Diners' Choice: Best Overall restaurants in East Sussex

OpenTable

Updated September 05, 2024

Looking for the best overall restaurants in East Sussex? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

The Sundial

4.9

4.9 (531)

£26 to £40

French

Herstmonceux

About the restaurant

The Sundial is a privately owned, relaxed and chic French restaurant with spectacular views of the South Downs in East Sussex. The Sundial’s à-la-carte and seasonal menus as well as its cuisine and ambience are typically French. Our restaurant in East Sussex is perfect for a meal with family and friends or an intimate dinner for two, the Sundial’s lounge bar, French restaurant and private dining room provide a flexible combination for parties, business meetings, seminars, wedding venues and group events for up to 60 people. Our restaurant can cater for upto 150 people as a wedding venue. If you´re looking for a Fine Dining French restaurant in East Sussex, or anywhere in Sussex, you won´t find a finer French restaurant!. Our French restaurant has a Civil wedding License offering you the perfect wedding venue in East Sussex. Restaurant also has a large car park with 16 parking spaces.

Top review

Ewan

Dined on Sep 4, 2024

We went to the Sundial for my wife's 50th birthday. We loved the warm welcome, and the excellent food and wine. Everything was cooked to perfection and the attention from the hosts was just right, friendly and efficient but not over the top. As wine lovers we were impressed with the range and quality of the wines. This isn't a budget place. It's for special occasions, where you can expect to spend considerably more than in a standard restaurant, but it is worth it.

Landgate Bistro

4.7

4.7 (1556)

£26 to £40

British

Rye

About the restaurant

We make British food with a classic or modern slant. We source our ingredients from the local fields, woodlands and waters. Everything is cooked on the premises, including the sourdough bread and the icecreams.
The Good Food Guide (2023) says: "A fittingly quaint old building, complete with original features, given a suave modern twist via grey panelling and contemporary furniture. Chef-proprietor Martin Peacock has built his menu on classical French traditions and impeccable sourcing and there’s real creativity and originality on show here. The international wine list offers a decent but not overlong selection, with accessible pricing.

Vegetarian: we will always offer at least one starter and one main vegetarian choice. However, we cannot cater for vegans.

***
Please note, due to customer allergies, we cannot allow dogs on the premises.

Top review

NANCY

Dined on Aug 29, 2024

Absolutely the best dining in the area that we had! Fabulous food and service - worth the trip!

The White Hart

4.6

4.6 (847)

£26 to £40

Gastro Pub

Uckfield

About the restaurant

Welcome to the The White Hart, we specialise as a Steakhouse... We love all things meat and have pioneered our own unique style of relaxed yet vibrant customer service, this is made easy with our approach to food- The best seasonal ingredients cooked utilising methods from around the world. We love what we do and we hope you do to.

Top review

Anthonyvip

Dined 2 days ago

The food was amazing. The guys were under staffed and needed some help. They worked very hard!

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4.8

4.8 (750)

£25 and under

Pub

Hastings

About the restaurant

The Two Sawyers is a 16th Century Inn recently refurbished and under family ownership. We pride ourselves on serving excellent beer and food.

We have a large beer garden to the rear of the pub with over 30 tables for our guests to use for both drinking and dining.

A character bar with log fires serving guest ales, beers, and wines. The restaurant serves traditional pub food twice both lunch and evening and all day on both Saturday and Sunday.

Top review

Sandra

Dined 6 days ago

We took our grandson and his girlfriend for lunch. There was a great choice of food, regular menu, specials and a lunch time one. Great service, nice staff and all reasonably priced. I would definitely recommend, and we will definitely return.

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Popular dish

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Popular dish

Fish and Chips

The Hatch Inn Hartfield

4.7

4.7 (904)

£26 to £40

Gastro Pub

Hartfield

About the restaurant

As a quick note to customers we would like to inform you that all of our reservable outdoor tables are under cover and have heating. Also standard seating is indoor seating.
Proprietor Nicholas Drillsma and partner Sandy Barton have built an enviable reputation over the past 28 years in producing the highest quality, locally sourced food, complimented by an extensive wine list.
The menus reflect our customer profile in delivering quality food and service in a cosy, quintessentially English public house.
We would encourage anyone suffering with food allergens or specific dietary requests to alert us to these within the 'Special Requests' section of your reservation so as we may brief our team accordingly prior to your arrival

Top review

Louise

Dined 7 days ago

Excellent food and service. Would highly recommend but just note there is no car park but parking in road is readily available.

The Crown Hastings

4.7

4.7 (1095)

£25 and under

British

Hastings

About the restaurant

The Crown is an independently run award-winning freehouse in the heart of Hastings Old Town, open at 11am every day. Our kitchen is open 12-4, 5 till 9.
We serve modern British food in a friendly informal environment using locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. We create dishes from scratch, including homemade bread, fish from the surrounding seas and seasonal veg.
We serve local real ales & craft beers, wine and a specialist gin and whisky selection and delicious coffee.
'High Top Tables' refers to our high tables with bar stools.
You can book a table for drinks only.
Dogs are welcome, 'paws on the floors' please.
Children welcome, we have a kids menu.
For allergies & intolerances, please let your server know before ordering.
We serve our full menu on a Sunday, but it is not a traditional roast dinner.
Please call us if you are running later than your booked time.
Table bookings for 2 hours for up to 4ppl; 3 hours for 5+ people. Tables from 7pm onwards are for whole evening.

Top review

Geoff

Dined 2 days ago

Always enjoyable to visit The Crown, friendly and excellent service. Good food always different from normal pub food. Range of beers are excellent. A very enjoyable lunch.

The Union

4.7

4.7 (1102)

£26 to £40

Contemporary British

Rye

About the restaurant

The Union is a modern British restaurant, cocktail and wine bar set in a beautiful 15th century building in the heart of Rye. Our menu is made up of small and large plates which we recommend sharing across the table. Our team will be on hand to guide you through your visit.

Our food is guided by the seasons and our menu is ingredient led so changes based on what we have available to us. We primarily use British produce and work with local suppliers to ensure we always source the very best ingredients we can get our hands on.

Top review

Celia

Dined 2 days ago

Excellent service and unusual but delightful food.

Colombo 16

4.7

4.7 (173)

£26 to £40

Sri Lankan

St Leonards-On-Sea

About the restaurant

Inspired by the diversity of Colombo and England, Colombo 16 brings the essence of modern Sri Lanka to Marine Court, the historic Grade II-listed Art Deco building on the shores of St Leonards-On-Sea. By day we offer fusion lunch with some traditional Sri Lankan options, by night contemporary curries, short eats and desserts intended for sharing. Our dishes are based on family recipes, modernised with an ingredient-led approach sourcing locally and importing weekly from Sri Lanka.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 1 day ago

Absolutely fantastic food, service was excellent and a great vibe all Night. Would Highly recommend a visit, we will definitely be going back.

The Plough

4.6

4.6 (709)

£25 and under

Pub

Rye

About the restaurant

The Plough is a cosy country pub, just outside Rye, with a beer garden offering picturesque views of the Brede valley. Our food offer is pub classics made incredibly as well as creative cooking, whilst being ingredient led. We primarily use British produce and work with local suppliers to ensure we always source the very best ingredients we can get our hands on. Inside we have a warm atmosphere with log fires and friendly service.

Top review

Elizabeth

Dined 1 day ago

Staff friendly , food wonderful ! We’ll be back .

The Gallipot Inn

4.7

4.7 (150)

£25 and under

British

Hartfield

About the restaurant

Set within the historical parish of Hartfield famous for A.A.Milne Winnie-the-Pooh books. The Gallipot Inn lies a stones throw from Ashdown Forest and has a excellent reputation for food & drink throughout the area.

After being the the chef for over seven years Leo has taken over the business with his wife Kerry and warmly welcome you to our establishment.

Top review

Nick

Dined 7 days ago

The food was faultless. Two of us had perfectly cooked scallops to start with. The hake and the octopus were both delicious and the pork roast was described as ‘the softest pork I have ever had, melt in the mouth’. The honeycomb ice cream was amazing and the Eton mess lovely. The Chardonnay and Harvey’s beer went down well too, and the service was friendly and helpful. It is a busy country pub with dogs and children, so it is bustling.

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