Pelicano Coffee Co.

This place is a decent cafe, but comparing the coffee, cakes and vibes to other cafes in Brighton, I think it’s just off the mark. My coffee was nice, a decent flat white, though a little beyond the pleasant levels of bitter, whether that be the roast or the pull. Nice milk though and the latte art was cute! The cakes and bakes did look great, and my cardamom bun was nice, but it wasn’t ’delicious’. Seemingly a little old, too doughy and lacking the finesse, though with a welcomed subtle cardamom flavour. The decor and vibes were again interesting, with only outdoor style furniture inside, making the place seem a little uncomfortable and harsh. The staff were genuinely lovely though and made up for any missing character. Pelicano’s is okay, it’s good, it’s alright. It falls somewhere in that bracket for me, but each to their own!

Popped in on a Sunday morning for a hot chocolate and a slice of lemon cake. We sat in the small garden at the rear, which is a nice little sun trap and feels very sheltered from the bustle on the street outside. The chocolate was very good, but the cake was superb. A generous slice with a rich buttery filling. It was absolutely delicious. The staff were friendly and helpful. Well worth a visit!

We all got our own variations of chai lattes, one diary - very nice, 2 non dairy with oat milk, one of which had an extra syrup shot and a nice cake to share between us. Really lovely people, there are quiet times and busy times both are pleasant. Cute and quaint place.

Amazing!! Good coffee and the best apple caramel cake ever ♥️✨

I have to say I was super disappointed by Pelicano. The rest of the reviews seem to be very positive or glowing. It wasn’t a super busy day from what I could tell (Thursday 17/4/25 if it matters) but the brown-haired girl serving decided to make me wait a few minutes without acknowledging my presence other than a reasonably dirty look she gave me or my partner. I got one drink to take away, and I don’t care how long I wait for a drink so I won’t comment but it certainly wasn’t an unreasonable time to wait. The coffee was fine. Certainly not above par for Brighton but not really below either. The cafe is WAY too dirty to be serving food though oh my GOODNESS how did they get a food rating of 4?? There is dust everywhere, there was an insane amount of coffee grounds all over everything and the amount of plants currently on the verge of death was something I couldn’t help but look at as I waited. There was an Asian guy who was really friendly and the barista seemed friendly but busy too. I don’t think people should give in their entire lives to capitalism and submit to every asinine will of customers and as such everyone deserves patience and understanding. Maybe the brown hair girl was having a bad day. But she strikes me as someone that seems kind of rude anyway - the review below mine where someone has taken pictures she can be seen sprawled out with her hair dangling over the open food. So that’s cool and definitely food safe. :/

Amazing quirky coffee shop. My go to cafe and I am very sad to be moving from Brighton as it is away from this lovely place! Cake is quite pricey but there's enough for 2 people as the slices are huge and it is delicious cake. (Definitely try the Nutella and banana!) Upstairs there's a lovely table seat which overlooks the lanes and the sun comes in beautifully. My partner is quite picky with his coffee and only likes great quality coffee and he rates their coffee very highly. The staff are always very lovely, friendly and helpful also. Would definitely recommend.

Fantastic coffee, strong and fresh. The perfect pick-meup. Delicious!

Second time being here because I liked the place. Unfortunately, this time was a disappointment. The fork was not clean. I am sure the cake was very tasty freshly made, but it tasted like yesterday’s pastry. There is a nice back yard to sit. A friend of mine got coffee beans from them but is expired two months. She was just visiting so she couldn’t come and return it.

wow wow wow Busy day in sunny Brighton resulted in us popping in for a coffee and cake combo. I got a iced Americano which was better than most, and from the large selection of cakes, a thick wedge of banana cake was what we went with, although all looked equally as good making the decision difficult. There was plenty of outdoor and indoor seating and the cafe was full- not surprisingly. Friendly baristas, friendly environment meant that we stayed upto an hour and more just chatting, 100% will come back, nothing but goodness here.

One of the things I will miss most about working in North Laine is the coffee here. I also never got a chance to actually sit in the cafe (usually just grabbing a coffee on my way to the office), so I will definitely need to set some time aside for that as there seemed to be lots of space and a really good vibe. The cafe mocha comes with a chocolate flake on it. Can we just? Dare I say the word "instagrammable?" Well, if the coffee is cute, the array of cakes is BEAUTIFUL. Just a pity they don't do any gluten free so I can't eat anything from here.

Can we say fun and funky? The coffee was great and they do know how to do an iced Americano quite well. The cappuccino was also lovely. They have several cakes and treats - enough to make your eyes water. The cakes we ordered were VERY chocolatey and rich (I personally love it) but we could have shared one. The water is set for self service in a dumb water that is still there from the previous establishment. There is also a fun outdoor back patio. Perfect for some caffeine and a nice lounge!

Located on Sydney street in Brighton's iconic North Laine, Pelicano is a recent addition to the abundance of cafes in the area and one you won't want to miss. The cakes are absolutely divine and for someone who doesn't drink coffee, I was presented with a beautiful and utterly delicious cappuccino. Unusually for a cafe in this area there's seating to suit all tastes, with two floors inside, a few tables out front, and plenty of seats in a lovely garden at the back. You can seek out/avoid the sun just about anywhere here. Prices are about average for Brighton, so why not avoid the high street chain coffee shops and go independent!

Absolutely gorgeous! Myself and friends visited on the 28th and it was so lovely! We spent 2 hours here, staff were accommodating and drinks were amazing! They even did my favourite, Hazelnut Hot Choc! Would deffo come back if we are in Brighton again

Excellent joint with great service, fantastic coffee and a banging selection of counter food that's drool-worthy. Seating available inside and outside, perfect pavement people watching. Will definitely come again next time I'm in Brighton. There's also an excellent tattoo studio next door should you feel the need to ink while caffeined.

Very good little café, in a style very similar to those in Australia. The coffee is good, and daily sandwiches are beautifully presented on the front counter set amongst a spread of beautiful cakes and baked sweets; the fare is simple and good. Atmosphere is bright and modest, quiet seating (up and downstairs available) with an outdoor garden area. Relatively moderate pricing, though given the standard it is entirely relative and very reasonable. Great spot for lunch and a coffee, or afternoon tea for small groups or couples.

I can't believe I haven't written a review yet! This is by far my favourite coffee shop in Brighton. The coffee is great, the tea has an amazing flavour and smell (not to mention the way it's served) and the pastries are to die for! Seriously, you try their Matilda cake and tell I'm wrong. The seating is lovely and the upstairs room is cozy and very hipster (not my favourite aspect, I must admit). A good place to work, as well!

This place is a dream. The coffee is insanely delicious (almost better than Australia) and they're cakes are in abundance. On the occasion a sneaky little gluten free treat and lots of bagels or sandwiches to feed those hungry little bellies. If you're ever in need of a friendly smile or laugh this is the place to go, you won't regret it.

It's difficult to find anything negative about this place. Great coffee and some of the best cake I have ever tasted! Their chocolate cakes are to die for. The shop is pretty compact but always has a good atmosphere

Went there with my Sister yesterday, a nice place to hangout and talk. The coffee has a nutty taste to it which I didn't personally enjoy. The cake was lovely though!

The barista made my coffee with laser focus. With unflappable precision, I watched as he attempted to line up the top of my latte with the edge of the cup. He succeeded. Then a couple of minutes later I spilt coffee everywhere when I accidentally nudged the table. I had a rocky chair. The Victoria sponge cake was great. Slightly pricey, but a pleasant place to spill coffee. I wish the coffee were slightly hotter. Though I'm glad in this instance it wasn't.

I went once late last year with my wife after hearing good things about this place. We walked through the door and went up to the counter, there were two people behind the counter engaged in conversation. They failed to acknowledge or notice us there for a while. This thankfully turned out to be a good thing because we noticed that the cakes had become infested with tiny little flies. I'm not even joking or exaggerating, it was one of the most disgusting things I've ever seen in a café. There were swarms of them flying around the cakes and crawling in and out of the cakes, between the little spongey cake holes. I understand that sometimes you get a few flies come in, but that must have been happening a while for that to have built up. Needless to say I left immediately. Hopefully this was just a one off, but I'll never be able to get that image out of my head.

I stumbled across Pelicano today after searching round the Laines for somewhere new to have coffee and cake. I was about to give up and walk home, and the Pelicano was, on Sydney Street, with an abundance of cakes on display! It's a fairly new coffee place, having only opened in December 2014. As it's a beautifully sunny day, we opted to sit out front. There is a spacious seating area out the back, but it was a little shady today. Looked great though. I opted for a soya flat white with a slice of toffee cake. I always get worried about cakes being a little too dry, however this cake was absolutely spot on, and the flat white is definitely in the running for being my favourite in Brighton! The staff were really pleasant and were happy to chat to us which is always nice! Pelicano is a real gem, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking for an excellent cup of coffee and a slice of delicious cake whilst shopping in the Laines.

Love this cafe. They do incredible sandwiches and cake. Their oreo cheecake cake was so massive I had to take the rest of the slice home in a box! Their prices are really reasonable and there's room upstairs and outside too :)

Good place to have some tea, coffee and cake in the North Laine area.

While visiting some friends in Brighton, my friend raved about this place and was adamant I try it, and I am so glad she did. Their cake collection on the counter as you walk in the door is fantastic; their all about four-layers each and many different flavours (I saw a Guinness cake and a Chocolate and Beetroot cake amongst many others!). We opted for the Banoffe cake which even though I'm not particularly a banana fan usually, was absolutely scrumcious and moist. The coffee was alos great, all reasonable priced, and plenty of seating out the front, inside, or as a small area out-back. All-in-all, I would recommend this as perfect for a cake-chatty afternoon.