Fine-Dining
Four local restaurants made the list for the Michelin Guide for East Sussex, and this guide also showcases other stellar establishments.
Before you set off to explore our wonderful fine-dining pubs and restaurants, it is essential to plan your visits.
All of these places are popular, so making a reservation is absolutely necessary to ensure you enjoy the experience without any hiccups.
A few pubs and restaurants offer on-site spaces but off-street parking is often available nearby.
To make things easier for you, when you click on a restaurant or pub name on the map above, you will see if it offers on-site parking.
If it does not, you will see the name of the car park closest to each one, the postcode, and the walking distance to the location.
And if you would prefer a completely stress-free outing, you can always contact David at Conquest Taxi to arrange a comfortable round-trip journey.
Harry’s at the Gallivant Hotel
FRENCH CUISINE
Michelin Guide
Just 19 minutes away, Harry’s at The Gallivant Hotel offers an elegant coastal dining experience set behind the sweeping sand dunes of Camber Sands, with serene views stretching across the beach and sea.
The kitchen is led by Ex-Bibendum Chef Matthew Harris, whose deep classical training shapes the restaurant’s refined, French-inspired menus. His cooking celebrates impeccably sourced, hyper-seasonal local produce, elevating each ingredient with precision and technique.
Diners can expect both traditional and contemporary expressions of French cuisine—velvety terrines, richly layered beef bourguignon, hake finished with a vibrant sauce Maltaise, and exceptional seafood dishes that honour the restaurant’s coastal setting.
As the Michelin Guide notes: “The cooking is classically French through and through, from traditional terrine to rabbit with mustard sauce via beef Bourguignon – all underpinned by strong produce and textbook technique from an experienced chef.”
At its heart, Harry’s is designed as a soothing seaside retreat - a place where guests can unwind in a relaxed, beautifully understated atmosphere and savour a true sense of escapism by the sea. In addition to dinner, the restaurant also serves weekend lunches and daily breakfasts, each crafted with the same thoughtful attention to detail.
The Union Rye
INNOVATIVE BRITISH CUISINE
Michelin Guide
Just 14 minutes away, The Union Rye is celebrated in the Michelin Guide for its thoughtful, ingredient-led cooking.
Set within a beautifully preserved 15th-century building in the heart of Rye, this neighbourhood restaurant and bar offers an elegant blend of history, warmth, and modern culinary flair.
Renowned for its daily-changing, seasonal British menu, The Union places exceptional local produce at the centre of every dish.
The kitchen’s creativity reaches well beyond tradition-something the Michelin Guide highlights, noting that the cooking “…casts an appealingly wide net, taking in influences from Cantonese (char siu monkfish skewers) to classical French (chocolate delice with boozy prunes).”
Inside, guests are welcomed by a rustic yet refined interior that preserves the building’s centuries-old charm while offering a contemporary, inviting atmosphere.
Whether visiting for a relaxed drink or a full dining experience, The Union has become a beloved destination for locals and visitors seeking beautifully crafted food in an unforgettable setting.
The Royal
INSPIRATIONAL BRITISH AND MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE
Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
Just 17 minutes away, The Royal opened its doors in October 2019 and has since secured—and consistently maintained—its place in the Michelin Guide with a coveted Bib Gourmand for good quality and good value cooking.
This much-loved gastropub in St Leonards-on-Sea occupies a characterful 1860s building directly opposite Warrior Square station, blending historic charm with an inviting, down-to-earth atmosphere.
The menu embraces seasonal, uncomplicated cooking, drawing inspiration from both British traditions and Mediterranean flavours. High-quality, locally sourced ingredients form the backbone of every dish, reflecting the kitchen’s commitment to honest, expressive food.
The Michelin Guide captures its spirit perfectly, praising its ever-changing menu for having “…a strong British heart combined with a Mediterranean touch, resulting in gutsy, good-value dishes like ox tongue and piccalilli or melting squid ragout with fennel, orzo and tapenade. It’s the sort of pub everyone wants at the bottom of their street.”
The Wild Mushroom Restaurant
MODERN ENGLISH CUISINE
Just 8 minutes away in Westfield, The Wild Mushroom Restaurant offers an exquisite fine-dining experience within a beautifully converted Sussex farmhouse, lovingly opened in 1998 by Chef Paul, and his wife Rebecca.
The restaurant’s ethos is simple yet refined: to serve impeccably fresh, seasonal food with meticulous attention to detail, delivered with the highest standard of professional, discreet service—a dining experience in a style unique to Webbe’s.
Guests are invited to enjoy a secluded and intimate atmosphere, where every dish showcases exceptional ingredients sourced from the local landscape.
This includes tender meats, the freshest Rye Bay and Hastings fish and shellfish, and foraged seasonal delicacies. The Wild Mushroom also accommodates diverse dietary requirements with advance notice.
Adding to its allure, the restaurant hosts themed gourmet dinners and curated wine evenings, offering a perfect blend of culinary adventure and sophistication.
Menus evolve with the seasons and can be previewed on their website, reflecting the kitchen’s dedication to freshness, creativity, and innovation.
The George Grill
EUROPEAN GRILL CUISINE
The George Grill in Rye 14 minutes away, presents a polished modern European grill menu that showcases the finest local ingredients, expertly crafted by its chefs over wood-charcoal and Josper grills.
Indulge in impeccably fresh seafood from Rye Bay, succulent Scottish Aberdeen Angus steaks, tender Romney Marsh lamb, and vibrant seasonal vegetables sourced directly from a dedicated farmer in Boughton Monchelsea, Kent.
The George Grill partners exclusively with suppliers who are true masters of their craft—each one embodying the restaurant’s unwavering commitment to culinary excellence.
Among them is Paul Hodges, one of the select few fish merchants accredited by the Marine Stewardship Council, a distinction that underscores his rigorous dedication to sustainable fishing.
Their exceptional steaks are sourced from the illustrious Donald Russell—Royal Warrant holders renowned for traditionally hung, grass-fed British beef of uncompromising quality.
Complementing the menu is an impressive wine selection featuring some of England’s most celebrated vineyards, including Gusbourne, Nyetimber, Charles Palmer, Hush Heath, and Bolney-each contributing bottles worthy of even the most discerning palate.
Webbe's At The Fish Café
LOCALLY-SOURCED SEAFOOD CUISINE
Just 13 minutes away in Rye, Webbe’s at The Fish Café offers a refined yet vibrant celebration of the sea, where every dish showcases the freshest local fish brought in daily from nearby ports, alongside exquisitely prepared meat and vegetarian options.
The restaurant itself is a marvel of history and design, housed within a four-storey brick warehouse—the first fireproof building of its kind in the UK.
Its soaring ceilings and open-plan kitchen allow diners to watch the culinary magic unfold, turning every meal into a theatrical and sensory delight.
Beyond the main dining space, the building embodies a true passion for gastronomy with Webbe’s Cookery School, where guests can step behind the scenes and learn the techniques and artistry of Chef Paul Webbe in intimate, hands-on classes.
From the crisp aroma of seared fish to the subtle warmth of the brick interiors, dining at Webbe’s is not merely a meal-it is an elegant immersion into the rhythms, flavours, and heritage of the English coast.
Landgate Bistro
INNOVATIVE BRITISH CUISINE
OpenTable’s Top 100 UK restaurants
Landgate Bistro, in Rye just 13 minutes away, celebrates the very best of British cuisine, artfully blending timeless classics with contemporary flair. Its menus are rooted in the landscape itself, drawing on the rich bounty of local fields, ancient woodlands, and nearby coastal waters.
Only the finest ingredients make their way into the kitchen: free-range eggs, milk, and cream from neighbouring farms; exquisite marsh lamb and pork raised on local pastures; and fish so fresh it’s landed mere metres from the restaurant’s door.
Landgate Bistro offers an elegant fine-dining experience, with a seasonally evolving menu that mirrors the rhythms of the countryside and the changing character of local produce.
This dedication to craftsmanship has earned the bistro numerous accolades, including a coveted place among OpenTable’s Top 100 restaurants in the UK.
The setting itself is part of the magic. The Landgate-Rye’s last surviving 14th-century defensive gateway stands as a remarkable piece of medieval history.
Nestled beside it, the bistro occupies a pair of charming Georgian cottages, creating a dining environment where modern culinary excellence meets centuries-old heritage.
St Clement's Restaurant
LOCALLY-SOURCED SEAFOOD CUISINE
The Good Food Guide and The
Hardens Restaurant Guide
Just 18 minutes away, St Clement’s Restaurant is a charming independent seafood restaurant nestled within the artistic enclave of Mercatoria in St Leonards-on-Sea.
Celebrated for its high-quality, locally sourced British cuisine, the restaurant offers an elegant yet wonderfully relaxed dining experience.
Hastings, home to Europe’s largest fleet of beach-launched fishing boats, provides the inspiration—and the ingredients—for St Clement’s ever-changing menu.
Each day’s dishes are guided by the morning’s sustainable catch from these small day boats, ensuring unparalleled freshness and a true taste of the coast.
While seafood takes centre stage, the menu also presents beautifully prepared meat dishes and thoughtful vegetarian options, each crafted with the same commitment to seasonality and quality.
Everything at St Clement’s is made from scratch: from the warm, freshly baked soda bread that welcomes you at the table to the exquisitely crafted puddings and house-made ice creams that conclude the meal.
Their dedication to honest, impeccably executed cuisine has earned the restaurant listings in The Good Food Guide and The Hardens Restaurant Guide.
CASUAL-DINING
Maggie’s Fish and Chips
The nationally acclaimed, Maggie’s Fish and Chips, 13 minutes away, was voted by The Times, as one of 18 best fish and chips shops in the UK.
You can enjoy Maggie's delicious offerings right on the beach in Hastings, with seafood directly from the local fishing fleet.
Situated off Rock– a–Nore Road in Hastings Old Town, it is hidden upstairs an historic, former, old black cladded net shop, with cosy sea views across the English Channel.
Limited seating means that reservations are strongly encouraged.
Goat Ledge
Goat Ledge located 16 minutes away, is a bohemian café on the beach in St. Leonards-On-Sea, with quirky and colourful beach huts that transport you to tropical climes.
Its fun-filled atmosphere and mesmerising seas views, will entice you to relax on their lounge chairs with drinks of your choice, and locally caught seafood from their delicious menu.
The Globe Inn Rye
The Globe Inn Rye 14 minutes away, won a Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice Award for 2025. , and is situated on the outskirts of the town of Rye, where the Military Canal meets the River Rother.
Originally built in 1839, it is a charming and cosy Sussex weatherboarded inn and pub, with a quirky, eclectic interior design.
The Globe Inn Rye serves locally sourced produce with a fair trade ethos, from farm to table fresh food all day long, with fish from local boats delivered to their door.
You can reserve a booking using their online ‘Save a Space’ calendar.
Queens Head Inn
Four minutes away is the Queens Head Inn
an Historic England 17th Century pub, nestled in woodlands, with views from its gardens over the Brede Valley and as far as the coast of Rye.
The Queens Head is very popular and reservations are strongly encouraged.
There is usually a live band booked for Sundays around 4.00 pm. And if you decide to reserve a table, and do not wish to be seated directly in front of the band, you could ask to be seated in the dining rooms to the right or to the back of the pub.
Spike's at The Lodge Winchelsea
Spike's at The Lodge Winchelsea 5 minutes away, is a casual fine-dining restaurant, and sits in idyllic beautiful countryside, with views of rolling open downlands, and sheep grazing on pastureland.
Spike’s is a great choice to dine out if you are exhausted from a long day of fun, and do not feel like driving.
They can provide a return trip for you from Benchwood House to their restaurant.
Or you can call and order from their menu between 5.00 pm and 9.00 pm, if you want to stay in and enjoy their delectable offerings.
Their modern British menu created from great quality, locally sourced produce, offers a wide range of meat and seafood, with delicious vegetarian options.
They will be opening their ‘pizzeria in the field’ to offer alfresco dining, and you will find it difficult to choose from their extensive menu of succulent stone baked, handmade pizzas.
On Sundays they serve a carvery from noon until 3.00 pm, and a sit down roast from 3.00 pm until 8.00 pm. Breakfast is served Monday to Saturday, from 8.00 am until 11.00 am.
Mama Geny’s
Mama Geny’s is a mother and daughter owned vegetarian restaurant located 17 minutes away, and serves plant based Filipino fusion food, created from recipes handed down through generations of their family.
The White Hart Beefeater
The White Hart Beefeater grill and restaurant, a quaint and charming Grade II listed building 5 minutes away, serves specially crafted locally sourced food, and is sought after for all cuts of steak.
It also offers al fresco dining in their large beer garden.
The Conquerors March
The Conquerors March Hastings, is a lovely, atmospheric, modern pub and restaurant, located on the southern tip of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
They offer responsibly sourced, scrumptious dishes, often with a twist on modern classics, and run promotions on prices regularly.
There is ample, free, on-site parking, you can even charge your vehicle, while dining and relaxing.