Dilsk

Tucked away beneath Drakes Hotel, Dilsk feels like a hidden gem in Brighton’s dining scene. This intimate, elegantly understated restaurant offers a calming atmosphere, with comfortable booth seating and a sense of exclusivity without pretension. Owners Maddy and Tom bring a warm, personal touch to the experience, their passion evident in both the hospitality and the meticulously crafted menu. Sustainability is at the heart of their approach, with a strong focus on locally sourced ingredients.

Dilsk’s tasting menu makes fine dining feel accessible, offering options at different price points without compromising on quality. From the first bites, it’s clear this is a carefully considered experience. The opening snacks alone set a high bar: a light, refreshing crab bite, a crispy, sweet pork lollipop, and a celeriac yolk with a tangy crunch - each a perfectly balanced flavour sensation.

A standout dish was the Hen of the Woods truffle custard, a masterclass in texture and lightness, lifted by crisp Jerusalem artichoke. The laminated brioche with yeasted mushroom butter was beautifully presented - rich and sweet like a fine pastry - though the lamination slightly detracted from the expected airiness of the bread.

Seafood dishes were particularly impressive, with hand-dived Orkney scallops served alongside butternut squash and bacon - a refined take on a classic pairing. Halibut was delicate and immaculately plated, while the venison and duck courses delivered rich, indulgent depth.

For the finale, the blue cheese sorbet with a rye cracker and mead was a bold take on a cheese course, offering adventurous flavours that may divide opinion.

The drinks menu is just as well curated as the food, showcasing a strong selection of local Sussex wines alongside an international offering. A highlight is Bee Tree Vineyard’s crisp and elegant Blanc de Noirs, a sparkling wine that pairs beautifully with the menu’s lighter dishes.

With its meticulous attention to detail, refined yet welcoming atmosphere and a menu that blends creativity with technical precision, Dilsk  is a must-visit for food lovers in Brighton.

Dilsk is an intimate restaurant in Brighton, found on the lower levels of the Drakes Hotel, offering short and long tasting menus that champion brilliant local Sussex ingredients. The restaurant offers a refined dining experience with a focus on luxury and sustainability, taking care to source good quality produce that is ethically grown and local to the East Sussex area. The fixed menu has 3 options: set lunches, which consists of a three-course meal; the short tasting menu, made up of six-courses and the full tasting menu that includes nine-courses and a selection of snacks.  

Chef Tom Stephens - who trained under Michelin starred Tom Kerridge and Steve Drake at Sorrel in Surrey - moved to Brighton in 2019 after spending time exploring Southeast Asia. He aims to take diners on a flavour excursion with each course artistically styled to excite your eyes and your tastebuds. This is the first collaborative venture for Stephens and front of house manager Madeleine Riches, who together have over 40 years industry experience. Dilsk embodies sophistication with its white walls, modest décor and the hum of up-tempo background music, keeping distractions at a minimum and allowing the food and wine to hold your focus.

Dishes on the tasting menu at the time of writing include oysters with trout roe, radish and dilsk custard (dilsk being a type of algae), squid with courgette, salted ricotta and sunflower, Sussex Tenor chocolate with smoked rapeseed oil and creme fraiche.

The courses demonstrate a modern spin on classic methods and can be served alongside specially selected wine pairings from across the globe, chosen by an in-house specialist. There is an alcohol-free pairing available and an extensive wine and cocktail list, including a honey wine, for those of you who wish to experiment with your own flavour combinations.