booking when it launches by joining the mailing list via the website.
baysidesocial.co.uk
