HELLO SUNSHINE! It’s been a minute. If like me, you’re going to make the most of this Summer and new freedom, you’re going to love this round-up. I have been road-testing some great products for Summer features and researching all the hot new openings for you in and around the South East. See my Editor’s Picks for June below…
4 Places You Should Be Eating In The South East This June
1. Burnt Orange Restaurant Opening 21st June 2021
New sibling to the Coal Shed and Salt Room restaurants, Burnt Orange is the latest arrival for entrepreneur and restauranteur Razak Helalat. This “grown-up” hangout on Middle Street is one of Brighton’s highly-anticipated restaurant openings for the Summer. Razak’s previous two Brighton ventures come very well regarded and we’re already big fans of both, so naturally, we expect this to be just as good. We’re hoping for a tasteful adult hang-out with great music and good cocktails. Will they deliver? We’re looking forward to finding out. Find out more here.
2. Fork Restaurant opening in Lewes, by Richard Falk
A great new addition to the thriving town of Lewes, Richard Falk’s first solo-venture is this gorgeous new independent restaurant. Focusing on serving modern, British cuisine, we think this one will be very popular. Book your table here.
3. OX BLOCK by Kenny Tutt at Shelter Hall, Brighton
2018 Masterchef winner Kenny Tutt launched his flagship eatery ‘PITCH’ in Worthing in 2019 with great success. Following a year of lockdowns and tough times across hospitality, we were keen to find out about the new venture at Shelter Hall, Brighton’s new market-style dining hall on the seafront. Find our full interview and all the gossip in our recent feature here.
4. Sussex Pass at The White Hart in Wadhurst
Comprising just 30 covers, the restaurant sits within the White Hart Pub, a well-loved hub of the village community. Featuring brass accents, dark blue wood tones, seasonal flowers and a warm atmosphere, the restaurant is the perfect place for family lunches or special dinners, and a new English Sparkling brunch offering is ideal for relaxing at the weekend. Our personal highlights? Tuna tartare and warm homemade bread with beetroot and spinach butter. Book your table here.
Products/ Launches & More.
Chardonnay from Bolney Estate Vineyard
It’s no secret that we’re big fans of Bolney’s stunning wines, so when the opportunity to try their first-ever Chardonnay came up, we jumped! Embarrassingly, we haven’t tried many English Chardonnays and knew very little about English vineyards growing this grape variety, so it was educational to learn more on the topic. Bolney’s limited run of this palatable wine has tasting notes of citrus, apricot and orange peel and we can confirm it really is delightful. If you’re looking to try their wines or book a tour, you can visit their website here. Our favourite thing about Bolney? Definitely the terrace at their ‘Eighteen Acre Cafe’. Pop along after work one day and catch golden hour with a glass of bubbles. Unbeatable!
JARR Kombucha
The perfect drink for an al-fresco picnic or midday ‘pick-me-up’ In case you weren’t aware of one of the biggest trends in wellbeing products, ‘Kombucha’ is fermented tea, brewed using a blend of tea, water, sugar and a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). These ingredients are left to ferment in a warm environment for around 2 weeks, leaving you with delicious, low sugar and nutrient-dense soft drink that is rich in beneficial acids and antioxidants. JARR’S range of Kombucha drinks are the perfect addition to a healthy diet, a great option for someone avoiding booze or an addition to your picnic hamper this summer. Our personal favourite? Raspberry. Watch out though, it has a real kick! Find out more here.!
WHISP Drinks Hard Seltzer
If you haven’t heard, there’s a new health-craze in the form of alcoholic sparkling water, born in the US as “hard-seltzer”. We’ve tried a few recently and there’s honestly not many brands doing it very well, so when we tried WHISP we were blown away to find out that it was an extremely tasty and refreshing drink. Honestly, try the cucumber, you won’t regret it. Packaged in pretty pastel, recyclable cans, Whisp is a delicious and easy choice for a summer tipple. Made from naturally and sustainably sourced British ingredients, 100% vegan and gluten-free, with no added sugar, sweeteners or preservatives, Whisp is less than 66 calories per can. Available in two flavours, Cucumber & Mint or Raspberry & Elderflower, you can grab yours here.
Gallybird Tonic Water
There’s nothing more refreshing than a good gin and tonic. But the tonic water is so important, and for us, it’s got to be REALLY good. But, did you know that typical Indian tonic waters contains on average over FOUR teaspoons of sugar? Sweetened with stevia leaf extract, Gallybird tonic water is a healthier alternative with no sugar, no carbs, and zero calories. Founder Fo, from Nuthurst, Sussex believed that there had to be a healthier tonic water available without artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, but unable to find this product, she created one herself and Gallybird was born! We love it, and we think you will too. Find out more here.
