A Local’s Guide to Taproom Brighton: Finding Your Fiveways Favourite
There is a particular kind of joy in finding somewhere that feels like it has been waiting for you.
Not a grand destination. Not a place that requires a dress code, a reservation three weeks ahead, or a working knowledge of every hop variety known to humanity. Just a warm light on Ditchling Road, a few friendly faces, a good drink in front of you, and the feeling that you have stumbled across your new local.
That is Lost and Found.
Tucked into the Fiveways community at 298 Ditchling Road, our independent Brighton venue is a cosy Brighton taproom, bottleshop and neighbourhood gathering place built around discovery, conversation and genuinely independent Sussex drinks.
So, whether you are searching for “taproom Brighton”, “craft beer Brighton” or simply a friendly place to meet someone after work, here is the local’s guide to finding your way in.
Start with the Fiveways feeling
The first thing you notice is that Lost and Found feels connected to its surroundings.
We are on Ditchling Road, right in the heart of Fiveways. People drop in on the way home, meet friends from around the corner, bring the dog, bring the children, or wander through because the lights are on and the taps look inviting.
There is no need to make a big occasion of it. In fact, the best visits are often the ones that start with, “I’ll just pop in for one.”
One drink becomes a chat with the person beside you. A quick look at the tap list turns into a half-pint of something new. You spot a can in the fridge that you have never tried before and suddenly you are carrying a little bit of Sussex beer home for later.
That is the Fiveways rhythm: relaxed, sociable and local without being closed-off.
If your search history has included “fiveways pub brighton”, you may be looking for somewhere with the ease of a proper neighbourhood pub and the curiosity of a modern craft beer taproom. That is exactly the gap we love filling.
A tap list with roots close to home
Our approach is simple: every beer and cider we pour is made in Sussex.
That means our rotating taps are a changing window into the producers around us. One week, you might find a crisp lager. The next, a bright pale ale, juicy IPA, rich dark beer or refreshing cider. The list moves with the kegs, the seasons and the brilliant independent producers doing things their own way.
We are not a brewery. We are a taproom and bottleshop, here to champion the people making exceptional drinks across Sussex.
You can see what is pouring on our live On Tap page, but the most useful local tip is this: do not worry about choosing perfectly. Ask us what is tasting good today. Tell us what you usually drink. Or tell us that you have no idea where to start.
There is no test.
Craft beer should be exciting, not intimidating. Our job is to help you find the pint that makes you think, “Oh, I like this.”
For first-timers: begin with curiosity
If you are new to craft beer in Brighton, the tap wall can look a little like a treasure map.
Names, colours, percentages and styles compete for your attention. Hazy pale? Helles? IPA? Cider? Something dark and mysterious in a glass?
Here is our advice: start with what you already enjoy, then take one small step sideways.
- Like light, crisp drinks? Try a lager or pale ale.
- Prefer something aromatic and fruity? Ask about a hazy pale or IPA.
- Enjoy a deeper, roastier flavour? See what dark beer is available.
- Not really a beer drinker? We have locally curated wines, spirits and soft drinks too.
A half-pint is an excellent way to explore. So is sharing recommendations across the table. You do not need to arrive as an expert; you only need to be open to finding a new favourite.
And if you discover something you cannot stop thinking about, check the fridges before you leave. Our bottleshop is stocked with independent Sussex beers to take home, so tonight’s experiment can become tomorrow’s little treat.
For regulars: there is always another corner to explore
Regulars know that a taproom is never quite the same twice.
The drinks rotate. The conversations change. The table by the window is free one day and occupied by someone celebrating another day. A familiar face may be behind the bar, while a new face is asking the question you asked on your first visit: “What would you recommend?”
That is part of the appeal of craft beer in Brighton. It is not just about collecting names or ticking off styles. It is about staying curious and supporting producers who are independent, rooted and passionate about what they make.
Our ten rotating taps keep that sense of movement alive, while the atmosphere stays reassuringly familiar. You can come in for a quiet drink, settle into a conversation, play a game, watch the room come to life or join the general Friday evening hum.
A Brighton taproom should give you somewhere to return to. Somewhere that remembers the shape of your usual order, but still encourages you to try something different.
More than beer, without losing the plot
Beer is at the heart of Lost and Found, but it is not the only reason people come through the door.
Our wine list is curated by a local specialist, bringing Brighton expertise to bottles from further afield. That makes the taproom a comfortable choice when your group includes wine drinkers, committed beer lovers and people who are still deciding.
At weekends, external street food vans and catering partners often set up outside, bringing fresh variety to the table. The line-up changes, so it is worth checking What’s On before you visit.
The important thing is that the food comes from independent external partners and street food vans. You get something tasty to eat alongside your drink, while local food businesses get another place to share what they do best.
A welcoming stop for every kind of visitor
Perhaps you are meeting someone for the first time and want somewhere relaxed enough to talk.
Perhaps you are a seasoned beer enthusiast hunting down the next Sussex favourite.
Perhaps you are picking up takeaway cans for a barbecue, looking for a bottle of wine, or bringing a group of friends somewhere that will not make everyone drink the same thing.
Lost and Found is designed for all of those visits.
We are proud to be an independent Brighton venue, but independence should never mean exclusivity. You do not need the right vocabulary, the right clothes or the right level of enthusiasm. You can be completely fascinated by fermentation or simply fancy a nice drink in a friendly room.
Everyone is welcome, including children and dogs.
That sense of openness matters to us. We believe the best taproom is not a clubhouse for insiders. It is a place where newcomers become regulars because somebody took the time to point them towards a beer they loved.
Thinking about a celebration?
Venue hire is not the main reason most people discover us, but it is a useful part of the Lost and Found story.
If you are looking for a party venue Brighton locals will actually enjoy, the whole taproom can be hired exclusively for celebrations, work socials and family gatherings.
There is no hire fee, making it a form of free venue hire Brighton option, subject to a minimum bar spend. The space can accommodate up to 80 guests inside, with a bar focused on Sussex beer and cider, locally curated wine and the same warm atmosphere you find on an ordinary evening.
External catering partners, street food vans, music and decorations can all be discussed when you enquire. It is your celebration, but with a friendly team on hand to keep things moving.
Get in touch with your date and rough numbers, and we will talk through the possibilities.
Your local guide’s final tip
Do not overthink your first visit.
Walk up Ditchling Road. Step inside. Look at the taps. Ask a question. Try a half-pint. Stay for another if you are having a good time.
There is plenty to discover in Brighton craft beer, but the best discoveries are not always the loudest or most obvious. Sometimes they are found in a neighbourhood room, poured by someone who knows the producers, with a table full of people who are happy to share a recommendation.
Lost and Found is our little corner of that story: a craft beer taproom in Fiveways, a bottleshop for taking Sussex discoveries home, a relaxed stop for wine drinkers and a welcoming place for locals, first-timers and regulars alike.
Like what you have tasted? Want to try some more?
Come and find your Fiveways favourite.
Lost and Found Taproom
298 Ditchling Road, Brighton BN1 6JG
Open seven days a week
See what’s on tap or contact us before your visit.