Upending its sleepy seaside town stereotype, Eastbourne’s restaurant scene is full and flourishing. Over the past few years, the town has quietly built one of the most characterful dining scenes on the south coast, home to some of the best restaurants in the southeast. From seafood to street food, fine dining to frites, you’ll find the town genuinely full of foodie haunts.
The vast majority of its establishments are independently owned, owner-run kitchens, with talented chefs creating truly seasonal menus centred on locally-sourced Sussex ingredients. And if you need to tag on an overnight stay, there’s nowhere better to sleep off a delicious feed than one of The Langham’s seafront rooms. In fact, you’ll need a few days at least to sample all the great places, as there’s a lot to love and laud in Eastbourne’s dining scene.
Best for wine and small plates
Relaxed, informal and very popular with Eastbournians, Cru serves up seasonal dishes catering to those who like small tapas style plates. That said, for those who don’t like to share so much, don’t worry, you won’t go hungry with their ‘large plates’ menu. The wine list is extensive with over 200 options (craft beer and other alcohol available) and the menus change every other month, probably why it’s such a perennially popular place, because you’ll never get bored with the offing.
Best for fresh seafood
A seafood and oyster bar, Shuck! is the brainchild of the folks behind Cru. Oysters shucked to order and seafood grilled over charcoal, it’s an epicurean delight. Small plates and whole fish to share, add a certain Eastbourne-on-the-med vibe, perfect for getting in the holiday spirit. It has more five-star reviews than there are fish in the sea (almost). And if you’re not a seafood fan, it has vegetarian and vegan plates with ingredients sourced from the owners’ Sussex smallholding.
Best for fine dining with a view
An AA Rosette-winning restaurant, The Langham offers fine dining in a welcoming, non-stuffy environment where you can celebrate good food in good company overlooking Eastbourne’s seafront. A wide-ranging menu offers locally sourced meat, fish and vegetarian dishes and it’s family friendly. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner it welcomes non-residents too with its Sunday lunch jazz now somewhat of an Eastbourne tradition, served old school from a carving trolley with a live band playing chilled tunes.
Yes, this one’s ours. We’ve included it because it belongs on the list, so judge for yourself.
Best for locally sourced, seasonal cuisine
Skylark is a café by day and a candlelit restaurant by night serving honest, locally sourced cuisine in accordance with the seasons. With an ever-changing blackboard menu, this is the place to go if you’re looking for a memorable and intimate meal. Fiercely independent and loyal to its Sussex roots, its pork and fish dishes are incredibly popular and the restaurant is commended for its good veggie and vegan options. Visit for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner and join the many people who call Skylark their favourite place to eat in Eastbourne. You’ll find it on Grove Road, in the town centre.
Best for classic French bistro fayre
Situated directly on the sea front, Eastbourne’s outpost of the French chain, Bistrot Pierre, is très chic. Offering incredible views over the water and Eastbourne’s famous chalk cliffs, the elegant interiors and panoramic terrace really elevate the experience of dining au bord de la mare. Head there for all the French classics, moules frites, steak frites and more, the views equally as stunning in summer or winter. Open for breakfast from 9am it has an excellent value set-price menu available all day with other seasonal menus in the mix too. And if you’re looking for a quick snack on the go, check out its Friterie next door, serving crowd-pleasing frites, loaded fries and ice-cream, destined to keep the kids happy.
Best for sweet treats & sourdough aficionados
Open Thursday to Sunday, just off the Grand Parade on Terminus Road, To The Rise is a gorgeous little European-style artisanal bakery, purveyors of, arguably, the best sourdough on the southern coast. Founded by three sisters, each loaf is made with 100% organic flour, more often than not, Sussex grown. Serving up their much-loved staples alongside seasonal bakes, with seating available inside and out, pop by for a freshly ground coffee and one of their cult pastries – and of course, to pick up a loaf!
Best for coffee & brunch
Roasting their own coffee on site, Nelson wins the prize for artisanal tip-top coffee in Eastbourne, bringing a little bit of Melbourne’s famed café culture to the UK south coast. Serving breakfast and brunch from eight ’til three, you’ll find an Australasian-inspired menu full of fresh flavours and crowd-pleasing classics. Get your weekend off to a flying start and join them for their Saturday Bottomless Brunch, choose any dish and enjoy unlimited mimosas and bellinis (for 90 minutes!). Situated close to the station, it’s well worth a visit no matter how brief your stay in Eastbourne.
Best for Indian street food
Serving up sharing plates of casual and contemporary Indian street food, not far from the seafront on Terminus Road, Tuk Tuk is a great place to go for succulent mouth-watering flavours. From tandoori to thali, there’s something for everyone, fusing cuisine from all over India. A good place to go if you’re dining with a group (although please book first), it has a broad range of dishes and a dedicated vegan menu. Extremely well-reviewed, the food is guaranteed not to disappoint.
Best for a country-pub meal
Winner of Best Sussex Pub in 2026 and holder of two current AA Rosette awards, The Eight Bells in Jevington is the place to be – and well worth the short drive out of town. Serving lunch and dinner on Tuesday to Sunday with an a la carte and a set menu, they also do a very popular Friday evening takeaway option. Regularly changing menus champion local produce, featuring everything from Romney Marsh lamb to Sussex smoked haddock in between serving up twists on classics like ham, egg and chips with a Sussex pork chop. When they say they source locally, they absolutely mean it. A fantastic pub doing great things, and one definitely not to be missed.
With all this eating, you’ll really need a base from which to explore it all. The Langham Hotel on the seafront is a short walk from Eastbourne’s best restaurants and offers stylish seaview rooms with one of the most popular breakfasts in town. Dine in its AA Rosette-winning restaurant, enjoy a cocktail on the terrace or a traditional afternoon tea, all in house. You’ll find the staff super friendly and helpful and it’s the perfect base from which to explore all Eastbourne has to offer.
Barney Pout is Entertainment Manager at The Langham Hotel Eastbourne. A long-term Eastbourne local, he looks after the hotel's events and entertainment, and performs around the town with his wife Paula, who runs a vocal training school teaching in and around Eastbourne. He shares his pick of Eastbourne's restaurants, walks and places to visit with our guests.