We are family

Saltdean Lido is nestled within the white chalk cliffs, a very short stroll to the sea. Carefully restored and Grade II* listed, it has stood since 1938 and is as beautiful today as the day it was built. At the heart of the Lido lies the Reading Room, and at the heart of the Reading Room lies the kitchen, on from first thing, bread proving by the window, pastries warming the air.

We cook with what's fresh and close to home, the menu shaped each week by the season and the catch. Everyone is welcome, however you arrive: casual or Sunday best, dogs at your heel, children in tow, alone with a book or six round a table. We are family, and we love family.

The tunnel to the sea

Adventure begins at our door. The tunnel beneath the coast road was cut in 1933, five years older than the Lido that now stands above it. Restored and reopened in 2020, it carries a sea-life mural by Brighton artists Sarah Gillings and REQ, and brings you out onto the Undercliff Walk, rock pools and pebble beach at the foot of some of the oldest chalk cliffs in England. Bring your boots, your dog, your kids, your appetite. It's a day out worth the journey.

Saltdean Lido

We sit at the heart of something remarkable. The Reading Room is the hospitality home of Saltdean Lido, a Grade II* listed Art Deco landmark on the Sussex coast, just along from Brighton.

Designed by Richard Jones and opened in 1938, the Lido's sweeping Streamlined Moderne curves make it one of only a handful of its kind in England, and one English Heritage has counted among the "Seven Wonders of the English Seaside." After years of community campaigning and a restoration of around £7.5m, it has been brought fully back to life, and today it runs year-round.

It is owned and run by Saltdean Lido CIC, a not-for-profit community interest company whose purpose is to safeguard the building and keep it as an asset for the people of Saltdean and beyond. We are proud to be part of that story.

Far more than a pool

At its centre is a 40-metre heated open-air pool with sunbathing lawns. The restored building and grounds hold so much more. It is a genuine destination, with something for everyone.

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Or reach them directly
info@saltdeanlido.co.uk · 01273 751515

Food & Drinks

Our dishes are freshly prepared and may arrive at different times. Sit back, relax, and enjoy as everything makes its way to you.

Dive In

On Toast · All Day

Curated Evenings at the Lido

Drinks

Cocktails crafted with care, wines chosen with intention, beers we are proud to pour. From morning coffees to sunset Negronis, the bar at the Reading Room is where the day softens into evening.

Cocktails

White Wine

125ml · 175ml · 250ml · Bottle

Beer & Cider

Spirits

25ml · 50ml

Coffee

Skylark specialty coffee, ethically sourced

Syrups (vanilla, caramel) +60p · Iced +30p

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Weddings & Events

Weddings, celebrations, and gatherings made for the moment.

Saltdean Lido is a Grade II* listed Art Deco landmark on the Sussex coast, built in 1938. Its elegant curves, sunlit terraces and beautiful ballroom create a setting that feels both timeless and relaxed, and the Reading Room is its hospitality heart. One of the most distinctive wedding venues in Brighton and the South Coast.

We host every kind of gathering. Weddings overlooking the pool. Drinks on the terrace as the sun goes down over the sea. Birthdays, anniversaries, christenings, milestone moments. Long lunches with family. Quiet dinners with old friends. Gatherings to remember someone special.

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Sunday Roast

Every Sunday from 12 noon. Slow-cooked Irish beef, free-range chicken or a seasonal vegetable wellington, served with goose-fat potatoes, glazed greens and Yorkshire puddings the size of your hand.

Bookings recommended. Late seatings often quieter.

Sundays at the Lido

From 12 onwards

Early Splash

Served from 08:30 — 11:30

Sunlit Snacks

From 12 onwards

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Gift Cards

The best gift is a seat at a good table, and a day to remember it by.

A gift card for the Reading Room is an invitation to all of it: the bread our bakers pull from the oven each morning, the pastries glazed and still warm, the small plates that come from the pass when the kitchen is in full flow. A long lunch on the terrace, a glass of something good as the sun drops, a Sunday roast carved at the table with the sea in the window.

Every dish is shaped by our head chef and the team, every loaf by our bakers, every cocktail by the bar. Real cooking, real craft, every day, all from a kitchen and a bar that take real pride in what leaves the pass.

Send a card for a birthday, an anniversary, a thank-you, or just because someone deserves a wonderful day out. Cards arrive instantly by email, ready to forward or hand over, and can be spent on anything in the Reading Room.

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Bookings

We're currently building our online reservation system. In the meantime, drop us an email or give us a call and we'll sort your booking by hand.

Let us know the date, the time, and how many of you are coming — and anything else we should know, like a birthday, a dog, or a window seat in the sun. We'll come straight back to you.

EMAIL US CALL 01273 750694

We aim to reply the same day, every day.

FAQ

A few things people often ask before they visit. If your question isn't here, we'd love to help. Call us on 01273 750694 or email Info@readingroomlido.com.

A little of everything, by the pool

The Reading Room