FIKA NORTON ROAD — Restaurant in Great Britain

26th April 2025 Cost: £15pp

Brighton & Hove is not short of brunch options. You know that old witty epigram about there being more Irish pubs across the world than people? Haha! Or the statistic about rats in London? It sometimes feels like the same can be applied to cafés down here; you’re never more than six feet away from an oat milk latte in Brighton. Even the seagulls turn their beaks up at fish n chips now - they’ve all migrated from the seafront to the Lanes in search of a decent smashed av on sourdough.

So when George and Ross made Mich and I trek across the city for a coffee and a catch-up, from its easternmost reaches out towards the marina all the way to Hove right next to George’s house, it all felt a bit… unnecessary. Particularly as they were floundering hungover in bed while we’d been up since half 7, and PARTICULARLY as there was literally another branch of FIKA RIGHT WHERE WE WERE SETTING OFF FROM. “But that one doesn’t have as good a menu!” What, and there’s nowhere else, out of the hundreds of thousands of other options, that does?

But I take it all back. I strike from the record my cynicism and replace it with a fuzzy warm recollection of the time spent in George and Ross’s company that sunny Saturday morning, and a humble gratitude towards their laziness and obstinacy. Because FIKA (Hove branch) - once you get past the BIG SHOUTY BLOCK CAPITAL LETTER MENU of fried egg sandwiches called things like HOT CHICK and sides like UGLY NUGGS - is worth it.

George was waxing lyrical about THE BREAKFAST BIRD like a priest delivering a homily before he even sat down. It was a good and prophetic sign: I always think a place has a higher chance of quality if someone returns to it and orders exactly the same thing. It was humongous - dinner-sized - and dripping with pickles and egg and all sorts of flavour. I imagine so, anyway - he was very protective of it. But rightly so! Out of nowhere, a flock of those pesky gastronomic seagulls descended on an adjacent table and swallowed whole whatever they found there - we could see the shape of a piece of toast actually INSIDE ONE OF THEIR BODIES. Some kind of metaphor or omen? Perhaps not.

Ross and Mich seemed to enjoy their sandwiches similarly, albeit with a touch more restraint. I think it was the conversation. I did manage a bite of Mich’s TON BACON and quickly hoped she wouldn’t bring up my earlier offer to go halvsies. Not that it wasn’t nice - it was, although the bacon was on the al dente side - but mine was better. Fears that fillings of fried egg, chilli cheese, blobs of ‘nduja and chimichurri would pack a punch but lack a bit of physical oomph were quickly allayed - this was substance with style. The grilling of the farmhouse prevented all of those LOVELY SEEPING JUICES from soggifying the bread, although did cause a couple of mouth-roof lesions - a price I was willing to pay. In the end we were relieved not to have ordered those nuggs as well as the hashbrowns as sides, as we were all very nicely full by the end. High on eggs and average banter - some very good coffee and juices, too - we headed off arm-in-arm to the beach to bask in it all.

(No more caps in...

Had a slightly disappointing experience at Fika Hove on Friday (10/09). I decided to take my partner here for a spot of lunch on his birthday as he'd nagged me for months about wanting to go. When I placed my order at the till, I mentioned to the lady behind the counter I had a nut allergy she looked at me in complete disgust. Whilst I accept that in every food establishment there is always an element of risk and as a customer I decide whether I want to take that risk or not. I found her whole approach to the mention of my allergy really upsetting. All I wanted to know is if the sandwich I chose had any ingredients which contained nuts. But she kept going on about how legally she doesn't have to serve me because of my allergy. I would have preferred if she'd said 'whilst our food is nut free, we can't guarantee the risk of cross contamination and we will try our best to prepare it in a separate area'. Not give me a look of horror and bring out the legal card as if I was going to sue her. Sadly I don't choose to have an allergy but I can choose where to eat and it certainly...

This is a hidden gem ! The coffee alone is top tier and coffee snobs let’s rejoice for this alone- incl diary free options. Food wise they turn any option into vegan, veggie or gluten free - they accommodate the food free of charge so you can really enjoy and embrace the menu if you don’t eat pork.

Food came quickly and hot and great portions! Tap water FOC of course and easy to obtain. Toilets super clean and nice. Sit in - there is limited tables inside with a handful outside but we managed to sit in midday on a Saturday. Food came within 10-15 mins. We had 2 x breakfast sarnies veggie and both were huge and perfect. Flavours did everything just a great toastie !!! Staff super cute friendly and just accommodating - no negatives re service or staff.

Also we saw many pet friendly things - dog bowls / water etc.

We paid I think £24 for 2 toasties, 2 coffees and a portion of hash browns. We found Hove good to park in on a Sunday. On other days many...