From the South Downs to the Sussex coast, this county’s pubs are masters of quiet confidence – where good food, good ale and good company still come first. Our 100 Best Pubs 2025 list highlights a handful of local gems, fromThe Cat Innin West Hoathly, where menus change with the seasons, to The Crown in Hastings and The Plough in Rye, both proving that coastal dining doesn’t need to be fancy to be exceptional. Add The George at Burpham, tucked in the folds of the Downs, and you’ve got the best pubs in Sussex for relaxed dining, local flavour and a proper sense of place.
Well-tended hilltop inn with food that's a cut above
At the hub of a Sussex hilltop village, with a sunny terrace overlooking the local church, this reimagined 16th-century inn has all the nooks, crannies, inglenooks, oak beams and floral displays that you could wish for. Efficient,… Read more
At the hub of a Sussex hilltop village, with a sunny terrace overlooking the local church, this reimagined 16th-century inn has all the nooks, crannies, inglenooks, oak beams and floral displays that you could wish for. Efficient, cheery staff keep things rolling along, bringing ‘pint milk bottles’ of water to each table as a matter of course. The place gets packed and everyone is here for the food – thanks to a confident kitchen that can deliver consistent crowd-pleasing dishes from a regular menu and a chalked-up specials board that included a tempting with a crab-topped crumpet with cucumber and almond cream.
Burgers, pies and battered fish keep the traditionalists happy, but there's room for invention too: a well-balanced goat’s cheese brûlée delivered on all fronts, with a fine lavosh cracker alongside, while cod fillet was perfectly pan-fried, with impressive accompaniments including a crayfish beurre noisette, silky-smooth celeriac purée, savoy cabbage and crispy Parmesan-crusted potatoes. Meaty choices range from Surrey ribeye steaks with peppercorn butter to haunch of local venison richly embellished with a braised shoulder tartlet, quince poached in mulled wine, potato terrine and a boozy sauce. And on Sundays, the prospect of three ultra-traditional roasts guarantees regular full houses.
The kitchen puts on a show when it comes to desserts: our deep-filled lemon tart had bags of citrus tang, with blackberry purée and blackberry sorbet on the side, while a dark chocolate terrine was lifted by a raspberry sorbet and maple-flavoured honeycomb. The well-considered wine collection offers oodles by the glass, including a range of Sussex sparklers.
‘Where to start,’ wondered one reporter, adding ‘it’s always a brilliant visit whether I’m perched at the bar reading a paper, sharing a meal, or working my way through the beer pumps’. Somethin… Read more
‘Where to start,’ wondered one reporter, adding ‘it’s always a brilliant visit whether I’m perched at the bar reading a paper, sharing a meal, or working my way through the beer pumps’. Something about the Crown hits exactly the right spot. It’s not just a pub but a real community hub, ‘a place people want to return to again and again’. The Old Town location feels like a local’s secret, and the interior is very artistically scruffy but quirky – distressed wood tables, mismatched chairs, plank floors, local artists on the walls. Food is the main draw. The kitchen keeps things simple, looks to the locality for ingredients yet mixes up influences in a true 'modern pub menu' way. Everyone enjoys the beer-battered fish-finger sandwich with chips, but there’s also venison kofta with tzatziki and pumpkin-seed dukkah, as well as handmade tagliatelle with courgettes and Twineham Grange cheese. To drink, there are local cask ales and a short list of reasonably priced European wines – and you can pop in for coffee every day from 11am. A true asset.
This 18th-century Grade II-listed village pub looms large in the life of Burpham. Community-owned and family-run, it’s renowned for its charming service and convivial atmosphere, while the interior is a pleasant mix of expos… Read more
This 18th-century Grade II-listed village pub looms large in the life of Burpham. Community-owned and family-run, it’s renowned for its charming service and convivial atmosphere, while the interior is a pleasant mix of exposed beams hung with hops, wood-burners, and stylish contemporary touches. It's popular with walkers too, being about an hour’s hike from the South Downs Way. The pub's immensely likeable menus cover all bases, from chorizo Scotch eggs, a good cheeseburger, classic fish and chips, a selection of steaks and well-reported Sunday roasts, to modern brasserie dishes such as cod with 'nduja and white bean stew or raspberry clafoutis with fig-leaf ice cream. As for drink, there are local ales and a selection of sustainable, organic, and biodynamic wines.
Unpretentious country pub noted for its seasonal, locally sourced food
Locals and visitors heap high praise on this ‘stunning countryside pub’ on a rural stretch of road three miles from Rye. The location is glorious, a garden with ‘sheep baa-ing while you eat’ beckons in fine… Read more
Locals and visitors heap high praise on this ‘stunning countryside pub’ on a rural stretch of road three miles from Rye. The location is glorious, a garden with ‘sheep baa-ing while you eat’ beckons in fine weather, and a ‘joyous, welcoming atmosphere’ prevails. Inside, scuffed floorboards, plain tables and wood-burners set the tone, while paintings by Sussex artist William Warden ‘bring a lovely local connection to the venue’. As for food, it's ‘modern, forward-thinking cooking’, with locally sourced, seasonal ingredients taking centre stage. The weekday lunch is ‘amazing value’, while the straightforward carte promises a mix of pub classics (chicken and ham hock pie) and more complex combinations such as nori-cured chalk stream trout with pickled kohlrabi and horseradish. Sunday roasts are singled out for special praise, and desserts could include blackberry meringue with mascarpone and puffed buckwheat. Welcoming staff ‘want you to feel comfortable’, and the good humour extends to small children and dogs. Harvey’s Sussex Best is on draught, and the compact wine list offers reasonably priced drinking across the board.
