The very best of West Sussex local produce
Encompassing the coast, rolling hills and countryside, West Sussex is a bountiful haven when it comes to the very best of local produce.
From farmyards and dairies to vineyards, artisan bakeries and handmade luxurious chocolates, local food and ingredients are celebrated all over the county to create some of the best quintessentially British food experiences you can imagine.
So, whether you’re planning a stay in West Sussex for yourself and a loved one or want to bring back the perfect souvenir for the foodie in your life, we’ve brought you a round-up of the places you simply cannot miss during your West Sussex adventure.
Upperton Vineyard
Firebird Brewing Company
West Sussex’s position along the south coast make the perfect conditions for producing wine, which is why we have the most vineyards compared to any other county! No matter where you visit in West Sussex, you’ll never be far from some of the country’s finest. From Kinsbrook, Stopham, Upperton, Roebuck Estates, Wiston Estate and Nutbourne Vineyards in the heart of the South Downs to the Bolney, Kingscote, Ridgeview and Albourne Wine Estates near the High Weald, to Ashling Park and Tinwood Estate close to Chichester, there are so many unmissable taste and tour experiences to sample in Sussex.
On the other hand, if an elegant setting amongst old masters and velvet chairs appeals why not visit Digby’s Tasting Room, Arundel (the UK’s first high street cellar door) and try their guided tasting flight (for those who like their fizz sophisticated yet racy)!
West Sussex is also increasingly becoming known as a producer of artisan spirits and craft beer. For a range of artisan gins, distillery tours, cocktail masterclasses and gin tasting experiences, why not pay a visit to Slake Gin, at the Chalk House distillery in Worthing? Or, for the beer fan in your family, why not take them on a tour of Cowdray’s Langham Brewery near Midhurst or the Hepworth Brewery in Pulborough? Alternatively, rock up to the vibrant bar at Firebird Brewery, Horsham on a weekend, where they have food, live music and events on throughout the year.
Farm shops and delicatessens in West Sussex
Cowdray Farm Shop and Café
Pallant of Arundel, Arundel
A speciality delicatessen and wine merchant, Pallant of Arundel is an Aladdin’s cave for food connoisseurs, with products from small producers all over the West Sussex area. With everchanging seasonal products, you’ll be in for a treat each time you visit and can even put together a hamper of local favourites to take home for a gift (or enjoy yourself!).
Cowdray Farm Shop and Café, Midhurst
Forming part of the Cowdray Estate is the Farm Shop and Café, where you can enjoy a hearty local breakfast and take away some of the farm shop’s finest local produce from the Cowdray Estate itself. The traditional butchery handmakes sausages on site and rears its own lamb and beef, whilst the bakery is brimming with freshly made cakes and treats.
Rushfields Plant Centre, Farm Shop and Cafê, Poynings
The farm shop at Rushfields Plant Centre is well worth a visit for its homemade sausages and on-site butchery, supplying fresh meat from local farms and seasonal game. You’ll also find an abundance of local cheese, artisan breads, fruit and vegetables and locally made preserves to put together the perfect foodie gift.
Artisan producers
High Weald Dairy
Noble and Stace
Turner’s Pies, Chichester, Bognor Regis, Littlehampton and Worthing
For 85 years, the Turner family has been handmaking and selling delicious (and now award-winning) pies to the people of West Sussex at Turner’s Pie’s. Having expanded from one shop to four and even a concession within London’s Harrods, these are truly remarkable products not to be missed!
Jengers Craft Bakery, Billingshurst
The Jengers Craft Bakery is a family-run bakery that have been producing delicious loaves and treats for generations. You can pop into their Billingshurst bakery Monday to Saturday to take home a delicious sausage roll, cheese straw or bun or you might even stumble across their fresh bakes at some of the cafés and hotels in the local area!
Noble and Stace
Noble and Stace has been producing chocolates and truffles since 2015 in collaboration with local partners to create unique treats infused with local gins, coffee and sparkling wines. Whilst Noble and Stace don’t have a shop to call its base, you’ll find them stocked all over West Sussex, from farm shops and cafes to hotels and vineyards.
High Weald Dairy
The High Weald Dairy is renowned across Sussex for its delicious range of cows, goats and sheeps cheeses, including a unique organic halloumi, soft continental-style cheeses and everybody’s favourite cheeseboard classics. You can pay a visit direct to the dairy to purchase products and even take part in specialised cheese courses, but you’ll also find their products in shops and delicatessens across the county.