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Julio and Ana at Valsa Gelato (©AAH/Alan Wright)

VALSA GELATO

Julio Castro is not a man who acts on a whim. He is studious to the point of obsession and has proven so in various culinary fields. Food has been his passion for the best part of 20 years. Full story here.

Tom Hamblet at The Pass, South Lodge Hotel (©AAH/Alan Wright)

TOM HAMBLET

Tom Hamblet from Horsham has been awarded the prestigious title of MasterChef: The Professionals champion 2023. AAH caught up with Tom, 24,  as he prepares for a residency at The Camellia Restaurant. Full story here. 

Ned Burrell at the Wilding Kitchen, Knepp (©AAH/Alan Wright)

KNEPP WILDING KITCHEN

A Wilding Kitchen & Shop has opened at the heart of the Knepp estate, offering sustainably sourced meat from Knepp’s own Wild Range and fresh produce from the market garden. AAH visited to find out more. Read the full story here.

Richard Peters at the Brewery Bar (©Alan Wright)

FIREBIRD BREWING CO.

Firebird Brewing Company in Rudgwick celebrated its 10th anniversary in September. Its craft beers have become an increasingly familiar sight at pubs and bars, thanks to contemporary branding and a burgeoning reputation for exciting beers. Full story here.

Goldstone now makes five rums (©AAH/Alan Wright)

GOLDSTONE RUM, HENFIELD

John and Georgina Bowell launched Goldstone Rum, in 2022. Based at Henfield Industrial Estate, the couple have created a range of spirits using a unique combination of sugars. Read the full story here.

The Chalk restaurant team, led by head chef Tom Kemble (©AAH/AW)

CHALK AT WISTON ESTATE

Chalk Restaurant opened at the heart of the Wiston Estate last year. Under head chef Tom Kemble, the restaurant serves dishes that celebrate the heritage and purpose of the land, which has been owned and managed by the Goring family for 280 years. AAH met Richard and Kirsty Goring to talk about wine, food, South African hospitality and much more. Full story here.

Kate and Richard Loftus at Random Hall Hotel, Slinfold (©AAH/Alan Wright)

RANDOM HALL HOTEL, SLINFOLD

Random Hall is a 16th century hotel on Stane Street, Slinfold. Under the ownership of Richard and Kate Loftus, the hotel has earned a reputation for its beautiful and relaxed weddings. Full story here

Ben WIlton at Brolly Brewing  (©AAH/Alan Wright)

BROLLY BREWING IN HORSHAM

Brolly Brewing was founded in 2017 by husband and wife, Brook and Holly Saunders.  As Brolly moves into a new home in Horsham, we meet the founders to find out more. Full story here.


The Tasting Menu at the Wine Lounge, Mannings Heath Estate (©AAH/Alan Wright)

MANNINGS HEATH ESTATE

A new restaurant and wine lounge has opened at the Mannings Heath Estate this April. The Vineyard Kitchen and The Wine Lounge have been introduced to broaden the estate’s appeal. Read the full story here.

Les Nicholson at The Artisan Bakehouse (©AAH/Alan Wright)

THE ARTISAN BAKEHOUSE

Husband and wife Les and Louise Nicholson host a variety of workshops at their charming home in rural Ashurst, where guests bake anything from malthouse loaves and sourdoughs to baguettes and bagels. For full story, click here.

Sugrue South Downs wines (©AAH/Alan Wright)

SUGRUE SOUTH DOWNS

After earning a reputation as one of the UK’s leading winemakers, Dermot Sugrue founded his own company. Working alongside wife Ana, the winemaker launched Sugrue South Downs, and has received acclaim for their English sparkling wines. Here, Dermot describes his journey in his own words…

Siblings Elliott and Elina Lotvonen-Best (©AAH/Alan Wright)

MOTO TORQUE CAFE, HORSHAM

Located next to Coffee Real, the Moto Torque Café has established a reputation for good food and great coffee. However, its winning formula owes just as much to its array of motorsport memorabilia. For the full story click here

Sam Clayton at The Beer Mine (©AAH/Alan Wright)

THE BEER MINE, HORSHAM

Sam Clayton is a familiar face in Horsham, running not one but two pubs in the town centre. He has now opened The Beer Mine, offering beers from some of the best breweries around. Full story here...

The Pass at South Lodge

THE PASS AT SOUTH LODGE HOTEL

The Pass has always offered an intimate, immersive ‘chef’s table’ experience, with the 28-seat restaurant offering diners a view of the team at work behind the glass. The kitchen is now led by new head chef Ben Wilkinson. Click here for more...

Jay at The Barn Project  (©AAH/Alan Wright)

THE BARN PROJECT IN SLINFOLD

The Stone Baked Company is part of The Barn Project, located on a small farm in Slinfold. Since opening in December 2021, it has been steadily growing in popularity, thanks to its youthful team and rustic, homely charms. AAH met owner Jay to find out more

Braised short rib of beef, pomme puree, hispi cabbage with red wine sauce (©AAH/Alan Wright)

WHITE LION INN, THAKEHAM

The White Lion in Thakeham reopened its doors in October. The idyllic 16th century coaching inn has long been at the heart of village life, but had been closed for 18 months before the arrival of Ashley Chapman and Julia Sullivan. Read the full story here...

Martin serves up a pint of Little Monster at The Billi Tap (©AAH/Alan Wright)

THE BILLI TAP

Martin Nicel and Brook Saunders recently opened The Billi Tap on Billingshurst High Street, a micropub offering a different kind of experience. Full story here.

Organic Worldwide (©AAH/Alan Wright)

HORSHAM VEGAN MARKET

Vegan Fest has steadily grown and is now running at capacity with 18 stalls offering savoury snacks, chocolates, cheeses, body care products, household goods and health foods. Read the full story here

Monte Forte in East Street, Horsham

MONTE FORTE PIZZERIA

Monte Forte opened at 18 East Street in Horsham on 31 July. The business is run by brothers Paolo and Luca Malavasi, who started out selling street food from a converted horsebox just four years ago. They describe their journey here...

House Coren, Boco

HOUSE COREN VINEYARD

The Horsham District’s fine reputation for wine has been enhanced enhanced by the launch of ‘Boco’ by House Coren. Located in The Haven, near Slinfold, House Coren has achieved a first among Sussex vineyards by creating a sparkling wine using the Charmat method. Full story here.

Horsham Brewery Company

HORSHAM BREWERY CO

The focus on local traditions is evident in the name of the beers at The Horsham Brewery Company Ltd: Normandy, Carfax, Bishopric, Causeway and HBC Best. Full story here.

Tom Tabor with a fresh lobster at The Pure Oyster Company

THE PURE OYSTER COMPANY

The Pure Oyster Company was no doubt a fitting name for the business when it was founded by Janet Tabor with her sons Joe and Harold in 1907. More than a century later, the business remains in family hands, now fronted by brothers Nick and Tom Tabor. But while oysters remain, there’s much more on the menu today. Full story here

Lewis Wilson

LEWIS BEHIND THE SCENES

Lewis Wilson has launched his own business, Lewis Behind the Scenes, which sees the young chef cooking for people in their own home. Full story here.

Wimblehurst Chocolates

WIMBLEHURST CHOCOLATES

Lindsey Williams goes to great lengths to create a perfect chocolate, recreating the magical bites she remembers from her own childhood. Read the full story here

Cinnamon buns (©AAH/Toby Phillips Photography)

GWYN'S BAKERY, HORSHAM

Gwyn’s Bakery opened its doors on the Bishopric, Horsham, shortly after the end of the first lockdown. Click here for the full article

Tom Scanlon at Nuthurst Orchard

NUTHURST ORCHARDS

Tom and Chesca Scanlon founded their own cider business, Nuthurst Orchard, after finding an ideal plot while on a tandem bicycle ride. Since then, they’ve been perfecting the art of combining the distinctive tastes of English and French apples. Tom explains how it all came to fruition here

Clare Francis (©AAH/Toby Phillips Photography)

SCRUMPTIOUS CUPCAKES BY CLARE

Where do you go to find a Pennywise the Clown cake for a fan of the Steven King horror, It? Billingshurst cake maker Clare Francis has carved out a reputation for her remarkable sculptural cakes. Full story here

Pollyanna's Kitchen

POLLYANNA'S KITCHEN

Having started out making her own chilli sauce for  family meals, Pollyanna Hutchinson has built an acclaimed business. For full story click here

The M Bar

THE M BAR IN HORSHAM

The M Bar has quickly established itself as one of Horsham’s most popular bars. For the full story click here

Heritage at The Chequers

HERITAGE AT THE CHEQUERS

Matt Gillan has taken on an Edwardian pub brimming with character in the idyllic village of Slaugham. Once again, he’s dazzling diners with a daring, vibrant menu to showcase his undoubted culinary expertise. Full story here

The George and Dragon, Dragons Green

GEORGE & DRAGON, DRAGONS GREEN

While being respectful of the pub’s history, Simon and business partner Jon Ewers have taken this charming pub in a very different direction. Click here for full story

Restaurant Interlude

RESTAURANT INTERLUDE AT LEONARDSLEE

From the moment the first dish arrives, it’s evident that Interlude is going to be a unique experience. For full story click here

The Crabtree

THE CRABTREE IN LOWER BEEDING

AAH visited The Crabtree to find the pub in a transitional period. Abilio Oliveira has been settling into the role of general manager, whilst a relatively inexperienced yet exciting kitchen team are starting to gel. For full story click here

The Horsham Cellar

THE HORSHAM CELLAR

Horsham has a new independent wine merchant, run by the experienced Luke Smith. For full story click here

The Sheep Dairy

THE SHEEP DAIRY IN COPSALE

The Sheep Dairy has taken the rare step of milking its flock for small scale production of sheep’s milk. For the full story click here

New Street Butchers

NEW STREET BUTCHERS, HORSHAM

New Street Butchers has survived tough times for over 50 years, but is now thriving as demand for quality local produce grows. For full article click here

Max's Diner

MAX'S DINER IN HORSHAM

On the Graylands Estate, near a landfill site on Langhurstwood Road, you’ll find a quaint little chapel,, home to an American-style diner For full story click here

Bradley and Amelia at Horsham Coffee Roaster

HORSHMA COFFEE ROASTER

Bradley and Amelia Steenkamp, founders of Horsham Coffee Roaster, meet AAH and explain how the business grew from the garage. For full story click here

Vegelution in Horsham town

HORSHAM STREET FOOD VENDORS

Every Thursday, Food Rocks brings a host of great street food vendors into Horsham’s town centre. AAH spoke to just a few to highlight the market’s diversity and the superb dishes available... For full story click here

Wobblegate fruit juices

WOBBLEGATE

When Wobblegate was launched in 2009, it turned heads for its bold pink and yellow branding. For the full story click here

Auntie Val's team

AUNTIE VAL'S IN STORRINGTON

We meet Val Challis, founder of the award-winning business Auntie Val’s, on a busy day of production in Storrington. For story click here

The Half Moon

THE HALF MOON IN KIRDFORD

The Half Moon Inn, a charming 15th century pub, has long been at the heart of this idyllic village of Kirdford. With low ceilings and protruding oak beams, the pub wasn’t built with 6’2 international models in mind. Yet the new landlady is indeed Jodie Kidd.. For full story click here

We-Fi-Fo

WE-Fi-FO

n 2016, Seni Glaister and Jon Stefani took a break from successful careers in publishing to launch a social eating revolution.Click here for More

Solid Chocolate Company

THE SOLID CHOCOLATE COMPANY

Simon Allison has created the first multi-piece solid Easter egg.Now, Solid Chocolate Company is attracting interest from around the world. For full story click here

The Vineyard Kitchen

THE VINEYARD KITCHEN, MANNINGS HEATH

A new restaurant has opened as the venue embarks on an exciting path, with a wine estate at the heart of plans by ambitious new owners. Full story here

Smoked salmon at The Tich

THE ROGER TICHBORNE

There’s a great mystery by the pub name, but it’s indisputably the great food that keeps people coming back to ‘The Tich.’ For the full story click here

The Queens Head

THE QUEENS HEAD IN BARNS GREEN

The Queens Head has been a key part of the village for centuries, but there has been changes in personnel of late. Now residing at the pub are Ben and Becks Shire, with their young family. For fll story click here

Carmela, Horsham

REVIEW: CARMELA, HORSHAM

Unlike some Italian chain restaurants in the town with a high staff turnover, visitors at Carmela in Horsham are still met by the same familiar faces.  For full review click here

The Moon, Storrington

THE MOON IN STORRINGTON

We visit the Storrington pub where “the outside of the pub betrays what we have inside" and have a great evening of big portions and fantasy board gaming. Click here for full story.

Joanna's Boutique Tearoom

JOANNA'S BOUTIQUE TEAROOM, STORRINGTON

How a touch of class has seen a new tearoom be described – by one customer at least – as ‘a slice of The Savoy in Sussex.’ For story click here

Blue India

BLUE INDIA IN BILLINGSHURST

Under the leadership of a vastly experienced Executive, Blue India is proving a popular additional to the Billingshurst High Street.! For full story visit https://aahorsham.co.uk/content/blueindia

Pizza pollo at Piazza Italia

LA PIAZZETTA, HORSHAM

After six months, La Piazzetta is starting to build up a reputation for its Neapoloitan inspired pizza and homely atmosphere. Full story at https://aahorsham.co.uk/content/lapiazzetta

Restaurant Tristan

RESTAURANT TRISTAN IN HORSHAM

Tristan has endured a tough start to 2016 after a fire closed the Michelin starred restaurant for two months. However, a relaxed atmosphere and fantastic food has ensured customers quickly returned... Click here for More

Jengers Craft Bakery

JENGERS CRAFT BAKERY IN BILLINGSHURST

Independent bakeries are disappearing from our villages and towns, but in Billingshurst, the craft bakery contrinues to thrive. What's its secret? For full story visit https://www.aahorsham.co.uk/content/jengersbakery

The Six Bells

REVIEW: THE SIX BELLS, BILLINGSHURST

This beautiful 16th Century pub has had its ups and downs but is starting to turn a corner with good value meals and a young management team. For more visit https://www.aahorsham.co.uk/content/sixbells

The Three Crowns

THE THREE CROWNS AT WISBOROUGH GREEN

The pub has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity under Tim Skinner, thanks to good food and wide, and the occasional hoedown! For full story visit https://www.aahorsham.co.uk/content/3crowns

Garlic Wood Farm Shop

GARLIC WOOD FARM IN STEYNING

Garlic Wood Farm sources its beef from the longhorn cattle, part of the rewilding project at Knepp Castle, and Dexter cattle from the Downland Scheme. Full story at https://www.aahorsham.co.uk/content/garlicwood

The Old Forge, Storrington

REVIEW: THE OLD FORGE, STORRINGTON

Still, The Old Forge makes for an enjoyable evening, with good, fresh and surprisingly inventive dishes cooked in a homely setting by a warm and welcoming couple. For more visit https://www.aahorsham.co.uk/content/oldforge

Lakeview Restaurant at Gatton Manor

THE LAKEVIEW AT GATTON MANOR

There has been extensive changes at the Gatton manor restaurant in Ockley, with a new chef and extensive refurbishment. WIll it make a difference? For full story visit https://www.aahorsham.co.uk/content/gattonmanor

The Cabin at Faygate

THE CABIN AT FAYGATE

The Cabin on the side of the A264 in Faygate, has won the 'Best Food' award at the Truck Stop of the Year Awards. So we popped along too! For the full review read https://www.aahorsham.co.uk/content/thecabin

The Windmill at Littleworth

THE WINDMILL AT LITTLEWORTH

The Windmill at Littleworth was on the ropes when the brewery decided to sell, but with a new menu in place and a sommitment to the regulars, its fighting back. Full story at https://www.aahorsham.co.uk/content/windmill

The Blue Ship's Ultimate Burger

REVIEW: THE BLUE SHIP, THE HAVEN

If you can find it, you'll find that this tucked away pub is more than just a quirky bar, with good hearty grub and a warm welcome awaiting guests. For more visit https://www.aahorsham.co.uk/content/blueship

Buenos Aires Steak House

BUENOS AIRES STEAK HOUSE, HORSHAM

Traditional, hearty Argentinian dishes cooked by an experienced Argentinian chef, served with good Argentinian Malbec wine. Yet we're left wanting a little more Argentinian! For the full review read https://www.aahorsham.co.uk/content/buenosaires

The Countryman at Shipley

REVIEW: THE COUNTRYMAN INN, SHIPLEY

At The Countryman Inn, they take the term ‘local produce’ quite literally. The lamb, for instance, comes from Sussex Lamb, next door neighbours to The Countryman. Click here for More

The Sussex Oak

The SUSSEX OAK AT WARNHAM

The pub is best known for its fine range of ales, but the family-friendly set up and honest, hearty food makes for a nice day out for all. Full story at https://www.aahorsham.co.uk/content/sussexoak

The Greets Inn

REVIEW: THE GREETS INN, WARNHAM

The Greets Inn in Warnham is busy on a cold Thursday night, which tells you all you need to know about how far the pub has come in recent years Click here for More

Green Man, Partridge Green

REVIEW, THE GREEN MAN, PARTRIDGE GREEN

Nick and Becky Illes are celebrating 21 years in the restaurant trade, and have learnt that simplicity is key to success. Click here for More

Billys on the Road
BILLY'S ON THE ROAD, BILLINGSHURST
It may be a roadside cafe, but by offering fresh, locally-sourced food, Billy's is providng popular with more than truckers. it's dragging people in from the surrounding villages too. Read review at https://www.aahorsham.co.uk/content/billys


Haldi in Southwater

HALDI IN SOUTHWATER

It's a tried and tested formula, but Haldi offers consisently good, clean Indian cuisine with a smile in the heart of Southwater. Read full story at https://www.aahorsham.co.uk/content/haldi

Chequers of Rowhook

THE CHEQUERS OF ROWHOOK

Tim and Kate Neal have managed to create the very definition of a destination pub in the heart of the tiny hamlet of Rowhook. Wherever on Earth that is. Read at https://www.aahorsham.co.uk/content/chequer

Venison

REVIEW: THE CAMELLIA AT SOUTH LODGE

We visit the five star hotel's 'in-house' restaurant to see how Steven Edwards' triumph on MasterChef: The Professionals has affected The Camellia's reputation. Click here for More

Crown Inn
THE CROWN AT DIAL POST
James Middleton-Burn has gone back to basics at the Dial Post pub, and his Crown Comforts are proving a great hit. Read tthe full review on the Food and Drink menu
New Curry Centre

NEW CURRY CENTRE IN HORSHAM

The Curry Centre was the first Indian restaurant in Horsham when it was opened back in 1968. But doe it still set the standard here in Horsham? Click here for More

 

The Orchard

THE ORCHARD IN WEST GRINSTEAD

It’s been well over a decade since Little Chef picked up the last handful of children’s lollypops and departed the building. Now David and Sarah Chadburn are in charge. Click here for More

 

The Bax Castle

REVIEW: THE BAX CASTLE NEAR HORSHAM

A new landlord and his team of chefs are continuing to revive the fortunes of the Downs Link pub through good food and a focus on families. Click here for More

Wendy Keating

THE HARE AND HOUNDS IN COWFOLD

When Wendy Keating took over the Hare and Hounds pub in Cowfold two and a half years ago, she was aware of the importance of simplicity. Click here for More

 

Filippo's

FILIPPO'S IN HORSHAM

The menu is simplistic and familiar, but it is all freshly made to order and offers an honest interpretation of Sicilian and Mediterranean home cooking. Click here for More

Black Horse Inn

REVIEW: BLACK HORSE INN, NUTHURST

“It’s lovely from the outside, and you walk in and there’s an inglenook fireplace right in front of you. It’s a quintessentially British pub.” Click here for More

The Partridge

REVIEW: THE PARTRIDGE, PARTRIDGE GREEN

A year ago, The Partridge was a pub in decline. The interior was dull and lifeless, food was not served and it wasn’t renowned for its real ales either. Click here for More