Diners' Choice: Great for outdoor dining restaurants in East Sussex

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for the best restaurants that are great for outdoor dining 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!

Two Sawyers

4.8

4.8 (801)

£25 and under

Pub

Hastings

About the restaurant

The Two Sawyers is a 16th Century Inn recently refurbished and under family ownership. We pride ourselves on serving excellent beer and food.

We have a large beer garden to the rear of the pub with over 30 tables for our guests to use for both drinking and dining.

A character bar with log fires serving guest ales, beers, and wines. The restaurant serves traditional pub food twice both lunch and evening and all day on both Saturday and Sunday.

Top review

Sue

Dined 1 day ago

We had a meal booked for 8. The service was exceptional. The food was excellent and the wait time between courses negligible. It was also extremely good value in a lovely setting. I would recommend this beautiful inn to anyone, you will not be disappointed. We will definitely be back.

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Popular dish

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Popular dish

Fish and Chips

La Delizia

4.8

4.8 (54)

£25 and under

Italian

Hastings

About the restaurant

La Delizia, meaning ‘The Delight’, inspired by delis and eateries in Positano and Amalfi, offers authentic, specialist Italian food and drink, to take home or eat in.

Featuring fresh Whitstable oysters, calamari, pasta, an authentic meat and cheese counter serving paninis and Antipasti selections, as well as Italian delights such as ‘Crema di Caffé’ an Iced Coffee dessert, fresh orange juice, and so much more.

Top review

Julia

Dined 3 days ago

The food was delicious and beautifully presented, and the waiting staff were very friendly, polite and efficient

Thai Marina

4.7

4.7 (1595)

£26 to £40

Thai

Eastbourne

About the restaurant

Thai Marina is situated at The Waterfront at Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne and serves modern Thai cuisine in a traditional setting. The menu has all the classics you'd except such as Green Curry or Pad Thai as well as newer dishes such as Lamb Cutlets or Tamarind Sea Bass. In the summer months, enjoy alfresco dining all day and through the evening and on the weekends enjoy the Thai summer barbecue by the waterside.

Top review

Jenny

Dined on Dec 17, 2024

Each visit here is better than the last. Whatever you choose, you will not be disappointed. Best value for money you could find

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.

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.

The Hatch Inn Hartfield

4.7

4.7 (955)

£26 to £40

Gastro Pub

Hartfield

About the restaurant

As a quick note to customers we would like to inform you that all of our reservable outdoor tables are under cover and have heating. Also standard seating is indoor seating.
Proprietor Nicholas Drillsma and partner Sandy Barton have built an enviable reputation over the past 28 years in producing the highest quality, locally sourced food, complimented by an extensive wine list.
The menus reflect our customer profile in delivering quality food and service in a cosy, quintessentially English public house.
We would encourage anyone suffering with food allergens or specific dietary requests to alert us to these within the 'Special Requests' section of your reservation so as we may brief our team accordingly prior to your arrival

Top review

JohnVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Love Christmas Eve meal, drinks and family ritual.

The Gallipot Inn

4.7

4.7 (169)

£25 and under

British

Hartfield

About the restaurant

Set within the historical parish of Hartfield famous for A.A.Milne Winnie-the-Pooh books. The Gallipot Inn lies a stones throw from Ashdown Forest and has a excellent reputation for food & drink throughout the area.

After being the the chef for over seven years Leo has taken over the business with his wife Kerry and warmly welcome you to our establishment.

Top review

angela

Dined 5 days ago

Great food .. excellent service.. super ambience ..

The Cove

4.7

4.7 (61)

£25 and under

Pub

Pett

About the restaurant

In sleepy Fairlight, on the edge of the Firehills, The Cove is an independently run freehouse serving locals, wanderers and gastronauts alike. Halfway between Hastings and Rye, The Cove is the perfect stop after a walk across the local beaches and coastal paths of East Sussex. We have a fire for the winter nights, a garden for summer days, and a friendly bar waiting to welcome you.

Originally a hotel, the building sat empty for several years until 2022, when the Cove was renovated, restored and reopened with a new lease of life. It has quickly gained a reputation for excellent, elevated pub food with local chef and restauranteur Nick Hales leading the kitchen.

In 2023 it was featured on The Times 50 Best Summer Pubs, and given a glowing review by Grace Dent in The Guardian Observer.

Top review

Richard

Dined 3 days ago

A delicious lunch and superb service. The perfect start to our Christmas celebrations. Thank you.

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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