Food and Drink

Food is an important part of any holiday so rest assured of eating well in East & West Sussex. From the simple pleasure of fresh fish and chips on the beach to local produce menus in classic country pubs, discover quirky eateries reflecting all manner of tastes and specialities as well as Michelin-stars.

Sussex benefits from wide ranging influences with restaurants and cafes reflecting most parts of the culinary world. But the county also benefits from a growing range of top quality foods and ingredients produced right here in Sussex. These increasingly feature in local menus as chefs find innovative ways to use fresh, seasonal produce which reflect both the time of year and the locality. Take cheese for example. Sussex produces around 85 different local cheeses which makes for a mighty fine cheesboard when partnered with local breads and pickles. Or the magnificent Sussex Breakfast, free range eggs, locally reared sausanges and bacon, butter, preserves and yoghurts, washed down with apple juice, which is plentiful in Sussex. Not your thing? Try alternative options - like halloumi cheese, fish cakes and potato cakes which are locally produced. Look for an accredited Sussex Breakfast accommodation where you see the logo.

Fish doesn't get any fresher than landed straight off the boats along the Sussex coast and especially in Hastings and Newhaven. A passion for local brew? Smaller local breweries are alive and well in Sussex producing beers which are available in pubs across the county. And when it comes to wine, Sussex vineyards are producing acclaimed vintages, particularly the exceptional sparkling wines, which regularly beat French Champagne in international competitions. Sussex enjoys an excellent reputation for producing fantastic foods and the nationally acclaimed Sussex Food Finder shows you where to find it.

Even Pubs, for so long the last bastion of stale sandwiches, pickled eggs and a packet of crisps are part of the sweeping change for tasty fayre. In rustic hostelries, waterside taverns and elegant coaching inns, you’ll find good value grub from the traditional to the exotic, plus wines by the glass, real ales and local brews.

For killer cocktails, rare single malts or obscure Finnish vodkas, try one of the new brand of bars springing up around the county. Ranging from dark and sultry hotspots to cool and casual chill out zones, they’re good places to start and end an evening – and with tapas and bar snacks on offer, you might just settle in for the night.