Ask a local: Brighton information

Why I live here

I tend not to be a very spontaneous person, but I moved from North London to Hove on a whim in 1999 and have never looked back. It suits my life as a freelancer (I write for The Times, The Guardian and Sight & Sound, and have written several nonfiction books), as it’s within striking distance of London for interviews.

Eating & drinking: curries, grills and coffees

When I first moved to Brighton I was surprised at the paucity of places to eat, drink or just have a coffee. Now us locals are almost spoilt for choice. There remains a shocking lack of decent restaurants on the seafront itself – other than the superbly seasonal Due South (01273 821218) – but wander inland and you’ll find some truly great one-off places to eat.

The Chilli Pickle (01273 900383), which showcases subtle, modern Indian cooking, made it into the top 100 at the National Restaurant Awards in 2011. Its move from 50 intimate covers in Meeting House Lane to a huge space adjacent to the boutiquey myhotel was a worry, but it works brilliantly.

The Coal Shed (01273 322998) is intimate, romantic and unique; on a grill imported from Spain that generates heat of up to 500°C, local meats (steak in particular) and seafood are cooked to smoky perfection. The Coal Shed is a treat, but I often find myself in Bill’s (01273 692894) for an affordable breakfast treat of sublime eggs Benedict, or at the Small Batch Coffee Company on Church Road in Hove (01273 710627) for a fantastically smooth but pleasingly strong ethically sourced coffee on a Sunday morning. On a sunny day, even in the depths of winter, you can sit in a corner on the terrace, dip into their selection of newspapers and find that half your day has slipped by in the most enjoyable fashion.

Shopping: the best boutiques

There are so many boutique shops in Brighton that it’s easy to be bamboozled by the choice. Over the past decade I’ve discovered that while it’s great to wander idly around the centre of Brighton and discover places that have popped up or simply gone unnoticed, it’s also useful to have a mental list of shops to pop into. For a bespoke selection of furniture and accessories, I can’t resist The Lollipop Shoppe (01273 770324). In some ways it’s like a gallery, crammed as it is full of design classics such as Carl Hansen’s Wishbone Chair and quirky kids’ stuff such as an Omar the Owl Clock, made by Vitra Accessories. The staff are outstandingly helpful, too, and have never made me feel as if I’m wasting their time – even if I don’t end up buying anything.

Abode Living (01273 621116) is another treasure trove of idiosyncratic accessories for the home. It’s decorated with things you never knew you needed, from bulldog lamps to a small selection of gorgeous jewellery – though if you want a proper selection, Baroque (01273 777003) boasts the intricate, bespoke work of three Brighton-based jewellers who dream up their designs in the on-site workshop. We are a little spoilt for clothes shops in Brighton, but a new favourite is Laste (01273 777141), which sells fabulous designer shoes and brightly coloured tights. My go-to favourite for years has been Sirène (01273 818061): small but perfectly stocked, it sells Orla Kiely, Bruuns Bazaar and so many weird and wonderful labels that it’s impossible to leave empty handed.

Where to stay: cool sleeps

First of all, beware of Brighton hotels: they mostly insist that you stay a minimum of two nights over the weekend. Here’s my pick, though, from the city’s smart hotel scene. At the luxury end is Drakes (01273 696934), smack bang on the seafront, and includes a restaurant, cocktail lounge and honeymoon suite. The Pub du Vin (01273 718588), in the old Sussex Arts Club, has 11 rooms – it’s cheaper than next door’s Hotel du Vin, but boasts a similar standard.

For years, Brighton’s Blanch House (01273 603504) had a reputation as a party hotel; under new ownership since spring 2011, it is now a calmer, less self-consciously trendy establishment with a residents-only Champagne bar.

In the same street as Blanch House is Brighton’s only five-star boutique hotel, Kemp Townhouse (01273 681400). It’s chic and no attention to detail is spared. If I could choose to stay in one hotel, it would be the Townhouse.

What to do: Brighton rocks

Brighton is vibrant by day and turbo-charged by night. You can walk everywhere if you put your mind to it, though taxis are still pretty cheap. For a vintage night at the flicks, the Duke of York’s Picturehouse (0871 902 5728) is Britain’s oldest purpose-built cinema and has velvet seats, a great bar and every arthouse film you’d want to see. There are dozens of music venues, but I’m always drawn to the sweaty and intimate Concorde 2 (01273 673311), where I’ve seen some of the best gigs of my life – early White Stripes; Patti Smith – and Brighton Dome (01273 709709), which has incredible sound and a long, seriously cool bar.