Looking for somewhere good for lunch over the weekend, as follows;
Location – Around the Lewes to /Uckfield sort of area
Good food (Not chicken in a basket stuff!)
Good beer
Nice big beer garden for the sunshine
Nice walking territory for a post prandial perambulation

TIA!

Lewes isn’t short of good pubs and has it’s own brewery in Harveys. The Snowdrop is supposed to be good for food but I haven’t eaten there myself.

Lamb Inn, Ripe, Lewes, you’ll be at the foot of the Downs, near Firle.

The Ram, Firle, base of the South Down’s escarpement and also a nice park to wander through. (Dunno what the food’s like ‘cos haven’t eaten there for years).

Rewski, R U geographically confused with the Ram?

I’d try and avoid Lewes this weekend – Mumford and Sons are playing a festival there and as the festival site is right next to the town and has an open door policy the whole place will be heaving.

http://www.gentlemenoftheroad.com/lewes/

Rewski, R U geographically confused with the Ram?

Yes, I mean’t the Ram at Firle, the heat is getting to me. Thanks

Thanks, all. Especially re avoiding Lewes. Have no desire to hear any of their drivel! 🙂

If i’m in Lewes i always head to The Snowdrop.

the Ginger Fox chain is supposed to do good food, but no direct experience of it myself? http://thegingerfox.com/ Pricey though.

This place certainly has a lovely location if you want countryside

http://www.anchorinnandboating.co.uk/

But only ever had Ploughmans type food so can’t really recommend, plus it’s a popular wedding venue. There is a lovely circular walk you can do following the Ouse and through some woodland though.

The Pelham Arms in Lewes does pretty good food if you stay in the town.

If you don’t mind going a little further East then the Lamb in Wartling is sensational, as too is the Eight Bells in Jevington, nice range of Harveys and Long Man, Golden Tipple is a great pint.

This place in High Hurstwood does excellent food: http://www.thehurstwood.com/

Went there last year with the in-laws and a friend of theirs who owns the freehold – relentless rain that day so I couldn’t tell you what it’s like outdoors!

The Ram, Firle, base of the South Down’s escarpement and also a nice park to wander through. (Dunno what the food’s like ‘cos haven’t eaten there for years).

I last ate there about a year ago & the food was very good (as was the beer). It’s been busy every time we’ve been mind & the garden’s not huge.

I would’ve suggested the Cock Inn on the road between Lewes & Uckfield, but I don’t know what the food’s like and it might have brought back bad memories of CFH’s time at prep school 😉

Actually, it’s not a pub but what used to be Silletts Cottage in Selmeston does great food & beer & also had a decent garden.

Edit: HERE

A bit further east – http://www.theblackboys.co.uk/

I’d also echo the Ram, and with a bit of travel, you can then pop in to http://www.middlefarm.com/ and their excellent cider shop.

Blackboys is good.
Griffyn at Fletching is excellent (although not cheap), biiig garden & decent bbq bit.
Snowdrop in lewes is excellent (and a freehouse with good selection of beer and grub), its only downside is the garden is paved.
Ram at firle has sadly gone downhill, i certainly wouldnt recommend eating there unless you like small portions. The middle farm cider shop is well worth a visit though.
Abergavenny arms at Rodmell (just off SDW, south of lewes) is good for food…. which you’ll regret when you’re facing itford hill.
Half moon at plumpton, much as I hate to recommend it…. is pretty nice when they have the garden BBQ fired up.

Some of the local brews are very love/hate (harveys, Im looking at you), hence why I tend to rave about the freehouses.

Enjoy 🙂

Scrum

Interesting to hear the RAM isn’t as good as it was. 🙁

Doesn’t quite fit with the captains requirement but the Cinders buffet on the Lavender line is a favourite stop on club runs 🙂

I would’ve suggested the Cock Inn on the road between Lewes & Uckfield

When I was around 10 a good friend was the son of the landlords and chicken in a basket and unlimited Coca Cola seemed like as good as life could get, it was 1975 and we were easily pleased back then.

When I was around 10 a good friend was the son of the landlords and chicken in a basket and unlimited Coca Cola seemed like as good as life could get….

I’m suprised The Cock is still running after being sidelined into an oxbow of redundant highway when they straightend the main road back in the 1980s – The Angler’s Rest around the corner’s gone and that was always a much busier pub.

……it was 1975 and we were easily pleased back then.

You’re the same age as me then. A fellow Lewesian perhaps?.. {looks at avdave’s profile}.. Were you the person with your name who lived up the top of Gundreda Road?

Hi slugwash, no I didn’t live in Lewes, I was in Ringmer between 72 and 76.

sidelined into an oxbow of redundant highway

Is that Philip Larkin? 🙂