Bohemia in Brighton ensnares you from the moment you walk into the premises. Tucked away in the Lanes, home to many a jewellery shop or stores that sell vinyls, Bohemia is a retreat for those weary of strolling around, that fits right in. The interior decoration is an absolute dream, from the lamp fashioned out of a violin with a lampshade composed of sheet music, pun intended, over the bar stools with the members of the Beatles as decals on the back, to the wooden panelling around the venue, fake or not. All of it builds an atmosphere of cosiness, style and slight hedonism, as you look at the black and white photographs of bars in the forties and fifties that adorn the walls, and listen to Billy Holliday crooning in the background.
With breakfast items served till noon, Bohemia is the perfect setting for a hangover brunch, or just a lazy start to the day. If you like you can choose a daily newspaper to accompany your breakfast eggs, served in many a fashion. The smoked salmon of the eggs royale is doused in the most scrumptious sauce hollandaise, but you can’t go wrong with a regular full English breakfast either, and if you opt for the smoked salmon, scrambled eggs and caviar you won’t be disappointed either. In short, there’s nothing to complain about with regards to food, whether it is early servings, or lunch or dinner.
A good thing too, because this nature of no complaints matches the high standard kept by absolutely everything else about Bohemia. It’s perfect for a wander, to see the different areas of this admittedly small venue. By the bar a separate area is home to leather armchairs that could well function as a smokers lounge, where you can picture men in tuxedos lounging with cigars hanging from the corners of their mouths. Up the mezzanine stairs, leading to the ladies restroom, you also find a DJ deck, revealing Bohemia’s alter ego, a fantastic location for nights out.
Kettle Mag isn’t the first publication to have taken note of Bohemia, alas, as you will find upon your visit. In the restrooms the staff have proudly framed reviews from magazines as illustrious as Elle on the wall, as a reminder of how extravagant this place is. Decadence is another fitting keyword for Bohemia, such as in the absolute variety of drinks you can be served at the bar. Yet the staff is nothing but humble, honest, and excellently trained. When asked about recommendations regarding drinks, our waitress revealed that the orange juice isn’t freshly pressed, should that have been a concern of ours. Such refreshing advice is exactly what endears a restaurant to a customer, and makes Bohemia such a pleasant place to spend hours.
Kettle Rating: 5/5
