The Level Cafe: High Hopes For New Management

The cafe at The Level park changed hands a while back. And while they’ve kept the name, there’s no bike fixing, in fact little to do with cycling at all apart from the random meet-ups. The previous management were forever tinkering with the format which is probably par for the course with a brand new location. But it was getting to the stage where the old serving hatch with instant coffee would have been more reliable.

After a bit of digging, the initial folks behind Velo bike bar seem to be located at the station in their venture N+1. They are obviously standing by their format of bikes and refreshments and it’s possible a station location is more logical to get the footfall they need.

This is a shame for The Level, as the accolade of being the first bicycle cafe in Brighton appeared to attract very positive PR. We can only assume that in practice this particular niche wasn’t right for The Level. But the publicity behind the changeover has been less than forthcoming. We even spotted on Twitter some cyclists who had turned up there and wondering what is up with all the changes.

The toying about with the menu can’t have helped either. We went when it first opened, just loving the bacon sarnies and coffee. When the queues for coffee were a bit tiresome they launched a cart outside for those who just wanted hot drinks. The lunch menu was so-so, not a match for the healthy options in nearby Moksha and the service was sketchy on some days. It wasn’t the consistent experience we prefer to spend our money on.

Then suddenly the breakfasts were taken off the menu for summer. This was the deciding factor to bypass the cafe from now on. Retreating back to our beloved Moksha for a filter coffee.

The new owners have now changed the website to the new cafe name, Tomato: Dolce & Salato - although there’s currently not much else on there. They have given the cafe a distinct Italian makeover. Ciabatta sandwiches, pizza, gelato and of course coffee. But one of the staff tells me it’s all Italian?! Can that be right? A cafe in Brighton which doesn’t proudly source locally? So far, the service has been super-friendly and in hotter weather the gelato was a welcome addition to the park.

What parents want is very simple. Value for money, tasty and healthy grub. Decent coffee (or tea) plus drinks and snacks squarely aimed at kids. Clean toilets and flawless service. So far, this wonderful building on The Level has been a bit of a disappointment for such a unique opportunity. Let’s hope the new management can get this right.