The Swan Inn Fittleworth

Word on the street is that West Sussex is the new Cotswolds, and here to give the latter a run for its money is the arrival of historic country pub The Swan Inn to the charming village of Fittleworth. The pub has stood in this sleepy town for just shy of 500 years, but a recent revamp under the leadership of Angus Davies (Chez Bruce, Lorne) sees it reinvigorated with a new 46-cover dining room serving seasonal, unfussy British dishes, plus 12 boutique bedrooms upstairs. It’s already pulling a stylish crowd to this idyllic corner of England’s south, including interior designer Martin Brudnizki and Roxy Music’s Bryan Ferry.

It's still indisputably a pub - good and proper - with a bustling bar at the entrance where locals and travellers can grab a decent pint. Tucked away around the back lies a cosy dining room sporting great big wooden tables, high-back leather seats and beamed ceilings that, despite its makeover, retains an explicit, old-timey feel in keeping with the pub’s history.

The Swan Inn isn’t trying to be anything but a traditional pub serving honest British food. Here, ginormous portions and unfussy presentation are clear signs that the team’s focus is on flavour and enjoyment factor. A particularly brazen dish of devilled kidneys on toast is absolutely delicious, its gutsy, gravy-esque sauce soaking into a thick wedge of bread beneath. The cooking is excellent and continues with a beautifully cooked piece of brill swimming in an amber crab bisque, as well as a fantastic, white wine-enriched lobster risotto. This could have fed two hungry guests happily.

Pudding is essential, whether or not you have room to spare. Profiteroles, which can often be disappointing, are treated with the generous hand they so desperately need here. They’re the size of tennis balls and filled with creamy honeycomb parfait, then drowned in hot chocolate sauce and a liberal sprinkling of toasted hazelnuts.

To drink, a wine list featuring European and New World producers caters for every sort of wine drinker, and there’s a well-stocked cellar of ‘off-menu’ bottles for die-hard oenophiles.

High-quality cooking with a heavy dose of nostalgia? Locals and Londoners alike are bound to love this place. 

The Swan Inn, is a historic venue that can be traced back around 500 years, when it stood as a coaching inn that royal couriers would stop at to grab some food and change over their horses on their travels. Centuries later, artists J.M.W Turner and John Constable would stay at The Swan Inn Fittleworth, and pay for their lodgings with artwork, which can still be found in the dining room.

The Swan Inn menu is unfussy and focuses on classic dishes and more modern favourites that roll with the seasons. There are great snacks to pick on at the bar, or while you peruse the menu, like an onion and bacon tart, a plate of ham and salt cod brandade. To begin, starters may include devilled kidneys on toast, a lentil and mussel soup, and leek vinaigrette. Mains include ham with parsley sauce and boiled potatoes, along with baked fish dumplings with a shellfish sauce, and pumpkin mixed with borlotti beans, sage and ricotta. For dessert, enjoy a warm tatin tart for two, or a creamy panna cotta with rhubarb. There's also a bowl of profiteroles with honeycomb parfait, and a refreshing lemon sorbet – with the option to add a shot of vodka.

Sunday lunch at The Swan Inn Fittleworth is special, too, with ham and cheese croquettes perfect to pick on at the table, followed by a starter of endive, stilton, pear and walnut salad. Meat roast options include beef sirloin, pork loin and venison haunch, along with a half pot roast chicken in cider and thyme for two – and, of course, a fish and vegetarian option. All roasts are served with plenty of crushed root vegetables, cauliflower cheese, roast potatoes, red cabbage, Yorkshire puddings and gravy. Puddings are a little more traditional on Sundays so think sticky toffee pudding, Bramley apple crumble, and a treacle tart.