etch. in Brighton and Hove

My wife and I have been fans of Stephen Edward’s food for many years. We have eaten his food previously at Cromwells in Small Dole, Whites in Steyning and the Camelia at South Lodge. I was therefore happy to book a table at Etch to celebrate our Wedding Anniversary. I did this via The Fork app and it was clearly stated that we wanted the ‘Michelin tasting menu’ in the restaurant. We paid the deposit and received confirmation. However, late morning on the day of the reservation, I was contacted by a restaurant employee to ‘confirm our booking in the cocktail bar’. I explained that we had booked the restaurant, but was told that they didn’t have that information and had no availability. The lady said that she would be contacting all diners to confirm their tables and would call me back if anybody cancelled, however I received a deposit refund as soon as I put the phone down and a message from ‘The Fork’ saying the restaurant couldn’t accommodate us! I’m sure the food is as great as ever, but it is the dismissive attitude of the staff over their mistake that leaves a bad taste in the mouth

We were lured into having lunch here by a great value tasting menu, and as somewhere where we have wanted to try for a while we took this opportunity to do so. We had an odd table that I wouldn’t want again, whereby we were sat next to each other looking out into the restaurant rather than opposite each other. The food is very tasty and interesting, small amounts of intense flavours, beautifully presented and everything was cooked to perfection. I also appreciate that vegetarians and pescatarians are catered for without being made to feel awkward. Our waiter sold us a couple of extra dishes, which were quite expensive, a scallop dish for £18 and a cheese dish for £12 but told us we could share these dishes so naturally we thought the portions would be a shareable size. One scallop arrived, I kid you not, for £18! In a great sauce, but the idea that this represents value for money or a mouthful each is shareable is ridiculous. The mark-up on alcohol is eye-watering too which is such a shame as there is nothing better than wine with a lovely meal. So our great value meal ended up as anything but, with the extortionate extra dishes and wine prices, and if you do decide to bite the bullet and treat yourself to some nice wine, you are hit twice, because the 12.5% service charge includes what you have paid for wine, so you end up with a hefty service charge to boot. Then to add insult to injury they also put a charge on for a charity that you know nothing about and no-one has bothered to tell you anything about, but hey ho you are expected to give a donation to. If they want to support a charity then fine, the restaurant should pay for it out of their profits like other restaurants do. So overall great food, but the mark-ups on some dishes and alcohol leaves a bad taste in your mouth and if you are making customers pay towards a charity then at least tell them before hand about it so they can make an informed decision whether it’s something the wish to support or not.

Visited Etch. for the first time on Wednesday and it was an amaizing experience! The service was outstanding but the star was the food. We had a 7-course tasting and when you look at the menu you would never expect what will show up in front of you. All plates are presented in a very beautiful way, you can feel they really care, and every dish was super interesting. We had lots of fun trying everything and my personal favourite was the chocolate mousse with the mushroom Ice cream - I’ve never in a million year would have thought of this being my favourite desert but now I can’t wait to be back! The place could have been a bit more cosy, inside it all felt like you were in a picture rather than having a homely feel but it was nonetheless great. We will be back 100%

We had an amazing lunch experience today for our anniversary. The wonderful tasting menu and wine flight was faultless, every course was outstanding. We were blown away by the attentive and knowledgeable staff, especially Frank and Scott, amazing service and great cocktails ...loved our whole experience and we look forward to returning.. thank you guys x

I visited Etch on my own for lunch. What an amazing experience. Every course was sublime, with the chef himself serving some of the courses. I chose to have the wine pairing, which was perfectly matched. From the beautiful 'snacks' to start, the marmite mini loaf with seaweed butter, an extraordinary soup, ( my favourite ever!) duck, 'dippy egg', fish, beef, ( I chose the extra scallop and cheese courses )and desserts, all was utterly delicious. Thank you. I can't wait to return to this amazing restaurant.

We loved our last minute meal at Etch. It was mid week and it seemed like we got the last table, which was very lucky. We were staying locally. Lovely little bar with great artwork and delicious cocktails. Food was 10/10. Service was personable. Love how everyone brings the food to the table including the chefs. We had the wine pairing and the sommelier was fab, and funny! Would recommend.

We went with friends for our joint anniversaries - both first time customers. The service was second to none and each course (we chose the 5 course menu) was a pure delight of taste, texture and visually attractive. All dishes were exceptional and we came away feeling thoroughly spoilt. It is expensive, but worth it for special occasions. A big thank you to all the staff, who made us feel very special.

Fantastic evening, chose the 5 course tasting menu, Soup of the day, Bass, Dippy Egg, Lamb, and Cherry Almond, complemented by the wine flight, absolutely brilliant food, and wine, with very knowledgeable staff who took me through the history of each wine. The chefs also come over to check everything was alright and explained the dishes, also enjoyed a great Singapore Sling cocktail on arrival, Will definitely return,

My husband was given a voucher for his 60th birthday last year. Yesterday (my husband’s birthday), we travelled from Brentwood to this amazing restaurant. We can’t stop talking about it this morning. The exceptional staff and food made this the best dining experience we have both had. The beetroot soup was a taste explosion and the lamb just melted in your mouth. A big thank you to George and the whole team for making it such a memorable evening.

We dined at Etch, coinciding with a guest chef evening featuring Tom Hamblet, the current Master Chef The Professionals winner. The food was a wonderful blend of innovation and elegance with each dish meticulously crafted using fresh local ingredients. Chef Hamblet’s dishes were a highlight adding to an already exquisite menu. The wine pairing was exceptional and enhanced the complete experience. Steven and his team provided impeccable service, great knowledge of the food and wine while balance utter professionalism with warmth and personality. This restaurant rightly deserves it place as one of the best in the UK.

For fine dining this restaurant takes such a pride in the quality and presentation of its food. We have been several times now and have enjoyed every course. The chefs have been very accommodating in offering an alternative if you have a food intolerance.

This is the second time visiting Etch - we first come in 2022 and one a visit to Brighton and we both agreed it was our favourite dinning experience! We have been to many tasting restaurants but this really stands out as one of the best. Going back a second time, it was equally as amazing - each dish was memorable (even their bread!). We will definitely be back again - thanks for an amazing date night!

We, a group of eight friends, had lunch at etch on Saturday and WOW! Unfortunately, Steven wasn’t there - well, I say unfortunately but your staff were fabulous. They were all extremely attentive, nothing was too much trouble and your Head Chef, George, spent so much time with us. We felt very well looked after. As the only vegetarian in the party, I felt confident in the dishes I was served. The food was sublime. My favourite was the soup which was far from just a plain old soup - it was absolutely incredible! I would definitely recommend etch and can’t wait to return. Thank you for a fabulous afternoon and special thanks to George.

We have been to Etch several times over the years and it never fails to delight. Attentive, knowledgeable staff and interesting dishes. Certainly the best restaurant in Brighton & Hove.

I brought my chef husband nick (baldchefnick) to etch to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary… the team were all awesome, we loved our table, thank you so much for the unexpected Nyetimber at the beginning. The food & cocktails were awesome! 🤩 I particularly adore the marmite rolls with seaweed butter & rye dippy eggs. I would say nicks favourite was the scallop & shrimp & the lamb. Absolutely brilliant. I think nick will have the best time working with you 😁

We were lucky enough to get a table at Etch and it was by far one of the best meals we have ever had. From the wonderful greeting by the chef from start the finish the service was on point, I would be hard pushed to find to recall better service, but perhaps Trinity in Clapham would come close. Relaxed and knowledgeable and always with a smile and enthusiasm. We made out way through their cocktail menu all sensational but their clear Negroni was a stand out for me. In my experience with tasting menus I had always found one dish ti be “ok”, even at A.Wong there was a couple of dishes that I could love without. But literally EVERYTHING we ate on their Spring menu I could eat a thousand times over. It was exciting, a taste sensation from start to end. Loved it. GO GO GO

Amazing experience - both the food and the service. My husband took me here for my birthday and didn't expect him or my daughter to love the food - they loved it and I loved it too. Service was amazing as well as the food - low enough number of covers for it to feel really special. Gorgeous private cocktail bar under restaurant for pre-dinner cocktails.

Gorgeous!! I absolutely love this restaurant. The food is sublime! Each course is unique, exciting, incredibly well presented and filled with the most divine flavours. Highlights are: the bread and butter! I promise you will never eat a sticky bread bun as good as this in your life. The Wellington! I absolutely love the Wellington (I’m veggie). The gravy is rich, the puree it comes with divine. If they have the apple sorbet on the menu then buckle up for a one way ticket to heaven. I always love their soups. Oh yes, the duck egg! Served on straw! With a kind of salty dipping toast. I can’t remember all of the other courses. The meat courses are incredible I hear. Get the wine pairing: in for a penny, in for a pound. It’s worth it. I love the way they tell you all about each on. The decor is beautiful too. Gorgeous art on the way in. The loo! Sit back, relax, and enjoy! You’ll know what I mean when you go. I don’t want to spoil the surprise.

Etch always succeeds in making your night an extraordinary experience. The team are impeccable, the service attentive without being overbearing, the food is sublime and outstandingly presented, and the wine list superb (but just right in terms of what’s listed and the price).

Celebrated my 60th birthday here and everything was outstanding! The food was amazing, the staff were brilliant and so knowledgeable about every aspect of every course and the ambience was just lovely. We’ll definitely return for the summer menu. Difficult to choose a favourite course as everything was perfect. We also bought some marmite rolls to eat at home!

Yesterday was our first visit to Etch and we were blown away with our experience.When we sat down at our table Steven personally introduced his restaurant to us.The food was excellent and we paired with the wine which made it more interesting.The staff were knowledgable and passionate Definitely worth the hour drive and will be coming back!!!

Dinner Etch. by Steven Edwards Hove,Brighton. A former Masterchef Professionals Winner. This has been our list for ages, and we finally got the chance on our recent stay in Brighton. We've had some tasting menus in our time, but this has got to be affordable fine dining, £50 for five courses. There is a seven course for £75, which we chose and options to add extras. On arrival, we were shown downstairs to their cocktail bar named INK, after it used to be a tattoo studio. You are best to pre-book this. It's a very dark, moody space,well it is totally black with low lighting and a chill vibe. A couple of cocktails ordered,one being their house MI DISPIACE, NEGRONI Tom Cat Blueberry Gin | House Bitter Liqueur | La Fee Absinthe | Grapefruit | Orange Bitters |Greek Yoghurt £14. Then it's off upstairs to the restaurant with its open kitchen, taking the centre of attraction in the clean modern dining room. Once seated, we were served a complimentary glass of Nytimber,which was totally unexpected and much appreciated. Dinner started with a couple of snacks and their bread and butter. All the dishes that follow are quite simply devine. The fish course of Halibut was one of the best we've experienced in a long time. And then there's the Dippy egg.Wow! We had to have the extra dish of Scallop £18. Not forgetting the Beef & Celeriac,so sweet and tender. The finale of two beautiful and tasty desserts. We just loved everything about this outstanding restaurant. The staff and service were impeccable. So much so this has got to be our restaurant of the month. How does it not have a Michelin Star? or at the least a Bib Gourmand. Get booked in,you will love it.

Excellent evening, great service food and wine. This restaurant merits it’s billing and is well worth a visit. The five course menu was perfect and surprisingly filling !

Had a wonderful 7 course tasting menu at Etch at the weekend. Have been a few times over the years but never in Feb, menu changes each month with a few signature staples as permanent fixtures. The food was outstanding and the wine recommendations were on point. We ended our lunch with a drink in the bar downstairs. This is definitely a treat place - and you’ll be in for one hella of a treat! Highly recommended!

Our favourite restaurant that never disappoints. We returned for my birthday. A drink in the cocktail bar first and decided to add the extra 2 courses along with the wine pairings. The food was exceptional (as usual)…..the Scallop / Mussel was a stand out with incredible sauce. As always, Steven and his team were engaging and welcoming. Highly recommended. We will be back again soon 👍

I had a very good first impression when I contacted the restaurant with some questions having not been there before. The lady I spoke to could not have been more helpful and my positive experience continued on visiting the restaurant. The food was excellent and beautifully presented, the staff were friendly and efficient and the food was brought to our table to suit the pace at which we wanted to eat. We both thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would definitely eat there again and recommend it to other people.

Food is simply stunning. Each course had us nodding our heads in delight. Went to bar first - loved it. Amazing cocktails. Cannot fault in any way. Will hold its own with any restaurant in the world.

We had an amazing experience at Etch being served and greeted by Steven himself. The food and the service is outstanding! Over the years we visited several Michelin restaurants with mixed experiences but Etch. is one of 3 places so far that we will definitely be coming back to when in Brighton next. Each dish was beautiful, full of flavour and immaculately presented. Not possible to choose our favourite! Thank you for a truly 5-star experience!

As foodies that love visiting restaurants all over…. The three of us agreed that this was the best dining experience we’ve had in years! Absolutely perfect welcome into the restaurant by the main man! Modern cocktails in the bar first followed by an amazing tasting menu. Amazing pescatarian and vegetarian menu that isn’t a polite alternative to meat as in many high end restaurants… fresh flavours, outstanding taste… wonderful service. Thank you for making our evening wonderful

Hey so having your birthday 2 days after Christmas is pretty much crap… awful food…rail not running..Christmas leftovers but this year I discovered etch ! Can’t wait go again really loved the whole experience and the food was amazing

We visited last night for the first time, both meat and veggie menus from start to finish (and all the marmite brioche inbetween) everything was bang on point, nothing disappointed our palates or our eyes!The expression “Team work makes the dream work” is very much evident here. Thank you for providing us with a really super duper memorable evening.

First visit but won’t be our last, friendly knowledgeable staff we went for the 9 course taster menu we both really enjoyed the whole evening. Lovely that Stephen Edwards chatted and helped serve the tables asking for feedback as well. The chefs were behind our table were really friendly and chatty as well.Our favourite were the cauliflower and the venison not forgetting marmite brioche which was so yummy.Staff strictly adhered to covid guidelines throughout our visit and use lots of local suppliers.

Last night was mine and my wife's third visit to etch, every time we go we are blown away by the food and last night was no exception. The atmosphere is brilliant with all the care and attention you would like whilst adhering to the lurgy guidelines. This is by far and away our favourite restaurant and we no doubt be back as soon as we are able to

Excellent 7 course menu. Could not fault anything. Service was excellent with friendly team and very knowledgeable on food and wine. Will be returning for sure

once again, an excellent meal with the chef having the decency to chat, at length with the customers all through the meal. We were there to celebrate our grandsons exam results and when informed adjusted a desert to congratulate him, things like this make a good restaurant a great one.As to other comments regarding an accompanying 'wine flight', never done it, far too much wine, you're there for the food not just the booze !

Had a fab meal last night, Etch is consistently brilliant. We had a 7 course tasting menu , each course was a total delight. Wine is eye watering expensive do we passed on wine matching . It’s only a matter of time before Etch gets the Michelin star it deserves.

The food was just OK, not inventive or tasty but certainly not terrible. Cocktails and particularly the wine matching was dreadful. None of the wines I would have ordered again. The whole thing cost about as much as a weekend in Europe and you might be able to throw in a tasting menu there too. Don't waste your money.

We just had lunch here today for mum’s bday. The food were excellent, enjoyed every dish! The service is just so perfect, every dish the waiter/waitress explain to us the ingredients and cooking method. We love the tasteful decor, very clean bathroom. The highlight was to see Steven there, we even had distanced photo together. I would definitely take friends and family there again! Thank you!

Took my family here to celebrate my dads 60th a few weeks ago, we dined in the private dining room and Sarah our lovely host was AMAZING and the food was flawless - HIGHLY recommend

I had previously booked a table for my partners birthday, but it was cancelled due to lockdown. I’m so pleased we finally came here. The food was so delicious. There was food i had never tried before. My partner has the wine paring, which he also thought was lovely. The service was outstanding. Loved the special effort they did when they wished my partner a happy birthday even if it was months ago. Will look forward to coming here again in the future.

Utterly disappointing service, my booking was cancelled as my sister and husband, who were part of the booking, had travelled from Ireland in the last week. Ireland is the only country to have a common travel agreement with the UK, on top of the fact that Ireland is on the green list and has a lower COVID rate than the UK. We celebrated our wedding anniversary recently at Etch and have always really enjoyed going to Etch. My sister had actually paid for our last Mel as a gift and was extremely excited about visiting. This is so illogical and disappointing. We won’t be visiting here again.

The food was exceptional! What made our experience delightful was the whole package, the amazing hosts being another important factor. Two thumbs up and thank you for a most enjoyable afternoon.

I am writing this review the day we visited, I had to get on here immediately to say how good the food was. My partner and I treat each other to meals out for each other's birthdays, and we usually only go for michelin star places, but had wanted to come here since it opened as we loved Steven on Masterchef. As it was a big birthday for my partner this week I treated him to two lunches- somewhere else with 1 Michelin star earlier in the week, and Etch today. We both agreed that Etch was better than our other meal and we can't believe it doesn't have a star!Every course was sublime. We had the 9 course menu and our experience of most tasting menus is you have at least 1 course you don't enjoy but we loved them all. The extras were great too- the marmite brioche with seaweed butter was lovely, as were the boozy petit fours.The service was just what we like, welcoming, friendly and efficient. The staff were knowledgeable and passionate about the food. I had emailed about a dietary requirement beforehand, they had printed the menus with a dish adjusted and confirmed this again with us before they started serving the food, efficient as you want it to be. We had a wonderful meal, in fact we can't recall the last time we had one that was better!

This is our third visit to Etch and our first night out since February and the food didn't disappoint. Steven Edwards and his team have gone up another gear from the sublime delicate taste of the broad bean /mint dish to the earthy pigeon and beetroot one, it was just delicious. To all of the team, thank you for a wonderful evening.

We decided to spoil overselves by booking Etch for our anniversary. And we are so glad we did as we experienced a wonderful evening of amazing food that both challenges and delights. 9 courses of pure brilliance. We booked for our anniversary in May and were seamlessly moved to a night in August when the restaurant reopened. Every part of the experience was amazing. The communication from pre booking to the food delivery on the night itself was so accommodating, informative and relaxed. We opted to have an alcoholic drinks flight with several of our courses alongside a favourite cocktail and glass of wine of our own choosing. The drinks prepared as part of the flight were wonderful and clever complimented each course. We literally couldn’t choose a favourite course they were all so good - egg, pigeon, rabbit, chocolate all show stoppers and the Its no yoke drink was sooo delicious. This was my second visit, I had been previously on business but it’s the kind of place you just want friends and family to experience too. And so relaxed, informal and unpretentious. Thank you Stephen, Kim and the Etch team

Visited last night with friends for my birthday celebration, first time ‘out’ since early March and wow it was worth the wait, what a great way to come out of our enforced hibernation!We originally had a table booked in May and the communication from etch during the lockdown and since was fantastic as we eagerly awaited the reopening.From a COVID perspective they really have everything very well organised and it is easy to keep your distance and stay safe from hand sanitiser/visors to pagers just to ensure you have a safe trip to the loo .Every member of staff were welcoming, friendly and extremely professional. It was great to meet Stephen and lovely to hear him passionately talk about his food, which in the words of Craig Revel Horwood was simply A..MAZ..ING!At the end of the meal we discussed our favourite dish, there were just too many to choose from. From the mushroom doughnut, the marmite bread, the broad been soup & goats cheese cone, the pigeon bhaji, the dippy egg, the rabbit spring roll, the Hove honeycomb and the sublime cherry bakewell.Just running through the menu in my mind is making my mouth water!We were literally spoilt for choice. We also tried some of the amazing wines, the Rathfinney fizz & the Sancerre Rose were particularly nice! As were the Martini etchspressos .We would not hesitate to recommend this stunning restaurant and can’t wait to come back. Thank you Stephen and the whole team!

My wife and I visited and were not disappointed. Sometimes I have been generous giving 5 star reviews but this hit the button on every level.First of all the measures in place regarding covid and social distancing were great. Hand sanitizer as you walk in, everyone including the pass wearing visors and a button to press for the loo.The service throughout was impeccable by our hosts. The servers were friendly, welcoming and knowledgable about all the dishes. Thank you!! The atmosphere was great. We loved the ambience of the restaurant, the music in the background, watching the chefs do their work in a nice environment. Now on to the food which was sublime. We had the 9 course tasting menu and it’s rare that we would like all dishes. My wife is coeliac and had no issues - we told them in advance and they provided separate dishes if needed so that there were no issues.We were torn on what our favourite dishes were. You have to try it yourself to make that choice. For me the lobster and the mackerel was amazing but then so was the marmite brioche, the slow cooked duck egg, the snacks and the duck. You will be spoilt for choice. I cannot wait to come back!

Etch was our first venture out post lockdownThe number of tables had been reduced slightly, and the staff are wearing visors but the atmosphere remains greatAs does the food. The marmite bread, the mushroom bites, followed by beetroot soup with horseradish, bream, poached egg, pork with cucumber that's strangely reminiscent of parking duck rolls, all great and a delightful plateful of summer with the desert of strawberry, clotted cream cheesecake and scone crumbleEtch remains our favourite restaurant.

It was a surprise for my husband 40th birthday, I had 7 course and my husband 9 course... for us only the first round was very special and something different, and the deserts wasn’t nice at all “ a bit disappointed “ it felt a bit cold so I couldn’t take of the cartigan all the time... for me it feelt like a dark and cold place....and the guy that use to serve us was like a machine...he wasn’t friendly at all but he only knew the ingredients very well..not worth at all the price for what it was. I wouldn’t recommend

We enjoyed a fantastic night at Etch to celebrate a big birthday. From the customer service when making the reservation to the night itself, the team at Etch ensured we had an experience to remember. We enjoyed the 7 course pescatarian menu and there was more than enough food, variety and surprises to enjoy!

I had the five course tasting menu for lunch. Over 2 hours of fantastic food and wine, and the service is great. Really friendly and attentive staff who know a lot about the food. The chefs are obviously excellent, but also welcoming too.

My wife took me out for a birthday lunch treat. This was our first visit to Steven Edwards restaurant and we were not disappointed. We had the 5 course tasting menu. Each course plus the extras were superb. The food was beautifully presented and full of flavour. Can definitely recommend and will be going back.

Absolutely perfect from the service(Elise was my host,&was so welcoming and helpful in deciding what to have)to the ambience & atmosphere(loved the soul music and watching Vintage Laurel & Hardy on the screen)to the food,which was nothing short of spectacular. Highly recommended for all occasions,I will definitely be coming back.

This was a very enjoyable experience. We had the nine courses with wine. The food was all very good with lots of great flavours & very well presented. Each course was described in detail by the staff. The wine was nicely matched to each course & was also well described. The atmosphere is very professional but also very relaxed & friendly.

We had the 9-course tasting menu on Saturday night. A lovely, elegant, relaxed setting. Food was incredible and very wellbalanced. Cocktails were lovely too, original and packed a punch. The service was exceptional without being over fussy. Very personal. The owner/executive chef Steven Edwards came over numerous times throughout our incredible meal and talked us through some of the dishes. His passion and care that went into the menu was clear to see. Hard to pick a favourite from so many great dishes but the mushroom and truffle doughnuts were outrageously, good!! The crab and beef dishes another standout. And the vegetarian options for my girlfriend weren’t a mere after thought. Will be heading back later this year. Can’t recommend this place enough. Worth every penny. Thanks to Steven and your talented team. Dean & Kate xx

Excellent....from the moment we walked in and were shown to our table....from the pre dinner snacks to the excellent tasting menu...to the excellent wine accompaniment....to the excellent, professional and friendly service...too many ‘excellents’? nah I don’t think so

We went on a Saturday night - we have been meaning to go for a while and were so glad to finally enjoy it. Fabulous from start to finish. Everyone who works there is the right side of casual so you can enjoy your meal with no formal fussing. Just the perfect balance of friendly and extremely well informed. Each dish and wine was explained beautifully and often with a quirky story which made it a real experience. Steven came out to each table to welcome and chat which is such a great plan. The food was just divine - each course so well balanced and creative and delicious. We left utterly full and desperate to go back soon!

Another fabulous lunch, the 5 course tasting menu, with parsley soup, halibut, duck egg, beef and mandarin, on top of the mushroom donuts and marmite bread possibly being the best yet

My first time here at Etch and won’t be the last. First class food with lots of different elements in each dish and flavours going on. We did the 9 course tasting menu and each dish was brilliant and with the end of each course bringing the excitement of whether or not the next would beat the previous.Some highlights were of course the food but also the tremendous atmosphere, the attentive and friendly staff who were amazing and probably the best Iv seen. The Japanese toilet also went down well with my guest and a quirky touch.The owner and chef was also there and friendly and passionate. All in all a first class experience.See you again.

Belated family Christmas get together as this highly recommended restaurant. The food was absolutely amazing with so many fusions the taste buds were seriously over indulged. On top of the incredible food, 9 courses plus "snacks & bread" the wine list was incredibly well stocked and varied and the staff were attentive, helpful and incredibly knowledgeable about everything that they were serving, all this in a truly comfortable and ambient space. Thanks Steve & Team for a really wonderful evening.

Menu is changed regularly - I've been twice now and neither times have disappointed!Despite it being a high-end restaurant, it has a very relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. I cannot fault the food in the slightest - it's some of the best food I have ever had.However it does tend to fall down on the wine pairing I think. Not always the best matched or nicest of wines. However I would highly recommend eating here!

This was our second visit to Etch (to celebrate my birthday) and it definitely will not be our last. My husband and I were seated in one of the booths which offer a good deal of privacy even though you're sat in the heart of the restaurant with great views of the kitchen area. We had chosen the 7 course tasting menu which ends up as 9 courses by the time you take into consideration the snacks and bread and although the courses are small, they are deceptively filling so make sure you arrive hungry. The food itself is incredible and some of the best I have ever eaten. Every plate that arrives is a work of art and the quality and flavour of the food is amazing. The dishes have all been so well thought out and planned and the variety of different ingredients you get to eat all add to the experience. I find myself eating things I'd never even think about choosing anywhere else because I just know that it will be of the highest quality at Etch.Some of the highlights of the December menu were the lightly aerated cauliflower soup (incredible how you can make cauliflower taste so delicious), the hake and chervil (amazing), the venison (melt in the mouth) and the 62 degree egg yolk with crispy onions! Whatever month you choose you will be served delicious, innovative and creative courses.It isn't just the food that stands out at Etch, it is the overall experience and the level of service that starts the moment you open the door and enter the restaurant. It is not a stuffy or pretentious fine dining restaurant but is instead a lovely relaxed environment where the focus is all on the food (and service). The staff are knowledgeable and friendly and we felt it was a lovely touch for Stephen Edwards himself to take the time to visit each table to welcome you and serve the snacks and to describe what they were and in what order we should try them.The happy birthday message on my desert plate was also a really nice end to an incredible meal. Go there, you will not be disappointed! I'd eat there every month if I could!!

Delicious lunch at etch Saturday lunchtime. We went for the 9 course tasting menu- 11 with snacks - make sure you are hungry (and greedy) as these are not morsels, they are all proper plates and very tasty indeed. The food was almost faultless (we loved the cauliflower, hake, egg and goose in particular) and the service was lovely - unpretentious and friendly in a way you rarely get and no irritating topping up of wine as soon as you take a sip, which is always a plus. We travelled to Brighton especially and weren’t disappointed- we’ll go back (not too soon as we’ll get too fat)! it was a joint but late birthday treat and our final desserts arrived with happy birthday messages which was very sweet and made us laugh. A great experience overall and highly recommended.

What a wonderful treat! I absolutely love it here. We did the taster menu with wine pairing and it was INCREDIBLE, I think we did the one with 7 different courses. It was more than enough food and wine. You couldn't fault the staff at all, they went through and explained each dish in great details and why the wine paired so well with it went with the food. We really liked the fact Steven came over and explained a couple of the dishes himself.Thanks everyone at etch for the most magical of evenings!

Much anticipated visit. Seated in a booth which was cosy and intimate but still giving good views of the restaurant. Staff were all attentive and knowledgeable. We had the 9 course tasting menu and many of the dishes were introduced my the man himself which was a nice touch. Food was as expected with plenty of variety between courses. Highlight for me was the lemon tart to finish. I would have liked descriptions to compliment the different wines on offer (a little too embarrassed to ask). I felt the mark up on the drinks was excessive and my partner was disappointed that the whole bottle of tonic was tipped into his G&T without asking. This one needs deep pockets, especially if you like to drink!Overall a great night for a special occasion. Would like to try again in the summer season.

Me and my son went for my birthday voucher, omg what a amazing experience we have! Food was delicious, vine testing was good, the staff explain very single dish and vine before food arrived! What a knowledge staff work there! Also atmosphere was amazing, chill and fun!Definitely will return! And recommend 100% !Thanks for being great hoist !

Second visit to this outstanding restaurant, we were a party of 4 and each of us had a great evening enjoying the superb cooking ,service and ambience.However ,we each struggled with the last 3 courses of the 9 course tasting menu .Why,you might ask? The answer is having arrived hungry ,as you would expect, we all overindulged on the delicious marmite bread served ahead of the main service and consequently were unable to do justice to courses 6-9!So no bread ,however good ,on our next visit.One final comment,its a shame the 7 course dinner option has disappeared for weekend bookings,

We had the 9 course tasting menu (I had vegan, my partner had meat). Well I will say WOW to their presentation and their apple sorbet. To be honest you should go just to try that! The service was lovely (I also loved their uniforms), and very well informed. We didn’t have the wine flight, but just tried some different recommended, wines. I didn’t like them all which is odd because I love wine. The bathroom is spectacular - specifically the toilet, I won’t say more but you need to experience it. Very pricey but all in all it’s a great place to go. Ask for a booth when you book because the other tables are a bit exposed. Perfect for a special occasion or romance.

We had the Saturday 9 course tasting menu and accompanying wine flight. A wonderful meal with lovely relaxed service. The plates and wine were all introduced by young and enthusiastic staff who seemed to enjoy their work. It’s not cheap but it is great value.

Apart from the setting, everything was great. We had 7 course taster menu and each course was a delight. Good variety of dishes, some unusual, all excellently prepared. Staff knowledgeable and friendly. Look forward to a return visit.

We had the tasting menu on Saturday night. The food was impeccable and we couldn't fault it. Anyone who complains about this place needs to take themselves for a long hard think. All the staff were friendly and couldn't do enough to make the whole evening a real treat. To operate at this level must take enormous effort. Fair play to you.

The food is top notch and the 7 course tasting menu a little slice of heaven. Service was excellent (thank you Sam and Francis). However, wine costs are exorbitant and take the gloss off the otherwise lovely experience. Only one wine under £30 a bottle and prices rising rapidly to £50 or more. Come on Etch... let's see a few more sensibly priced wines on the menu so we can afford to come more often.

This restaurant comes with high expectation that falls short of delivering on all levels. The taster menu is average at best and the plates do not compliment one another. Some of the plates lack any sophistication and do not seem to make sense with the rest of the menu. The service is adequate but lacks attention to detail or any particular customer engagement or enthusiasm for the food. There is an extensive wine cellar but this menu was only offered when we failed to choose a wine from the four offered on the wine menu. We came away feeling that our experience on all levels was somewhat disappointing for a restaurant that sells itself at a higher level and therefore the prices charged were overly ambitious and did not reflect the overall quality.

We did the 9 course Menu as I love lobster and it only came on the longer menu. Actually the snacks were the things we remember most (marmite bread ) was my husbands favourite. It was a pleasant experience and I’m glad I’ve been there. The food is lovingly prepared and a lot of thought has gone into it. However it being a weekday evening we hadn’t counted on being so late to finish as we had an early table booked. The nine courses took nearly four hours which was on reflection too much and should’ve been saved for a weekend when we weren’t quite so tired. You typically won’t drink and dine for under £125 per head there and it was full of special occasion customers. The staff did a good job of making sure that they were aware of everyone’s celebrations duly piping ‘happy anniversary’ (etc) in chocolate and to everyone’s deserts. It’s the kind of place that is nice to experience but you don’t feel the need to go back particularly, not for quite a while anyhow.

My husband and I are keen foodies. We were in Brighton for a birthday dinner and weren't disappointed. We both thought the food was exceptional - probably one of the best 5 meals we have had together (and we have had many...). My husband had the pairing menu and discussed each wine with the knowledgable sommelier. There was nothing we could fault about any of the dishes served. The only thing I would suggest is that the restaurant lighting is dimmed a little. The chef/owner was friendly and charming as were all the staff. What's also delightful is that the restaurant has no airs and graces. It is relaxing and comfortable.

Met our good friends there for lunch in what was probably a pub overlooking a depressing street. Some sort of elegant white blinds at the window would be a good idea.The welcome,service and knowledge of dishes was excellent.Ambience was good with us sitting on bench seats in a minimalist designed place. No music which is a big plus for us.Tasting menu was presented well and all was good until the rabbit dish arrived - it seemed to be all fat and quite inedible.It was a enjoyable afternoon until the bill arrived, it totalled c £ 500 for the 4 of us. I was staggered knowing that we had ever spent this amount for lunch even in Michelin restaurants in London!So the suggestion is reduce the price of wine and half the menu prices; then the restaurant will be full rather than with 4 covers when we were there.

Wonderful evening as guests of family friends. The food was outstanding and the service was delightful. We were taken care off by Beth who is incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the menu and the wines. It would be difficult to single out a particular course for praise but the beef with kohlrabi was sublime. Each individual element of the dining experience marries to create a unique and special event rather than just a meal. We cannot wait to return.

A veritable gourmet experience, complete with knowledgeable sommeliers and waiters and a personal visit from the man himself. The 7 courses tasting menu plus flight of wines was truly exquisitely presented and served, with style and panache from very friendly staff.

Been meaning to try this for a while, and eventually managed to navigate the online booking form. As it was a treat, the 9 course tasting menu was taken as a challenge. Magnificent. Course after course came rolling out. I had intended to take a photo of each course for some snappy social media, but with the wine flowing and a steady stream of excellent food I became I somewhat feral and abandoned technology for gluttony.

Steven Edwards won Professional Masterchef in 2013. He has been cooking at the highest standard ever since, but he is still friendly and chatted to us when we went for Friday lunch at Etch at the end of August. He has also learned to put his prices up, which is probably why the restaurant wasn’t full, because, as the other TripAdvisor reviews attest, the food and service are superlative. There wasn’t a missed opportunity to please, and I have worked really hard to find two minor criticisms – the red mullet was a moment or two overcooked and the cheese course was only one cheese which was a blue cheese, so not to everyone’s taste and not quite enough. So, of course, the food was as expected, imaginative, original, surprising, and definitely drew the best from the local ingredients contrasting uncomplicated flavours to get the real essence from each. So, for example, the rabbit concentrated the flavours in a roasted terrine of rabbit, every element a joy. My partner’s request for no ham, made at time of booking, had been observed without any reminders. The wine list too was well thought out and reasonably priced -our slightly offbeat choices of Italian Peccorino and Montepulciano d’Abruzzo punched above their weight.But the real strength was the seriousness of the menu. Adhering to the new mantra, to do a little but do it well, the tasting menu only approach allows Steven to showcase his talents to perfection. Each course allowed the ingredients to shine and there were no exploding eggs or chocolate soil devices to distract attention. Steven obviously likes food for its own sake, not as a branch of theatre. Both the food and service were serious without being stuck-up. The explanations given were short and to the point. We very much enjoyed the meal but reviews like this are I suppose the downside of attracting amateur critics such as myself. And the restaurant deserves the high praise it has received.

Food - sublime, ambience - sublime, service - sublime, attention to detail - sublime, Apologies if we're over-using the word sublime, but we were so blown away by our dining experience at etch that we have no other words! We're still talking about it, telling anyone who'll listen! Steven Edwards was very generous with his time and made us feel very special.

Visited here with my wife to celebrate her birthday. The food was excellent and service was fantastic. This is fine dinning. We had the 9 course tasting menu with a glass of wine arch and two bottles of sparking water. We were really impressed with the food and service who made us feel welcome and wanted to make the meal was perfect. Would recommend and would come again when the menu changes in September. 5* The homemade truffles were incredible

An amazing experience from start to finish, good drinks, amazing service and staff, only to top it all off by even better food! We had the 9 courses and enjoyed every single one of them! We even got to see Steven Edwards!

We went for lunch here with our family to celebrate our Ruby Wedding Anniversary and had the nine-course tasting menu. Suffice it to say that the food was wonderful, the service perfect, all the staff so friendly & welcoming & the ambience lovely. (I'm running out of superlatives!) All I can say is that was probably the best meal any of us have ever had. It beats The Pass at South Lodge - and that takes some doing!

We just had a 7 course tasting menu at etch. The food was great. Wine list is excellent. New cocktails on the menu. It’s a great experience for great celebrations. We had Pinot noir for 36 gbp and it was good. The bill for 3 people was 277gbp including the wine, a cocktail and some water. Overall we greatly appreciated the restaurant, the chef and the team and will be definitely going back for celebratory dinners. Compliments to the chef!

From start to finish, the food absolutely blew me and my fiancé away. It provoked loads of interesting conversation about what we prefered and what we'd have again and I loved the imagination on show in putting the dishes together.However, the standout part of our meal was the service shown by everyone who served us, from the chefs who brought out some of the dishes to explain them, to all the waiting staff who were so attentive. Biggest shout out to the lady who's favourite dish was the duck egg, she made her service feel really personal while maintaining what you'd expect from a fine dining experience. Thanks!

This is an amazing place. Staff were brilliant, food was incredible. This is by far the best restaurant in the city

Time for my a catchup lunch with an foodie friend where we generally go down the Michelin-starred route 2-3 times a year. The 5-course lunchtime tasting menu at ETCH blew them all away.In the comfortable low-light interior (24 degrees outside) the staff immediately adjusted the music volume on request and made a great job of explaining how their menu system works. After a couple of super nibbles, the main event started and WOW what a joy. I won't go into the detail of each course (the menu changes monthly anyway) but the feeling I got was that everything was freshly crafted only for us with brief explanations from the staff and just enough on each plate.It ain't cheap but 2 hours of fun conversation and outstanding food slipped by very quickly .. I'll be back for more.

My first visit, I’ve heard amazing things about etch so it was always going to be on my dining hit list.I was dining with my wife and another couple.We went for the 7 taster menu with the wine flight.I won’t go into great detail regarding the food as I don’t want to spoil the surprise and anticipation but I what I will say is this was easily the best dining experience I have ever had, bar none!! Truly outstanding dishes from start to finish. Genius dishes and the wine flight was the cherry on top!Service was excellent and being served by main man himself a real nice touch!I’ll finish with a thank you to Etch who were brilliant with my wife who has a nut allergy and made sure any dishes with nuts were prepared separately.Worth every single penny - just go and try it!

I’ve been a few times now and feel it’s improved each time with Steven growing as a chef each month that passes. We had the tasting menu and the quality of ingredients was excellent. In the past and a general theme in Brighton restaurants there is a tendency to use cheaper cuts of meat and fish. Service was great too. Yes it’s not the cheapest but its well worth it the visit!

My Mum took me here for my birthday. I’m so glad she did as it was a wonderful experience. If, like me, you’re a bit of a foodie, this place is something of a Mecca. What really made the evening special was meeting Steven Edwards (the head chef and founder of Etch) in person.We both had the 9 course tasting menu and let me tell you, it was exquisite. It included, veggies, roasted meats, poultry, and fish, and each dish was expertly prepared and a wonderful cacophony of flavours and smells.Edwards is an exceptionally talented chef who is capable of preparing truly wonderful food.The only negative point is the price. For two of, plus a bottle of Sussex Champagne and coffees the final bill came to over £230.Clearly I won’t be eating here often but as a birthday treat, it was fantastic.

Visited last Friday night. The restaurant was buzzing and Stephen was very present. We went for 9 courses with matched wines. Every course was fabulous and each of the four of us had a different favourite. The waiting staff were excellent and well informed as to the food and wine and why they were paired. Interesting pairing of a dry sherry with a 63degree cooked egg dish. Not a popular pairing with our group but we enjoyed the challenge it presented. This was our fourth visit to this special restaurant and it won’t be our last. Expensive but I think it’s the best restaurant in Brighton and Hove at the moment

Journeyed out from London as the menu looked interesting. We had the 9 course menu plus premium wine flight. The food was exquisitely prepared, and beautifully presented. The taste clear and elegant in every course (even snacks!). The service is relaxed and friendly. The wine pairings were inventive but not “wow” so personally will try the non-premium next time. Restaurant is not huge - if you are four then the window bench tables are cute.

Enjoyed a lovely birthday dinner here, the service was first class and we got to meet the man himself!! AS for the food yes there are some amazing flavours from the dishes but the only down side was at times the flavours did clash. A great experience though

Fantastic food ….lucky enough to be there for new June Menu and its delicious. Wonderful mushroom with truffe to start topped off by the best combination of strawberries I have ever eaten. Lovely atmosphere, friendly and knowledge staff and so nice that Steven comes out to every table to say hi.

We have been to a few of these sorts of places before over the years .It was my daughters Birthday and she picked the place . It was brilliant and we had the 9 courses , £75 a head didn’t seem to bad for the excellent food . But remember they add 20% vat which slightly spoilt it at the end . However going to a place like this isn’t cheap and a special treat . Steven Edwards and his staff madefor a great evening. My favourite food was the beginning and last courses , but all was top notch . I read some other reviews and it would take a while to get through 9 dishes , so go with someone you like a lot .

Lovely every time, food atmosphere, staff. Can not fault the place. Bought vouchers for all of my family. 100% best food in Brighton

Steven and his team have done a lovely job on all aspects of this place, great decor, great menu and a lovely wine list.We had the 7 courses menu and even that took close to 3hrs so allow plenty of time, ps the wine pairing is a must !! Oh and the loos are special too !!

For a restaurant of this very high standard please don't call everyone "guys". The cocktails need a bit of attention too as they take forever and honestly seem a bit light on the alcohol. Perhaps a visit to Be at One to see how it is done! The room is quite chilly too so take a cardie ......The quality of the cooking is excellent, Steven Edwards runs a very tight and charming ship, Just lose the "guys".......

I loved this restaurant, myself and a friend went for my birthday. We had the 9 course tasting menu (one veggie) with top wine pairing. The food was nothing short of fabulous, wines were unusual and matched the food in such a clever way. Staff and Steven Edwards himself were friendly, professional and made the meal. It is not a cheap dinner out but was worth every penny for the experience and memories made.