The Curlew Restaurant was once a coaching inn where travellers could rest their weary feet and warm their spirits with food and drink. Even its location on Bodiam Castle crossroads is ideal for those seeking temporary respite from the rain-sodden route to London from Hastings. Today it dons a new role under the ownership of Mark and Sara Colley and is transformed into a place where meticulously prepared food meets informal dining and country-chic meets contemporary designing.

The food at The Curlew is modern British built around seasonality and local sourcing. Some exciting starters include coronation curried crab with oak-smoked salmon, brown bread and butter, and slow cooked duck egg with warm smoked haddock, brown shrimp and caper butter. Main courses are based around fish, meat and game featuring wild sea bass, whole partridge and red wine braised beef. At the end tease your taste buds with a champagne mousse, Braeburn sorbet and vanilla.