Va Pensiero Lounge in Brighton and Hove

I went to the cafe today for lunch with my masters class which was a group size of 6. We ordered at the same time and was told likely be a 15-20 minuet wait and we went to see down. We understand it can take time for these things. However, 30 minuets go by and only 2 people have gotten their full English breakfasts and hot drinks. 15 mins go by and one more meal comes out. I went down to ask how much longer on the other meals and was told “soon” and that they didn’t actually have all the chips that ordered and had 2 refund 2 of 3 of the chips. This is after 45 minuets I remind you. Eventually one of us got a salad and cold oven cooked chips, leaving me and one other with no food. The final full English was told to us to be another 20 minuet wait so we had to refund it and get a sausage roll in replaced and was asked to pay the remainder which is fine but not something I would make someone do at the cafe I work at, especially waiting 45 mins and told it would be another 20mins. To top it all off, when I went down to ask if my salad could be put in a takeaway box as I have to go back to lecture, I was then told they lost the ticket and I would have to wait for another one. This is when I heard another customer say they felt bad as they ordered the same order after and got theirs first… I had to get a refund and this was after a whole hour of waiting. 45 mins to tell us they didn’t have what they ordered. 40 mins to tell us they had to start a new order for full English 1 hour to tell me they lost the ticket. I was given the reason to all of this was only one chef in the kitchen, on a Saturday any Laines worker will tell you that it is the busiest day of the week. I was given excuses not apologies. I understand bad things happen but this was appalling. Don’t go on weekends if you want service. That was my mistake.

Loved it, fantastic food and breakfast! Lotus latte was great too

"What a hidden gem! The staff at Va Pensiero made me feel right at home. Their barista skills are top-notch, and the pastries were heavenly. This place is a must-visit!"

Lovely place and scene the "Egg in a hole breakfast" was a bit hot for me but I intend to come back. Matt was very helpful and was bang on with a latte recommendation to go with it.

Came a few months ago and had a lovely breakfast but returned today and was really disappointed. 20 mins to bring an orange juice and a pretty rank English breakfast. Couldn’t even finish it, which is saying something.

Original menu, good quality ingredients and it’s really good value(reckon it’s 20-25% better value than their high street rivals). Good service to top it all off! This place is a definite find!

I visited this lovely cafe in the heart of Brighton not really expecting much but I was so wrong! First off, I was greeted with such warmth by a young man named Matt. He had this immediate warmth that made me feel so at ease, paired with the delicious coffee he swiftly brought me! I then decided I would stay a bit longer cancelling a meeting to just soak in a cafe as I have not done this for a good while and felt that this was the place to do it! I ordered the Fully loaded bagel which was made with such care, it was wonderful. I left feeling great, having received some of the best customer service ever in Brighton which from a quite unassuming cafe was shocking. But I will be back. It’s obvious that Matt has a real way with customers and staff, you can tell he is brilliant at what he does and was a clever man he is too, after having engaged in stimulating conversation. Will definitely be coming back, most delighted with my experience! Thank you

On an epically hot day, the sweet barista saved me with ice water and a delicious iced coffee. Highly recommended when you're in town and in need of caffeine

This place is really not the hidden gem everyone hypes it up to be... Yes the decor and outdoor seating area is nice, but the food is so mid and really not worth the price considering its across from cafe coho. Ordered a Matcha latte which was completely off, clearly the staff aren't trained enough on speciality drinks, it tasted like someone had put 5 heaped Tbs of matcha in the drink. The staff are always lovely and welcoming, but the owner likes to yell at his staff in the outdoor seating area. Nonetheless, the coffee is decent, and they have Wifi which is a bonus.

Loved the cake, and coffee, that your member of staff, Mat brought into the garden area for us, my boyfriend and I

Dried and disgusting pancake, probably made one or two day before, I didn’t even touched it. I kindly pointed out to the staff and they did not offered me any explanations. I felt just lost. I felt moreover offended by the “compensation”: a loyalty card with 2 stamps out of 7 for a free coffee. Ridiculous.

The bugles were really tasty and the food combination was a good match. I will return for sure 😋.

This hidden little gem is easy to miss. But you won't regret it if you pop in. It's bigger than it looks, a little quirky and it has a garden and upstairs. Veggie breakfast was excellent and huge(I should have taken a photo) Staff friendly and attentive.

We ordered bagels and matcha latte🍵Food was delicious and staff was friendly😇 It was very nice and calm to sit in the garden. Lovely café!🌞

Lovely cafe with the most peaceful vibe. Best place to take a breather from the busy streets of Brighton. Coffee was really good and the service was amazing!

went for my birthday brunch, very welcoming and aesthetic, went for the full english and it was one of the best ones we’ve had 100% would recommend

Unfortunately we ordered our meal just after a large Uber Eats order came through. This resulted in an extremely long wait for our meals to arrive. However, Eve was extremely apologetic, and gave us a bag of delicious brownies to make up for it. Which it did. Except she also gave a large discount on our bill. She turned what easily could have been a negative experience into a positive and she genuinely cared. The food was good, portions were huge. Thank you Eve, you went above and beyond.

I’d not actually noticed this cafe until today but it’s lovely! Great coffee (even better with a 10% student discount) in a relaxed setting. The back garden was a lovely sun trap and away from the noise of the city. Will definitely be visiting again!

flies all over the pastries, made me feel a bit sick, young boy apologised for it and was lovely but hygiene wise, not the best

My first experience here. Tried "Too Good To Go" App for the first time. I was served by a lovely young lady called Morgan 😇. Thank you so much for making my first experience a very pleasant one, which I think we can all agree is very rare at times. Thank you so much (for the brownie deal) Morgan you're awesome!😁

Amazing value and delicious food in a great location. Perfect for a quick lunch. Service can be a bit slow at busy times but otherwise highly recommended. Dogs appear to be welcome.

We went for breakfast and ordered 2 matcha lattes with oat milk and 2 different types of bagels, mine was the one with salmon and avocado and my partner’s was one with egg, bacon and harissa sauce I believe. Both were delicious! Also the matcha tea was really nice and strong and gave me energy for the rest of the day. Very good price as well as I found that the other cafeterias around were quite overpriced for a similar style of breakfast. You can pay before they serve you through their website and that is very convenient. Definitely recommend this place!!

Great cafe in the city centre. Coffee is good and prices are very reasonable. Giovanna is very professional, kind and entertaining. Highly recommended!

Had no idea this place existed until I stumbled across it. Food was tasty and tea was lovely. I personally like how they offer syrups and offer non dairy alternatives. Definitely coming back.

Excellent bagels freshly made. Good prices. Fabulous people. Thank you. We’ll be visiting again.lovely garden. Oasis

Nice cafe, with great vegan options, in a central location. Enjoyed the vegan croissant and will come back for the vegan cheesecake

This is a lovely little café; plenty of comfy seating upstairs; really good coffee & food, and a secret little garden at the back which is a lovely refuge from busy Brighton on a hot summer day.

Stopped for a quick coffee and a cake then noticed the much nicer café opposite had tables, but we had ordered so stayed. Firstly I hate hot drinks in glasses, who doesn't want a mug or a cup?? Then the cakes, both absolutely dry as a bone, my husbands brownie looked like someone had dug it up! I took them straight back in and the girl asked me if I wanted to "have them put in the microwave"? . She gave me my money back but £8 for these old dried up cakes... Please don't bother, go somewhere else.

I always wanted to visit this place but never had the opportunity so today 10th. October 2022 I decided to treat myself and a friend for breakfast with 2 lattes, 1 avocado and feta bagel with peppers and cucumber and a sandwich. I wouldn’t normally get so excited by places I go, but this lovely place exceeded my expectations, from the lovely secluded patio (where we sat) to the presentation of the food passing through the nice fresh and healthy plants sitting on the table (a clear sign of attention to details and care) The service was quick, professional and the food was fresh cooked with passion and love, dictated by the presentation of the bagel on a lovely pink china plate with a garnish of salad with cherry tomato. Unfortunately it was way too good that I forgot to take the pictures of tge food but I’ll be back again to do it. I didn’t manage to go to the toilets therefore I cannot express an opinion, but according to the cleanliness tgat I saw around I have no doubt that even the toilets wouldn’t fault. Finally I couldn’t not find anything wrong with this place and it goes on the top of my list for breakfast in Brighton. They also serve lunch and dinner but I didn’t manage to look on the menu.

We have ordered cappuccino and a cake for our break from the walking. Food was good and a friendly cafe.

A very nice place with vegan options, it's not too expensive, the coffee was amazing and the staff is extremely nice, we felt very welcomed and comfortable, will definitely come here again! :)

1star is for the slice of cake which was actually edible, probably delivered from some place else and bowl of nice parmesan served with the pasta dishes. Service was lacklustre, tables were dirty, spider webs in every corner. You will be charged the service charge when ordering without your knowledge. So dont be surprised your bill adds upto more than what it says on the menu. I paid in advance & realised i had paid more for what i had ordered, my bill or receipt wasnt available once i asked for it after finishing the meal. Pastas (Seafood linguine & Chicken linguine) are beyond horrible! Awful looking pasta dishes which are bland beyond belief and absolutely awful, tasteless! Service👎 Food 👎and Ambience👎 Anyone, give me a reason why i should be going back there.

Very friendly service and delicious food

We sat at one of the outside tables and went in to order two iced coffees and breakfast bagels. After over 15 minutes wait someone came out and said they had run out of ice so we couldn't have iced coffee. I asked for a Latte instead (partner decided not to have anything). After another 10 minutes someone came out with a Cappuchino, instead of the Latte, so we sent that back. Then someone came out and said sorry there will be a delay with the food. At which point, having already wasted half an hour, we gave up and left.

Took over 30 mins to bring four hot drinks to the table in the garden and it was not even busy. Had to go and collect our brownie ourselves even though it was just sitting on the counter. So many other cafes to go to!

I took my sister and friend here as she came to visit me after I have recently moved to Brighton and have not shown her round yet. We ordered and the staff were not very welcoming. We waited over half hour our food when only 3 out of 4 meals arrived. We didn’t receive our drinks until after we had eaten. After asking twice where the 4th dish was they brought it up missing item. When told staff they said they don’t know what to do. My bacon was inedible, and beans were cold. Sorry not worth £8 a bagel.

Friendly service with tasty food and a good vibe

Don’t be fooled by glowing reviews. Visited with family at lunchtime this week. Not busy, clambered up non user friendly stairs with young children to be told we had to order downstairs ! Ordered 5 drinks & food. Eventually 4 drinks arrived & after another 19 mins still drink missing which they said they’d forgotten. When we ordered we requested gluten free bread. Waitress said didn’t think they had any. Took another 5 mins to persuade her it might be an idea to go & check !! Needless to say they had ‘ just run out ‘ obviously never heard of a freezer ! We waited ages & eventually 1 meal arrived, o bagel which was covered in dressing & salt & tasted weird. The bagel was finished, the half that was forced down, before our food arrived. We waited ages & eventually our 2 bowls of fries arrived. They were coated in pepper & had a thick later of salt all over. We hadn’t ordered more because of the lack of gluten free. There was 1 dried up pre cut slice of carrot cake on the counter. The need for gluten free is not a fad but a medical condition. The waitress attitude was totally disinterested & rude. We will never visit again & certainly wouldn’t recommend to anyone who likes to feel like a valued customer.

perfect service! Thanks Giovanna

Wir sind zufällige in dieses Restaurant, zum Glück! Das Essen war sehr lecker, die Pasta hausgemacht! Das Personal sehr freundlich.

Very welcoming couple, sat outside in a sunny spot 😎. Nice sharing platter. A bit more choice of cheese would have been nice. A relaxed atmosphere thankyou x

Very welcoming couple. A relaxed atmosphere. Had a sharing cheese and meat platter, good value. More choice of cheese would have been nice. Will visit again, thankyou 😊

What a great way to start the day! Amazing coffee, and cakes. Lovely service!

Nice little coffee shop,really friendly staff! Xx

Popped in for quick Sunday early afternoon lunch. Lovely location, promising menu, let down by poor food. Ham and avocado panini came with a think slavering of mustard which overpowered it, and the ham wasn’t best quality. Baked potato and beans was lukewarm. Kids panini had a slice of manufactured cheese in rather than grated cheddar. Decent service. Sorry to leave a bad review but I wanted to leave some feedback. Thanks

Amazing coffee and service. Favourite coffee shop in Brighton would recommend.

Nice food and relaxed vibe. I go here regularly when I want a more down to earth cafe experience. Great service, Ella was very helpful.

So, my husband said he had here the best Mocha coffee he ever had in his life. I really enjoyed the coffee as well, but being honest my Aquiles' heel was the house cheesecake, mother of Zeus it was delicious! When back in the city we will pop here again for a coffee no doubt!

We popped in here to rest our weary legs and stayed much longer than planned. There's a tiny courtyard out the back, undercover and with umbrellas, so we chilled here with delicious coffee and pastries. The toilet was the cleanest I've seen and the service was really friendly. I wish we'd tried the food because it looked delicious. An oasis in the chaos of the shops!

Nice and the staff are very friendly

Poor service, 15+ minute wait for 2 coffees.

Local, cute and cozy cafe, Food and service very good!

Nice coffee ☕ service with a smile 😁👍

What a great find this was! Nestled away in the South Laines on Ship Street, such a perfect lunch stop when not looking for a full-on meal! I just fancied a panini or some such and this place delivered with a delicious prosciutto, mozzarella, basil & tomato ciabatta sandwich, heated through to perfection. Washed down by a delicious freshly ground coffee (there were two to choose from, each with their own character, so we had one each), we sat upstairs on a comfy window seat looking out onto the buildings and comings & goings of the street below. It was very hard to peel ourselves away! Simple, yet ideal!

Biscoff latte and a kinder bueno brownie, absolute heaven 😍

Lovely spot for breakfast, we had the big veggie brekkies - everything was absolutely perfect. Pineapple and mango smoothie and OJ also great. Really reasonably priced too at £10 for a gigantic portion. Service was brilliant, friendly front of house. Will definitely be returning! Thank you 😊

Unfortunately we ordered our meal just after a large Uber Eats order came through. This resulted in an extremely long wait for our meals to arrive. However, Eve was extremely apologetic, and gave us a bag of delicious brownies to make up for it. Which it did. Except she also gave a large discount on our bill. She turned what easily could have been a negative experience into a positive and she genuinely cared. The food was good, portions were huge. Thank you Eve, you went above and beyond.

Really cute place and the staff is super friendly! You can easily study here, or even just to chill !

Went in for some pizza slices to eat on the way. Came out with a bag full of cold pizza and a slice of tortilla (after they spent 10 minutes microwaving it). the pizza dough was still raw - they didn't even bother giving napkins or cutlery

Delightfully cozy cafe/restaurant. Had the chicken sandwich, falafel, and a mocha coffee, all were delicious.

Visited on a Sunday morning. Super friendly staff. My friend and I both had the breakfast which was excellent. Very good quality ingredients and cooked to perfection. Highly recommended, we will definitely be back.

An absolute hidden gem. The meat breakfast was off the scale. Our waitress from New Zealand was outstanding.

Popped in for a rest-bite from a busy morning and the relaxed ambiance and friendliness of staff never fails to impress. This poached egg on toast is a major tummy filler and incredible value for money.

I loved the music and large selection of breakfast options available. It’s bright and welcoming and they have wifi and a student discount which is always a plus! I would recommend.

Not the breakfast I was expecting I was expecting a traditional cooked breakfast sausage was cold the mushrooms was in garlic dressing & cold egg was on the toast ,dident look like toast ,looked like bread & butter, with salad round the edge of the plate, left most of it not appetizing one bit the price was extreme for the breakfast we recieved.

Amazing place! Totally recommend. Super cozy plus ideal for studying. I am definitely coming back.

Lovely bread, lovely staff, would highly recommend

lovely waitress (ella) very kind, liked the theme

Incredibly friendly customer service, and beautiful food. Lovely armosphere as well with the upstairs and garden seating.

Great food and coffee and friendly staff!

Laptop freindly and good for student but you may want to grab some earplugs later in the evening as it gets busy

Lovely cafe on the corner of a wiggly road. The wonderful lady who took our order was very helpful, polite and welcoming! Yummy big plates of breakfasts! Thank you!

Came along this cute lounge/cafe whilst visiting Brighton, the staff are really friendly and kind ☀️ Super chill vibes and really delicious, affordable food. Great for an evening out with mates or just a solo lunch. Would deffo recommend to friends 🤞

Having visited today, I’ve accidentally left a one star review that I’m unable to delete. BUT, the experience was 5 star, the food was lovely, the atmosphere was calm, allowing me to work and the customer service was faultless. Lovely girls working there, highly recommend!

We came to Brighton for a day trip and had the British misfortune of being heavily rained on. We were recommended this place by a local bookseller and, what a jackpot!! Not only were the drinks well-made and yummy, but all the employees made us...

Picked up a 2good2go order from here for lunch. The portion was huge!! Enough for lunch AND dinner :D really nice deep pan pizzas with lots of cheese 😁 lovely stuff

Popped in the other day and enjoyed incredible breakfast and writing script upstairs. Staff exceptional and price and quality undeniably value fir money.

The food was such good quality and so delicious. We had the vegetarian penne pesto and margarita pizza. And they also do 20% student discount :))

Lovely staff. Great food with a beautiful cosy garden. It's my favourite cafe in Brighton. Try the halloumi and lemon panini.

An unexpected delight. Great coffee. Tasty tortilla. Wonderful service. A joy

Super cute garden out the back and the staff were lovely. I had an amazing gluten free panini and iced hazelnut latte. Wish I lived in Brighton so I could come here more often!

fantastic place, good food, smiling staff, always at the customer's disposal

Great outdoor seating area and the staff are super friendly! :)

Such a lovely little cafe! Beautiful food and outdoor seating, such friendly and helpful girls! Would highly recommend!!

I had the most amazing brunch here after being let down by another spot. Really lovely atmosphere, staff and one of the best breakfasts I've ever enjoyed. We're going back for round two today!

Came for a Sunday brunch with my partner. We ordered two decaf latte's, a big meaty breakfast and poached eggs with salmon. Would highly recommend great value for money and delicious! We particularly liked the strawberries! Quite unique and provided some nice freshness to the meals!

We visited with family during a Sunday day trip to Brighton. Great service (we asked for extra toppings to already-made pizza), friendly staff (checked on us a lot but not too much), delicious food, lots of options (including halal chicken), good coffee. Highly recommended. Nice...

Great place, lovely food, great garden, wonderful staff.

Watery pasta. I ate half of it because I was really hungry and needed to eat something. Good service and delivered fast. Shame that pasta was just awful.

Really nice coffee and atmosphere - super cute garden to sit in. Student discount is great too :)

such lovely service, great coffee and lovely atmosphere! Highly recommend for all as a long the best spot here

My favourite place on the lanes, very chilled and comfortable, brilliant service , amazing chef. The place runned by an Italian owner who is very welcoming and you have a chance to experience proper Italian hospitality. The food is delicious and they have some great...

Very good food. Generous portions. Good value, staff very friendly. Good atmosphere. Very nice courtyard at the back of the restaurant, nice and quiet as the restaurant is in a busy and noisy area.

Delicious food. Friendly staff. Now have the back garden open which provides more space Will definitely go back again :)

Food is amazing. Maybe one of the top ones for quality ingredients in Brighton. Cosy atmosphere and helpful Staff. Healthy food options.

Such a nice atmosphere and the food was amazing! The fish is really fresh and delicious and the pasta is really good ! Portion sizes really big too…defo worth the affordable prices. Super friendly staff and great service. Would 100% recommend and can’t wait to...

We stumbled upon this place completely by accident. Its definitely going to be one of those hidden gems that I take people too time and time again. First off the two gentlemen working there were welcoming, friendly and made you feel comfortable. We sat in...

I completely recommend ♥️ Nice garden (specially in n the evening when the sun is nowhere else), Nice coffee ☕️, Nice people 🤗.. What else? 😊

So, we turned having cycled from London to Brighton, two bikes and riders caked in mud. The gentleman behind the counter offered for us to wheel the bikes though the cafe and into the secure garden area, plus use the (heated!!) outside toilet to clean...

I created a Trip Advisor account just to leave this review. Probably the best panini I’ve ever had! Extremely fresh and tasty. The lady serving was extremely friendly and welcoming. Excellent service and food and reasonable prices. They were also more than happy to accommodate...