Amelie and Friends

Having turned nearby West Stoke House into a gracious country retreat with a Michelin-starred restaurant, Rowland & Mary Leach decided to sell up & go for something a bit different. Eventually, they set their sights on a notable Chichester townhouse (formerly home to the oldest wine merchant in the land), stripped back its Georgian interior & injected some urban vibes. The result is Amelie & Friends – an all-day eatery dedicated to serving unpretentious food & drink in a highly sociable setting. Lunch brings a healthy assortment of funky salads with lively toppings (local tomatoes, homemade labneh, basil & hazelnut pesto loaded with marinated lamb kebabs, say), plus a few hot options ranging from moules marinière to grilled onglet steak; there are also various puds, cakes & fruit tarts to finish. Breakfast is an appetising wake-up call, Sunday brings brunch, & drinks tick all the right boxes. Takeaways too.