Amidst the rolling hills of beautiful West Sussex, Horsham is a medieval market town that is rapidly evolving into a major spot for fine dining across the county. With a reputation bolstered not only by the up-and-coming eateries within the town but also by those emerging from the surrounding villages at rustic pubs and farm-to-table establishments, the local dining scene continues to impress as the standards across the area continue to rise.
The area around Horsham harbours some remarkable hidden gems, and thanks to some of the more upscale establishments making their presence known and receiving recognition from the Michelin Guide, the county is attracting visitors from increasingly further afield. Close to the stunning South Downs National Park, the following destinations make for delightful dining experiences amid beautiful surroundings.
The Pass at South Lodge, Horsham
Located at the glamorous South Lodge Hotel just outside of town, The Pass offers Michelin-starred dining as part of a unique chef’s table experience. The dining/kitchen space is sleek, with a minimalist aesthetic that ensures the focus remains on the food. The high tables set facing the restaurant pass allow diners a front-row seat to the action as the team, led by chef Ben Wilkinson, delivers an immersive seven-course tasting menu that celebrates British ingredients with undeniable flair.
Whilst the menu is seasonal and changes with each week depending on availability, standout dishes have included Cornish crab with green apple, avocado, and seaweed emulsion and lamb with wild garlic, burnt aubergine, and fermented barley. Other recurring menu items include fallow deer, fresh-caught turbot, blackberry sorbet with lemon thyme, and chocolate delice finished off with Pedro Ximénez sherry. Diners enjoy custom cocktail pairings with any dishes on the tasting menu, courtesy of the resident sommelier’s expertise, and can further indulge in the creativity and effort poured into this excellent fine dining experience.
The Crabtree, Lower Beeding
On the outskirts of Horsham in the village of Lower Beeding, the undeniable rural charm of The Crabtree offers a classic country pub dining experience. Committed to sustainability and local sourcing, The Crabtree’s menu champions produce grown and reared in Sussex, boasting a spacious outdoor terrace that is perfect for dining al fresco, even on the colder nights of the year, courtesy of its sizeable firepit.
Choice items include pan-seared sea bass with saffron-infused fennel, samphire, and citrus beurre blanc, whilst the 28-day-aged Sussex beef and triple-cooked chips with a bone marrow jus are a constant crowd-pleaser. The pub offers an impressive selection of local wines thanks to Sussex’s abundance of vineyards, now recognised as a domain of control, due to the high quality of the wine made across the country.
Filippo’s, Horsham
Located in the heart of Horsham, Filippo’s is a family-run restaurant that prides itself on its classic Italian dishes with home-cooked, timeless flavours that have made it a staple of the town’s high street for 20 years. It’s a low-key destination for diners who crave hearty, wholesome food that’s packed with the signature flavours of Italy without the need for further enhancements.
Handmade pasta is a key feature, from rich and creamy tagliatelle al tartufo infused with fragrant truffle to seafood-packed spaghetti allo scoglio in a white wine and garlic sauce. The restaurant’s wood-fired pizza oven serves up delicious bubbling bases with perfectly blistered crusts, whilst the house specials offer staples of Italian cuisine such as slow-cooked osso buco served with saffron risotto. Filippo’s is the perfect destination for diners wishing for simple Italian comfort food in the heart of Horsham.
Ockenden Manor, Cuckfield
Set within a grand Tudor manor house outside the village of Cuckfield, the ivy-clad façade of Ockenden invites guests into a sublime dining space with exposed wooden beams illuminated by soft candlelight, recreating a sense of timeless elegance. The restaurant is delightfully intimate, with a private dining space that’s available for parties as small as eight, and a menu that shows off the best of seasonal British produce sourced from all across the county.
From hand-dived scallops with apple and celeriac purée to South Downs venison served with smoked beetroot and blackberries, the restaurant makes seasonal ingredients work wonders on diners' palates. Menu highlights include salt-aged duck breast with honey-roasted figs and a red wine reduction. Wild mushroom risotto infused with truffle and aged Parmesan can be washed down with delicious glasses of wine from the nearby Ridgeview and Nyetimber vineyards. It is an ideal destination for those seeking a delightful meal in the heart of the Sussex countryside.
Interlude, Lower Breeding
Leonardslee Gardens is a fantastic destination for horticulture and wildlife enthusiasts thanks to its beautiful and expansive gardens, which even house their wallaby colony. But the estate is fast gaining a new reputation for its dual Michelin-star dining establishment on the property. Restaurant Interlude is deeply connected to its surroundings, taking a hyper-local approach that utilises the estate grounds as much as possible, from foraged ingredients to home-grown produce.
Highlights from the tasting menu include the estate venison tartare, charred leeks with goat’s curd, and wild hazelnut crumble. Such is the estate’s commitment to sustainability and the calibre of the food it produces, it is one of the rare examples of Michelin awarding not only a much-coveted star for dining but also one of their hallmark green stars that recognises the kitchen and Interlude’s sustainable practices.
