PREVIEW: SORA pop-up at Malmaison, Brighton Marina
SORA, Malmaison’s contemporary Japanese dining brand, will arrive in Brighton this May as a limited-time summer pop-up, taking over Malmaison Brighton Marina from 20 May to 31 August 2026.
This is only the third SORA site within the Malmaison group, and the location – and the timing – could not be better as the seasons shift and Brightonians migrate to outdoor dining.
This is also its first foray down south, as its other two sites are in Manchester and York.
Brighton is obviously well known for its excellent food scene. Like Manchester, the city hosts Michelin-star eateries alongside favourites like Bincho Yakatori and No No Please.
And, although the standard of the fine dining scene in Brighton is well known, Brighton Marina offers a different pace for the diner.
Taking in beautiful views, with dolphins even spotted recently outside of the marina walls, while sipping on a specially-curated cocktail and sharing a plate of delicious Japanese food sounds perfect for this time of year.
If al fresco views are not your thing, worry not, as DJs and live music have been promised across the weekend, positioning SORA as a late-night destination at Brighton Marina.
As Nick Bosse, General Manager, at Malmaison Brighton, said: “SORA brings a different kind of offer to the marina, somewhere people can come for dinner and stay into the evening, with great food, drinks and a real sense of energy around it.”
The drinks centre around cocktails, sake and Japanese-inspired serves, and the food varies between sharing plates, as well as a dedicated BBQ offering, built around robata grill cooking and fire-led flavours.
Menu highlights include:
• Sticky pork belly with burnt apple purée and sesame
•Miso-glazed black cod and Loch Duart salmon teriyaki
•King oyster mushroom with coriander mayo and crispy onion
•Tuna nigiri, kingfish sashimi and signature rolls including Green Dragon and Firecracker Maki
•Korean cauliflower, crispy rice bites and Asian slaw
And if you would rather grab and go, then Bento Boxes will also be available during the day, combining sushi, robata and lighter dishes, while an exclusive Japanese-inspired afternoon tea will be introduced for the summer.
“SORA is built around bold, Japanese-inspired flavours and a more social, shareable way of eating,” Craig Robson, Food & Beverage Director, Malmaison & Hotel du Vin, explained.
“From sushi and robata to cocktails and smaller plates, it’s designed to be flexible and easy to return to, which makes it a natural fit for a city like Brighton where people want variety and a more relaxed way to dine.”
SORA Brighton
Malmaison Brighton Marina
Reservations for SORA Brighton are now open via SevenRooms: Reservation at Malmaison Group
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