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In Uckfield's High Street, Pepper Dining offers classic as well as international Indian cuisine in a vibrant contemporary setting with dark wood floor, light grey walls, sleek banquettes and dark wood cushioned furniture. A skylight encourages daylight to stream down. Drop in for a relaxed lunch, dinner or weekend brunch.

Guests can choose from a range of dishes reflecting the diversity of Indian cuisine as well as contemporary style selections. The meal could begin with smoked haddock cake with tamarind sauce, pan seared king scallops with a herb sauce or an asparagus salad. The tandoori selection offers a mixed grill, lamb and chicken platter, and salmon fish tikka. House specialities include Bombay beef, duck breast cooked in coconut milk and flavoured with orange zest, black pepper fish curry, lightly spiced filet of salmon cooked with fresh cauliflower, herbs and spices, and lamb cooked with black olives, tomato and onions. End the meal with a flourish with mango and passion fruit bavarios, cool mint fling or pistachio kulfi. Pepper Dining's wine list promises champagne and sparklers, white, rose and red wines.

Arguably - I admit - Sussex is the most English of counties, and it is places like The Griffin Inn that help reinforce that view. Looking out towards Sheffield Park over one of the best views in Sussex, this is truly a place for all seasons, with large gardens, a wonderful range of visits to be made in the area, and a warm welcome when the time comes for refreshment at The Griffin. You can stay there too.

Amongst the starters look for Sicilian sardines with sultanas, pine nuts and sweet and sour onions, comfit of duck spring rolls with spiced plum sauce, or a wild garlic soup with parmesan routes.

Morocco meets Sussex with roast rump of lamb, cous cous, rosemary and anchovy dressing. The wonderfully under-rated mackerel, abhorred by people like my father in law who dismissed it as the scavenger of the seas (what fish isn't?), comes in grilled fillets form with salsa verde, crushed new potatoes and watercress, and for the veggies in our midst a frittata of wood roasted vegetables and smoked mozzarella makes wholesome eating. Carnivores may well head for the chargrilled rib-eye Somerset beef steak with homemade chips, red onion confit and mustard leaves.

For puddings look no further than the rhubarb and orange crème brûlée - on second thoughts, do look further, even if only to the white chocolate and rum bread and butter pudding, a real knockout of a re-take on an old favourite. Amongst the cheeses expect to find Berkswell hard ewe's milk, Sharphams, and Barkham chase blue. And if you are really pushing the boat out order up a bottle of Offley Boa Vista 1963 vintage port. No, sorry, not by the glass.

Cheerful service, a well-travelled wine list and a fine range of beers all help to complete the pleasure.

The Dining Room at Buxted Park Hotel offers guests the quintessential elegant dining experience set as it is in a grand 18th century Georgian mansion. They can relax and unwind at leisure while contemplating the modern British cuisine menu that features traditional favourites with a twist. The venue's location near the Ashdown Forest and the famous Winnie the Pooh bridge offers more convenience.

Using seasonal locally available produce, chef Lucy Hyder's offerings extend from salad of lobster and John Dory with watercress and hazelnuts to rillette of Sussex pork with Madeira jelly and Cox's apple compote. Diners can get into the mood of the occasion with dishes such as grilled mackerel with tomato chutney, chicken and leek pudding, local loin of venison, roast rump of lamb and poached fillet of plaice. If the sweet tooth is tempted then go for the coconut pannacotta with champagne poached fruits and black olive caramel. Prolong the enjoyable evening with a pre-dinner cocktail or late night digestif.

A fine example of Gothic revivalist architecture, owing much to Augustus Pugin and dating from 1850. Lord and Lady Nevill bought the house in 1965 and it was a favourite place for the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. Nowadays a truly refined dining experience awaits less exalted, but just as appreciative, guests.