There’s an enviable array of Thai restaurants dotted throughout the city with a cluster in central Brighton, Kemptown and Hove. You might need to hunt a little harder for the Vietnamese options, and because of that, we have two of our favourites in this list.
One of the many great things about Southeast Asian cuisines is that prices are usually affordable, and you definitely get a bang for your buck when it comes to taste. You also do not need to let the healthy eating slide with both cuisines providing low-calorie, nutritious meals which come beautifully presented.
And if you need any more encouragement, these cuisines won’t leave you bloated – if you fancy a night out dancing in Brighton afterwards. So, what are we waiting for, let’s kick off with our favourite Thai haunts.
Our picks of the Best Thai restaurants in Brighton 2023
Red Snapper
With owner Panwad Manateepho the daughter and granddaughter of Thai restauranteurs, this is as close to traditional Thai fare as you will find in Brighton. Panwad takes pride in her food and especially the fact that the dishes on the table are no different to what her grandad serves back home in the Thai fishing community of Rayong.
As well as offering a standard menu with traditional Thai favourites such as Chicken Satay, Tom Yum soup and Green Curry, there is also the option to personalise your main meal. This involves choosing your own protein from a list of sliced crispy chicken breast, crispy tofu chunks, flour-dusted crispy prawns and crispy red snapper chunks. Sauces include the more familiar sauces such as Green, Panang and Masaman, with more unique flavour profiles such as sweet and sour lychee sauce with roasted vegetables and sesame seeds or caramelised garlic and pepper sauce.
Whilst most of the ingredients are from England and locally grown, the Red Snapper uses a special secret ingredient which it stocks from Thailand. In fact, when the owners go back to Thailand, they have to budget an extra 20 kilos in the allowance on the plane to get it back to Brighton. They won’t reveal exactly what it is – but the secret is obviously working with the Red Snapper scoring extremely highly on Google business ratings.
This is a BYO restaurant with corkage fees of £2 per bottle, £1 per can and £3.50 per spirit. They do not sell alcohol but have you covered with a selection of soft drinks and iced teas. Regarding alternative diets, most of the dishes can be made vegan and gluten-free, although make sure you bring some cash to pay your bill, a card payments are not accepted here.
Address: 90 Dyke Rd, Brighton, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 3JD
Website: https://www.redsnapperbrighton.co.uk/about
Giggling Squid
Despite having a chain of over 50 restaurants across the UK, Brighton can proudly call itself the home of the Giggling Squid. Its Brighton branch is where co-founders Pranee and Andy set up their first restaurant and devised its original menu. The once tiny fisherman’s cottage is now an exquisitely renovated restaurant found in the Lanes, surrounded by other high-end restaurants and shops. The second branch in town is located on Church Street in Hove, just a few minutes walk to the sea.
What will strike you about the Giggling Squid is the attention to detail given to every facet, whether it’s the tasteful and fun pastel décor of the restaurants or the scrumptious menus. This restaurant doesn’t just look good enough to eat but lives up to its Giggly name with humour and personality found in the names of the dishes – such as Chubby Cheek Pork, Giggling Pad Thai and Drunken Ribs. There’s fun as well as sophistication here!
There’s a selection of Thai salads, and signature dishes as well as plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. This the kind of place where it will take ages to choose what you want because there are so many delicious starters, mains and sides to choose from. The food is also charmingly presented with the taste of the food impressively surpassing expectations. If you can’t afford to go there as much as you would like, there’s even a Giggling Squid cookbook so you can go home and practice some of these memorable delicacies.
Address: 11 Market St, Brighton, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 1HH
Address: 129 Church Rd, Hove, Brighton and Hove, Hove BN3 2AE
Website: https://www.gigglingsquid.com
Suriya’s Thai Kitchen
Friendly customer service, reasonable prices, and generous portion sizes – just three of the many reasons why Suriya’s Thai Kitchen is such a highly-rated restaurant. This time on the Kemptown side of town, this modest establishment is a little hidden gem which will keep you coming back for more. Although there is the option of takeaway, the welcoming staff and pleasant environment make Suriya’s a great choice for a dinner out with friends before hitting the bars and pubs of Kemptown.
There is a good-sized menu with a range of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Starters include treats such as dumplings, duck rolls, Thai fishcakes, Thai ribs and steamed mussels. A selection of soups and salads also make up the starter list. Like Giggling Squid, there is personality to be found in the food names with fish dishes including One Angry Fish (very spicy), Smiling Fish, Blushing Fish and Sexy Fish in the garden.
Grilled options include Volcanic Chicken, Weeping Tiger, and Tamarind Dunk, as well as three other duck dishes on the menu. Traditional noodle, curry and rice dishes add further depth to the menu, with a choice of three desserts: Glouay Bouad Chee (Thai banana dessert), Kao-Tom Rice Sticky Dessert (lightly sweetened Thai sticky rice with banana filling) and Lingee Kao Niaew (Thai lychees cooked with sticky rice). Chang Beer and a range of soft drinks are available to drink, but there is no other alcohol on the menu, so if you’re up for cocktails and wines, you’ll have to leave that to later – although you are in the right part of town for that.
With a Pad Thai for under £10, Suriya’s Thai Kitchen delivers high-quality food at affordable prices, and this is certainly one of the best Thai experiences in town.
Address: 77 St George’s Rd, Brighton, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN2 1EF
Website: https://suriyasthaikitchen.com/
Pho
Like Giggling Squid, Pho – with 38 outlets dotted around the UK – is another successful chain. Many people will have passed a Pho restaurant or already had a good experience eating at one. The Brighton branch is to be found in the south lanes, a two-minute walk to the seafront, and five-minute walk to the Pier.
Pho was opened in 2005 by Stephen and Juliette Wall after they travelled to Vietnam and fell in love with the food. The couple decided to start a pho restaurant whilst sitting on high stools slurping pho bo in Ho Chi Minh City. Their decision turned out to be a good one with Pho now a recognisable brand across the UK, known for dishing up healthy Vietnamese food cooked fresh in the kitchen daily.
The menu caters for all with a kid’s menu and thought given to people with dietary requirements and allergens. Pho lives up to its name with a choice of 19 different Pho dishes – a Vietnamese soup dish consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs and meat. There are spicy and milder broths on the menu, with meat, fish and vegetable options.
Additionally, there is a variety of ‘broken rice’ dishes on the menu such as Vietnamese curries, spicy wok-friend rice and healthy rice bowls topped with veggies and fresh chillies. Rounding out the main course option, there are also noodle and vermicelli-noodle options available.
There are six desserts to choose from and a wide range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic, including cocktails, beers, wines and Vietnamese coffees. With the pho coming in at about £12 and cocktails around £8.25, this is a mid-range budget eating experience that won’t leave you penny-pinching for the rest of the week.
Address: 12 Black Lion St, Brighton, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 1ND
Website: http://www.phocafe.co.uk/brighton
The Big Bowl
Just off Western Road, a few minutes from the sea sits a small Vietnamese restaurant known for its high-quality fresh food. One of the reasons The Big Bowl stands out is that the restaurant works closely with the Brighton community to ensure its ingredients are sourced locally and have minimum environmental impact. By sourcing these top-quality ingredients locally, there are benefits for the shop’s neighbours, as the food ecosystem of Brighton is boosted.
Vietnamese food is known as a healthy option compared to many other cuisines, and the owners work hard to produce nutritious food served by authentic people with great hospitality skills. Compared to the chains of Giggling Squid and Pho, visiting The Big Bowl is a chance to support a small family-run business sourced by local individuals within its community.
The menu features Pho dishes around the £13 mark, with a feast of other Vietnamese goodies including summer and spring roll starters, rice dishes, buns and house specials. Not only is their food delicious but it is also beautifully plated, which will delight the foodies and those looking for an Instagrammable shot.
Address: 54 Preston St, Brighton, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 2HE
Website: http://www.thebigbowlbrighton.co.uk
