Maré by Rafael Cagali restaurant review: ‘Brighton and Hove’s first Michelin-starred restaurant in 30 years and it’s gay-owned’

Last year, I interviewed chef Rafael Cagali and his life and business partner, Charlie Lee, for Attitude magazine’s Business section about running their two London establishments Da Terra and Bethnal Green Town Hall’s Elis. Near the end of our chat, they casually mentioned that they were opening a third in Hove, just down the road from where I live in Brighton.

I was away when Maré by Rafael Cagali launched in September, but when the news landed that they won a Michelin star after just six months I had to reach out to review the venue. Shockingly for a city with a thriving restaurant scene, this is Brighton and Hove’s first Michelin-starred restaurant in 30 years – and it’s gay-owned.

Maré’s head chef, Ewan Waller, joined the two-Michelin-starred Da Terra in 2022 and has brought Cagali’s Brazilian- and Italian-inspired cuisine mixed with an influence from the local sea and produce of the south coast.

Food

The menu is broken into three sections ‘One Bite’, ‘Small Plates’ and ‘To Follow’. The One Bites are essentially a selection of amuse-bouche, and while I have enjoyed many in my time, I have never seen them presented on a menu in this fashion. My partner and I delighted in the flavour packed morsels which included a tiny crumpet loaded with lobster claw, ginger and N25 caviar (£12) and the sharp onion croustade with pickled walnut (£4.5).

From the small plates, we devoured the oyster mushroom tortellini in a tarragon and parmesan sauce (£15) and the Fowey musses with white asparagus (£16) before soaking the excess sauce up with the charred focaccia (£6).

To follow, we had the native lobster rice (£52), which is the restaurant’s hero dish, alongside a mixed leaf salad (£4) and delicately light cassava chips (£5.50).

The dessert menu followed with three desserts: the boozy Cachaça syrup Baba with Chantilly cream (£12) and the chestnut choux bun with cream and prune jam (£12) were fantastically presented and equally tasty.  

The menu will change every few months to the turning of the seasons.

Drinks

The drinks menu led with cocktails and a couple of mocktails. The list of wines is extensive but not overwhelming and included many local sparkling wines. It also offered some surprises like a selection of four Cachaça, the national spirit of Brazil, and a couple of sparkling teas from Copenhagen.

Atmosphere

Located on Hove’s main high street you might expect to be distracted by the surroundings, but the high windows are smartly covered by cream curtains on their lower half, which blocked the outside world while allowing plenty of light to pour in and light the rocky textures and colours of the space’s fixtures and walls.

There is a large bar where people can dine at, as well as a small selection of tables in the narrow restaurant that can seat up to 38 people. The venue has a light, airy feel, punctuated by a fun playlist which included classics ‘Xanadu’, Bronski Beats’ ‘Smalltown Boy’, and George Michael’s ‘Faith’.

Service

Manager and sommelier Jake Garstang met us at the door to take our coats and served our drinks and many of our dishes. You get the sense that this little restaurant has a strong, tight-knit team and everyone is happy to be there. When we finished our meal Garstang asked if we wanted to see the kitchen. We went down the stairs where we found a still gleamingly new stainless-steel worktops and chef Waller plating up the next table’s pasta as we chatted. We also spotted the two sous chefs, sisters, who presented dishes to our table with smirks of pride of their faces.

“Ever since the start, we’ve felt very loved and appreciated.” Garstang tells us before reminiscing about the day the Michelin star was announced. “The phone started ringing five minutes after it was announced. The next morning, I looked at the reservations list and we had taken 162 bookings. We are feeling very blessed. It’s a bit of history and that is really special and a dream come true to these guys [in the kitchen].”           

Value

The menu’s One Bites are priced between £4.50-£12, small plates £6-20, the mains £44-£52 and desserts £12-£14. For better value, there is the Taste of Maré for £90 per person, which includes a showcase of dishes chosen by the whole table. And the lunchtime set menu of six dishes and two sides comes in at £55 per person.

Verdict

Maré by Rafael Cagali offers casual Michelin-starred dining where the food is the star, but you can also relax and enjoy yourself. Let’s hope this is the start of a wave of London’s starred chefs bringing their excellence to the south coast. For now, Maré will have us returning like the tide.

60 Church Road, Brighton and Hove, BN3 2FP marehove.com