Jolly Sportsman

Address

Chapel Lane

East Chiltington

Sussex

BN7 3BA

Telephone

(01273) 890400

Opening Times

Weekdays

12 - 11 (10.30 Sun)

Winter

Closed

winter Sun evening

Excellent modern food in civilised, rather smart place, small bar for drinkers, contemporary furnishings, fine wine list, and huge range of malt whiskies; nice garden Extremely well run and a favourite with many of our readers, this is a civilised dining pub with first-class food. The bar may be small but it's full of character and has a roaring winter fire, a mix of furniture on the stripped wood floors and Dark Star Hophead and Harveys Best tapped from the cask. They also have a remarkably good wine list with around a dozen by the glass, over 100 malt whiskies, an extensive list of cognacs, armagnacs and grappa and quite a choice of bottled belgian beers; well trained, charming staff. The larger restaurant is smart but informal with contemporary light wood furniture and modern landscapes on coffee-coloured walls; there's also a new garden room. The cottagey front garden is pretty with rustic tables and benches under gnarled trees, on the terrace and on the front bricked area and there are more on a large back lawn, a children's play area, and views towards the downs; good walks and cycle rides nearby.

Licensee name

Bruce Wass

What they say

The Jolly Sportsman is situated on a quiet, no-through lane in rural East Chiltington, Sussex by the South Downs, 20 mins from Brighton. Since 1998 it has been run by Bruce Wass who was the Chef / Proprietor of the highly acclaimed Thackerays House restaurant in Tunbridge Wells.

Bruce is back in the kitchen with Anthony Masters our new Head chef who joins us from Drakes of Brighton. Emily Pyle and Gemma Puttick are Restaurant Managers. the aim is to serve good reliably sourced food in a relaxed setting where you can enjoy a bar snack and a pint of local ale or a three course meal with fine wine from our very extensive list.

Free house

As well as good value two and three-course set menus, the exceptional food might include lunchtime sandwiches, venison carpaccio with horseradish aioli and pickled onion, pike and trout terrine with prawn sauce, chicken breast with chorizo, chick pea and vegetable ragu, beef cheek bourguignonne, sea bream fillet with coriander rice, pak choi and black bean salsa, and 28-day-aged rib-eye steak with béarnaise sauce.