Brighton Oyster Festival and Coastal Dining Guide

Brighton is currently in the middle of the inaugural BITE Brighton Oyster Festival, which started on Friday, 19 June 2026, and runs until Sunday, 28 June 2026. Organized by BITE Sussex, this ten-day event brings a dedicated oyster trail to the city. Participating spots are offering a special festival menu for #15, which includes a single oyster prepared in your choice of style—fresh, tempura, Rockefeller, or Florentine—paired with a glass of sparkling wine, a cocktail, or a Fever-Tree mocktail. You don't need advance tickets for the trail itself, though booking ahead is sensible for busy weekend slots. Some of the local spots taking part include English’s of Brighton, Burger & Lobster, Lost in the Lanes, Cecconi’s on Madeira Drive, and Stem on Church Road.

Beyond the self-guided trail, the festival features several specific events with profits going to charity. On Thursday, 25 June 2026, SEA LIFE Brighton hosts Cocktails and Canap)s Under The Sea, a collaboration between six local chefs, six mixologists, and six drink producers, with proceeds supporting the SEA LIFE Trust. Later in the week, on Saturday, 27 June 2026, the Brighton Toy and Model Museum hosts A Sparkling Sussex Soir)e, featuring local wine and canap)s to support their Trafalgar Street Regeneration Project. The festival wraps up on Sunday, 28 June 2026, with Brighton’s first professional oyster-shucking competition outside English’s on East Street, where oyster sales will benefit Martlet’s Hospice.

If you want to sit down for a full meal, the featured local restaurants have distinct setups. English’s of Brighton on East Street has been operating on its site since the 1890s and offers dining in its classic rooms, at the marble oyster bar, or on the heated terrace. Their menu includes Lindisfarne oysters, dressed brown crab, and Sussex lobster thermidor. Over at 15 Market Street, Burger & Lobster is serving a #70 festival set menu featuring three courses, an Albourne Estate sparkling wine or non-alcoholic spritz, and dishes like Lobster Thermidor. Meanwhile, The Salt Room on Kings Road, which reopened on 22 May 2026 after a redesign, focuses on charcoal-based cooking with options like 'The Surf Board' and whole market fish, accompanied by views of the West Pier from their terrace.