Brighton is a colorful, quirky seaside resort town just an hour train ride away from London. On a recent day trip, I made it my goal to consume as many desserts in Brighton as possible. With all the desserts I ate, I could have buzzed back to London on sugar power alone… but alas, the bus was faster.

The best desserts in Brighton, England

Dum Dum Donutterie

I crowd-sourced dessert recommendations for my trip to Brighton on Instagram and Dum Dum Donutterie was the #1 recommendation from my followers. As a self-proclaimed donut expert, I’ve found the best donuts in Dallas, Melbourne, and now – Brighton!

The galaxy donut filled with white chocolate and raspberry buttercream finished with hand dipped swirled fondant was the perfect blend of sweet and sweeter. Ps. I tried to make my own galaxy donut at the Melbourne Cake Bake and Sweets show, and mine looked nothing like this! It takes skill to make a donut this beautiful!

But in a twist of everything I thought I knew about donuts… Dum Dum’s donuts are baked, not fried. Artisan donut chef and founder of Dum Dum Donutterie, Paul Hurley had a vision to create “the best donut in the world” and he just might do it! All Dum Dum shops stay open until all of their high quality, natural artisan donuts have sold out, so get there before they’re gone!

Donuts and Churros on Brighton Palace Pier

I’ve gushed about the amazing Dum Dum donuts, which are crafted to Instagrammable perfection. The donuts on the Brighton Palace Pier are fried before your eyes, taken out of the oil and popped into a paper sack, doused in sugar and handed over while they’re still hot.

The only decision: do you want donuts or churros? And chocolate or caramel dipping sauce?

Cloud 9

Cupcakes, ice cream and frakenshakes, oh my! If you’re after brightly colored, OTT treats, you’ll be on cloud nine in this shop! From rainbow cakes to house-made ice cream to FrankenShakes, you’re sure to find something for the ‘gram here!

I tried the Mighty Minty FrakenShake, topped with mint Aero and loaded with chocolate and mint sauce.

Looking for dairy-free desserts? Check out Cloud 9’s range of vegan cakes in Brighton!

Boho Gelato

With so many desserts and so little time, I sadly did not make it to Boho Gelato. However, my friends at Visit Brighton vouch for this amazing gelato shop, and it’s at the top of my list to visit next time.

The dedicated team at Boho makes their gelato onsite using Sussex milk and cream. With 150 rotating flavors from Vanilla to Violet, Mango to Mojito and Apple to Avocado, there’s something for everyone!

Dairy-free friends, this one’s for you! Boho Gelato specializes in vegan sorbets with at least four options at all times.

Flour Pot

Flour Pot was another oft-recommended shop from my amazing Instagram followers! I stopped by the flagship shop in North Laine and was impressed with the high quality ingredients, beautiful cakes and baristas crafting brews with the Flour Pot’s Signature Blend.

The founder’s chef and catering background informs his commitment to all things artisanal. His commitment to creating amazing products using the best ingredients is evidenced by a busy shop and an expanding business.

Roly’s Fudge

With more than 38 shops across the UK, you can guarantee that Roly’s knows what people like. And people seem to love crumbly fudge! In 1987, the founders made their first batch of fudge in a copper cauldron found at an antique shop using a family recipe passed down through the generations. That batch of Vanilla Clotted Cream started their empire and I had the opportunity to give it a try when I visited their shop in North Laine.

With so many adorable craft and vintage shops, don’t miss this fudge! A huge thank you to Linda, my greeter from Visit Brighton, for pointing this out to me. This program is offered, free-of-charge to anyone who wants to get a local’s perspective on the town!

Brighton Rock

Nothing says Brighton quite like Brighton Rock… because this lolly has the word Brighton printed right inside it! In an amazing process and a traditional gift parents in England bring back for children. My Brighton greeter, Linda, told me about the importance of breaking the rock evenly to avoid sibling disputes. Sounds like some things are the same no matter where you’re from!

World Famous Ice Cream

Take a walk along Brighton Beach and you’re sure to find several shops claiming to have the best ice cream in the world. Pick your favorite (or the one closest to you) and grab a 99 Flake, a vanilla soft serve ice cream in a cone, served with a Cadbury Flake.

Choccywoccydoodah

Nothing says “I’ll love you forever” like a wedding cake decked out with chocolate skulls. Somehow, Choccywoccydoodah makes even the macabre look delicious.

Buy a pure chocolate skull pop or commission an intricate cake to celebrate a special occasion. The price is steep, but the skill of these pastry chefs run deep!

Gelato Gusto

I actually didn’t get to visit Gusto Gelato, but Lost Boys Chicken’s owner (keep scrolling!) loves it so much, he sells it as an accompaniment to the very best chicken sandwiches in Brighton. When I tried to visit, the line was out the door and I watched as several customers came out the door with cones piled high and smiles on their faces.

Gelato Gusto serves a true gelato at -15℃ (as opposed to ice cream, which is higher in fat and served at -18℃). Their gelato is made daily in small batches at the shop using less fat and 50% less air than ice cream. Their website states that they offer 20 constantly changing flavors from Sea Salt Caramel, Dark Ecuadorian Chocolate, Blueberry, Banoffee Pie to Syrup Sponge Pudding and Jaffa Cake.

Dairy-free friends, rejoice! Gelato Gusto offers what TripAdvisor calls the best vegan ice cream in Brighton!

Lost Boys Chicken

As the name implies, this is not a dessert shop. However, Lost Boys Chicken serves one of the sweetest sandwiches I’ve ever tried. And because it’s served on a donut bun, they earn a place on this list. The LV is only available on Sundays and is the perfect marriage of spicy Rufio Mayo, Fried Chicken, Maple Cured Bacon, Honey Chipotle Sauce, Maple Syrup, Melty American Cheese, all on an amazingly fluffy vegan Donut Bun from Glazed Coffee.

My time in Brighton was wonderfully sweet and I quickly fell in love with the city. Oftentimes, locals take their city for granted, but every Brighton local seemed equally in love with their city. I’m already planning my next trip to this adorable seaside city to see even more!