Shelter Hall – Brighton’s seafront food hall – continues to go from strength to strength, writes Nick Mosley. And this festive season there are plenty of fun and tasty ways to add to your experience.
If you’ve not visited Shelter Hall, then where have you been? This cavernous but still supremely welcoming space has established itself as a must-do food and drink experience for locals and visitors alike.
Pull up a chair at one of the hundreds of indoor and outdoor tables, scan the QR code and order whatever dishes you like from the seven rotating kitchens and main bar, then – as if by magic – your feast will be delivered to you. Whether you’re in for a quick coffee and cake or a slap-up meal with friends and family, it really is informal and engaging dining at its best for all ages.
I can scarcely keep up with the changing roster of chefs and kitchens but over the past couple of years there have been some notables that have gone on to bigger things including Lost Boys Chicken and Salt Shed.
My colleague from the tourist industry joined me for an hour or so in one of Shelter Hall’s cosy seasonal igloos on the terrace so we could sample some of the new kitchens.
Our ‘small’ igloo could comfortably accommodate six people and comes complete with a bluetooth boombox so you can stream your own tunes and also a heater for when the sun goes down. I can see the igloos being really fun if you’re in a group but you really do need to book in advance if you want that option. Bear in mind that the minimum spend is £30 per person but once you’ve ordered a main dish and a couple of drinks then that’s probably what you’d be looking at anyway.
So what are the new kitchens at Shelter Hall?
The Three Little Pigs Souvlaki features Greek-Australian grilled meats and pitta. We ordered the grilled aubergine and it was exceptional. Tahini, fried peanuts , pomegranate molasses and curry leaves, it was rich and unctuous and literally cut like butter. Bang on the mark boys.
Brightonian Oliver Hill’s Yeastie Boys Pizza Club has become something of a local institution with his New York style pizza available at the restaurant on Queens Road as well as now at Shelter Hall. I don’t eat pizza anymore but I could see plenty flying out of the kitchen so its clearly one of the most popular options.
Kolkati heralds from London and serves up Indian wraps and a couple of curries. We sampled the butter chicken curry and found it a bit lacklustre and overly seasoned – and I do like my salt – but I’m sure the kitchen were just having an off-day as they’ve been making waves in Camden for knocking on a decade now.
Saltio was founded in 2021 in Worthing, serving up Mexican dishes. Think rice bowls and tacos, although we passed over those and went for the watermelon salad which was a real delight. Chunks of juicy watermelon with cucumber and creamy, crumbled feta cheese and just a hint of spice. A really refreshing and rounded dish to pick at.
You can also choose from Rudi’s Burgers and Coqfighter fried chicken, that I’m sure are best-in-class street food but I probably don’t need to explain what the offer is. And Happy Endings bring a sweet close to a meal with their retro-inspired ice cream desserts that are best summarised by founder Terri Mercieca: “Each flavour sensation super-charged with a nostalgia that runs so deep it’ll hit you in the face harder than the glowing yellow lights of Blockbuster Video on a Friday night”.
The bar has a really decent range of wines, beers and spirits, alongside cocktails and no-low drinking options. I had a very impressive espresso rum-tini which was the perfect pick me-up at the end of a long afternoon of meetings. I would’ve stayed for a second but places to be and people to see.
On Sunday 8 and 15 December from 2-6pm, children can experience the magic of Christmas by visiting Santa's Grotto at Shelter Hall. For £10 per child – and a maximum of four children per session – young visitors will have the opportunity to share their Christmas wishes with Santa, receive a special gift, and capture the moment with a commemorative photo. There will also be complimentary hot chocolates and festive crafts on hand.
There’s plenty of uplifting music too. The renowned Uplifted Voices Choir returns for a fourth year. Known for their performances on X-Factor, BBC Proms and Britain’s Got Talent, the choir will be sharing two performances of popular Christmas songs each night.
And definitely a date for the diary is the Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus who will be performing their unique versions of festive classics at 6pm and 8pm on Monday 16 December. The shows are free but pre-book your table in the main hall.
With special one-off seasonal menus from all the kitchens – and no doubt more mulled wine than you can shake a candy cane at – eat, drink and be merry at Shelter Hall this December.
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