Dishoom Permit Room

You're walking into one of Brighton's most consistently packed restaurants, and it's easy to see why. Permit Room takes Dishoom's reputation for proper Indian cooking and pairs it with an drinks programme that actually makes sense—cocktails built around rum, gin and spice rather than just trying to be clever. The room itself feels lived-in and energetic, all dark wood and moody lighting, the kind of place where you'll overhear actual conversations rather than watch people perform for Instagram. East Street's been on a tear lately, and this sits comfortably among the neighbourhood's best.