I eat a lot. I have to. I’m a food blogger and food photographer. But, for me, it’s much more about quality than quantity. And to that end, I’ve spent two years traveling the United States, France, and England to find the best restaurants. Last year my wife and I moved to her home area of West Sussex, England. An area full of exceptional restaurants. Every type of food is represented here. But, pubs, and more importantly, gastro-pubs are the hot ticket here at the moment. But don’t be fooled, these gastro pubs are a far cry from the fish and chip joints of yesteryear.
The following are my top three restaurants in West Sussex. They are not in any particular order. I have thoroughly reviewed these on my blog as well.
1. The Cat Inn Pub and Restaurant in West Hoathly – The Cat serves an amazing variety of locally sourced meats and vegetables. During the week, she caters mainly to the local crowd, whom she’ll find sitting at the bar talking to the friendly staff. Be sure to take advantage of your customer loyalty card. She will get one stamp for every £25 she spends and 8 stamps will get her a free 2 course meal. The cat recently received a Michelin Bib Gourmand rating.
2. Gravetye Manor near East Grinstead – Gravetye is a must see for anyone visiting the local area. This 16th-century manor house, converted into a boutique hotel, is one of the best. It has been featured in The Good Food Guide, the UK’s best-selling restaurant guide, every year for 54 years. But the food is what you come for. And I have never been disappointed. Impressive cuisine with French and English touches. It also has an AA rosetta and used to have a Michelin star.
3. Mae Ping in East Grinstead – Mae Ping has no Michelin Stars, no Dorsals. What it does have is the best Thai food I’ve ever tasted. it is consistently good. And with five Mae Ping scattered across the southeast, it seems I’m not the only one who likes it.
There are so many fabulous restaurants in West Sussex that it’s hard to choose just three. And my list will probably change constantly. But for now, those are my favorites. You can’t go wrong.