The North Laine shopping area covers several streets between the Brighton railway station and the Royal Pavilion. The area is home to 300 shops (many run by independent retailers and artists), nearly 40 cafés, over 20 pubs, a flea market, a library, two museums and four theatres. North Laine has a reputation as a more bohemian alternative to the touristy Lanes (one of Brighton's main shopping destinations), although North Laine is popular with tourists too.
Independent Stores and Flea Markets
The streets in North Laine are lined with independent stores, coffee shops and restaurants that are more likely to serve you an organic vegetarian wrap than a steak. The shops and boutiques sell clothes (new and second hand), books, gifts, jewellery, music and weird things you end up buying because they look funny, even though you know you will never actually use them. Outside most restaurants and pubs you'll find tables and chairs on the pavement around the year, so that visitors can eat their lunches outside even in the middle of the winter. Some streets become pedestrian zones on Saturdays.
Where to Shop and Eat in North Laine
Shops worth visiting include
- Brighton Books (18 Kensington Gardens): a second hand bookshop with a resident black cat.
- Infinity Foods (25 North Road): Brighton's main organic grocery store. Infinity Foods sells groceries, fresh produce, natural remedies and supplements. The nearby Infinity Foods Café (50 Gardner Street) serves organic, vegetarian meals and caters for gluten-free diets and for vegans.
- Roly's Fudge Pantry (9A Kensington Gardens): there are several fudge shops in Brighton, but Roly's Fudge Pantry also shows you how the famous fudge is made.
- Snooper's Paradise (7-8 Kensington Gardens): Brighton's famous flea market has more than 90 stalls. This flea market can be a little expensive for what it sells, but it is also a treasure trove for those who like to spend their weekends browsing through vinyl albums, second hand books, clothes that may be vintage or just plain old, furniture and all sorts of old things.
- Vegetarian Shoes (12 Gardner Street): shoes, belts and jackets made from non-animal materials.
- Wai Kika Moo Kau (11A Kensington Gardens): one of the great vegetarian eateries in North Laine. This restaurant has big portions and it also does cheap take-away soups at lunchtime.
The North Laine website has a map of the area and a list of shops. North Laine is easy to get to from Brighton Station: walk down Queen Street and turn left to North Road, Church Street or North Street. The Lanes and the Brighton seafront are also a short walk away.
