The story
Burnt Orange, at 59 Middle Street in Brighton, cooks Mediterranean and Middle Eastern small plates over wood, and the Michelin Bib Gourmand it earned in 2026 recognises good quality, good value cooking. The restaurant is part of the Black Rock Group, which also runs the Coal Shed, the Salt Room and Tutto.
Chef Peter Dantanus rotates a list of small plates, and the wood fire does much of the work. The kitchen is open to the room, so the grill and the pass are visible from the dining counter. The Good Food Guide describes the cooking as wood-fired with global influences, which suits a menu built for sharing.
Mussels on toast arrive plump and cooked with care, lifted by the gentle heat of an Urfa chilli butter. Smoked miso aubergine comes with crispy shallots, pomegranate, pine nuts and a sour cream dressing. The skillet-baked potatoes, finished with herb cream and grated hard sheep's cheese, have been on the menu since opening day. One visit found the signature flatbread and grey mullet below their best, so the menu may vary from night to night.
The room has flint stone walls, burnt-orange banquettes and an open kitchen, with a walled courtyard for warmer days. The cocktail list, including the Burnt Orange Martini and the Margarita list, is the thing to order here. The wine list is reasonably priced, and the bar stays open until 1am on Friday and Saturday for late drinks.
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good quality, good value cooking
Part of the Black Rock Group, which also includes the Coal Shed, the Salt Room and Tutto, this remodelled 16th-century coaching inn remains one of the hottest tickets in town. It’s difficult to pinpoint the secret to the restaurant’s continued success because they do everything so well. As one diner noted: ‘Whether an occasion, a Sunday lunch or an early-doors dinner, this bistro can cater for anything’. With its flint stone walls, open kitchen, dining counter and burnt-orange banquettes, it still feels fresh and stylish (the charming enclosed courtyard is a great spot in good weather). Service is seamless, from the warm welcome at the reception desk to attention to detail at the table. More importantly, everyone seems genuinely pleased to see you. Chef Peter Dantanus’s regularly changing list of small plates combines wood-fired cooking and global influences to beguiling effect. A simple plate of plump, perfectly cooked mussels served on toast was made memorable by the gentle heat and richness of an Urfa chilli butter. Aubergine, smoky from the wood fire and deeply savoury from the addition of miso had the perfect combination of soft flesh and crispy skin, with a generous topping of crispy shallots, pomegranate and pine nuts adding crunch, while a sour cream dressing lent contrasting richness. Small, waxy skillet-baked potatoes, drenched in a herb cream and showered with gratings of hard sheep’s cheese have been a menu staple since day one and remain a must-order. Not everything was perfect on our visit: the signature wood-fired flatbread with sesame brown butter was doughy and greasy, while charred grey mullet with buttermilk crab curry was served tepid in a grainy sauce. These did, however, feel like minor mishaps in the context of an otherwise pleasurable experience. The reasonably priced wine list is a bonus, but cocktails including the signature Burnt Orange Martini or something from the Margarita list, are the thing to drink here; the restaurant is open until 1am at the weekend for late-night drinks.
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