Plateau

Tucked into Brighton’s Lanes, Plateau pairs award-winning bistronomy with the easy charm of a wine bar.

The kitchen thinks French in spirit, then gives it a lift with bright Asian twists, drawing on local, sustainable produce to create modern small plates designed for sharing and lingering.

Dishes arrive with quiet confidence, starting with homemade bread to dip in seed oil, Sicilian nocellara olives, or crispy cheese croquettes with a pepper aioli dip. For those craving a fresh bite of the ocean, they offer oyster starters with topped with shallots and lemon.

Here, classic French dishes are done simply and refined. Hand-cut beef tartare is sharpened by caper and shallots, rounded with parmesan and crisp crostini, and oozy Cornish camembert topped with confit garlic and rosemary plays wonderfully with cut pickles. To finish, there is festive warmth in a mince pie strudel with brandy cream and almond.

Vibrant yet relaxed, Plateau is as suited to casual drinks and shared plates as to a romantic date or a lively celebration, guided by friendly, knowledgeable staff.