Bill’s
The Depot 100 North Road Brighton BN1 1YE
When this tempting emporium first opened, it fitted Brighton’s quirky North Laine district so perfectly that it was easy to imagine it had been around forever. Like its big sister in Lewes, it was part specialist grocer and greengrocer, part organic café, and 100 percent cool: its high ceiling, huge doors and lofty shelves gave it warehouse chic, and the food was fabulous.
Bill's Brighton has since evolved into a link in a chain stretching to Covent Garden, Cambridge and beyond. In the process, much of the fresh produce has been cleared away to make room for more tables, and the menu now dwells on contemporary pub or café classics rather than interesting creations using locally-sourced ingredients. While this may disappoint those who loved Bill’s for its original farm-shop food-hall feel, the crowds keep coming – there’s a scramble for space at breakfast time, and the rush never really stops all day.
