Pavilion Gardens Cafe

You're sitting in the grounds of Brighton's most bonkers building—the Royal Pavilion itself—sipping coffee that doesn't taste like it's been sitting on a hotplate since 6am. The café's got that sweet spot between proper café culture and seaside casual, with big windows that frame the gardens beautifully. Whether you're grabbing breakfast before work, lingering over lunch with mates, or just need somewhere quiet to sit with a flat white, this place does it without any faffing about. The space feels genuinely local despite the tourist footfall, and the staff actually seem to know what they're doing.