Good Food Guide

[Richard]

I have some trouble recommending really good restaurants in Hastings.
I mean it depends on your budget and what you mean by 'good food'.
There are many fish and chip cafe's and all seem good and popular.
The only restaurant I really like is Webbe's - the food is prepared freshly and chefs can be seen working in a galleried rectangular area, with a screen monitor to show more detailed views.
The food is of a high standard and careful attention is prepared to detail.
They also run training courses and are definitely a cut above the rest.

I have yet to try 'Maggies' - up some stairs on a large black building on the Stade seafront - but hear the fish is really fresh and in good portions.

Others are perectly reasonable like 'Cafe Des Arts' and 'Love cafe' but are not on the same level of cuisine at all and produce a much more limited range of snack-type meals for the tourists.

I am not into tke-aways or curry houses but hear the 'Balti Hut' on Queens Road makes a decent Biryiani.
Kassa on the seafront towards St. leonards make a range of Persian-inspired meals which are ok but the service is slow and the manager was unhelpful when I said the Baklava 'sweet' had nuts which tasted rancid, his response was to go away and return with the invoice showing he had only just received the item from the supplier implying that they must therefore be fresh.

'Porters' in the old town is ok and with friendly helpful staff.
'Filo' has a reasonable eating area at the back of the pub and I have no complaints.

[moonjiver]

I think, in reviews of this kind, the emphasis has to be on places which are well-run, good service, quality food etc. Then leave people to decide what price range they want to go for and which places are their favourites, since those issues are quite subjective of course.

As proper restaurants go, the Dragon Bar is a bit expensive but worth it - the meals I have had in there have been beautiful and other people seem to agree. In Porter's (a bit cheaper) I have had some lovely meals although the last one was slightly small portionwise. I was told that Harris's in the High Street was excellent, although the lady named Harris has now retired I think. The Blue Dolphin fish and chip place used to be talked of as the best on the south coast (I once met a couple who had travelled from Folkestone to get a meal there!) - my last takeaway was delicious.

In St Leonard's the best restaurant is reputed to be St Clements near the Horse and Groom - it is somewhat expensive but often packed. I have always had lovely food in the Relax Cafe and they are very willing to go to some trouble and vary a dish for you - their pot of Armenian herb tea is fantastic.

[moonjiver]

Some further thoughts on pub food - for those in the less pecunious price-bracket! The Hastings Arms, the Jenny Lind and several others in the Old Town do pretty decent food. In the John Logie Baird and Yates's the meals are cheap and pretty good, albeit in a cheerful but noisy and crowded pub atmosphere.

The pubs in St Leonard's are quite dreary and shabby, except for the old and nice Horse and Groom (but a landlord who quarrels with customers he doesn't fancy!). I don't know any which do food - bar the St Leonard pub in London Road. I haven't tried their food because the pub is always appallingly noisy, with customers having to shout above the very loud pop music.

[Richard]

OK most of HSL food (pub and 'restaurant') is geared up to the mid - lower end of the market and family outings, with the emphasis on value for money and quick turnaround.
Nothing wrong with that and I hope it continues.

The higher end is dominated by George Street Dragon Bar - good but expensive and busy.
St Clements in St Leonards - run by top London chefs but noisy at lunchtimes.
And of course Webbe's at the seafront Old Town.
Possibly Maggie's for Sea Food.

[moonjiver]

As I say, the value-for-money places are thin on the ground in St Leonard's, I almost never eat out there.

I do like to know about really good restaurants if I want to treat myself or take Auntie out somewhere! I myself would head straight for the Old Town. I'll try out Maggie's and Webbes some time, maybe report back. I used to hear good reports of one or two other posh places in George Street, Pomegranate comes to mind, also Langham's. You've have got me curious now, I'll have to ask around.

[Richard]

Oh Yes !!
Langham's was good last time I visited
Pomegranate - long time since I went there on a boozy Christmas 'run' and the memory is lost.

[Richard]

All good restaurants are booked by now (or closed) during the Xmas period

Webbe's are fully-booked 23rd December and closed 24th 25th & 26th December

Maggie's closed before Xmas until 5th January.

I suppose people have to have a Xmas

[moonjiver]

The Weatherspoon's pub is open on Christmas day but lunch is £30!! Oh dear, frozen curry for me then, three quid from the Co-op .. Just joking, I love cooking (if I have time).

[Michael]

Went to Whites on George Street which was pretty good (lunchtime menu, 2 courses for 12.50.). 13 pound for a bottle of house white (South African)....which was excellent.

[Richard]

Yes !! I quite forgot this one.
A rather pleasant 'niche' Bijou Seafood restaurant/Bistro
The atmosphere is good and I may visit again !!

The sort of place that would be a good find in Brighton.