If ever I plan to meet friends in town for a hearty breakfast or brunch, Kensingtons just about beats its counterparts as our greasy spoon of choice. Set in the heart of the North Laines, its first-floor positioning allows you to sit above the hubbub of the busy streets. Inside you can choose to sit at a table or slink into the more intimate diner-style booths. Best of all it offers dining on the quaint balcony area with a pretty view of the artsy Kensington Gardens below. A pedestrianised street, not an actual garden. A reliable option, Kensingstons offers what you'd expect with a bit more thrown in to boot. You'll be spoilt for choice with every possible cooked breakfast combination - from light to full, meaty to veggie - and a selection of lunchtime bites. I opted for the pick of the bunch - the Big Meat Breakfast comprising of 2 eggs, 2 bacon, 2 sausages, 1 hash brown, half a grilled tomato, beans and they throw in toast and a hot drink for just £6 in total. It's your usual fry-up fodder, but it hits the spot and doesn't break the bank. As it was a weekday morning I managed to swoop upon an outside table and received my food after just a short wait. Our waiter was a chirpy character. Unsurprisingly, he took a shine to the guest of honour - my sociable little puppy. I'm used to this set-up. Feeling like a member of J-Lo's entourage, graciously holding the leash as he skips upon his back legs in delight (the dog, not the waiter). The atmosphere is generally upbeat and the staff are chatty and attentive. It does get very busy at the weekend; so do expect a queue and a wait for tables at peak times. The main stickler for me is that the toilet is rather bizarrely downstairs in an adjoining shop. Save yourself the trip and go on your way out. In all, the café offers what would normally pass as 3-star fare, but the location, price and choice make it worth your while. read more

Kensington Cafe - View from Kensington Cafe balcony. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brighton, BNH

This is such a great place!!!! In the heart of the Laines, it is a cafe which sells affordable, very tasty, fresh , hot and cold food. Today, I had a salad and it was just divine! It had home made guacamole and a range of very tasty greens! All for just £4.50. My friend had a lovely looking breakfast, which wasn't too pricey! This cafe is king of tasty food! Ranging from breakfasts, toasted sandwiches, smoothies, homemade cakes and fresh fruity tea! They also sell this interesting fizzy drink which claims for get rid of any hangover! If your lucky to get a table outside on the balcony. I strongly recommend it! Providing it's a sunny day, it's a great place to people watch! It's in a extremely busy part of the Laines so you won't be bored of the very dynamic, changing scenery! I could stay there for hours !!!! One of Brighton's finest cafes! read more

Kensington Cafe - Sitting outside in the glorious sunshine, in the north Laines. Catching up with a good friend & eating some beautiful food. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brighton, BNH

This is a really cute little simple cafe with a view over one of my favourite streets in Brighton. As the name suggests, it's on Kensington Gardens, and assuming the weather co-operates, you can sit on the balcony and feel as if you're in some kind of spy-treehouse, watching the endless flows of people beneath you, without them ever really knowing you're there. Food wise, it's got all the standard eggs, bacon, sausages type stuff you'd expect from a greasy spoon, nothing spectatular but I certainly had no complaints. read more

Kensington Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brighton, BNH

Stopped by for a quick salad this afternoon as I was in the area and feeling a bit peckish! In the 8 years of living in Brighton, this is another place where I have completely failed to go! It's highly rated by Brightonians and visitors alike, and I can see why. It has that quirky independent Brighton charm, and you really feel that when you go inside. The balcony area has a lovely view of Kensington Gardens and the laines, it's quite cool to see all the hustle and bustle going on around you while you sit quietly with a coffee or some food. I've given Kensington Cafe a 3, but I do intend to revisit and hopefully improve on the rating. I ordered a salad with chicken and halloumi, however it only came with halloumi! I didn't mind though, the halloumi was cooked just the way I like it. The salad itself was nothing out of the ordinary, lettuce, cucumber, tomato. It did come with a lovely home made hummous and homemade coleslaw that I really enjoyed. Something in the salad tasted really bitter though, and I'm not quite sure what it was! I will definitely come here again and maybe try something else. The couple sitting opposite me had burgers that looked really good. read more

Kensington Cafe - View from Kensington cafe down Kensington gardens - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brighton, BNH

Come for the view, not good (or good for you) food. Everything is either greasy and fried, swimming in butter, or both! Neither my stomach nor tastebuds are fans of that kind of stuff, so it came as a not-so-pleasant surprise when my plate landed on the table. (Do I send it back and risk having my "new" toast spat on and rubbed across someone's bum? Do I eat what I can?) I opted for choice #2, not wanting to cause a fuss. Didn't manage to eat much, but the bird's eye people-watching sort of made up for it. read more

Kensington Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brighton, BNH

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Really this is a 3 star but it's gets an extra purely because this place is dear to my heart, back in the days I'd bunk school and come here to drink milkshakes and chainsmoke. It's a bit of a Brighton institution, been here for yonks and hasn't changed a bit. Which is nice seeing that there are so many ponced up places round here nowadays, they be forgettin der roots man! Hear meh now! Yes it's shabby round the edges but that's why we love it, like your dearly loved, manky old cat that's been in the family for years. It's got a range of greasy fry ups and such, sandwiches, chilli, that kind of thing. The list really is endless you can just swap things about and make your own. It's compact but large enough if you get what I mean. Good value for money and the service is always quick and friendly. Long live Kensington's! read more

As I was making my way from the Brighton Railway Station to the beach this place sort of jumped straight out at me, or at least the sign caught my attention. Despite it being just a narrow door on the ground floor, it wasn't necessarily hidden, particularly since I found it. Anyway, since I was looking to try out some places down here in relation to coffee I decided to head upstairs and have a look around. Well, I have to admit that the place isn't bad, and neither is the coffee. Actually, the offer proper English breakfasts as well, though at the time I wasn't hugely interested in eating. What was cool was the balcony (after which it is named) that looks out over the narrow mall below. Actually, the balcony isn't all that large, though they do have a decent number of booths inside. The other thing that I loved about the place was that grungy feel about it. Okay, I won't go as far as calling the place awesome, but it was still pretty cool, and I wouldn't hesitate coming back again. read more

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Came to Brighton from the States for a convention and found this wonderful gem tucked away not far from our hotel. A fun, eclectic diner-type place with a great view and super cozy vibe. Something like the funky English cousin to Greenwich Village. The sheer range of menu items was spectacular (everything from light, fruity and veg-friendly to meat-laden traditions, also milkshakes?!). I had a difficult time choosing but I don't think I could have gone wrong with any of it. I opted for a sort of traditional hearty, breakfast dish of sausage, eggs, bacon and cheese over a bagel. My companion ordered French Toast with a thick sliver of bacon. Both were amazing and we nearly licked the plates clean. Service was super cheerful, pleasant and reasonably fast. Prices were decent. Atmosphere was fab. If I ever find myself back in Brighton, this will be my go-to spot. read more

If you can get a table here then the menu's definitely worth a snoop. Plenty of sandwich choices (can't go wrong with a sarnie), and the greasy spoon breakfasts are affordable and filling. They also do a range of baked potatoes and other lunch time options. If you're super lucky and manage to get a balcony seat, on a sunny day of course, then you'll find that you feel like you've become part of a secret society, where you can spy on the droves of passers-by without being in the midst of the shopping-mad crowds. Another Brighton breakfast gem and the perfect hangover cure. read more

Headed here for "breakfast". Don't know if it's still considered breakfast if we were eating around 12PM. But hey it was the first meal of our day and 2 people from our group got the English Breakfast. A few others tried to fulfill their Mexican cravings with their Mexican part of the menu and they said it passed their standards. Got the Royal Baguette (?) not even sure what I ordered but it had Smoked Salmon and Eggs in a Baguette + a small side salad. Pretty good for the pricing, was definitely filling. Service was very nice, they kept giving us napkins and I feel like you don't really get that everywhere especially here in the UK. read more

This place is hangover heaven. It's a great, greasy spoon cafe with a balcony that looks over Kensington Gardens - the best street in the North Laines. You can have any kind of greasy breakfast you want - depending on how much your stomach can handle after a night in Brighton. You'll also be happy to know that they serve breakfast until late. Whilst I emphasise the haven-like qualities of Kensington Cafe for hangovers, it's a great little place to stop when you're sober too. It's affordable, there's something for everyone and they place 6 Music a lot of the time. Very hip, very trendy, a little bit shabby - essentially,very Brighton. It's also the perfect place if you're ever craving hash browns - let's face it, we all have those days. Note for lactose intolerants: Soya milk and vegan butter is available. read more

As greasy spoons in Brighton go, we are a little spoiled for choice: there are plenty of great places to go and have a full English, or whatever specialty the house offers, and plenty of places that offer much the same. Kensington's is in a similar bracket, offering good old greasy spoon classics (and a huge variety of those) for affordable prices, and also features another of Brighton's classic seating spots on their balcony overlooking Kensington Gardens (the little passageway with Snooper's Paradise on it). The menu here is incredible: every possible iteration of the full breakfast (plus veggie options) is available, including the classic and delicious Big Meat (every type of breakfast meat!). It's all hearty and huge and cheap, and if you can grab a lucky table, you'll have a beautiful view of this part of Brighton: the bohemian and stylish hub of the North Laine. It's cool, cheap and tasty: what more do you want? read more

This is a very special place to enjoy breakfast or lunch. Both times get extremely busy at weekends so its very advisable to get there nice and early if you want one of those popular tables over looking Kensington Street. The sandwich menu is excellent here and the range of different breads only add to the veriety of the fillings. Try the smoked salmon and avocado on warm focaccia - its truly amazing. Theres not a place around that is this good for people watching. A true Brightonian gem of a place. read more

I love the Kensingtons. Since I was a student I went there everyday after lectures to drink cheap but tasty coffee, eat breakfasts (they have great veggie alternatives) and chat to the friendly staff. They play good music, and it has a really nice, relaxed atmosphere. read more

Kensington Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brighton, BNH

Cheerful and relatively cheap, this place does some of the best fry-ups in Brighton - guaranteed hangover killers, but they're great even if you haven't had one over the eight the night before. Like a slightly more boho greasy spoon, there are little booths you can tuck yourself into, or perch by the window to spy on the comings and goings of Kensington Gardens. The music's a bit random, depending on who's there at the time, I guess, but that just adds to its myriad charms. Welcoming, cosy and with some darn good grub, you could easily spend all day here, and, I guess, some probably have. read more

Really nice building, the wood pannelling oozes class. The balcony, indeed, adds to the interest, with the only problem being moving through the usually busy tables! Very trendy staff. The selection of sandwiches is vast and the service is relatively quick - certainly quicker than the Odeon! Although for Kensingtons you don't need a ticket, which is a surprise as its as entertaining as the latest Kenneth Branagh film! In conclusion, I was eating a butter sandwich here the other day, (my personal favourite, which is executed to perfection, a true modern day masterpiece) when I saw a fellow human vessel digesting his sausage a few tables away from me. I was most displeased. this church of a dining experience is really a small mans dream of perfection. if only they had the for sight to place a rope up to the balcony to avoid the intelligence gases of the modern man. only thrice have i done this and each time i have felt under par and of course very ridiculous. There are several layers of marzipan decorating the floor, in the style of the French renaissance. Perhaps a statement about the fragile temperament of youth. Or perhaps a tasty midnight snack for the various rodent residents of the famous institution. Who knows - I do know however that the small selection of wicker baskets on sale far outweigh the others in the city, and are reasonable priced at £17 (small), £12 (medium) and £49.99 (large). The selection of canned drinks are ample, but I'd say that the one Fanta I bought being a French import didn't keep with the same level of service as the Coke and Sprite varities. On that note: (does anyone else find the name 'Sprite' odd? I only know it in the sense of fairy - and Sprite is a very robust carbonated drink!) I took a glimpse into the kitchen and saw a malnourished Arabic man playing hopscotch with his aging mother a shadow of the person she once was. This reminded me of my ex wife which made me uncomfortable, this adding confusion to the arousal I was bearing with, due to the staff, a balding turk, mentally undressing me. Perhaps the table tops could alleviate this issue. referencing an earlier point in this one man voyeuristic voyage of a establishment of magical proportion. not that i've ever been in. whilst waiting for the door man to take my monocle. i over herd the beating drums and sounds of the wild lion. took me back to my days in the local joke shop. As Madness said 'This must be love, love' - and I'm certainly in love! As we all have heard 'Kensingtons is an anagram of Sonnet Kings' Albeit this is true, the great poetry they create through the art of food. There's no t in kensingons! Fools. What I'm trying to say is as a Brighton Establishment it ticks all the boxes - service, food, beverages and views. Its the prose of Brighton, like other hotels such as the Size? Although it lacks the choice of bed size that Size? offers. Reg, Monty (p.s. I have never been certain about the star system on the ratings. Is 1 star better, like first place, or is 5, I'm sure I'm not the only one whom has encountered this problem, could an administrator make this less of an enigma.) read more

Last time I ventured in here, we weren't told they were out of bread so were charged extra for a roll, two of us found hairs in our food and the person we spoke to joked they may be pubic hairs. Would never go back. read more

I stopped by this place for a greasy fry-up this morning and absolutely loved it. It's around £8 for the biggest breakfast which includes a tonne of bacon, sausages, etc (the usual). The service here was the place's strong point by far though- five minutes or so after ordering my breakfast, it was on my table. And that was on a Sunday morning when they were really packed! read more

Love it, sometimes its radio 6 on the radio, at other times its some bizarre rock and at others maybe some etta james or ancient blues moods...their new burger menu is excellent but you cant beat eggs on toast with mushrooms on the side with a mochaloccachocca! yowzer!! read more

Another great greasy spoon. However, rather than focusing on the superb "Big Meat" or "Big Veg" (for the veggies) breakfast options, I am going to talk about the real "draw" of Kensington's which is their fantastic balcony area. Giving you one of the best views of Brighton life - sea views aside - you can satisfy your greasy lust whilst simultaneously taking in the vibrant buzz of the North Laines: what I would deem the "heart of Brighton". If the weather is good, I cannot find a better vantage point to simply sit and observe. There is not much else to say, other than check it out. read more

Kensington Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brighton, BNH

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I have to admit the balcony is really behind the three stars for this place. The balcony is fantastic- more places on Kensington Gardens should invest in one! It makes you feel like a spy listening in to the passersby below, or like you are at the theater in a box watching the action..you guessed it..below you! The cafe itself however...I understand that it's a greasy spoon, aimig squarely at the student/party crowd who want cheap, simple and giant without fuss. I love a greasy spoon! This one veered a little too much towards the greasy for my liking though- the decor looks sad rather than shabby cool, and the toilets-eeek! The food we ordered for lunch- full english for the boy, backed potato for me- was not great either. Dried up potato for me with not enough filling. The cheapest cotton wool bread for the toast, too many beans and not enough of everything else for the breakfast. The mugs were dirty and the service was quite slow. Shame...'cause I love the view. read more

Kensington Cafe - Photo courtesy of Emma J. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brighton, BNH

The best baked potatoe in Brighton. This place is cheap and cheerful with a lovely smoking deck overlooking the quaint and narrow Kensington Gardens. The menu is pretty run of the mill; toasties, all-day breakfasts etc but perfect if that's what your in the mood for. Its a good place to go if your a bit hungover, as you can either get some air outside or hide in a booth and devour your sausages and eggs inconspicuously. read more

This café is great to go to for breakfast, it's becoming a bit of a regular for me on Saturday morning after a late night out on Friday! It's got a brighton-esque charm to it. It does a standard range of breakfast and lunch dishes; toasties, baguettes, potatoes, all day breakfasts etc! The prices are pretty cheap and it has a vibrant yet laid back atmosphere. Without a doubt the best thing about this place is the balcony situated overlooking the effervescent north laines of Brighton. You can sit outside and people watch all day! It's so quaint, for some reason it makes you feel like you're somewhere really special! If you want a bit of a rest and bite to eat this is the perfect place to go and sit back, relax and enjoy the cosmopolitan city beneath you. read more

This cafe has a balcony overlooking the extremely bustling, trendy shopping street of Kensington Gardens in the North Laines. It can be hard to get a balcony seat, but inside there are big wooden tables and benches and plenty of space (though it's full at lunch time). There is a huge choice of very good food, my favourite being the refried beans and guacamole with enchilladas. Like most cafes in Brighton, it caters extremely well for vegetarians, with fry-ups as well as healthy stuff and fake meat with the breakfasts. It does a sort of breakfast bap, with all the breakfast stuffed into it, which is pretty full on as it's huge, but very good indeed. The only thing lacking is a toilet - you have to go downstairs and into a separate shop that is attached, and downstairs in that. But at least there is one, it's just a hassle to get to. read more

I love the kensington cafe. Right in the heart of the now modernised north lanes you can sit on the balcony and look out over everything and everyone. There are a lot of places now to eat in Brighton and perhaps the cafe is not always my first choice. But if i'm on my own there is nowhere better. A tortilla with refried beans, a beer and a newspaper is a great way to spend an hour or two. This is simple, wholesome food and very reasonable. read more

Absolutely vile! Went to this café today and wasn't impressed at all, me and my partner really wanted a good quality breakfast and instead got a semi warm mess. When we got there he waited fifteen minutes to actually get his order taken while three staff passed him and ignored him going in and out of the kitchen area (he was the only one in the queue) and finally when he did get spoken to was greeted by a rude, obnoxious member of staff who clearly needs an attitude readjustment. They are only prepared to serve humongous amounts of breakfast when before they had a second one which was smaller. My partner politely asked if he could change one of the items on his breakfast for another he then got told and I quote "We don't do swaps I'm afraid as it makes the breakfast more difficult to make" it's one item! Hello... When they took his order my partner waited at the till twenty minutes to get served a tea and a coke which didn't arrive, so like anybody else he went and sat down with me. The rude obnoxious man came over with our drinks and proceeds to be ruder by telling us "In future wait for your drinks, but don't worry as it is not busy" why make the comment in the first place? If my partner hadn't already paid I would of said where he could stick his breakfast . When we did get what they call food it was horrible everything was practically cold and the bread which was apparently toast was like eating cardboard, they also have an obsession with putting parsley on everything who wants parsley on bacon and toast?. It is such a shame because this café used to be excellent. I would never go back and I wouldn't recommend this café to anybody who wants a decent breakfast. should of gone to paris Cafe in London road Brighton wich is amazing!! read more

Always enjoy coming here- good sized menu with plenty of veggie options, decent portions, friendly staff, chilled vibe and tasty food :) the sausages are good read more

Greasy spoon with a trendy twist.

What is wrong with all of you giving positive reviews!!!? This place has a lovely atmosphere but beyond that it is terrible! The ingredients are clearly the cheapest they can possibly get and the slow service would be forgiven if it wasn't for the poor quality! The food was also barely warm when it did arrive. Extremly dissappointed as I had read all these reviews and expected great things however it is clear that the people who have given it a positive review clearing know nothing about food! My avice to them would be to use better ingredients and up your prices by a couple of pounds! Easily fixed but at the moment this place is a definate avoid! :( read more