The Brighton Restaurant Awards Vote Online (BRAVOS) have smashed all previous records in 2025. With a whopping 72,911 votes cast by food lovers across the city and beyond – this makes it the biggest BRAVOS yet.
Now in its eighth year, the BRAVOS have once again shone a spotlight on the incredible diversity and quality of Brighton and Sussex’s hospitality scene, with 724 venues participating across 18 categories, and 190 different venues placing in the Top 20s.
We’re delighted that two Brilliant Brighton businesses were voted in this Top 20. Embers on East Street won the coveted ‘Best Roast’ award, and Market Street’s Il Bistro took the award for ‘Best International Cuisine’.
“Winning is a great feeling, the result of a lot of hard work and early starts! I think Embers offers a unique concept, serving great quality food, cooked simply over wood fire. To take this concept and make a roast out of it was a no brainer!” – Benjamin Arthur, Embers, Winner Best Sunday Roast.
“It feels so amazing to win the BRAVO award for best international cuisine. With so many fantastic restaurants and cuisines to choose from in Brighton & Hove it’s such a privilege and an honour to be announced the winner.
“We can’t thank our loyal guests enough for selecting us as their winners. I think what sets us apart is we have been trading in the same location for 49 years making us one of the longest serving restaurants in the city and we are Brighton’s first Mediterranean steakhouse.
“People should visit us for our homemade limoncello, amazing negronis, homemade authentic food and our attentive and friendly service. We were also last year’s BRAVO Best Team winners.” – Abe Garman, Il Bistro, Winner Best International Cuisine.
Running throughout the campaign was a clear message: Choose Local. BRAVO 2025 encouraged people across Brighton and Sussex to support their favourite neighbourhood cafés, pubs, restaurants, and takeaways – the independent venues that make the city such a vibrant and original place to eat and drink. It’s a message the BRAVO team hopes will last well beyond the awards season.
“We’ve been blown away by the energy around this year’s BRAVOS,” said Ivanka Majic, Director at Restaurants Brighton. “The BRAVOS are a true celebration of everything that makes Brighton’s hospitality scene special. The number of votes and the enthusiasm we’ve seen both online and across the city shows how much people care about supporting their favourite places – and discovering new ones.”
A huge well done to Benjamin, Abe and their teams!
See more about other winners and the awards here.
