Dedicate four days to sipping and savouring the local flavours of one of Sussex’s most abundant foodie regions.
This weekend escape in Horsham is a toast to Sussex’s thriving food and drink scene. Just one hour from London, you’ll sip wine among sun-dappled vineyards, snack on cheese mere metres from the cows that produced it, and learn how the local landscapes help shape every mouthful. Between bites – many of them Michelin starred – walk under dark skies, explore elegant estates and learn hands-on skills from the land. Bottoms up!
Friday: Beers, boutiques and a night under the stars
Ease into your weekend with a blend of local brews, boutique shopping and celestial skies.
Your weekend starts in Horsham, a historic market town sandwiched between the Weald and the upper reaches of the River Arun. A great mix of independents and high street names line the cobblestone streets and square, and the Carfax Local Market (Thu-Fri) is perfect for picnic supplies. There are stalls selling street food – from pho and bao to goulash and curried goat – alongside sausages, artisan bread, fresh fruit and even dog biscuits.
When you’ve had your fill, head to Brolly Brewery’s Taproom, recognised as one of the UK’s best independent brewery taprooms. There’s always something going on in the colourful bar. If you can, come back on the right Sunday for a Tour + Tasting. Led by chief brewer and owner Brook, it’s a brilliant way to learn more about the brewing process.
Still thirsty? Detour to the taproom at Firebird Brewery in Rudgwick (monthly tours available too) and pair a pint with cheese toasties from the nearby Milk Churn, with views of the Charmer cows that helped make your snack.
If you’re visiting when the nights are longer, spend the evening on Kithurst Hill on a self-guided stargazing stroll, or lace up for a guided Dark Skies walk with Pied A Terre Adventures.
Saturday: Sip and swirl your way through Sussex
Channel the spirited side of Horsham with distillery tours and vineyard hopping.
Today brings a choice. Vineyards, distilleries, or both? Treat yourself to a late breakfast then choose between a whole day roaming the vines, or a day shared between wine tasting spirit sampling.
Vineyard tours to pick from:
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Kinsbrook, a progressive vineyard run by some of the UK’s youngest vineyard owners, offers laid-back tours and tastings (1.5 hours, 11am, Saturdays).
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Bolney, one of UK’s first commercial wine estates, matches award-winning wines with food plates on The Ultimate Wine & Food Tasting Tour (3 hours, 11am & 1pm, Saturdays).
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Nutbourne, a family-run vineyard with an emphasis on sustainability and art as well as excellent wines, runs guided tours of the vineyard and winery (2 hours, 11am Saturdays, May-Sep).
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Nyetimber runs tours of their historic vineyards alongside guided tastings of their award-winning sparkling wines in a 15th-century barn (2.5 hours, mornings and afternoons on selected Saturday and Sunday, Jul-Sep).
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Wiston Estate has been run by the same family since 1743 but the vines are relatively new, planted in 2006 with a commitment to sustainability (several different tours run throughout the year).
In the afternoon, you can turn your attention to Sussex’s spirits! Uncover the alchemy behind the Sussex brandies and grape vodkas on a Spirit of the Downs tour (45 mins, 1pm & 3pm, Saturdays, Mar–Oct). Founder Michael Yeoman makes the small-batch spirits from leftover pressed grapes from English wine producers.
Over in Henfield, Goldstone Rum opens its distillery doors for occasional Saturday tours and evening Spirit Lab sessions where you can craft your own rum. Whatever you choose to do, always check dates and book in advance then take your time and linger over the flavours and the views!
Sunday: Garden rambles and countryside bites
Relax and reset with a gentle garden stroll and more local treats.
Ease into Sunday and the last two days of your foodie break in Sussex with a wander around some of the area’s most beautiful gardens. The 240-acre Leonardslee Lake & Gardens have been called ‘the finest woodland gardens in England’. The Victorian Rock Garden is always a hit with guests, and sculptures from local artists and South African sculptor Anton Smit sit alongside the gardens’ trees, shrubs and flowers. And keep your eyes peeled for wallabies!
The gardens are also a natural larder for Leonardslee’s restaurant, Interlude, which has a Michelin star and a Michelin Green star (awarded to restaurants with exceptional sustainable practices). Book lunch or dinner here for an extraordinary culinary journey through the estate before or after your own ramble through the grounds! Or, sample sparkling wine made from Leonardslee’s own vines on a Wine Tasting Experiences in the Leonardslee Tasting Room. You can also dine on Michelin-starred dishes at The Pass, South Lodge’s Michelin-starred restaurant.
To explore a house as well as beautiful gardens, visit Nymans. Here, elegant ruins meet rambling borders and wooded trails. Much of the house was built at the end of the 19th century and remodelled repeatedly until it was mostly destroyed by fire in 1947 – hence the ruins. The remaining intimate rooms are utterly charming, with antique furniture, tapestries and works of art. Outside, the charm offensive continues with an impossibly romantic rose garden, rare plants, creatively shaped topiary and sweeping views of the South Downs.
Monday: Learn from the land
Round off your foodie weekend in Sussex by getting hands-on with the landscapes that feed it.
Wrap up your break with something practical. Garlic Wood Farm butchery courses teach knife skills, butchery techniques and joint preparation on a working beef and cider-apple farm. Prefer to stretch your legs – and exercise your taste buds – one last time before you head home? Join a Pied A Terre Adventures guided walk. Their themed routes, like Wild Meadows & Wine, Hills, Heath, Hops & Hampers or Tea Rooms, are the perfect blend of exercise and indulgence. Get in touch with Pied a Terre Adventures to confirm dates.
Pied A Terre also run navigation and outdoor skills courses. They’re the perfect preparation for planning your own dream picnic hike – fuelled by the delicious local food and drink you’ve sampled this weekend, of course!
Where to stay on a foodie break in Sussex
Stay close to the source as you sleep in hotels with Michelin-starred restaurants or among the vines and gardens that provide the food.
Leonardslee House offers 10 elegant rooms in the renowned gardens. Book dinner at Interlude, the Michelin-starred that forages ingredients from the gardens.
South Lodge, a grand country house with a nature-inspired spa, cottages and lodges, is also home to The Pass – a Michelin-starred dining experience set right in the kitchen itself.
The Pump House is a pretty self-catering cottage built from flint and red brick in the heart of the Wiston Estate – ideal for winery tours, tastings and five-course meals in Chalk, the estate’s restaurant.
Prefer to cook or explore Horsham’s eateries on foot? Book a self-catering stay in the area.
