East Lavant Restaurant Guide

This 200-year-old local pub at the foot of the South Downs is “well run and popular”, with a “well-executed and great-value menu” of superior gastropub fare.

2023 Review: The view (towards Goodwood) from the window is said to have inspired William Blake’s anthem, Jerusalem, in 1803, but the current future is uncertain at this eighteenth-century coaching inn, which shut its doors in early October 2022. We await news of the new incarnation of this vantagepoint over ‘England’s green and pleasant land’.

2022 Review: “The food is excellent, and you’re made to feel welcome” at this showcase for the produce of the Goodwood Estate, an early convert to organic farming (although Lord March, the Duke of Richmond, is better known as a petrol-head). “They’ve turned the courtyard into a lovely space”, and the highlight of the menu is the ‘butcher’s board’ sharing selection of various meat cuts.

2021 Review: “A definite must-visit” – “an amazing small gastropub next to a beautiful pond”, on the Goodwood Estate, and with a line in “tasty and flavoursome” victuals (including game).

As it heads into third decade, Viv Casson’s “slightly dated but cosy” restaurant (rustic, with exposed brick and many a beam) has long been known in these parts for its “lovely food and service”, which extends to regular themed dinners, including eight- or nine-course tasting menu nights.

This “charming, small and very English hotel” has “well-kept, comfortable sitting and dining rooms” and “makes a nice place to take aged relatives” if you’re keen on silver service. Visitors can choose between the modern British (with the odd Thai touch) Sea School restaurant or more casual brasserie offering “surprisingly good” prix-fixe menus. Chef Neil Hiskey, who oversees both venues, has been at the Millstream since way back in 2001, besides taking care of the food at the Millstream-owned Shoreside Café and Pop-in coffee shop, both also in Bosham.

2022 Review: Current owners The Epicurean Collection – behind a string of boutique pubs and inns – have a hit on their hands with this award-winning venture: a “worthy addition to an area generously supplied with high-quality country pubs”. The rolling South Downs beyond the windows inform much of the “imaginative menu”, with a particular accent on introducing non-shooting folk to game (the latter courtesy of the local Goodwood Estate).

“Fresh produce gets to shine” at Nick Sutherland’s boutique hotel restaurant in the heart of Chichester, which has retained the name of a well-known wine merchant that previously occupied the Georgian premises. It’s “busy but not manic – leisurely dining seems to be the aim”, and it’s also useful as a pre-theatre option.

“Superb, proper Indian food” that’s “remarkable value for money” has made the name of this red-brick subcontinental, “handy for the Witterings and Chichester”. The venue, a converted pub, was launched by couple Mayank and Nita Gupta (orthopaedic surgeon and dental surgeon respectively) as a riposte to inauthentic British curry houses, and offers a wide programme of events ranging from Elvis tribute nights with ‘curated’ curries, to regular demonstrations of home cooking; there were also several shout-outs this year for the “reliably excellent friendly service”.

Four miles from Chichester, and bordering the South Downs National Park, this 200-year-old pub-with-rooms is part proper boozer (upfront) and part tastefully arty restaurant offering ambitious gastrofare. Reporters this year praised the “warm ambience” and a “treat” of a menu that features some “standout courses” such as scallops and venison.

Near Chichester and looking for a quintessential pub in a picturesque location? This waterside tavern just a short drive outside the city fits the bill. Book in advance, though, as cars are often parked down the lane to get in. The menu leans towards fish and seafood and is consistently well-rated.