There ’ s nothing quite like the end of lockdown to send a gull soaring . Thermals schmermals , it ’ s the spirit of Brighton that puts the wind beneath our wings , and as the pubs , restaurants and shops open again , the Gull has been busy getting a taste of what ’ s in the air .
THE GARDENER CAFÉ is the latest new face in the North Laine , a gift from Infinity Café to the Real Junk Food Project which until now has been serving pay-asyou-feel food to anyone who turns up at One Church in Gloucester Place and several other churches around Brighton .
Designed to support the homeless , the vulnerable and the poor , students and wellwishers flock to support it and enjoy the vegan and vegetarian Buddha bowls and hot dishes made by an army of volunteers .
It ’ s part of an international movement of cafés , projects and pop-ups feeding ‘ bellies not bins ’ by serving the surplus food they collect overnight from the city ’ s supermarkets . Not the most gullfriendly of places , but we ’ re a resourceful lot and with chairs and tables spreading out across Gardner Street , there are still plenty of pickings .
Karen Lloyd is one of the head chefs at the café and it ’ s her baking the gulls have made a beak line for . The Nigella recipe for banana , tahini and chocolate cake which Karen has spun into a vegan version , is the chat of the chimneys .
Staying in the centre of town , lockdown ’ s spoils are being snapped up by the early birds . London ramen bar , TONKOTSU has swooped in to New Road , the spot where Polpo once sported a fine selection of restaurant refuse . Meanwhile the team behind The Salt Room and Coal Shed bring BURNT ORANGE ( pictured ) to the site of the much-missed Coach House in Middle Street . Head chef Peter Dantanus will be moving over from The Salt Room with his locally sourced larder to provide Mediterranean style all day and late-night food . And with a curated music programme by well-known Brighton DJ Fatboy Slim ( you might have heard of him ), there ’ ll be plenty of birdie dancing in that candle-lit courtyard .
Way out west , the backlash over ROCKWATER ’ s membership rumbles on as the king of PR transforms the ugly , but much-loved duckling known variously as The View , The Venue and the Babylon Lounge into a thing of beauty . But beauty is one thing ; a £ 750 membership fee might be another .
Survival of the fittest is what we
gulls are all about , and while £ 750 - shall we say that again ? £ 750 - to get to the front of the queue of what was promised to be a community hub for tables and gigs might be an easy win for those who have the cash , there are plenty of locals who feel it ’ s a shove in the ribs . Your Gull is hovering over Hove to bring you the latest in this rather messy food fight .
H eading east on the Eastbourne flight path , the Gull stopped off to look through the windows of FORK in Lewes , once home to Limetree Kitchen and favourite bin territory for this posh-palated bird .
Owner Richard Falk comes with very exciting plates from two-starred Notting Hill restaurant , The Ledbury , and will fit in nicely with the local / seasonal vibe of Lewes . He was head chef at super-cool Clapham restaurant , The Dairy , the brainchild of one of London ’ s most innovative eco chefs Robin Gill whose food waste is collected , composted and used to grow his vegetables in a circular system that the Gull ’ s London cousins are raving about . Tasty food that saves the planet ? Gullicious .
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Discounted weekly
Open 24 / 7
Seated garden area
2 minutes from the beach front
Free weekend parking
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