This April, Rob Shenton and Charlie Bunn – the respective owners of Riddle and Finn’s and Hickstead Estate – are launching Drifter, a new music-driven restaurant concept for Brighton.
Opening on Thursday 11 April on Brighton seafront in the historic Kings Road arches (most recently home to Due South), Drifter will have an exclusively vinyl music policy, a tightly curated selection of wood-fired small plates and a drinks menu focused on natural wines.
Inspired by Japan’s analogue listening bars, where people go to actively listen to music, the concept is the brainchild of hospitality consultant Jake Northcote-Green, who said: “We wanted to create a relaxed space on the seafront that represents the diversity and vibrancy of Brighton’s food and music scene.”
Taking the lead from its waterfront location, the restaurant’s inventive yet simple menu will be based on top-quality, locally sourced seafood cooked in a wood-fired oven.
Natural wine will be a key focus at Drifter, celebrating low-intervention wines from around the region and beyond. The drinks menu will also feature an extensive beer list, seasonal cocktails and a unique offering of low and no-alcohol drinks.
Vinyl music will be at the forefront of the new restaurant, with top-quality equipment such as B&W speakers and Marantz amps ensuring optimum high-fidelity sound.
In keeping with Drifter’s laid-back atmosphere, music will include low-key jazz, 90s boom bap, soul and African disco.
The restaurant will also bring in like-minded people from the worlds of music production, art and hospitality to act as creative directors. Rotating every two months, the creative directors will put their own spin on the music offering with regular bespoke collaborations and curated events.
The 70-cover, two-storey site has an outdoor terrace and offers stunning views over the beach from inside and outside.
