Wild Flor has the feel of a neighbourhood restaurant; authentic interiors, a menu filled with locally-sourced produce and a passionate team. But, since it's opening in 2019, it has become a favourite with more than just Brighton and Hove locals. Indeed, the restaurant has received wide-spread national acclaim and scooped a number of awards over the last four years.
Wild Flor was founded by James and Faye Thomson and Rob Maynard who, boasting extensive careers in the restaurant industry in Sussex, came together one day to make their dream of owning a restaurant happen. With a small budget, they cobbled together enough chairs and tables to open, and put all of their efforts into working with the best suppliers of food and wine.
The concept behind the menu very much focuses on a commitment to source the best ingredients from local growers and farmers, working with suppliers such as Saddlescombe farm, Neals Yard Dairy and Wiltshire truffles. Where possible, the kitchen team practices whole animal butchery to ensure little is wasted, in keeping with its sustainable ethos.
The same menu appears for both lunch and dinner, changing regularly depending on the season and produce available. An example of what you may be able to expect includes lamb belly fritters and an English muffin with smoked roe and lemon as snacks, and radicchio, goat's curd, blood orange and ginger salad alongside veal sweetbread, vol au vent, spinach and sauce grenobloise as starters. Highlights from the mains section include house Cumberland with sauerkraut, apple and crackling and Cornish monkfish with sage, prosciutto di Parma and gnocchi.
Reflective of the restaurant's place in its community, the team often host supper clubs, test out new menus and wine tastings, so be sure to sign up to the newsletter to join the next event.