“The Ivy Collection’s first coastal site is now open and located in the grade II listed old post office, situated within the historic lanes.” The Ivy in the Lanes
The Grade II listed former post office in Ship Street, Brighton has metamorphosed into popular London celebrity haunt, The Ivy. This glitzy brasserie, known as The Ivy in the Lanes, is a glamorous affair adorned with bold Brighton inspired art, inventive mixology and tasty cuisine. While its Chelsea counterpart may greet you with a snooty sneer its Sussex coastal counterpart embraces you in a welcoming hug.
First impressions are good at this new venue (opened in June this year), the staff are friendly and welcoming, the decor is eye-catching and even the bathrooms are super stylish, trust me you may find yourself lingering. Art deco meets contemporary design throughout the venue and it’s a great combination, the main restaurant surrounds the central bar with extra seating in a rear conservatory area with its oversized painted mollusc feature ceiling. An additional private dining area, The Tidal Room can accommodate twenty diners or more if cocktail party. Bright orange leather banquette seating lines the walls offset by rich green velvet chairs all complemented by plenty of plants, colourful textiles and striking botanical inspired wallpaper. Spot the sealife art and local touches such as the iconic Brighton pavillion.
The menu is sizable and the portions are overly generous, in fact we struggled to finish everything we ordered. Vegetarians and vegans are well catered for with a separate menu, I was spoilt for choice which is a rare occurrence. I started with crispy courgette fries with a chilli and mint yogurt dip followed by a enormous portion of asparagus and pea risotto topped with grilled goat’s cheese. Fellow diners enjoyed wasabi prawns with miso sauce and warm crispy duck served in a spicy dressing, all dishes were top notch and well presented. Mains of baked blackened cod fillet in a banana leaf and roast salmon with tenderstem broccoli were devoured in full. We may have been filled to the brim but as it was a birthday celebration we shared a desset of baked apple tart with vanilla ice cream and Calvados ambé, a theatrical dish set alight at the table.
The central bar is great for pre-dinner drinks and a nightcap, the bartenders offer an extensive range of cocktails including those exclusive to this venue. The cotton candy topped Candy Floss Fizz, an indulgent prosecco and rum based beverage and the Pavillon Passion, a passion fruit and vanilla vodka concoction, also highly recommend the Salted Caramel Espresso Martini. Watch the spirit measures, The Ivy serves doubles as standard and singles must be requested, if you don’t want to be surprised with a large bill. A DJ provides evening background music and enhances the atmosphere at the weekend brunch.
The Ivy in the Lanes is open daily offering all-day dining from breakfast, weekend brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, light snacks, cocktails and dinner and despite its celebrity endorsed name the prices are reasonable. A certain number of tables are reserved for drop in guests so if you find yourself wandering through the Brighton Lanes without a booking do pop in for a drink and bite to eat.
The Ivy in the Lanes
Location: 51a Ship Street, Brighton, BN1 1AF
Telephone: 01273 082 200
Website: theivybrighton.com
Opening Times: Monday – Saturday 8:00am-12.30am (last food order 10.30pm). Sundays & Bank Holidays: 9:00am-12.30am (last food order 9.30pm)
Read more about The Ivy Chelsea Garden HERE
All views are all my own based on my experience. Unless otherwise stated all photos © Jo Brett 2018. All rights reserved. Additional photos used with courtesy of theivybrighton.com