Eastbourne Restaurants: A Local's Guide to Where to Eat
Best Restaurants in Eastbourne, from the Seafront to the South Downs
Eastbourne restaurants have quietly become one of the best reasons for a trip east from Brighton. With Londoners trading city life for the seaside, Eastbourne has grown into a proper food destination, from Old Town steakhouses and seafront fish and chip institutions to wine bars and one of the best vegan restaurants on the south coast. Just outside town, the South Downs villages add proper country pub dining to the mix, including a recent BRAVO Award winner.
You may also like our guide to Sussex restaurants and the pubs in Sussex, or for towns either side of Eastbourne, our guides to Worthing restaurants and Lewes restaurants.
Cuisine: British countryside pub, Sunday roasts and Sussex-sourced comfort food
Eight Bells in Jevington is a charming Sussex country pub located in Polegate, just outside Eastbourne, and a favourite among locals. Voted Best Sussex Pub in the 2024 and 2026 BRAVO Awards, it offers a warm, traditional setting with rustic beams, cosy fireplaces, and a welcoming atmosphere. The menu features classic British pub dishes, including hearty roasts, fresh seafood, and seasonal specials, all made with locally sourced ingredients. With a great selection of ales, fine wines, and a relaxed beer garden, Eight Bells is a must-visit for Eastbourne diners looking for a countryside escape.
Telephone: 01323 484442
- Jevington Rd, Jevington, Polegate BN26 5QB
Skylark, Eastbourne restaurant
Cuisine: British cafe-restaurant, brunch and specialty coffee
Located in Eastbourne’s Little Chelsea area, Skylark has been a neighbourhood favourite since 2017 and continues to champion Sussex producers under its current owners, who took the reins in 2025. The kitchen keeps a seasonally changing menu built around specialty coffee and honest, locally sourced ingredients. Skylark serves breakfast and lunch through the week, then transforms into a relaxed evening eatery on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, with a carefully chosen list of international and local wines alongside the food.
Telephone: 01323 417000
- 52 Grove Road, Eastbourne, BN21 4UD
Gr/eat Greek Cuisine, Eastbourne
Cuisine: Greek
Close your eyes and picture yourself on a beach in the sun with an array of super fresh ingredients plated simply but beautifully in front of you. The beaches may be a little pebbly in Eastbourne, but Gr/eat has brought the tastes of Greece to the South East coast of England. There are all the dishes you’d expect; the Greek salad, Moussaka and Souvlaki but you can also get great recommendations from your waiter to try something more unusual like the Septsofai (Traditional Greek Sausages Braised in Tomato Sauce with Peppers) or Psito Htapodi (Grilled Octopus). What really makes this place is the service, a smile goes a long way, and certainly makes for an enjoyable lunch or dinner.
Telephone: 01323 734877
- 215-217 Terminus Road, Eastbourne, BN21 3DH
Cru, Eastbourne restaurant
Cuisine: Wine bar and small plates, with steaks and seafood
Tucked inconspicuously in a basement slightly off the beaten track, you’d be forgiven for missing this Eastbourne restaurant, was it not for the fact that Cru’s reputation goes before it, which also means it’s always buzzing. You don’t have to be a wine lover to enjoy this bar come bistro, but it certainly helps. With an extensive, but surprisingly affordable, wine list there’s something for everyone. Then there’s the food! The cosy restaurant has a mixture of low and taller tables to dine at making for a more relaxed, informal vibe. The menu is divided into small plates and large plates with delights such as Native Lobster Tacos or the Slow Cooked Short Ribs, you could quite easily forget you were dining out in the UK let alone Eastbourne.
Telephone: 01323 646494
- 8a Hyde Gardens, Eastbourne, BN21 4PN
Tuk Tuk, Eastbourne restaurant
Cuisine: Indian street food, tapas style
The ethos behind traditional Indian Street Food is that diners from all walks of life are brought together with the common love of great food, a concept which is not lost at Tuk Tuk. The easiest way to describe their offering is like tapas Indian style, with an endless menu of mouth-watering dishes. The ever helpful staff recommend a few dishes per person to share (or not!) but trying to limit yourself is always a task in itself. The Thali’s are a perfect option if you want to try a number of dishes with meat, fish and vegetarian options, making sure you leave space for the truly authentic Gulab Jamun, a sticky, sweet donut like dessert flavoured with rose-scented syrup and served with ice cream. You’re guaranteed to return time and time and again with a hope of one day sampling every dish on the menu.
Telephone: 01323 430210
- 240 Terminus Road, Eastbourne, BN21 3DE
The Beach Deck, Eastbourne restaurant
Cuisine: British all-day dining, breakfast, brunch and seafood
We do like to be beside the Eastbourne seaside and The Beach Deck can certainly boast the best “Beach Deck” in Eastbourne to wile away the time soaking up that fresh sea air. It’s certainly got that clean, bleached wood, New England style about it that makes for a relaxed breakfast or lunch venue but also works with dimmed lighting for an ocean view, evening dining experience. The menu boasts a wide selection to cater for all tastes and appetites, but the highlight would have to be their fish with the catch of the day taking centre stage. You can’t get any fresher than the daily catch brought straight in from Southern Head Fisheries just next door. Those on the eternal quest for the ultimate fish and chips won’t be disappointed with this Eastbourne restaurant.
Telephone: 01323 720320
- Royal Parade, Eastbourne, BN22 7AE
The Good Grub, Eastbourne restaurant
Cuisine: Vegan, plant-based
Discover The Good Grub, a gorgeous and friendly full vegan restaurant and bar in Eastbourne, tucked just behind the Grand Hotel on Compton Street. Indulge in inventive, homemade plant‑based dishes. Loads of great choices from avo on toast, seitan “steak & chips” and falafel bowls to vegan “fish” & chips and cashew burrata. The drinks look great too – 21 unique cocktails, mocktails, wine, and soft drinks. Plus there is a vegan dog menu as well behaved four legged friends are more than welcome! With vibrant décor, friendly staff, and a dog friendly atmosphere, it’s the ideal spot for plant‑based food lovers visiting the seafront.
Telephone: 01323 672775
- 12 Grand Hotel Buildings, Compton Street, Eastbourne, BN21 4EJ
Trident Fish Restaurant, Eastbourne restaurant
Cuisine: Fish and chips, British seafood
For a proper seaside fish and chip supper, Trident has been an Old Town institution for more than two decades, with a Sea Fish Friers Quality Award to its name. The batter is light and consistently crisp, the fish is locally sourced, and the chips arrive fluffy inside with a good crunch. A recent refurbishment brightened up the dining room considerably, and there is a sizeable outdoor terrace with heaters for cooler evenings. Gluten free options are available, including a lighter battered haddock, and the takeaway counter does brisk business with locals who know a proper chippy when they find one.
Telephone: 01323 416622
- 23 Albert Parade, Eastbourne, BN21 1SD
Pomodoro e Mozzarella, Eastbourne restaurant
Cuisine: Italian, wood fired pizza and pasta
Tucked just back from the promenade on Cornfield Terrace, Pomodoro e Mozzarella brings proper Southern Italian cooking to Eastbourne, with a menu running to more than a hundred homemade dishes. The wood fired oven turns out excellent pizza, while the pasta and seafood dishes, think lobster ravioli and a beautifully cooked sea bass, show real kitchen confidence. Gluten free bases and pasta are clearly marked on the menu, making this a dependable choice for coeliac diners as well as anyone craving a proper trattoria feast. The atmosphere is lively and family friendly, with generous portions that keep locals coming back.
Telephone: 01323 733800
- 23 to 24 Cornfield Terrace, Eastbourne, BN21 4NS
Two Bulls Steakhouse, Eastbourne restaurant
Cuisine: Steakhouse, British grill
Housed above the historic Tally Ho in Eastbourne’s Old Town, Two Bulls Steakhouse is where to head for a proper carnivorous night out. Steaks are dry aged on the bone and grilled over genuine lump wood charcoal, from a lean fillet through to a hefty rib eye, each served with hand cut chips and a choice of homemade butters and sauces. The kitchen also turns out satay skewers, halloumi burgers and a well loved Guinness and chocolate pot for dessert. The room itself has a warm, characterful pub feel, family run and proud of it, and bookings are recommended for weekend evenings.
Telephone: 01323 640258
- 42 Church Street, Old Town, Eastbourne, BN21 1BJ
Q
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Eastbourne’s strongest restaurants tend to cluster around two areas, the seafront and the Old Town. Cru and Pomodoro e Mozzarella are reliable choices for a relaxed dinner, Two Bulls Steakhouse and Trident Fish Restaurant cover proper carnivorous and classic seaside cravings, and The Good Grub is widely regarded as the best vegan restaurant in town.
Yes. Eastbourne sits around forty minutes from Brighton by car or train, making it an easy day trip. Beyond the restaurants, the seafront, pier and Towner Gallery are worth building a visit around, and a stop at a South Downs pub such as The Eight Bells in nearby Jevington makes for a lovely way to end the day.
The Beach Deck sits directly on the beach and is well suited to breakfast, lunch or a relaxed evening meal with sea views. Cru and Pomodoro e Mozzarella are both a short walk back from the seafront, while Trident Fish Restaurant in the Old Town is worth the slightly longer walk for proper fish and chips.
Eastbourne caters well for both. The Good Grub is a fully vegan restaurant and bar with a strong gluten free selection, while Pomodoro e Mozzarella, Trident Fish Restaurant and The Eight Bells all offer clearly marked gluten free options alongside their regular menus.
The Eight Bells in Jevington, just outside Eastbourne in the South Downs, was voted Best Sussex Pub at the BRAVO Awards. It combines a traditional country pub setting with a menu built on locally sourced Sussex ingredients, making it a favourite for walkers and diners alike.
