Diners' Choice: Great for creative cocktails restaurants in East Sussex

OpenTable

Updated 05 December 2024

Looking for the best handcrafted cocktails in East Sussex? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyses nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favourite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you book, 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!

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.

The Plough

4.7

4.7 (739)

£25 and under

Pub

Rye

About the restaurant

The Plough is a country pub, restaurant and rooms just outside Rye, with a beer garden offering picturesque views of the Brede valley. Our food offer is pub classics made incredibly as well as creative cooking, whilst being ingredient led. 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. Inside we have a warm atmosphere with log fires and friendly service.

Top review

Ben

Dined 3 days ago

Fantastic service, matched by the setting and the food. Our first visit since recently moving and certainly won’t be our last. Loved the fact that Chef felt he had ‘done me out of some greens’ so sent an additional portion. The sauce with the Lamb Pie was amazing and the ladies were grateful for the Pork Collar recommendation.

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

David

Dined 5 days ago

When you're looking for something deliciously different or authentically Sri Lankan then this is the place to go. Great food, great atmosphere and great service.

The Dorset Arms Pub

4.6

4.6 (1062)

£26 to £40

Gastro Pub

Hartfield

About the restaurant

Welcome to The Dorset Arms, one of Sussex's best kept secrets..

The Dorset Arms Public House in Withyham is an 18th century alehouse situated in the outstandingly beautiful Sussex Weald. Part of the historic Buckhurst Estate, the pub is named after the Earls and Dukes of Dorset, one time heads of the Sackville family, and shares a heritage of family ownership now headed by their descendant, the present Earl De La Warr.

Showcasing the best of what Sussex has to offer, our Head Chef has fine-tuned the classics and combined them with modern British dishes to provide a diverse and exciting menu.

Top review

Chris

Dined on 19 Dec 2024

Great food and lovely service in a warm welcoming traditional pub

The White Hart

4.6

4.6 (875)

£26 to £40

Gastro Pub

Uckfield

About the restaurant

Welcome to the The White Hart, we specialise as a Steakhouse... We love all things meat and have pioneered our own unique style of relaxed yet vibrant customer service, this is made easy with our approach to food- The best seasonal ingredients cooked utilising methods from around the world. We love what we do and we hope you do to.

Top review

Riaz

Dined 5 days ago

Great food and service. Will definitely visit again.

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The Grapevine Champagne and Jazz Bar

4.5

4.5 (22)

£26 to £40

Wine Bar

Rye

About the restaurant

The Grapevine Champagne & Jazz Bar is an intimate art-nouveau styled establishment, hosting live music most nights, with a vast drink offering. Our jazz bar offers over 150 wines & Champagnes, 50 whiskey's, 20 gins, cocktails, and much more.

Sit amongst the candle light and tap away to the live music with a glass of something cheerful!

Top review

Sam

Dined on 6 Dec 2024

We had a fantastic evening with our friends. Paying to book is a nit of a rip off but we had a great place in the lounge. The musician/ singer was brilliant. The ambience and general atmosphere was perfect. The place is a bit pricey, but we didn't mind as we had such a good evening

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Experience

Live Music Booking (for Non-Members)

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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