Horley, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

This “nice pub” close to Box Hill in the Mole Valley is known for its “good-quality food” – which means you need to book ahead for Sunday lunch. From the five-strong local Grumpy Mole group, it is known as ‘The Inn on the Green’.

“For us, as garden lovers, a magical place” – this Elizabethan country house in the Sussex countryside sits in grounds laid out in the 1880s by the famous landscape gardener who then owned the property (and has been a hotel since 1958). “It‘s probably best to enjoy Gravetye in the summer when it is delightful to wander round the beautiful gardens with an aperitif” and to get the most out of “the modern, conservatory-style dining room, which is simply dazzling in design, creating a feeling of almost being in the garden”. Since its 2019 relaunch, there has been a major upgrade to the cuisine here, with chef George Blogg preparing “beautifully balanced dishes with assured use of ingredients”: “seasonal produce is allowed to shine and sing”. (The food would score even higher if the odd reporter did not find it “a bit safe”). Staff generally “can’t do enough for you” but ratings slipped slightly this year on one or two “hit ’n’ miss” experiences in this regard. No complaints of any significance were highlighted, and the general impression is that a meal here is “so smart, and of such quality”.

This “extremely popular” 16th-century free house with four bedrooms, in a hilltop village in the Sussex Weald, has everything you want in a country pub, from “very good cooking” and beamed interiors to “a lovely pint of Harvey’s”.

“Whilst the travails of hospitality in these challenging times have reduced the opening times and menu options (notably the previously excellent-value set lunch), absolutely no compromise has been made by chef-owner Steve Drake in the quality of the cuisine” at his smartly presented Surrey HQ, and all reports say “he continues to provide succulent and splendid culinary masterpieces with exemplary service”… “cutting-edge and well worth the investment”.

2023 Review: This “lovely” mid-Victorian boozer (believed to be the only ‘Haycutter’ in the country) earns solid ratings for its “good old-fashioned pub grub” and “brilliant” all-round performance. It is now part of the Brunning & Price group.

In the “dream location” of this sleepy but charming West Sussex hamlet, Matt Gillan’s “romantic” restaurant-with-rooms “continues to be a strong all-rounder” offering a “very convivial and relaxing experience” (especially if you opt for the “brilliant tasting menus”). Add in “superbly decorated bedrooms” and “breakfast – the icing on the cake”.

2022 Review: “The hype is all true!” – “The most extraordinary selection of stunningly presented South African-influenced dishes” inspires a huge thumbs-up for Jean Delport’s cuisine at this “memorable” destination. It is set in “staggering grounds, too” – “sitting in the lovely Leonardslee Gardens, just outside Horsham”.

“A lovely setting overlooking the gardens towards the South Downs” helps set up a “top-class experience” at this Elizabethan country house spa-hotel: “decor… ambience… service… food all are first rate”. Mind you, “there‘s nothing flash/super-creative about any of this: they know their market and it’s just really well executed”.

“Ben Wilkinson, previously of ‘Cottage in the Woods’, Linklater, has brought his fabulous clean cooking south” with the “very inventive” seven-course menu for £145 per person that he delivers at this well-known chef’s table experience within a boutique hotel set in 93 acres with views of the South Downs, which he joined in late 2022. In short order it has become one of the more accoladed restaurants in the UK, having won a Michelin star and 4 AA rosettes (the latter actually being the rarer accolade) and all of the feedback that we receive rates the experience as very good or better.

2021 Review: This “delightful pub with an excellent garden” on the edge of Ashdown Forest wins solid ratings for an inviting menu of locally sourced dishes. A family-run freehouse, it also has a strong list of local beers, wines and ciders.

2021 Review: “Good Italian food in the Surrey Hills” is to be found in this substantial village pub, now operated by an Italian team that ran restaurants in Guildford for three decades. The bar menu of pizzas and pasta is complemented by a more formal menu in the restaurant.

“Set in a charming cottage” in an “attractive Surrey Hills village setting”, this red-brick restaurant is “a class act from the off”, beginning with the “warm welcome” from Jack Forrest Foster, who purchased the restaurant alongside chef Mohssine El Faddi in 2019 (the venue having been in existence for over three decades). “The modern British food has a North African influence which adds to the interest and taste” and invariably “draws you back”.

Taken over by Simon King and Matt Larcombe, ex-head chef of The Crown at Bray, three years back, this smart red-brick former beer house in the Surrey ‘burbs enjoys a “lovely setting” (“the opening of the beautiful garden last year is a lovely addition for warm summer evenings”). At the pass, “new chef Dan (Lee) has done brilliantly to retain the standards of this ‘fine-dining’ pub”, turning out “outstanding” and modern takes on British pub grub – though a visit can get “pricey” (especially if you avail yourself of the rarer vintages on the wine list).

A sibling to Birch in Cheshunt, set in a very large, 18th-century mansion in 200 acres which follows a similar formula combining hotel, club and co-working space. The top culinary attraction is this dining room in the heart of the old property offering foraged fine dining from ex-Typing Room chef, Lee Westcott. It opened in August 2023 (after our annual diners’ poll had concluded) and offers a five-course tasting menu for £69 per person (with a wine pairing at £49 per person). There is also Vervain: an all-day brasserie (plus three bars, a spa, and Lido).