Escape from the City: A Guide to the Best of Sussex

By Mallory Legg

If you’re a city person, there’s nothing like ‘getting away’ for the weekend. This past weekend, I did just that. I took the southern railway for about an hour and a half and arrived in Horsham, a village in Sussex where I would stay and relax and explore for two days. After such a blissful weekend, I feel compelled to share my small though effective itinerary, mostly centred around food as my excursions often are, so that you, too, might feel drawn to the country next time your social battery runs out. Often, in those cases, the only antidote to the problem is a getaway in a place not too far away yet simultaneously on a seemingly different planet as the London metropolis. Here’s a guide on some of the best places to spend a sumptuous few days away in Sussex, and escape the hustle of the city.

The Best of Sussex: Our Favourite Spots

Arundel 

While most of my articles do focus on food, it would be criminal to talk about Sussex without providing a glimpse into the historical landmarks it is home to, especially the town and castle of Arundel. It’s one of the largest castle museums I’ve visited in the country and is in glorious condition. Twists and turns lead to priceless pieces of art and a feeling of true homeliness, as the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk and their family still call the place home. It’s a sight to behold. After the thousands of steps it takes to get in and out, there are countless stops around the village for coffees, pastries, toasties and more. Make a day of it, my recommendations won't be necessary here, as a simple stroll through town is all that is necessary to find something satisfying.

Photo: Gary Stearman

Kinsbrook Vineyard

While Sussex has much to offer on the farm and vineyard front, being home to the now familiar Nyetimber name, there is another place that is nearly unparalleled when it comes to eating on the vine estate. Kinsbrook. We went in for a look around their shop, hoping to pick up a few cheeses and perhaps a bottle of wine - we ended up staying for three courses, two bottles, and, of course, four cheeses for later that evening. With not much in mind in terms of expectations, we were simply blown away. A large table which overlooked all of the grapes first welcomed tempura broccoli with nori mayo; the overt umami edge coupled with the crispy yet light batter which enveloped broccoli so soft it may have been a croquette only developed the already glorious glass of KIN Bacchus 2022 (from Kinsbrook).

This wine, perfect for the day, we would pair with every dish, versatile as it was. Then the grilled cos lettuce came; a play on Caesar that was home to bacon lardons and, star of the show, battered and fried anchovies. Everyone at the table tucked into this one, and the salty yet fresh bite of the charred leaves would take the cake as my favourite plate. Finally, the summer squash risotto and the Sussex beef came, showcasing both the seasonal variety as well as the quality meat which the area raises and sustains. Overall, this meal was simply one of the best culinary experiences I’ve had in 2024, and the contentment I felt led us straight to the cheese counter, where I purchased one of the, again, best cheeses I’ve had this year. A soft, inviting one called Maida Vale. 

Jacobs Bagels 

On a busy road in Pulborough, if you look closely, you might find a sign indicating ‘Jacobs Bagels’. Seemingly directed into a schoolhouse-converted home, you might feel like you're in the wrong place but, no, the waft of fresh bread redirects you. I was lucky enough to get the friends and family tour, sampling soft pretzels, plain bagels, cheese and onion, and cheese and jalapeno bagels; but what will always take the cake, for me, is a toasted everything bagel with fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil.

For others, it might be the cheese and jalapeno with pastrami, pickles and mustard. To each their own, but unlike many Brits who have tackled the quite drastic bagel scene in the UK, Tino at Jacobs Bagels has got the art down to a science. Since perfecting the craft, Tino now churns out 100s of fresh bagels daily, not for a profit, he says, but for the love of feeding people. 

The Rising Sun Pub

One of the better combinations, aside from cheese and wine, is dinner and live music. For our last night, we went to the rising sun for just that. Sitting down, it was a pub experience with low beamed ceilings and perfectly dimmed lighting that simply begged one to get a bottle of bubbly. I’d written about Nyetimber before, an English sparkling wine label now curbing the market, so I had to confirm that what I had written about had taste behind the facts. The bottle arrived and landed well with everyone; shortly after, my two orders, both specials, of scallops and crab salad arrived. The scallops would prove to be my favourite, served with a perfectly creamy, salty and light sauce; the shell was practically licked clean.

Further, the Nutbourne tomato salad, Nutbourne being a local vineyard whose tomatoes seem to be on the menu nearly everywhere, was a stunner in its reds, oranges and yellows, which proved valuable on a table of hakes and crabs and pasta. As the sparkling wine continued to flow and we eventually moved on to red, the pub turned into a concert, and I heard arguably the best guitar solo known to man, Hotel California, be nailed by a three-man band residing in Sussex; guys who could compete with the best of the best, I reckon, or perhaps they already have. With the hours slipping away in the grips of the little pub floor pounding with the sounds of an electric guitar, we stumbled home. It had been a successful weekend in Sussex, and we, though mournfully, contentedly dragged ourselves to the train station a few hours later, back to London.