4 Best Bars in Brighton, The Southeast

Open throughout the day, this upscale café-bar really comes to life after dark. Its Champagne Late Lounge has great cocktails and live DJs every Saturday night, while the roof terrace is ideal for warm seaside evenings. The venue also offers one-hour cocktail masterclasses on request; it's £40 per person for a group of up to eight, with a welcome drink and three cocktails included.

One of Brighton's foremost venues, in an Art Deco building east of Brighton Pier, Patterns is the latest incarnation of a string of popular nightclubs that have occupied this spot. Expect to hear live acts during the week, including a regular local slot (this being Brighton, the quality is generally quite high), and techno and house on the weekend. You can also come during the day on Saturday for a bottomless brunch.

This ultrahip bar on Steine Street feels like a glamorous speakeasy. Cocktails are a specialty, and the bar staff certainly know what they're doing (try the salted caramel espresso martini). It's extremely popular with the cooler brand of local partygoer, and it's fabulously good fun to boot. There's a second branch in Hove, too.

A mixture of vintage and avant-garde cabaret and burlesque is on offer at this stylish nightclub, which has a distinctly 1920s flavor. It's open Thursday through Sunday and can get very busy, so booking ahead is advisable.