The Better Half Pub

You'll find The Better Half tucked away on Hove Place, where the real Brighton locals go when they want a pint that tastes like a pint should. It's the sort of place where the bar staff remember your name after twice, the ales rotate properly, and there's proper thought gone into what's on tap. The food's solid—nothing trying too hard, just well-executed pub classics that pair nicely with a good bitter. The room's got warmth to it without being Instagram-bait about it; worn wood, good lighting that doesn't make you look knackered, and enough of a buzz that you're never drinking in silence but never shouting either. It's exactly what Hove needs: a pub that's about the pub, not the concept.