Ikigai Coffee in Brighton and Hove

Amazing coffee! The honey toast was also lovely and not too sweet

Best matcha latte in Brighton outright. Have come here multiple times, a real gem.

One of my favourite coffee shops in Brighton. The coffee is of a high quality and the service is 10/10. Love this little family run cafe. Definitely a good find!

Impressive specialty coffee, cosy vibe and meaningful ikigai message delivered by the owner. A gem for coffee lovers and me time in Brighton🫶🌞

Lovely cosy cafe, highly recommend the hot chocolate and the toasted bread!

Went there twice. Tried all roll cakes and all are delicous. Very quite and serene atmosphere.

Hong Kong people owned Coffee shop with Hong Kong & Japanese style coffee, bun and cake. Owner are very nice young guy served with heart.

The pineapple buns and coffee are both delicious👍

A must-go if you’re in the Brighton area. Great coffee, selections of sweet treats, and a calming interior. Service was wonderful!

The best matcha in Brighton! Possibly my favourite coffee shop. A must visit.

Best flat white that I have ever had. This lovely independently owned cafe is a must visit for anyone in Brighton.

Might just be my favourite coffee shop in Brighton. Delicious pour over with a varied and continuously rotating selection of unique beans from roasters I've never seen anywhere else. Super friendly service too and nice chill music, oh and the honey toast is wonderful. A must visit!

Best flat white in town. In fact not had a flat white this good in 2024. Thank you!

The desserts were delicious. Ordered matcha and earl grey egg rolls, the cakes were so fluffy and the cream is so silky smooth . And I also had a cup of hojicha latte, which flavours can be little bit stronger.

The best flat white I've ever tasted honestly, and such beautiful latte art! The honey toast thing I had was delicious, and great service too! One of the best cafes I've ever been to. Highly recommended!

A quiet and calm place with a pleasant atmosphere 🍵

The Pineapple Bun is so tasty and authentic. Just like what you can find in Hong Kong, but even better. The Japanese Roll Cake is of delicate taste – the cake itself is so soft like pillow and the cream is really rich. It matches so well with the coffee and matcha latte. After understanding the differences between the Premium Matcha Latte and standard Matcha Latte, we go for the premium one, and it does taste better, both the matcha and milk. The presentation is really nice as well that you can taste the matcha and milk alone first , then the perfect combination. Will definitely visit again! The pineapple buns are very delicious. They are exactly what Hong Kong misses. It’s just not Hong Kong’s air-bread version, but the real thing. The taste of roll cake is also very delicate, the cake body is soft and creamy, and it goes well with coffee or matcha. I ordered the Premium Matcha Latte, and the boss carefully explained the difference from the regular Matcha Latte. When I actually tasted it, I really felt another level of matcha flavor and milky aroma. It was also full of ritual when it was served. This is a store that you will want to visit again when you come to Brighton!

Very authentic Japanese shokupan toasts and hojicha! Love it ;) Didn’t get to try the Hong Kong style Pineapple bun, but it does look authentic too!

Tried matcha and hojicha iced latte, both the best in Brighton! Super friendly staff

Ikigai is a great place to have specialty coffee. The best coffee I had in Brighton. The owner is incredibly knowledgeable and very friendly. Excellent experience here.

Ikigai a simple and stylish cafe, They didn't have any gluten free options, only oat milk was available. I hope they can add coconut milk as well. I liked their matcha tea and its calmness.

One of the best flat white I have had in awhile ☕️ The small coffeeshop is packed with coffee drinkers at times, and is manned by a pair of friendly owner (it seems) 👍🏻 Ikigai also meant the purpose of life, and it definitely came true in their coffee The chocolate was unfortunately a letdown as it was far too sweet, might be something they want to refine and look into.. Great ambience and coffee regardless, certainly recommended for those on a coffee hunt near the station!

Just the best coffee and deserts. Amazing 👏

Amazing and beautiful coffee, one of the best I've had in Brighton in 9 years I have been living here. Also the owners are very friendly and kind. Definitely will come back and try the cakes.

Soooo tasty pastry!!! Coffee is very good! Definitely worth a visit. Thank you!!! 🙏😊

Best coffee ever, very kind staff!

Cute HK kind of cafe, nice, clean, friendly and great coffee!

My favourite coffee place in Brighton. ☕️ The coffee is made with such care and is always delicious and the cakes are a great accompaniment too. I can vouch for the honey toast and the earl grey Swiss roll. Definitely worth a visit - you won’t regret it.

Marvellous pourover coffee - I tasted one sourced from Sumo Roasters. Friendly elegantly designed place & a real coffee lovers hangout. Then there's the matcha latte, delicious - Marvellous cakes too

Lovely atmosphere, unique food and drink. Ordered hojicha latte.

Incredible coffee, some of the best I've had in the UK and a very tasty bun.

The coffee advertises itself as “Specialty Coffee”. Unfortunately the espresso was very sour. I wouldn't put something like that out in our coffee cart. The cappuccino was better. But anyone who sells coffee knows that frothed milk forgives just about anything. The pastry (probably a yeast pastry with a caramelized crust) was simple and good. The place itself was very tidy and, as usual with Japanese places, very refreshing and calming. And with very little effort.

Amazing delicious cake and coffee, very nice atmosphere. Highly recommended!

The honey toast was brilliant! First time trying it and went to visit Brighton for the bank hol and stumbled across this coffee shop on the way to the pier. Would highly recommend. These people seem to know their coffee and do it really well.

Very nice strawberry roll. Delicate in flavour and authentic.

Fantastic coffees, and amazing asian fusion baked goods

I popped in this lovely Japanese tea/coffee/cake shop with my daughter when we visited Brighton. As a Japanese, I recommend their cakes, the strawberry roll cake that I had was very delicious! They serve a nice matcha latte, too. The atmosphere is clean and simple, the staffs are friendly too😊👍✨

Amazing matcha, delicious cakes and snacks (the earl grey cake is wonderful!). Great atmosphere and lovely staff.

Highly recommend!!! Cakes are amazing, the service is great and even the coffee was very good

I left a few minutes before my train time. I was looking for sitting anywhere. Here was my choice to stay for a while. The atmosphere was modern, like I can commonly see. But the staff attitude was friendly so I wanted to show respect against. The coffee was great as well.

This place is all about quality. Hojicha canele - different, yummy Iced Matcha Oat - Delicious said the missus Cold brew Hibiscus - Superb floral profile and just banging. Exceptional coffee offering. 🙏

The passion shines through the coffee and the cakes at Ikigai. Incredible brew and we had some of the traditional cakes which were insanely good! Will be coming back again soon

<Tuna cheese bun🍞> The bun was reheated with a soft texture and there was melted cheese inside😚 <Matcha roll cake> I have always been craving for matcha and it did really had an intense matcha flavour and of course not overly sweet✨ <Honey butter toast> We had it for takeaway and air-fried at home, just simply delicious with a sticky, crunchy crust🥹🍯 <Matcha latte🍵> <Flat white> Well balanced flavours with beautiful latte art🥹🤎

Nice coffee amazing hospitality

Earl Gray Roll No Gain or Loser I will definitely go back many times for Zuoqu

Nice cake and pineapple bun! They are Asian styles, which I like as the cake is not too sweet! I'll come back again if I visit Brighton again.

Very good pour over coffee. Definitely up there with the top spots I've been to!

Amazing Hong Kong style coffee shop with really nice deserts options. I really like the ice latte. Great date location highly recommend !!!

Had a lovely experience, the cakes, coffee and matcha were really nice, I would definitely check out the cafe if you are in Brighton!

Lovely cafe in Brighton serving Japanese and Hong Kong treats. The cafe was bright, cozy and welcoming. I ordered the pineapple bun and an iced matcha latte. The pineapple bun was very authentic - buttery, flakey and filling. Unfortunately the matcha latte was quite watered down and disappointing.

Absolutely lovely coffee place opened by fellow HKers. The pineapple bun is the best one I had so far in London (note it is the look there is no real pineapple in this bun). The friendly owner made really nice coffee and the owner’s wife homemade Japanese style fluffy roll cake is also light and just right sweetness. I would recommend the earl grey one (you can even taste earl grey in the cream!). The matcha latte is made with real matcha powder, taste very authentic. I will definitely visit again. Highly recommend

Absolutely delightful experience! The coffee and Japanese-style cake were superb. Highly recommend this cosy café for its quality and atmosphere.

The Earl Grey roll is stunning which reaches the level of those I found in Tokyo: light, rich flavour of Earl grey in the cream. The hojicha latte is also very satisfying💖👍🙌 It was a enjoyable conversation with all of the staffs during the less busy hours, chatting about the special musican series coffee beans collection they recently got. Jerry explained how he experimented different making methods for the matcha roll and beans, which really reflects how knowledgeable he is as a batista and has great passion in coffee! Will definitely come back again! ☺️

Fantastic little coffee shop, was much quieter and lighter than some others we found in Brighton

Excellent coffee and buns in a beautifully minimalistic cafe.

A charming and fantastically minimalist spot serving the best pour-over coffee in Brighton. The staff are lovely, personable and genuinely care about giving the best possible experience. Make sure you try the pineapple bun! It is simply phenomenal

Best coffee + bakery shop ever!!

Nice one. I had delicious black coffee. I recommend it

Happened to walk by this coffee shop and so happy I did. Just got an iced matcha and it’s delicious. It tastes like matcha - not overly earthy or sweet - the perfect balance IMO. Service was super friendly and I will definitely come back to try their pastries - they looked tasty.

They don’t do Japanese pour over. Took a hot v60 instead.

Best Matcha Cake I ever had. Velvety soft and rich and just the right amount of sweeteness. Hojicha Latte was also delicious. Quick and friendly service and clean interior.

Had a cappuccino today on first time visit at advice of a colleague and honestly best coffee I've ever had. Am not usually a coffee "guy" but yeah this one has me wanting to go back.

Amazing matcha latte with oat milk

Great coffee. Friendly service and clean premises. Relaxed Japanese vibes

If you use it inside, the atmosphere in the store is very good and the boss is also very friendly. I ordered a delivery today and the packaging design is great. I like it. Needless to say, the pastries are really delicious😭😭 Coconut, mini Coconut and pineapple buns are all available💯💮💮 But if you go too late in the afternoon, some items will be sold out. Might want to go and see it early

Really lovely little café that makes you forget you're on a busy road near the station. I've tried their matcha which is really high quality and a flat white that tasted like a lot of care went into making it. Have tried a pourover previously with some geisha coffee beans that was incredible. Very nice pineapple buns that were really soft and not too sweet. Would highly recommend!

Very great place Very great place

Im a fan of matcha latte and order matcha latte everytime i go to a coffee shop. This is one of the best ive ever had! Of course I had to try the matcha roll cake and it was amazing. Its a family run business and nice to support!

A cute little coffee shop with some seats and a good place to hang out. We got the Hong Kong toast which was crispy but soft on the inside. Matcha latte was also good but the matcha wasn’t as strong as could be.

The place is conveniently close to the station - perfect to start a visit to Brighton. Tried the matcha latte, the honey butter toast and the caneles. Everything was sooo tasty. The space has lots of light and it's very peaceful. Would definitely recommend!!!

A real jem of a place. Very clean and well laid out. Very helpful staff good selection of coffees and cakes for all tastes. I'd recommend here 100% I'd tell everyone to visit this beautiful coffee shop.

Very delicious. The best pineapple buns in the UK. They are all delicious. I hope they come to London soon.

Brighton soft cake rolls suitable for Chinese babies The store is located in the center of Brighton, less than ten minutes away from Brighton Railway Station. When you are tired from walking in Brighton, you can have a cup of coffee, a piece of cake, and a simple afternoon tea. The Japanese cake roll is fluffy and has a moderate sweetness, making it suitable for those who don’t like too much sweetness. I personally like the black tea flavored rolls because they taste like black tea. My family likes the original cake rolls. There are other small desserts in the store, so it is recommended not to go too late or the cake rolls will be sold out.

Ikigai was recommended to me recently and i’ve been several times since, just really good coffee, like really really good! also the staff are very sweet and friendly🫶

The loveliest cafe in Brighton. I only wish I lived here so I could keep visiting. I hardly ever write reviews but this place deserves one! :)

One of the best espresso i tried in Brighton if not the best

Honestly the atmosphere is somewhat of a sanctuary in the bustling streets of Brighton. The coffee is fantastic and the snacks are so unique and as delicious as they look. Would easily recommend!

Came back twice during my trip to Brighton! Really love their matcha&hojicha latte 🫶🏻 the strawberry roll were very soft and fluffy but my personal favourite is the earl grey roll 🫶🏻 I will be back!

Ikigai Coffee, located near Brighton train station. In my opinion, the best coffee shop in Brighton and an absolute must-visit for coffee enthusiasts. Their coffee is truly impressive. Each cup is handcrafted by experienced baristas, ensuring exceptional quality with every sip. For pour-over coffee, they introduce different beans, aiming to offer customers a variety of single-origin flavors. The Matcha latte is made with premium Japanese matcha, offering a rich yet refreshing taste. The mocha is intensely chocolaty, and the creamy steamed milk adds a smooth and luxurious texture, elevating the entire drink thanks to the owner's meticulous craftsmanship. The owner's service is top-notch. They engage with customers on coffee topics, catering to both novices and experienced, deepening everyone's understanding of coffee. The shop is designed with a minimalist style. The environment is perfect for work, reading, or gathering with friends – an excellent spot next to the train station. Their pastry and snack selections are also outstanding and definitely worth trying. The Hong Kong-style pineapple bun is a classic Hong Kong pastry. If you haven't tried it, you might have heard of Japanese Melon Pan. Its surface is cookie-like, sweet, and crispy, while the center is fluffy. (By the way, there's no pineapple or melon inside the bun.) The roll cake adopts a Japanese-style premium design, crafted with fresh, high-quality ingredients. Whether you're a local resident or a tourist, you absolutely cannot miss this coffee shop. The next time you're in Brighton, be sure to visit and experience it! Highly recommended!

very relaxing, beautiful space 😌 i could stay here for hours honestly. matcha items were great! beautiful vibrant green colour, although i think the matcha latte could still be stronger (but that’s personal preference)

Only had a flat white which was expertly made with clearly high quality specialty beans. The cakes looked incredible, the space is bright and elegant. Only downside they are not dog friendly so I won’t be able to visit if I have my well behaved dog with me

Really lovely cafe with delicious coffee and sweet treats. My girlfriend said the houjicha latte was delicious (I just had a flat white).

Authentic, delicious Japanese pastries and outstanding coffee. A lovely friendly atmosphere.

Such good coffee. Nice staff who definitely know their stuff and such a peaceful environment. Lovely energy in the place

An ambient playlist and Geisha beans will always make for a good morning. Delightful brew. The rope on the glass carafe was a nice touch and something I will certainly remember forever. P.S: I encourage the owner to read "Gastrophysics" by Charles Spence. I have every confidence you will enjoy it. It changed the way I viewed coffee forever. Xie xie

I very rarely write reviews. Read: Im picky. And there has to be a big click. And it clicked today at Ikigai. Why? Its very rare to find a coffee shop with a relaxing zen atmosphere on a Saturday morning. No loud chitchat from neighbouring seats. Chill music at the right volume to enjoy but not overpowering. Iced latte presented in a tall glass that fits the drink well. Lovely service with a smile and clean bathrooms. This is what I want when I go out for a coffee. I hope someone like me is reading this and will find it helpful. My only wish would be for them to get porcelain/ceramics for hot drinks. Great coffee deserves not only profesional handling but also an adequate presentation. Please dump the plastic cups no matter how eco they are 🙏🏼

A lovely coffee shop near the station. It’s calm, clean and has lovely staff. I have had lots of pour overs from here recently and they have all tasted amazing. If the Geisha is available it is especially nice. I love the way the staff clearly care about the coffee. The man who works here always shows you the coffee grinds before brewing and afterwards he gives you a tasting card. His pour overs are consistently amazing and the earl grey and matcha cakes are also very tasty! My partner has enjoyed the iced latte from here also.

Ordered matcha latte, hojicha latte and matcha roll cake. All of them are delicious, even better than the Japanese cafe in London!

I love the iced oat milk matcha here. I’ve had it many times already and keep going back. The staff are super friendly.

The coffee here is very good. Unfortunately they don't serve any vegan food, and some of their cakes aren't even vegetarian (contain lard). They also don't allow dogs which is a real shame. If you love lard and hate dogs, this is the place for you 😂 If you're looking for somewhere nearby that's more hospitable and serves fantastic coffee, I'd highly recommend Loam.

Lovely spot to grab a coffee! Very tranquil with friendly service. The coffee is great too - being from NZ, we are constantly on the lookout for good baristas. You will find them here!!

Standing in front of closed doors at 9am in the rain when it is supposed to be open, then I am not impressed.

Friendly staff and yummy food 👍🏻 highly recommend pineapple bun and earl grey tea

Pineapple bun was delicious, crispy outer shell with a chewy and soft centre. Matcha roll was also great, very creamy and soft. All the bakery items are made fresh daily. Had the Early Grey tea which was great, a lot of thought has been put in by the owner in terms of quantity of tea, steep time etc. The staff are very friendly with a relaxed atmosphere in the shop. Would visit again if I come to Brighton again.

One of my favourite places! Coffee and Matcha are always great and the staff are lovely!

Very unique coffee specialty! Very kind owner and passionate with his business! Clean coffee cups

Love Rich Earl Grey Roll Cake so much!!

Went here this morning for the first time after hearing many excellent reviews and I was very pleased! The coffee was truly wonderful, I highly recommend the place :)

It is an amazing shop run by people who really care about the coffee process, and it shows in the quality of the coffee. Highly recommended having a pour over and relaxing in the calm environment while people watching from the window seats

Hands-down the best matcha in Brighton 🫶