Pascere in Brighton to be replaced by Honest Burgers

Pascere, in Duke Street, Brighton, will shut tomorrow.

The 30-cover venue, which opened in July 2017, drew rave reviews from the likes of Giles Coren of The Times.

It won honours including “best wine list” in the Brighton Best Awards.

But in a surprise move, it announced the lease had been sold and it was to be replaced by an Honest Burgers.

Pascere owner Amanda Menahem said: “I was made an offer that was silly to turn down.

“It’s a time when I know my rent will be rising and the concept and business model of the restaurant would be suited to a better location.”

Amanda, who is also the food and drink editor at Platinum Business Magazine, said she was looking for a new location for the restaurant but would continue to run pop-ups across the city in the meantime.

She said: “We are actively looking for locations but anticipate things will become available in the new year.

“Come spring I’m sure things will open up in Brighton or a bit further afield.

“These things always take time but we’ve built up a reputation now.

“It doesn’t matter if we are a bit out of the way because people will come to us. It would be wonderful if we were up and running by the summer.”

Businesswoman Amanda and chef Tom Griffiths set up the restaurant in the summer.

But Griffiths left just before the restaurant opened.

He was replaced in the kitchen by Johnny Stanford, who himself left to take up a role at The Half Moon, in Kirdford, near Billingshurst, a gastropub run by model Jodie Kidd.

In a statement posted on social media, Amanda and the Pascere team said: “I am so proud of what the team has achieved so far at Duke Street.

“In the last few months alone we have received numerous accolades.

“Most importantly we created something special that people genuinely love.”

Honest Burgers owners Tom Barton and Philip Eeles said they met at Riddle and Finns restaurant in Meeting House Lane, Brighton, and sold their first burgers at the 2010 Brighton Food Festival.