Brighton Was Hanging Out for a Restaurant Like Henrys

On paper, Brighton seems like the perfect setting for sophisticated dining. While there are plenty of sunny seaside cafes in the area, there are fewer dinner spots than you’d expect. It’s no wonder, then, that when Henrys opened its doors in late December last year, it was greeted with much excitement. The fact that the buzz has sustained is a testament to the team’s success in creating a refined yet inviting venue with food you’d come back for.

“When we found the site, we thought, ‘What’s the location really seeking, or screaming out for?’” says co-owner Alex Mouzos, who previously worked at Scott Pickett’s Chancery Lane and launched the Vue Group’s now-closed Jardin Tan. He’s joined by co-owners George Loupos, who also owns Basilico in Albert Park, and chef George Bilionis, (formerly of Souk, Elwood Bathers and Cath Claringbold’s Mecca).

“We wanted a place where people could come down and enjoy a bowl of pasta at the bar, a quick bite to eat with the kids at 5.30 or drop in and have a little course and a glass of champagne,” says Mouzos. “But if you want to come back with your friends, or celebrate a special occasion and have a big night out, you can also do that.”

While the team says it will be more pared back in future, for now, there’s an extensive Mediterranean menu with straightforward items such as pizzas, handmade pasta and Josper-grilled proteins. The crab linguine – served with zucchini, chilli, white wine, and a tomato and butter sauce – is a crowd favourite, as is the grilled whole flounder with anchovy and herb butter sauce. There’re also steak; small plates, including freshly shucked oysters and caviar-topped potato rostis; and an old-school Bombe Alaska featuring pillowy meringue filled with raspberry- and gingerbread-infused sorbet. The cheese and charcuterie section is best enjoyed with one of the more than 140 bottles of wine available or an Athenian Spritz.

Mouzos says renovations of the two-storey 140-seat venue took around nine months and the design brief was 1970s Los Angeles meets the European Riviera. The original water well has been transformed into a decorative fountain. “For the community back [when Brighton was established], it was a place of connection,” says Mouzos. “It was a bit of a watering hole, and we thought about how we can give respect and pay a bit of homage to that, by creating a beautiful local neighbourhood area.”

Henrys
3 Well Street, Brighton
9591 7788

Hours:
Tue to Sat midday–10pm
Sun midday–9pm

@henrys_brighton