Selective 6: best Asian restaurants in Brighton

Lou: Manju’s

Manju’s is a most recent addition to the ever growing vegetarian restaurants in Brighton found tucked away at the bottom of Trafalgar Street, a stone’s throw away from Brighton station.

A cosy family run restaurant, there is a great selection of nibbles and street snacks, and a choice of thalis and dosas by day, and curries by night, accompanied with an array of flat breads, poppadums and chutneys.

Hugely affordable and with a children’s menu, a range of IPAs and lagers, wines and spirits, and authentic desserts, you won’t be disappointed!

Nick: Oshio

The food at Oshio is the nearest thing to Tokyo I’ve found in the UK and believe me, I’ve done my research. From the welcoming greeting of the staff as you step in the door, to the authentic decor, everything fits perfectly. And the calibre of the food – the freshest nigari and sashimi, the delicious tempura, unusual fried prawn gyoza and my favourite dish of all, the soft shell crab – is simply mind-blowing. As far as I’m concerned Oshio is a cut above any other Japanese restaurant in Brighton.

Karl: Unithai

Unithai is one of Hove’s hidden gems. Tucked discreetly away at the rear of a small Oriental food shop is a wonderfully atmospheric noodle bar that inspires devotion among its regular customers. Make no mistake, this isn’t a date night kind of place – there’s only a handful of tables and the conversations of the neighbours intermingle with your own just as the aromas of the food mix in the air. But if it’s authentic Asian food you’re looking for, and you don’t mind waiting a while for a table, Unithai won’t disappoint.

Claire: Wick Inn

It seems a little incongruous to find great Thai food in a busy pub, but the Wick Inn in Hove really delivers. It’s a lively place and I will often stop in on my way home from work if only for a snack. What I really love about it here is the rich, authentic flavours and the little touches like the carved veggies. The Pad See Aw, with sweet soy sauce, is my go-to dish.

Annie: Goemon Ramen

Preston Street is lined with restaurants – some better than others, but all of them interesting in one way or another. Goemon Ramen is a fairly new place at the bottom of the street, just across the road from the seafront. It’s an informal restaurant, a little rough around the edges, but who cares what’s on the walls when it’s what’s on the plate that really counts? The ramen here is definitely the best in Brighton, cooked to perfection and with a real kick to it. Gyoza dumplings are wonderfully light, the seaweed is packed with flavour, and best of all if you or your friends are vegetarian or vegan, you have plenty of options to choose from on the menu.

Maria: Bincho Yakitori

Located in Preston Street, slighly up the road from Goemon is another gem of Japanese cooking here in Brighton: Bincho Yakitori. This charming and cosy restaurant will take you straight back to the Isakayas back streets of Tokyo; its small plates of grilled meat skewersall delicious. Between a cold glass of Asahi or the sake tasting, I can’t recommend this restaurant enough. Do make a reservation as it does tend to always be very busy.