The story
Palmito is a 20-seat restaurant at 16 Western Road, on the Hove side of Brighton, cooking South American and Asian small plates over charcoal. It received a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2026.
Chef and owner Diego Ricaurte comes from Ecuador and has lived and travelled across Latin America and South Asia. His co-founder Kanthi hails from South India. Together they run a weekly-changing menu built on seasonal produce from small local farmers and fishermen, and the charcoal grill sits at the center of the open kitchen.
The Good Food Guide rated Palmito Very Good in 2026. It singles out local goat from Cuckmere served as a birria taco, and line-caught sea bass cut into a Peruvian-style tiradito with kiwi and raspberry leche de tigre. A recent menu lists plantain with smoked kelp and blackberry, benne miso pork with St George mushroom, smoked jollof rice, and black rice miso with strawberry and rose.
The building was a takeaway before it became a restaurant. Now a pink neon sign marks the olive-green frontage, and inside are exposed brickwork, filament lamps and tiled floors. Tables sit close together, and chefs sometimes bring dishes over themselves. The wine list is short and leans organic and biodynamic. Latin-inspired cocktails and local beers are also on offer. With so few seats, book ahead or come early.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
good quality, good value cooking
The pink neon sign and smart olive-green frontage bring some welcome style and swank to a rather drab stretch of Hove's Western Road. Flanked by a kebab joint and a vape shop, it’s no surprise to learn that this intimate small-plates restaurant used to be a takeaway. Chef and owner Diego Ricaurte has created an attractive space with exposed brickwork, decorative filament wall lamps, tiled floors and simple but stylish wooden furniture. You can see the team at work in the open kitchen from wherever you sit – and wherever you sit you’ll be close to your neighbouring table, but that just adds to the conviviality. In addition to the charming and friendly front-of-house team, the chefs deliver some of the dishes to the table themselves, giving diners the opportunity to chat – in fact, everyone is keen to talk about the food on offer here. The Ecuadorian chef's culiary heritage and wider influences from his travels gel into a satisfying and coherent dining experience. A regularly changing menu features carefully sourced produce, much of it local, all brought together in a selection of vibrantly flavoured, eclectic dishes with South American and Indian influences looming large. Goat from nearby Cuckmere might be served as a birria taco, while locally landed line-caught sea bass could be sliced into a Peruvian-style tiradito and served with a kiwi and raspberry 'leche de tigre' plus a scattering of colourful wildflowers. The wine list is short but full of interesting selections such as a Txakoli rosé and an impressive number of organic and biodynamic bottles – although the food also suits the local beers and well-made cocktails on offer. With only 20 seats, you’ll probably need to plan ahead to eat here – or be willing to dine early.
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