West Sussex food trail
From fine dining to vegan feasts, afternoon tea in a castle to brewing your own beer, and Michelin Star dining in a 16th century setting to award-winning fishermen serving shellfish right on the beach, discover our diverse food scene right here in West Sussex.
Fast becoming one of the most exciting foodie destinations in the UK, use our new food trail to plan your next trip and try something unique and delicious!
Trail highlight: A luxury 16th-century country manor, which is now a stunning hotel, is complimented by beautiful surroundings. Set on 35-acres of carefully designed charming gardens Gravetye Manor boasts an exceptional Michelin Star dining experience, in an extraordinary setting.
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Ockenden Manor. Enjoy sweeping views across the gorgeous Cuckfield gardens as you take in the menu from Head Chef, Stephen Crane, who cleverly mixes innovation and tradition in one fine dining menu. Book a table, reserve a room and explore the spa, this foodie location has everything you need.
The Earl of March. Freshly prepared seasonal, local produce served in a country inn near Goodwood with a selection of menus including fine dining options, scrumptious Sunday lunches and an A La Carte menu. Explore an abundance of flavours in one beautiful location.
A contemporary restaurant set in the woodlands of Leonardslee, Horsham, Restaurant Interlude offers a unique dining experience with freshly foraged ingredients direct from the 240-acre Grade I listed lakes and gardens. Experience fresh produce from the grounds and even stay the night!
Beach cafés
Trail highlight: East Beach Café. A fantastic piece of architecture that boasts over 20 national and international awards is set right on the beachfront of Littlehampton, serving locally caught produce year-round. High in demand, this well-renowned restaurant is a true must-visit foodie destination!
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Edge by the Sea. A spacious café serving a range of homemade cakes, pastries and snacks complemented by expertly crafted speciality coffees and teas this seaside retreat in Littlehampton is not to be missed.
Situated at the quiet eastern end of Worthing’s fine 5 mile beach. People come to Coast every day because the coffee and the food is so good – sitting perfectly with the view of the sea, the beach and that pier.
A family-run beach café opposite the popular Marine Park Gardens, Aldwick Beach Café boasts extensive seating on a large decking right on the pebbles and is a literal stone’s throw from the sea, what could be better?
Seafood
Trail highlight: Into the Blue Restaurant. Fish comes fresh from the boats at Shoreham harbour. A true hidden gem and a paradise for seafood lovers!
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47 Mussel Row. High-quality seafood, crab, steak and of course the star of the show, mussels, make an exceptional menu that showcases the best of local produce in Littlehampton.
CrabShack. Serving sustainable seafood, their small menu delivers a delicious array of seasonal specials in a relaxed atmosphere. Offering the freshest local seafood with fabulous drinks and service, they’re certainly pulling out all the stops to make this a great all-around experience in Worthing.
Crab and Lobster. This stylish waterside retreat is set on the banks of Pagham Harbour. The 350-years old building has been renovated and is recognised as one of the most stunning hideaways on the South Coast!
Workshops
Trail highlight: The Artisan Bakehouse. Award-winning workshops and masterclasses to help you learn and perfect new skills for independent cookery. Why not try a hands-on experience in the bakehouse, making bread from around the world in their traditional wood-burning oven?
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Helping hundreds to become confident and creative cooks at home, this hands-on cookery school is an interactive online experience not to be missed. Set on a working farm in mid-Sussex Round Table Cookery offers an array of workshop options for different cuisines, baking techniques and speciality diets.
Your average pub, with one big twist, the Brewhouse and Kitchen in Horsham runs their very own microbrewery with unique experience days available for beer brewing and gin masterclasses.
Explore the secrets of delicious chocolate artistry with a chocolate masterclass at Noble and Stace. This incredible experience will see you join chocolatiers for a day of detail and tempering, accompanied by a beautiful two-course lunch and wine.
Vineyards
Trail highlight: A boutique producer of single estate, still and sparkling English wines, Albourne Estate prides itself on quality and sustainability. Try a tasting, tour or possibly a picnic…
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Tinwood Estate. Tradition leads with this fantastic estate, producing three high-quality sparkling wines from a vineyard in the heart of West Sussex. Join one of the daily vineyard tours and find out more!
Ashling Park Estate. A combination of tasting rooms and luxury lodges, tours of the estate are centred around the concept of immersive experiences for all of the senses. The 100 years old oak tree-lined estate dates back to 1822 and provides a magical experience for all.
Highdown Vineyard. Nestled in the southern slopes of the South Downs, this vineyard produces award-winning wines and hosts bespoke tasting experiences, events and functions.
Tours
Trail highlight: High Weald Dairy. Beautiful British cheeses created with the highest quality ingredients by a family that specialises in artisan cheese making. Tour the facilities to watch the fascinating process of cheese making and participate in a tasting session of these award-winning cheeses.
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Slake Spirits is an award winning, independent artisan distillery based in Sussex. The new distillery is now open for distillery tours, gin & spirit tasting experiences & cocktail masterclasses in their cosy tasting room & bar, The Knuckerhole.
An introduction to some of the finest local produce, the Great British Wine Tour’s mission is to have everyone experience the beautiful West Sussex countryside and enjoy the incredible wine and food available. With transport from the city sorted, you can relax and enjoy this sparkling experience!
English Wine Tasting Tours. Escape the city and explore our Sussex vineyards, sampling a range of incredible English wines. A perfect pub lunch is included.
Sustainable and farm to plate experiences
Trail highlight: Farmer, Butcher, Chef. Goodwood’s sustainable award-winning restaurant offers locally sourced produce for a unique fine-dining experience. Dedicated to demonstrating the high quality of their meat in terms of flavour, quality and provenance, this restaurant takes pride in their high yield of livestock from the farm just a matter of yards from the table.
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Knepp Wilding Kitchen. The Wilding Kitchen serves up produce from Knepp’s trailblazing rewilding project and organic Market Garden. Offering seasonal sharing plates (many of them cooked over fire) the menu reflects the ebb and flow of the seasons and features their award-winning Wild Range Meat sourced from the herds of free-roaming animals.
Foraged by Fern. Several seasonal foraging workshops from wild cocktails to truffle hunting held by Fern with the aim of inspiring the gathering of edible plants and fungi for cooking. Learn about the sustainability of foraging for food with multiple locations across West Sussex.
Breweries
Trail highlight: Langham Brewery. A steam-powered, craft microbrewery set in the Cowdray Estate of the South Downs National Park, their passion is producing innovative and flavoursome ales with high-quality ingredients.
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Missing Link Brewing. Based in East Grinstead, this exciting new brewery produces craft beers and hosts a brew school with teaching spaces and state of the art equipment that allows you to participate in the production of your very own modern craft beer.
Arundel Brewery. This award-winning independent brewery is family-owned and has been brewing for 30 years. Located in the heart of Arundel they host regular social evenings and offer a selection of flavoursome beers that are changed regularly.
Goldmark Brewery. Makers of unique contemporary beer ranging from craft beer to real ales, the brewery open their doors for tours of their brewery every month in Arundel. Learn about the craft of brewing whilst enjoying the final product.
Tap rooms and tastings
Trail highlight: The excellent mix of brewery taproom and coffee roaster means this place has something for everyone. The Brewhouse Project represents the perfect partnership between local companies, Arundel Brewery and Edgecumbe’s Coffee while also hosting a number of food trucks in their extensive outdoor space. Check out this unique experience if you’re heading to Arundel.
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Digby Fine English. Pop into Digby’s Arundel tasting room for the tasting flights, while learning how Digby make exceptional English sparkling wine in the capital of the English wine country. The tasting room is open Friday & Saturday from 12pm – 8pm and Sundays from 12pm – 4pm.
Firebird Brewing Company. A range of gluten-free beers and ‘brewer for the day’ activities make this an experience not to be missed! Watch the process of brewing and enjoy the award-winning Sussex craft beer from the tap.
Beautiful surroundings
Trail highlight: The Fox Goes Free, Charlton, Chichester – A quintessential Sussex pub with a garden overlooking Levin Down, a National Trust site on the cusp of the South Downs. A fantastic menu packed with locally sourced homemade food and handpicked wines.
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Kinsbrook Farmhouse. Inspired by laid-back wine bars, Kinsbrook Farmhouse offers lovingly curated plates made using only the best, sustainably-sourced produce all surrounded by stunning panoramic views of the vineyard.
Chalk at Wiston Estate. Occupying an 18thcentury barn on the delightful Wiston Estate and surrounded by rolling countryside, the menu highlights fresh local produce and ingredients from the estate.
Vegan and veggie options
Trail highlight: Sage Cafe. A family run vegan café that is passionate about making a difference. Sage provide good honest cooking that is 100% vegan, in a warm and welcoming environment.
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Fitzcane’s café (veggie and vegan options) is a lively and welcoming café close to the South Downs National Park that offers a range of vegetarian options, catering to all dietary requirements with tasty alternatives.
The Queens Head (veggie and vegan options). Based in West Chiltington this traditional village inn offers a hearty menu full of homemade dishes, including plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. Enjoy a traditional styled homemade meal and take in the relaxed atmosphere of this warm country pub.
Afternoon teas
Trail highlight: Afternoon tea at Amberley Castle is enjoyed fireside in the winter and on the glorious terrace in the summer sunshine. A selection of beautifully presented teatime treats is a perfect pamper alternative. Who doesn’t love cake?
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Afternoon Tea at Leonardslee. Set in the grounds of Leonardslee house, which dates back to 1801, guests can enjoy the Italianate styled décor while feasting on delicious afternoon treats, including cakes, sandwiches, scones and of course plenty of tea.
The South Lodge Hotel is a Victorian country house set deep in the South Downs, offering a decadent yet traditional cream tea experience that allows you to truly step back in time. In the house in which Winston Churchill was a frequent guest, you can enjoy your tea in the vintage drawing-room before taking a tour of the Elizabeth Le Bay room he once stayed in.
With plenty of opportunities to experience new flavour combinations and exciting locations, West Sussex is every foodie’s dream.
Keep your eyes peeled for more food trails!