The Plough Rye

Locals and visitors heap high praise on this ‘stunning countryside pub’ on a rural stretch of road three miles from Rye. The location is glorious, a garden with ‘sheep baa-ing while you eat’ beckons in fine weather, and a ‘joyous, welcoming atmosphere’ prevails. Inside, scuffed floorboards, plain tables and wood-burners set the tone, while paintings by Sussex artist William Warden ‘bring a lovely local connection to the venue’. As for food, it's ‘modern, forward-thinking cooking’, with locally sourced, seasonal ingredients taking centre stage. The weekday lunch is ‘amazing value’, while the straightforward carte promises a mix of pub classics (chicken and ham hock pie) and more complex combinations such as nori-cured chalk stream trout with pickled kohlrabi and horseradish. Sunday roasts are singled out for special praise, and desserts could include blackberry meringue with mascarpone and puffed buckwheat. Welcoming staff ‘want you to feel comfortable’, and the good humour extends to small children and dogs. Harvey’s Sussex Best is on draught, and the compact wine list offers reasonably priced drinking across the board.