Brunch & breakfastSt. James's Street

Redroaster

Reliable brunch spot, though a bit pretentious

6.3/10

Local score

No. 44 of 141 cafés on r/brighton, from 17 locals across 12 threads.

67% would send a mate. Still recommended in 2026.

Popular St James Street brunch and coffee spot, with people rating the bottomless brunch and calling it a fab weekend brunch, plus a green shaded garden good for laptop work. Others say it's become expensive and try-hard since a makeover, more about 'the vibe' than substance.

Go for
Solid brunch or a working coffee spot
Heads up
Some find it overpriced and try-hard

What locals say

I have all the sympathy for you rn. If you're near the centre, Redroaster or Social Board. Social Board's Philly with a Lemon Fanta was my go-to when I was closer to the city centre.
u/mattygp90, 202517 upvotes“Best hangover food”
Brunch: Black Mocha, petit pois, redroaster On the go lunch: Earls, Crunch & co, We love falafel, Akimoto Coffee shops: Twin Pines, Pelicano (Amazing cakes), Bond St Coffee (gotta try the cinnamon buns)
u/ACosmicWanderer, 20232 upvotes“Visiting until the middle of June - if you had to recommend your favorite breakfast place, brunch/lunch place, and activity to do while I'm here, what would they be?”
Brunch: Black Mocha, petit pois, redroaster On the go lunch: Earls, Crunch & co, We love falafel, Akimoto Coffee shops: Twin Pines, Pelicano (Amazing cakes), Bond St Coffee (gotta try the cinnamon buns)
u/ACosmicWanderer, 20234 upvotes“Visiting until the middle of June - if you had to recommend your favorite breakfast place, brunch/lunch place, and activity to do while I'm here, what would they be?”
Redroaster used to be top of my list, until they had that expensive and admittedly rather nice make over. Walk into any high end restaurant, wait to be seated, then order a flat white and nothing else. Feeling awkward? This is what Red Roaster has become…
u/mat900ft, 20181 upvotes“Great coffee and wifi are what we need! We made a list of awesome cafes around our town!”

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