The top line: Vagabond has opened in part of the former Browns site in Brighton, joining 13 bars in London and one in Birmingham, which opened in 2021. Browns closed last year after a 53-year run, with Flat Iron taking the larger half of the unusual U-shaped site for its Brighton debut earlier this year. It’s easy to see what drew both operators to this part of town, which has become a hub for expanding restaurant brands including The Ivy, Pizza Pilgrims and recent arrival Burger & Beyond. Stephen Finch launched Vagabond in Fulham in 2010 and parted ways with the business in 2024, shortly before wine retailer Majestic acquired it.
On the menu: Vagabond was an early adopter of wine preservation technology and uses Enomatic self-pour machines to offer more than 100 wines by the glass. The range includes Vagabond’s own wines, made in London with grapes grown in Sussex and elsewhere in the south east. Vagabond keeps wines stocked by Majestic off its list, but draws on its owner’s relationships with producers to source harder-to-find bottles. While wine is obviously key for the brand, food sales make up around 30% of turnover. The food menu runs from cheese and charcuterie boards to seasonal sharing plates such as pil pil prawns, padrón peppers and hanger steak tagliata.
The vibe: The 2,980 sq ft venue has a stainless steel bar that nods to the tanks at Vagabond’s recently launched urban winery in East London’s Canada Water, a staircase lined with riddling racks and a private dining room. Guests load credit onto a card and use it to pour their own wine, with staff on hand to help them choose and take food orders.
And another thing: Led by Graham Hall, Vagabond is in the midst of a major expansion push having opened six sites in the past 18 months, and says it is targeting more towns and cities across the UK. Since 2025, the group has also launched an app, introduced ‘digital wine flights’ and opened an online shop for UK-wide delivery.
3-4 Duke Street, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 1AH