Level 1, Worthing | September 2021

Nammie Matthews
- September 3, 2021
There are many ways to make use of neglected car park space. According to the savvy exports behind Level 1, it’s the perfect space for drinking and dining. Luckily, local residents seem to agree.

Similar in appearance to Brighton’s Sea Lanes (which also features Bison Beer and Wood X Coal), Level 1 is a suntrap on brighter days, shielded on three sides from the elements with its fourth wall left open so diners can overlook the English Channel. Its decor also takes much of the same style direction as its sister site in the city, where bright, patterned walls meet wooden prefab kiosks and astroturf for a modern take on outdoors dining.
As for the food, Level 1 brings together four of Brighton’s favourite casual drinking and dining places – Bison Beer, FIKA, Pizzaface and Wood X Coal, plus Worthing’s very own Golden Barracuda Kitchen – to appeal to several tastes.
As we’d arrived for brunch, the beer, pizza and fish was out – instead, we recommend these for late afternoon or evening dining. That left FIKA and Wood X Coal, where we ordered a dish from each. Mine, a portion of FIKA’s delicious sweetcorn fritters (£9), arrived first – complete with generous helpings of smashed avocado and salmon, a fried egg on the side and a small pot of some seriously fiery chilli sauce. Delicate and crispy, the fritters were a perfect, light substitute for some sourdough – and dare I say far more flavoursome, too.
Wood X Coal’s beef chilli cheese fries (£7.50) came shortly after – a gigantic portion which my companion failed to devour entirely. Loaded with red onion and mustard, these were decidedly a bit more on the ‘filthy’ side, with each bite proving the dish’s worth.

For drinks, we opted for the Passion Killer iced tea, which – though delicious – came in such a pitifully small glass I fail to comprehend its £3.20 price tag, and the Iced Bounty Latte (£3.50), a delicious twist on a late summer classic.
Everything came to around £25 in all, which is about as low as you can expect for brunch and drinks between two – though the iced tea was still a disappointment. If you’re coming from Brighton like we did, accounting for travel may add another £5 a head but for views like these (plus more seafront space to call your own), we can hardly complain.

Level 1 serves food and drink from 9am to 11pm daily.

Nammie Matthews
Editor, Brunches of Brighton
Nammie is the editor and creator of Brunches of Brighton, which launched with a collection of reviews in 2018. As a freelancer in journalism and communications, she covers everything from breaking news stories to writing web content for exciting start ups, having worked with the Sunday Times, Culture Trip, Escape the City, and more.
Outside of the 9–5, you’ll find her putting her all into a spin class, cooking up a treat or planning her next out-of-town adventure – when she’s not checking out the latest brunch spot, of course.