Harden's says
This new Pig hotel is situated in Grade II-listed Madehurst Lodge near Arundel, boasting the largest kitchen garden in the Pig group and also the first vineyard. As with previous Pig properties, the restaurant will be supplied with locally sourced ingredients by farms within a 25 mile radius.
Harden's survey result
Summary
“What a lovely setting” – on a hilltop in the South Downs National Park – for a “very typical ‘Pig’”: Robin Hutson’s well-known litter of shabby-chic hotels (now sold to private equity). At almost two acres, the kitchen garden enables “a good exhibition of farm-to-fork”, although the most critical diners feel “the cooking is not particularly interesting or exciting (possibly because it has been replicated by so many)”. There’s a “great list of Sussex and Kent wines”, soon to be joined by bottles from the estate’s own vines – a ‘Pig’ first – and a herd of South Downs sheep.
Summary
“You really can’t go wrong with Pig food... great bar, great restaurant full of people all enjoying themselves with tasty food and wine” at the eighth and latest in the shabby-chic litter of Pig hotels, in a “stunning location” on the South Downs. It also serves “great local wines”, which will soon be joined by bottles from the 4,000 vines planted on the estate, due to be harvested for the first time this year. A small but vocal minority complain of “bistro food (just!), London prices and cafe service”.
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at The Pig in the South Downs?
Madehurst, Arundel, BN18 0NL
Restaurant details
The Pig in the South Downs Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Given the reputation of the chain of Pig Restaurants/Hotels, we were looking forward to a very enjoyable evening; and it was enjoyable, but not because of the food. The food was pleasant, nice, but nothing special. The menu helpfully uninformative about what would come on the plate other than the 'main' item. My cottage pie was swimming in a lovely gravy but so much so that the mash was almost a soup. Other dishes were better than adequate but not worthy of their reputation. In other words, a restaurant in lovely surroundings living on their reputation not their quality."
"Rammed and noisy, with a car park full of expensive motors, this beautiful spot in the South Downs (reached by a narrow lane) is ultimately more style than substance. Cooking acceptable (but no more than that) and disengaged service: to its credit, the prices are not greedy. Not, in our view, a destination restaurant."
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £30.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £3.50 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £4.00 |
| Service | 12.50% |
Madehurst, Arundel, BN18 0NL
Opening hours
| Monday | 7 am‑9:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 7 am‑9:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 7 am‑9:30 pm |
| Thursday | 7 am‑9:30 pm |
| Friday | 7 am‑9:30 pm |
| Saturday | 7 am‑9:30 pm |
| Sunday | 7 am‑9:30 pm |
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