The Hole in The Wall — Restaurant in England

Took a little day trip down to Brighton over the weekend to meet a friend, ticked off a couple of pubs along the way. The first proper pub (not the footy one) was this hidden gem down a back road just off the sea front.

Noted as "Brighton's Smallest Pub", what it lacks in size it makes up for in beer selection and hospitality. The pub dates back to 1837, where it was originally called The Hole in the Wall, and the story goes that's because the fishermen stank when they came back from sea, so were served their beers through a small hatch - a hole in the wall.

The pub later became the Queensbury Arms, focussed on theatre goers and boxing fans alike, a blue plaque put outside to commemorate/recognise the previous name "The Hole in the Wall", but in 2021 it was bought up and given its original name back. It remains independent, and the plaque is still there too.

It's small, concise, comfortable, cosy - the beer selection is stupidly good, no wonder they won a few CAMRA awards, as displayed on the walls amongst old photos and memorabilia. We opted for the LSBB pale while learning how to play Toads, capped it off with the Double Barreled mango sour thing which was as good as I remember.

Great to finally tick this place off, but one I can't wait to come back to. Shows you don't need a vast footprint of a pub to make one great, just a focus on the beer and enough places to lean, and you've...

Superb. This is an atmospheric little place in the back streets off from the main seafront, very close to several hotels, with an incredible selection of beers on draught and cask.

A photo of Des O’Connor adorns the Gents loo door. I have never been close enough to discern who is on the Ladies door (UPDATE: I think it’s Victoria Wood).

Toad in the Hole - a pub game involving throwing coins at a chair, supposedly played only in Sussex - is a popular game here. The bar is Dog friendly too. Staff are friendly and knowledgable. The atmosphere is relaxed.

It’s also very inclusive. There were lots of groups when I was there on a summer Thursday night, including several all female groups enjoying the beer - it’s clearly a place where people typically feel comfortable to come and enjoy drinking what they want on their own terms.

Which brings me back to the quality of the selection - there are occasional tap takeovers, but the variety (usually 3 or 4 cask supplemented by an array of keg styles) from some of the country’s top breweries is what brings people here. Servings are in typically half, 2/3rds and pint depending on strength.

Definitely a must visit if you are a beer lover and ever you are...

I like this pub and it's great to have it in Brighton. It's a bit of a secret, its tiny frontage hidden down an unpromising street behind the hotels on the strip. Once inside it's clear this is a pub for people who care about their beer. A chalkboard lists the selection, which is always interesting and often local and always features a stout and a bitter. Plus, in the fridge, a good selection of Continental beers in bottles. The interior is tiny, basically the front and back room of a house, with a bar inbetween. Benches and surprisingly heavy stools with cast iron legs. A little like a traditional pub or even a working man's club. Notably absent: loud music, pub carpet, thai food, endless rows of popular IPAs and lagers. Best on busier nights when the small space pushes the crowd out onto the street. At quieter times, a good place for a chat or a...