AA Restaurant Guide 2022: Best Sussex restaurants revealed

RESTAURANTS in Sussex are celebrating after being named in a prestigious restaurant guide.

Now in its 28th edition, AA’s The Restaurant Guide 2022 provides food lovers a reference guide to all the places to dine across the UK – this year no less than 42 Sussex establishments have made the grade.

There are 14 restaurants in East Sussex, eight awarded two rosettes and six receiving one. In West sussex, one establishment received four rosettes, five receieved three rosettes, a whopping 15 received two rosettes and and a further seven received one rosette.

Broken down into regions, the book includes a description of each destination along with information on the type of cuisine, price guide, opening times and the all-important AA Rosette Award rating.

Restaurants can be awarded 1 to 5 Rosettes based on a meal visit or visits by one or more hotel and restaurant inspectors.

AA’s The Restaurant Guide 2022 entries - West Sussex

FOUR ROSETTES

Gravetye Manor Hotel

Vowels Lane, RH19 4LJ

CUISINE: Modern British

WHAT THE GUIDE SAYS: “If you want the full-on Tudor mansion experience, you could do worse than spend a day or so at this sumptuous country house hotel with its acres of panelling, intricate plasterwork ceilings, stone mullioned windows and delightful gardens.

“The daily-changing set menus (three course lunch, four course dinner) are seasonal, and dishes are pretty as a picture. Midsummer might see you start things off with cured Dorset char, or perhaps Shropshire rose veal tartare with lovage, caper and smoked potato.

“An intermediate course of native lobster with scallop, chamomile and carrot will lead nicely into a main of Cumbrian lamb; loin and belly, with spinach, mint and baby turnip, or the freshest turbot, with fresh peas, wilted lettuce and black truµe.

“Then a choice – cheese or dessert? There are six Sussex artisan cheeses, so that’s tempting, but who wants to miss out on the blackcurrant souµé and cassis ice cream or strawberries, meringue, yogurt and verbena? Luckily you can pay a supplement and have both.”

THREE ROSETTES

Amberley Castle

Amberley Castle, BN18 9LT

CUISINE: Classic European

WHAT THE GUIDE SAYS: “Paul Peters produces assertive modern dishes with plenty to say for themselves, from amuse bouche of mushroom arancini and cheese gougère onwards.

“You might begin with a nicely constructed scallop dish with caramelised cauliflower, hazelnut, golden raisin, caper, apple and Amberley ver jus.

“Main courses of wild sea bass, or veal (loin, cheek and sweetbread) are thoughtfully conceived and full of flavour. Bring things to a close with a beautiful pistachio bavarois with grapefruit and banana.”

Restaurant Tristan

3 Stan's Way, East Street, RH12 1HU

CUISINE: Modern British, French

WHAT THE GUIDE SAYS: “As is often the way with this kind of innovative, creative, technically skilful cooking, menus make a virtue of conciseness, listing the components of each composition, but whether you go for three, four, six or eight courses, you can be sure that the full gamut of taste categories, textural contrasts and temperatures will be deployed.”

The Lickfold Inn

The Lickfold Inn, GU28 9EY

CUISINE: British

WHAT THE GUIDE SAYS: “Aspirational the food may be, but not at the expense of remembering its surroundings, by offering a slice of venison and game pie with a fruity jelly lining, garnished with puréed and roasted quince, as a loin-girding starter.

“Balance that with a fish main course such as expertly timed cod with brown shrimps and spinach in brown butter, with delightful sharp notes coming from pickled and barbecued fennel, or perhaps truµed gnocchi with wild mushrooms and hazelnuts.”

Restaurant Interlude

Leonardslee Gardens, Brighton Road, RH13 6PP

CUISINE: Modern British

WHAT THE GUIDE SAYS: “The kitchen takes its cue from the seasons and makes full use of pickings from its own gardens, as well as foraging and tapping into the local food network for top-notch Sussex produce.

“Expect bright, lively flavours in epic-length tasting format, from beef tartare smoked with gorse flowers, to poached plaice with parsley purée and knotweed vinegar, or 28 day-aged Middlewhite pork with wild garlic and capers.

AG's Restaurant at Alexander House Hotel

East Street, RH10 4QD

CUISINE: British, French

WHAT THE GUIDE SAYS: “The kitchen has all dietary bases covered with vegetarian, vegan and dairy-free versions of set-price and tasting menus, and the cooking is contemporary, with striking combinations of ingredients and heaps of visual artistry.

“First off, scallops are teamed with miso, kimchi, sesame dressing, radishes and a seaweed cracker.

“Next up, herb-crusted lamb cannon with moist and tender braised belly wrapped in crisp potato, with confit garlic, hispi cabbage and mint jellies.”

TWO ROSETTES

• The Parsons Table
• 2 & 8 Castle Mews, Tarrant Street,
• Sea School Restaurant
• Bosham Lane, PO18 8HL
• Halliday's
• Watery Lane, Funtington, PO18 9LF
• Horse and Groom
• East Ashling, PO18 9AX
• Potager Restaurant
• Crouchers Hotel, Birdham Road, PO20 7EH
• Richmond Arms
• Mill Road, West Ashling, Superuser PO18 8EA
• Sofitel London Gatwick
• North Terminal, RH6 0PH
• The Goodwood Hotel
• The Goodwood Hotel, PO18 0QB
• The Half Moon Inn
• Glasshouse Lane, RH14 0LT
• The Camellia Restaurant at South Lodge
• Brighton Road, RH13 6PS
• The Crab & Lobster
• Mill Lane, PO20 7NB
• Cassons Restaurant
• Arundel Road, PO18 0DU
• The Horse Guards Inn
• Upperton Road, GU28 9AF
• Reflections at Alexander House
• Alexander House Hotel & Utopia Spa, East Street, RH10 4QD
• PITCH Restaurant
• 16 Warwick Street, BN11 3DJ

ONE ROSETTE

• The Ginger Fox
• Muddleswood Road, BN6 9EA
• Earl of March
• Lavant Road, PO18 0BQ
• The Ship Restaurant
• 57 North Street, PO19 1NH
• The Glass House Restaurant & Terrace
• Wickwoods Country Club Hotel & Spa, Shaveswood Lane, Albourne, BN6 9DY
• The Halfway Bridge Inn
• Halfway Bridge, GU28 9BP
• The Chequers Inn
• The Chequers Inn, RH12 3PY
• Indigo Seafood & Grill
• Ardington Hotel, Steyne Gardens, BN11 3DZ

AA’s The Restaurant Guide 2022 entries - East Sussex

TWO ROSETTES

• Deans Place
• Seaford Road, BN26 5TW
• The Powder Mills Hotel
• Powdermill Lane, TN33 0SP
• The Gallivant
• New Lydd Road, TN31 7RB
• The Anderida Restaurant
• Ashdown Park Hotel & Country Club, Wych Cross, RH18 5JR
• Mermaid Inn
• Mermaid Street, TN31 7EY
• Buxted Park Hotel
• Buxted, TN22 4AY
• Horsted Place
• Little Horsted, TN22 5TS
• The Wild Mushroom Restaurant
• Woodgate House, Westfield Lane, TN35 4SB

ONE ROSETTE

• The Bull Ditchling
• 2 High Street, BN6 8TA
• The Mirabelle Restaurant
• The Grand Hotel, King Edwards Parade, BN21 4EQ
• Jolly Sportsman
• Chapel Lane, BN7 3BA
• Cin Cin
• 60 Western Road, BN3 1JD
• Webbe's at The Fish Café
• 17 Tower Street, TN31 7AT
• Dale Hill Hotel & Golf Club
• Dale Hill Hotel & Golf Club, TN5 7DQ

In addition to restaurant listings, the guide includes interviews with some of the most exciting culinary talent in the UK, such as 26-year-old gastronomic prodigy Tom Booton (Dorchester Grill, London W1), Paul Leonard (Forest Side, Grasmere, Cumbria), and Nathan Outlaw (Outlaw’s New Road and Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen, Port Isaac, Cornwall).

:: The new Restaurant Guide 2022 is available to buy now priced at £16.99.