The Black Horse

You'll find The Black Horse tucked into Church Street, that stretch between the Lanes and the seafront where actual Brighton residents still outnumber the stag dos. It's the kind of place where the bar staff know what they're doing, the beer list reads like someone actually cares, and you can still get a pint without feeling like you've made a financial commitment. The vibe is refreshingly unpretentious—locals propping up the bar, groups sprawled across mismatched seating, nobody performing for Instagram. Food-wise, it's solid pub fare done properly, the sort of place you'd genuinely fancy grabbing dinner at, not just a quick drink before somewhere else.