Last Saturday James and I woke up and decided to leave London, no plan beyond fresh air, movement and the countryside. We drove south and went for a long walk somewhere near Brighton. By late afternoon James had done what James does, and booked us somewhere exceptional for dinner.
Maré is Rafael Cagali’s third restaurant, and his first outside London. The chef behind two Michelin starred Da Terra in Bethnal Green and the more casual Elis, Maré sits somewhere between the two, seasonal, coastal, with plates shaped by Cagali’s Brazilian heritage. Maré opened in September 2025 and received its Michelin star five months later, Brighton’s first star in over fifty years.
That tension is felt before you’ve even walked in. Maré sits on an unassuming street in Hove, across the road from a kebab shop. Bistro curtains, glowing interiors, Maré stands out from everywhere else around it. People were there celebrating anniversaries and birthdays, but the room doesn’t demand occasion, we’d just finished a long walk, and that felt entirely sufficient.
We ordered à la carte, the tasting menu is £90 a head, which is very reasonable by any London measure, but we had the drive home ahead of us.
It starts with the one bite snacks, that quickly remind you that whilst Maré feels casual, you’re eating in the restaurant of a two Michelin starred chef. The native lobster claw tartlet with ginger and caviar was exceptional, one mouthful that moved through textures and flavours. We also ordered the onion croustade with beef and tonnato, and an artichoke and pea tartlet, and enjoyed both of these very much.
Then come the small plates. If the snacks feel structured with the discipline of Michelin star dining, the small plates feel like they have more breathing room and a bit more fun. The standout for us was the pulled lamb shoulder tacos, BYOT (build your own taco). We also ordered the torched Sussex mackerel with rhubarb. The rhubarb was perfectly pickled, but the rest of the dish fell short with flavours that lacked depth.
The lobster rice, though, redeemed it. The meat was tender and deeply flavoured, the kind of lobster you only get in an experienced kitchen.
The cassava chips were a near miss, we only ordered them after noticing the table next to us receive a plate and doing an immediate reassessment, we needed them. Confirmed they are an absolute must.
For dessert: the tiramicoux mascarpone, which was lovely, and the cachaça elderflower baba, which the Michelin guide lists as the dish you’ll be loath to give up. We left it unfinished...the cachaca was way too overpowering.
Maré is doing something that’s harder than it looks… fine dining made accessible without being diluted. The room earns the star without trying to hard for it. For Brighton, Maré isn’t just a restaurant opening, it feels like potential of what the future of the city’s dining culture could be.
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