The Salt Room’s makeover only proves that this is a restaurant that’s seriously worth its salt. It might be laid-back in ambience but when it comes to delivering incredible dishes, there’s nothing this team take more seriously
When it comes to great restaurants in the coastal city of Brighton, it’s hardly a secret that competition is fierce. This is a place that thrives on the love of good food – whether that’s excellent street food stalls, vegan delights, the coolest of coffee shops or simply excellent, “When are we next free” restaurants. The Salt Room is an independent venue that’s long fallen into this latter category, serving up modern British seafood and fire-led cooking for over a decade.
Situated on the seafront with a prime view of both the Eye of Sauron (sorry, I meant the Brighton i360 tower) and the sprawling wind turbine-peppered horizon, this is a seafood-led restaurant where special occasions, date nights and feasts with friends can be lazily enjoyed until one’s heart’s (or stomach’s content). What’s more, despite the dishes being of incredible quality, The Salt Room is known for its notable lack of a pretentious or stuffy feel that can sometimes accompany restaurants of the same calibre.
The restaurant has recently undergone an extensive refurbishment and reopened its doors (and menus) after four months in May with a beautifully-detailed refreshed look. The makeover unveiled a brand-new bar, sleek open kitchen and most excitingly, a fully weather-glazed, 60-cover seafront terrace designed for year-round dining.
Those brave enough to visit during Covid times might remember sitting shivering on the former terrace when dining inside was still technically illegal. If so, you’ll be delighted to see the space’s incredible (heated) transformation, which brings a brand new dimension to the much-loved restaurant as well as many additional covers.
The Venue
I visit on a hot June evening, hungry for both The Salt Room’s incredible dishes and a first look at its new revamp. It doesn’t disappoint. Stepping across the threshold takes a guest straight into the new bar area, which emulates a laidback Mediterranean feel from the get-go thanks to terracotta floor tiling, off-white lime-washed walls and oodles of natural light.
Despite being a Sunday evening, the venue is still packed to the rafters with fellow casually-coiffed diners, all either grasping cutlery or a glass of something delicious in-hand.
Greeted by a friendly host, we’re led straight to the new spacious terrace – which, bathed in golden light thanks to panoramic windows, offers a prime view of the surrounding seafront and excellent people watching opportunities. Tick and tick. For those that are seated in the main restaurant, guests can now enjoy the theatrical allure of an open kitchen too.
More than just the interiors have been given a lick of paint, of course. The menu, led by Executive Chef Kim Woodward has been restructured much like an architect redesigning one’s traditional home. A standard starter-main-pudding format has been flung out in favour of a section-led array of dishes and delights. Think ‘Hot and Cold,’ ‘Garden and Pasta’ and of ‘course‘ (the stars of the show) “Cooked over Fire” and “Fish & Shellfish From The Parilla Grill.”
In doing so, this aims to create more of a sharing-style feel or a flexible approach for those who fancy mix and matching their dishes. I’m also relieved to see no shortage whatsoever of seafood – since my first visit in 2017, I’ve been lusting after the various seasonal delights here. I still remember the tangy first bite of a Tiger’s Milk ceviche from my inaugural visit. Seafood remains at the heart of the offer, sourced as locally and sustainably as possible. The kitchen has carefully built its supply around Brighton & Newhaven Fish Sales at Shoreham Harbour, working with the inshore day-boat fleet that lands fish back into the harbour within mere hours of being caught. This freshness translate to the forkfuls – every mouthful here is something to be savoured.
The Food & Drink
I kick things off with a petite but mouth-watering Tuna Tartare, served with Soy & orange ponzu in a small white bowl and paired with tall nori rice crackers that feel both playful and fun to rip apart and dip into the tangy sauce.
I’m not someone who usually orders pasta in a restaurant, let alone for a main, but the siren call of the Argentinian Prawn Tagliolini Pasta simply speaks to something in me. Paired with a sumptuously silky tomato & fennel bisque that swathes the plate with sauce, the strands of fresh taglioni pair beautifully with three giant juicy prawns that sit atop the mound.
I team the carbs with the essential – more carbs – in the form of crispy French Fries topped with dollops of Avruga caviar and crème fraîche. Dipped in the rich bisque, it’s an exquisitely luxurious combo that could rival any Girl Dinner.
For dessert, I highly recommend the creamy Basque Cheesecake – or for something extra decadent, Churro Bites. The latter arrive deceptively morsel-sized, but paired with a rich glossy chocolate sauce, are moreish enough to leave you licking the bowl clean. For those who love a dose of frivolity, I also spot a nostalgia-inducing The Salt Room Fish Food Soft Serve (which is essentially a giant DIY ice cream platter designed for sharing.
The Wordrobe Verdict
The Salt Room’s makeover only proves that this is a restaurant that’s seriously worth its salt. It might be laid-back in ambience but when it comes to delivering incredible dishes, there’s nothing this team take more seriously. Devourable plates, beautiful interiors and an easy-going, relaxed atmosphere that’ll leave you sipping the night away, time after time. Get yourself to Brighton – this seafood restaurant’s renovation is ‘net’ to be missed.
Make it happen
Where: 106 King’s Rd, Brighton, BN1 2FU
How: Find out more and make a booking via saltroom-restaurant.co.uk
Words by Sophie Ritchie, editor
