Restaurant in Brighton and Hove, United Kingdom
Wood-fire cooking that earns its Michelin Plate.
A Michelin Plate wood-fire bistro in Brighton's Lanes, Embers delivers generous, smoke-driven sharing plates at a ££ price point that justifies the booking. The open fire kitchen, convivial format, and technically assured cooking make it the most complete casual-fine dining option in central Brighton right now.
Embers is not a fire-pit gimmick or a trend-chasing concept restaurant. It is a genuinely accomplished wood-fire bistro in the heart of Brighton's Lanes that earns its Michelin Plate recognition through cooking that is generous, technically grounded, and designed to be shared. At ££, it sits at a price point where the food-to-value ratio is hard to fault. If you are visiting Brighton and want one dinner that feels both convivial and culinarily purposeful, this is a strong answer to that question — stronger than most of what the city offers at the same price tier.
The most common misconception about Embers is that it is a barbecue restaurant. It is not. The wood fire is the cooking method, not the theme. Birch and ash smoulder in a central fire cage in the open kitchen, and the scent hits you immediately on arrival — sweet, warm, faintly herbal. It is the kind of smell that makes a room feel inhabited and intentional rather than staged. First-timers should know that this aroma is not background detail; it is effectively the restaurant's signature, and it runs through virtually every dish on the menu.
The room reads dark and grounded: charcoal walls, chunky wood tables, and a counter that faces directly into the kitchen. If you are coming for the first time, request the counter. It is the leading seat in the house for watching the fire work and understanding how the kitchen operates. The format is sharing plates , a selection of smaller dishes followed by larger centrepiece plates designed for two or more , so come with at least one other person, or accept that you will order more than you planned.
Menu opens with nibbles, including sourdough that is briefly toasted over the fire and served with whipped dripping butter. This is not incidental bread service; it sets the register for what follows. From the small plates, the kitchen produces combinations that are confident without being fussy: skillet-roasted potatoes with mole and chimichurri mayonnaise, chicken leg with a BBQ honey glaze and roasted garlic aïoli, and wood-fired leeks with marrowfat pea purée and garlic crumb. The flavours are direct, smoky, and built around fat and char in a way that feels considered rather than. Centrepiece dishes , venison rump with beetroot ketchup and pickled blackberries, whole sea bass , are designed to anchor the table and reward the sharing format.
Dessert follows the same logic. The standout is a supersized take on a Rolo: dark chocolate shell, caramel centre, milk ice cream, and chocolate crumb. It is the kind of dessert that justifies the menu space it occupies.
The service philosophy at Embers aligns with the food: warm, direct, and without ceremony. This is not a fine-dining room where every plate arrives with a narration. It is a bistro with Michelin recognition, and the service reflects that sensibly , attentive enough to keep the meal moving, relaxed enough not to interrupt it. At ££, that balance is the right call. You are not paying for theatrical precision, and Embers does not pretend otherwise. The atmosphere is lively, the room fills quickly, and the open kitchen keeps energy levels high throughout the evening.
The wine list is curated with a similar ethos: interesting, accessible, with a creditable selection from English vineyards. The cocktail programme is strong. Neither list is exhaustive, but both are coherent with the food and priced fairly for the tier. A short list done well is more useful than a long list done carelessly, and Embers understands this.
Embers holds a Michelin Plate (2025) and a Google rating of 4.8 across 660 reviews, which means it is known, liked, and frequently full. Booking difficulty sits at Easy relative to the wider Brighton dining scene, but that does not mean last-minute. For a Friday or Saturday dinner, booking one to two weeks ahead is sensible. Midweek has more give. The counter seats fill faster than table seats, so if you want that position, specify it at the time of booking. Walk-ins are unlikely to be direct on weekends. The restaurant is at 42 Meeting House Lane, in the Lanes , a pedestrian area, so plan your arrival on foot from the nearest parking or from Brighton station, which is walkable.
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embers | Tucked away in the heart of Brighton’s famous Lanes, you’ll find this contemporary bistro with a big, wood-fired heart. Their ethos is all about sharing food with friends around a fire, with a menu that combines small plates like charred broccoli with centrepiece dishes for sharing, such as venison rump or whole sea bass. As you would expect, plenty of smoky flavour comes through in the well-executed, accessible dishes.; A joint venture by local chefs Dave Marrow (Terre à Terre) and Isaac Bartlett Copeland (Isaac At), Embers is deliciously warm and glowing, the air full of the sweet scent of smouldering birch and ash – thanks to the fire cage in the centrepiece kitchen. Charcoal walls and chunky wood tables complement the cooking-over-fire vibe, while a seat at the counter is the best place to view the action. The menu kicks off with a handful of nibbles including sourdough bread (smoky and warm from a brief toasting), which is almost a meal in itself when teamed with beefy whipped 'dripping butter'. From the selection of small plates, we enjoyed three excellent combos: skillet-roasted potatoes and pickled jalapeños smothered in mole and chimichurri mayonnaise; tender roasted chicken leg with a deliciously charred and caramelised BBQ honey coating and a slick of roasted garlic aïoli; and wood-fired leeks with buttery marrowfat pea purée, crunchy garlic crumb and kale – the latter rather chewy, the only off-note in the dish. Our verdict? Generous, heartfelt, please-all cooking, characterised by big flavours and lots of delicious fat, with wonderful, fragrant smokiness running through each dish. In addition, there are centrepiece plates to feed two or more, say venison rump with beetroot ketchup and pickled blackberries. Our standout dessert was a supersized take on a Rolo, combining a bittersweet, velvety and spoonable dark chocolate exterior with a smooth caramel filling, all topped with milk ice cream and a crunchy milk chocolate crumb. The wine list reflects the freshness of the entire offering, with plenty of interesting sips including a decent showing from English vineyards. Terrific cocktails too.; Michelin Plate (2025); WINE: Wine Strengths: California Pricing: $ i Wine pricing: Based on the list\'s general markup and high and low price points:$ has many bottles < $50;$$ has a range of pricing;$$$ has many $100+ bottles Selections: 95 Inventory: 1,025 CUISINE: Cuisine Types: American Pricing: $$ i Cuisine pricing: The cost of a typical two-course meal, not including tip or beverages.$ is < $40;$$ is $40–$65;$$$ is $66+. Meals: Dinner STAFF: People Wine Director: Rush Stehley Sommelier: Edward Melley Chef: Anthony Eppolite General Manager: Magen Staley Owner: Cole Taustin | ££ | — |
| Burnt Orange | ££ | — | |
| Palmito | ££ | — | |
| Amari | ££ | — | |
| Cin Cin | ££ | — | |
| Dilsk | £££ | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Embers suits small groups well — its sharing-plate format is built for tables eating together rather than individually. For larger parties, counter seating is limited, so book a table and mention your group size when reserving. Six or more may find the format works better as a seated group than a stand-and-share setup.
Book at least two to three weeks out. Embers holds a Michelin Plate (2025) and a 4.8 Google rating across 660 reviews, which keeps it consistently full, especially on weekends. If you want the counter seats facing the kitchen, flag that preference when booking.
Embers does not operate a fixed tasting menu in the traditional sense — the format centres on sharing small plates and centrepiece dishes rather than a set chef's progression. At ££ pricing, the sharing approach gives you flexibility without the commitment of a full tasting menu, which suits most diners better here.
Cin Cin is the closest comparison for quality-driven, ingredient-led cooking at a similar price point, though it leans Italian rather than fire-focused. Burnt Orange is worth considering if you want a livelier atmosphere with wood-fire cooking. Palmito skews more plant-forward; Dilsk is the choice if seafood is the priority.
Yes — counter seating along the open kitchen is available and, by most accounts, the best seat in the house for watching the wood-fire cooking in action. It works well for solo diners or pairs. Reserve the counter specifically when booking rather than assuming it will be available on arrival.
Embers is not a barbecue restaurant. The wood fire — birch and ash — is the cooking method, and it runs through every dish without making smoke the headline. The menu splits between snackable small plates and larger centrepiece dishes designed for two or more. At ££, expect generous portions and bold flavours rather than restrained fine-dining portions.
The menu includes vegetable-forward small plates alongside meat and fish options, so there is reasonable scope for vegetarians. The wood-fire format does skew towards animal fats and proteins in the centrepiece dishes. Contact Embers directly at 42 Meeting House Lane before booking if you have specific allergen requirements, as menu details are not publicly documented here.
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