ItalianNew Road

Pinocchio

Cheap cheerful Italian that beats Donatello's on food

6.5/10

Local score

No. 88 of 300 places to eat on r/brighton, from 20 locals across 20 threads.

96% would send a mate. Still recommended in 2026.

Consistently rated better than sister restaurant Donatello's for cheap and cheerful Italian food - better value, less oversalted, pasta cooked properly. Handy for pre-theatre dinner near the Dome, does gluten-free pasta and a well-liked two-course deal (around £12.50), though one person found it a bit noisy and chain-feeling.

Go for
A cheap Italian meal before a show
Heads up
Can feel a bit chain-like and noisy inside

What locals say

The Albert. The hand in hand. The basketmakers. The Concorde 2. Volks (both the railway and the club). Revenge. Komedia. Duke of Yorks. Planet India. The Gingerman. Pinocchio's.
u/pink_brownies_, 202429 upvotes“When people say ‘It’s a Brighton institution’ what place springs to mind?”
…related stuff, I'm inclined to recommend Carluccio's - it's a chain restaurant, but it's dependable and being a chain, is more likely to have good labelling of food contents/alternatives for most common concerns. Near that, The Chilli Pickle is very good. I've been to Pinocchio's a bunch of times and the food there has always been to a good standard. If you can do Hove, I would strongly recommend Shandiz. It's Persian food, and it isn't expensive, but the food is wonderful.
u/ByEthanFox, 20193 upvotes“Best restaurants in brighton?”
Restaurants that take it seriously AND DON'T make a huge fuss/make you feel like a leper/call the manager over/get a massive folder out/plead ignorance on lots of their meals as the sauces are 'brought in' = Moshimo, Pinocchio. Restaurants that take it seriously AND DO make a huge fuss/make you feel like a leper/call the manager over/get a massive folder out/plead ignorance on lots of their meals as the sauces are 'brought in' = all the chain restaurants. Not sure how trusting I'd personally be of Wahaca considering the…
u/theflangereturns, 20231 upvotes“Serious Allergy safe restaurants”
There’s a place next to the theatre (Pinocchio) that does absolutely divine cannoli! Also Bravo Patisserie on the London Road. They’re Turkish but the cannoli are great (and their Turkish desserts are, too!). Oh and I think Franco’s and Al Duomo both do cannoli too (I’m Italian so these are all on my radar 🥰).
u/mmhmye, 20251 upvotes“Cannoli crisis”

Ranked from 21,200 r/brighton comments. Summaries are written by AI from what locals said; quotes are word for word. Not affiliated with Reddit. Back to the guide