Diners' Choice: Innovative restaurants in East Sussex

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for the best restaurants that are fit for foodies 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 Union

4.8

4.8 (1149)

£26 to £40

Contemporary British

Rye

About the restaurant

The Union is a contemporary restaurant and 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

OpenTable Diner

Dined 3 days ago

Fabulous thank you - we ate so much and all Of it amazing!

The Crown Hastings

4.8

4.8 (1154)

£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

Deborah

Dined 3 days ago

a delicious Christmas eve meal and a great friendly atmosphere. This place is just great!

First In Last Out

4.8

4.8 (189)

£25 and under

Pub

Hastings

About the restaurant

The First In Last Out (FILO), is a family run free-house in the Old Town of Hastings. Alongside our award winning beer, we serve quality food prepared from scratch. We offer lunch and dinner everyday, including our ever popular Tapas night (Monday), Indian Thali (Thursday) and Sunday roasts.

The brewery is located just two minutes away from the pub, where we produce five regular ales using a full mash-tun process. We love live music and host regular Sunday evening gigs, of which details can be found on our website.

The pub is popular with locals and tourists alike, who love to get cosy in our booth seating or warm up on cold winters' days around our unique central fireplace.

Dogs and children are most welcome.

Top review

Lisa

Dined on Dec 18, 2024

I’ve eaten here many times and they never disappoint. Food is amazing and the service is always welcoming, I can not fault it and even a little penguin sat on top of my Christmas pud!

Landgate Bistro

4.7

4.7 (1591)

£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

Jacob

Dined 7 days ago

Amazing fine dinning, extremely good value for money. Professional service. Can't fault it. Great for a special occasion.

White Hart Netherfield

4.7

4.7 (453)

£26 to £40

British

Battle

About the restaurant

We are a country Gastropub owned by farmers. Our farm supplies the beef, lamb and pork and we source other ingredients from local producers where we can. Our small seasonal menu changes regularly reflecting what is available in our area. We pride ourselves on being very much a country pub, offering freshly prepared seasonal food and a warm welcome. We also love offering locally produced drinks, such as gins, rums, ales and wines, giving you the complete taste of Sussex.

Our weekend menu is our delicious Asado Grill. A slightly reduced but very tasty BBQ menu, where everything is cooked on our outdoor grill. We advise to book in as we get very busy!

Top review

Alex

Dined on Dec 14, 2024

We have eaten in many pubs and restaurants in the area and the White Hart is consistently the best in this part of East Sussex.

Colombo 16

4.7

4.7 (184)

£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

Adam

Dined 5 days ago

Went for brunch, was excellent. Friendly atmosphere and great food.

BAYTE

4.6

4.6 (44)

£26 to £40

Modern European

St Leonards-On-Sea

About the restaurant

BAYTE, is a modern European neighbourhood restaurant with an emphasis on local sourcing and quality produce in the seaside town of St Leonards-on-Sea. The seasonal menu blends influences from across the globe, with particular reference to Italian recipes, such as hand-rolled pastas.
The meat at BAYTE is free-range and reared on biodynamic, organic Haye Farm in Devon. Vegetables are also sourced from organic suppliers, most of them from English and Japanese vegetable growers Namayasai, and Goat Grid Farm, both in nearby Lewes.

Top review

LishkaVIP

Dined 5 days ago

Amazing Christmas Italian experience, loved it all. Thank you

Discover more

Experience

New Years Eve at BAYTE - 9pm

The George in Rye

4.3

4.3 (552)

£26 to £40

British

Rye

About the restaurant

Located right in the heart of the town's High Street and Citadel, The George Grill is the restaurant of The George in Rye, one of the finest hotels on the South coast. Our head chef, Oscar, offers you a classic British Grill menu combining his love of charcoal cooking with a Latin twist. The Grill is a firm local favourite and celebrates the best of ingredients and suppliers in the area. At the heart of the kitchen is a wood-charcoal grill, where our kitchen team roast seafood landed that day from fishermen based in Rye Harbour. We also serve Romney Marsh lamb, Aberdeen Angus grass-fed beef and seasonal vegetables from our farmer based in Boughton Monchelsea. Lovingly restored and renovated, this Grade II listed bolt-hole offers a welcoming retreat for design lovers and foodies alike.

Top review

Jeremy

Dined 1 day ago

Fantastic service. Josper grill cooked ribeye very good. Lovely meal. Made us feel special. Jeremy Robson

The Relais Cooden Beach

4.2

4.2 (309)

£25 and under

English

Bexhill-On-Sea

About the restaurant

The Relais is named in honour of our motorsports heritage and the menus celebrate our seaside location.

Just steps from the beach, The Rally Restaurant enjoys the best views in the house and a spacious terrace for seasonal al fresco dining.

Enjoy fresh and seasonal menus including the ‘catch of the day’ supplied by our local Sussex fishermen. Our menus change with the season with a focus on fish and seafood and locally sourced ingredients.

Open all day and serving breakfast, lunch and dinner and afternoon tea - whether you’re gathering with friends for a long lazy lunch or celebrating a milestone occasion with family and loved ones, The Rally Bar & Grill is the perfect location to dine, relax and create lasting memories.

Top review

Ellen

Dined 6 days ago

Booked for my husbands birthday and had an amazing evening . Food was fantastic and drinks were great. Definitely will book again.

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Experience

Afternoon Tea at The Relais Cooden Beach

Glasshouse

3.8

3.8 (118)

£26 to £40

Bistro

Eastbourne

About the restaurant

Glass House is a fresh new seaside restaurant / café that aims to regenerate the pavilion building and surrounding Redoubt Gardens. Returning it into a destination for community and visitors to eat, meet, relax and celebrate.
It is dedicated to bolstering both Eastbourne’s community and heritage, showcasing local produce and culture whilst allowing residents and visitors to enjoy the spectacular views of our beautiful seafront.

Top review

Pru

Dined 1 day ago

Very good brunch. Good and efficient service. Very noisy.

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