From their popular bakery in Hove, where the magic happens, the Market Street branch was a place to sit and enjoy their efforts. What I didn't realise is that they offer more than pastries and tea with a full menu of brunch, lunch and treats, plus brunch cocktails.

I cancelled my coffee when I saw the iced drinks, I love a golden mylk (I'm convinced by the claims, ironically) so opted for the *deep breath* iced coconut milk turmeric flat white. It was delicious and I enjoyed it despite Rosie rolling her eyes at me the entire time. What can I say, Brighton got to me...hard.

We took some cakes home, made by Andrew Mikolajczyk from The Cake Time (previously head baker of Flourtown Bakery and cafe which was here before V and H Cafe took over). The slice of walnut and banana cake was really lovely. Traditional, honest and light, just as I like it. (I really have zero time for lurid, over the top cakes with piles of frosting and decoration.) The salted chocolate brownie though - this was the best textured brownie I've had. Not overly gooey but melting and crisp with a tinge of saltiness that makes it more grown up. I'd walk to Palmeira Square from Kemptown just for this.

There's a huge drive to shun the big brand chain coffee shops and to support independent cafes, but what if we went one step further?

Afternoon tea can be a very swish affair; the starched, white tablecloths, the silver spoons, delicate china and impeccable, glossy patisserie. Sigh, I'm a sucker for it...bye bye £100. Talk of Tea in Brighton however, is none of those things. Despite having the city's largest tea list with some incredibly refined options, it is very much an "everyday" venue (their words). And it suits Brighton to a, well, tee.

Located right in the centre of town just off Western Road, it's an intimate little space, decorated with little trinkets, mismatched lanterns, fluro orange walls and charming it is too. There's also a sweet little yard with hanging seats for when the sun shines.

The tea menu lists Temi Tea (A Royal Tea from the only tea garden in the former kingdom of Sikkim), Jasmine Dragon Phoenix Pearls and some fine organic Darjeeling. They have a superb green tea choice and many flavoured teas, including some rather unorthodox blends, Limoncello or Witch Blend anyone?

I had the Milky Oolong which is unlike any other tea. Refreshing, sweet and fragrant with an unmistakable milky taste. I can't get enough of it.

I don't think I've ever been so happy to see a business refresh their identity. Honestly, I absolutely despised the mouthful name and the branding of Chocaffinitea. The name set my teeth on edge and logo looked like a 70s technology TV program for heaven's sake. It's the one thing that actually put me off coming for so long!  I just had in my mind that the products would be as amateurish and unrefined as the outside aesthetic was. Which, as it turns out, is not the case. Anyway, it has been happily renamed Black Mocha with a far less quirky look.



Once inside, you'll find one of Brighton's best single origin chocolate shops with a large selection of bars from quality brands like Marou, Roccoco and the slightly bonkers Lobooko. The glorious packaging alone of all the bars is an absolute feast. They also sell Green Valley honey with some really unusual flavours.

Now, I never thought I'd be saying this but I am fully on board this vegan/raw/gluten free cake train. Not that I have any dietary requirements, just that I find them delicious and nutritious, packed full of energy boosting nuts, seeds and fruits. I think it's a textural thing too, I just find them far more interesting, and often less sweet, than a plain old slab of carrot cake. I even have a constant supply of homemade raw cacao energy balls in my fridge. Yes really.



There is always a good selection on offer and the display is really attractive; vegan salted peanut chocolate "snickers" slices, dairy free cheesecakes, chocolate cashew slices, flapjacks, cookies and brownies. It's all here.



I tried a few things now and loved them all. The vegan key lime cheesecake was particularly gorgeous. Funnily enough, I hate traditional cheesecakes but the silkiness of vegan versions I adore.

Although Brighton has a love affair with Small Batch coffee, it's good to have a change and they serve Monmouth brand here along with a large selection of Tea Studio blends. The single origin hot chocolate here is also remarkable. If you try noting else, try this. You will never catch me with one of those creamy, pumpkin spiced seasonal monstrosities from the coffee chains so this hot chocolate is as close as I get to an indulgent sweet drink. I've not had a hot chocolate like it before, full of flavour with a grown up savoury undertone.

But if you really don't have a sweet tooth they also have soups, quiches, salads and sandwiches that look fresh and inviting as well as toasted granola breakfast pots so it's a really useful address to have for an all day drop in.

Also as there is a high proportion of self employed people in this city there is a really useful working space upstairs too although at the time of writing the plugs were broken!


Black Mocha
103 Gloucester Road
Brighton BN1 4AP

There's food that wows technically and for originality, and then there's food that's just glorious to eat. Kouzina is in the latter camp and for me, I'm more than happy eating the this sort of food. Perched in the spruced up Open Market, the offering of this Greek gem is simple; home-style, sunny, filling food served with a smile. Staff are happy for you to peek under the ironware lids at the stews, meats, vegetable casseroles and classics like Moussaka and rich soutzoukakia (greek meatballs). They also have Spanakopita, the famous spinach and feta pie, made with homemade filo, which is nothing short of heroic as it's such a pig to make.

Brighton has had such a ressurgance of quality baked goods that would make Atkins roll over in his grave. Carbaholics like me are positively rejoicing though!

Flour Pot Bakery has been supplying local stores and restaurants with their breads for a while but they now have their own café and bread shop in the North Laine. And a beautiful store it is too. The interior is everything a contemporary bakery should be, with gorgeous industrial copper lighting, cool marble worktops and a unique point of sale unit for the breads. It's predominantly black and white and just the right side of the artisan hipster design trend.


There are just a few seats inside and personally I would have reduced the imposing bar to accommodate more tables, especially in the winter months where their outside seating will be impractical. But for now, it's a good place to perch for morning pastries or a quick lunch although the narrow pavement is entertaining when the delivery lorries pass.

They also don't seem to have a complete website which in this day and age (and the fact they have such a solid brand and beautiful fit out) is nothing short of insanity. Even a single page with opening times and address would do them good, for flapjacks sake. Their Facebook page is better if you can be bothered to navigate through posts to find opening times; 8am until 7pm (9am - 6pm on Sundays, you're welcome.

But hey, if you manage to negotiate the opening times and grab a prized seat then it's well worth a visit. From the small selection of daily treats, I tasted quite possibly the lightest polenta cake on the planet. I thought the one I make was pretty darn good but this was, as it pains me to say, better. Laden with finely ground almonds and drenched in citrus sugar syrup, it was topped with the most beautiful emerald pistachios. You can wash down your cakes and pastries with (obligatory for Brighton) Small Batch coffee.






For lunch there could be more of an offering of sandwiches with just a couple to choose from, but they obviously use their own bread and rolls which is a bonus. The flatbreads didn't really appeal as there is something very off-putting about dried melted cheese. The chunky sausage rolls looked impressive and my dining partner liked his lamb Moroccan inspired version although I didn't get a chance to try it.



I also swung by a week or so later after work to pick up a couple of their loaves; a classic ciabatta and a rustic. Although service was shaky, the bread was decent. The ciabatta had that slightly plastic texture to the dough you'd expect and was fully aerated. The crust was absolutely delicious too. I gifted the rustic to my parents and they said it was excellent, and they are even fussier about real bread than I am. At around £1.80-£3.00 depending on the size of loaf, it isn't too bad a cost to pay for the real deal.



I'm really pleased that Flour Pot Bakery has taken the leap to their own cafe and shop, although the service could do with sharpening up, on three visits there was some sort of niggle or issue but their product is great, which is the main thing.

Flour Pot Bakery
40 Sydney Street
Brighton
BN1 4EP

Awww. E Pellicci! Shove all of that Michelin nonsense and fannying around with tweezers. There is something utterly enchanting and irresistible about this caff that goes beyond the divine wood panelling and has stood the test of time. I love a classic cafe with heart and this is one of my all-time favourites having a true Italian mamma in the kitchen. The second of a 32-part series of films devoted to London’s 32 boroughs, Nevio Pellicci, grandson of the original owners, takes to the helm for Bethnal Green.

If five years ago (hell, two years ago) you would have told me that the grotty little strip of retail opposite St. Peters Church would have been transformed into a food destination I'd have laughed in your face. Back then you'd have a job weaving through the drugged up and the drunks and most of the run down shop fronts were boarded up or grime splattered convenience stores selling nothing more than two dried out onions and a dusty can of beans with sausages. 

After a bit of property development, the area remained empty until out-of-towners Meat Liqor took one of the units to the raised eyebrows of, well, practically everyone in Brighton. Then Hisbe, an independent supermarket moved in and Carlito Burrito will be opening soon. And the clean, white, shiny new space of Nordic Coffee Collective couldn't be more removed from those old days either. It's such a pleasure to see a dodgy area so quickly cleaned up and I hope it spreads to London Road too - the only place in the world that looks worse in the sunshine.

Whilst the independent coffee shops are taking hold of Brighton again (last month saw the CLOSURE of Starbucks in a prime area) we don't really have one like Nordic anywhere else in the city. And it's really worth a journey.