If you find yourself wandering through the narrow, Victorian streets of North Laine, North Laine Café is hard to miss. Tucked into 17 Jubilee Street, right in the middle of the conservation area that gives the neighbourhood its name, it's the kind of place that works as well for a slow morning as it does for a proper lunch. It's about 500 metres from Brighton station, so it's an easy first or last stop when you're in town.
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The first thing to know is that the kitchen doesn't really believe in time slots. Instead of switching from breakfast to lunch, it runs an all-day menu that lets you order eggs benedict, huevos rancheros, a half breakfast, a veggie breakfast or even a North African option alongside the brunch and lunch dishes. For the later half of the day, that means steak tartar, pancakes, pork, a halloumi wrap, burgers, loaded fries, a chicken breast salad bowl and a gluten-free Sweet Potato Buddha Bowl, plus a selection of smaller plates to pick at. It's British bistro cooking at heart, and the vegan and vegetarian options are built right in rather than tacked on as an afterthought.
What's worth noting is where the ingredients come from. The café leans heavily on Sussex producers, which shows up in the drinks more than anywhere else. The coffee comes from Roasted of Brighton, the special teas are from Novus — with varieties like Egyptian Mint, English Breakfast and Persian Pomegranate — and the smoothies and juices are sourced from Sussex growers. There's a full bar too, with beers, wines and cocktails including a Brighton Blush and a Bloody Mary, and a counter of homemade cakes and biscuits if you're only in for something sweet. A Food Hygiene Rating of 5 is a reassuring detail for anyone who cares about that sort of thing.
On the practical side, there are a few things worth knowing before you commit. The café has wifi, a click-and-collect service for when you're in a rush, and a sun terrace for when the weather plays ball, but the building isn't wheelchair accessible, which is worth factoring in. Opening hours are a bit slippery depending on who you ask — the most consistent line is Monday to Sunday, 8am to 4pm, though some sources nudge that to 8.30am or 9am at weekends, so it's worth a quick check if you're aiming for the very early or late end of the day. Prices are hard to pin down exactly, with estimates landing anywhere from £10 to £20 a head up to £30 or more, so it's more of a sit-down meal than a quick coffee and a pastry.
Location helps, too. Jubilee Street is a busy stretch, with Las Iguanas and PizzaExpress just a few doors down, so if the café is full you're not far from other options. But for a relaxed brunch in the middle of one of Brighton's most bohemian quarters, it's a natural place to land.
