Sussex food and drink for gifting and the Christmas table in 2025
- Nick Mosley
- 13 hours ago
- 5 min read
Whether for your festive table or to gift to family and friends, celebrate the bounty of Sussex with fantastic food and drink from craft producers right here on our doorstep, writes Nick Mosley.
Artelium Sussex sparkling and still wines
Planted in 2017 with their first wines released in 2020, Artelium near Ditchling has rapidly established itself as one of Sussex’s premier wine producers with product on the menu of many of the county’s best restaurants. Enjoy Christmas Day from morning sparkle to evening indulgence with their festive duo package for £78. Begin with the award-winning Blanc de Blancs 2018, perfect with smoked salmon canapés, then enjoy the smooth, expressive Artefact #9 Cabaret Noir, ideal with game or red meats. www.artelium.com
Be Chocolat Turrón bars
Be Chocolat on Duke Street are bringing a Spanish Christmas tradition to Brighton. Each handmade Turrón bar is 250g (£30) and comes in a variety of delicious flavours to choose from including Milk with Baileys. This is next level chocolate so drop by the store for a sample and to explore their range of amazing produce. www.bechocolatbrighton.com
Boho Gelato Christmas puds
Add a bit of variety to your Christmas table with Boho Gelato’s range of festive flavours in pots or one of their famous showpiece gelato Christmas Puds. Pots are £13 each and include flavours such as Brandy Butter, Stollen and Gingerbread Cheesecake or vegan options including Hazelnut Orange Brulee, Mulled Wine and Clementine. Puds come in two sizes (£35 for a large or £20 for a mini) and there's something for everyone with five different flavour options: Classic Christmas Pud, The Italian (Fig & Mascarpone), White Choc Raspberry, Vanilla Passionfruit and Choc Raspberry options with the latter two being vegan. All are available to pre-order online for free delivery on 18th or 22nd December (or for collection from the shop at 6 Pool Valley). www.bohogelato.co.uk
Bolney Wine Estate Cuvée Noir
A unique, traditional method, sweet sparkling red wine that pairs perfectly with Christmas pudding. The aromas reminiscent of red fruits, especially red cherry, redcurrants and sweet blueberries. On the palate, this sparkling red has a wonderful creamy richness and full-bodied mousse, packed full of ripe summer fruits, with a hint of sweet spice on the finish. £32 for a bottle. www.bolneyestate.com
Cocoa Corner Café brigadeiros
Having opened earlier in 2025, Cocoa Corner Café has rapidly become a go-to destination for great pastries and coffee but the real reason to make this a must-do eatery is their astounding handmade ‘brigadeiro’. Without wanting to bore you, a brigadeiro is a traditional South American sweet made from condensed milk, cocoa powder and butter that is then filled with all manner of gorgeousness. Chef Daniel is an absolute master and I defy anyone not to fall in love with his creations. It may come as no surprise that I’m a particular fan of his recently added boozy brigadeiro. Count down to the Big Day with a build-your-own brigadeiro advent calendar, dive into panettone packed with brigadeiro and sparkle with bonbon Christmas trees. Gift boxes start from £9 and are available for the café in Pool Valley or www.cocoacornercafe.co.uk.
Curing Rebels charcuterie gift boxes
Curing Rebels in Portslade harbour have been making their own Sussex charcuterie for around five years and you’ll see their handcrafted salami, chorizo and tasty beer sticks at restaurants and bars across the city. For Christmas, they’ve a range of curated boxes including the ‘Little Rebel’ that includes Brighton Salami, Hunter Salami, Coppa and their own take on Nduja for £35 with nationwide delivery. They also smoke their own salmon – a perfect addition to the table over the festive season. www.curingrebels.com
DedBest GINgerbread liqueur
This is quite literally the most delicious thing I think I’ve ever tasted. The brainchild of local distiller Damian Best of DedBest Distillery near Lewes, his GINgerbread liqueur is made from actual gingerbread cake made in West Sussex. The gin is steeped with the cake so 100% natural flavours come out before being filtered and bottled. Pop open a bottle and a heady aroma of ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg fills the room. At 21% abv its perfect to sip with or without ice, or add a splash to an after dinner coffee for a more luxurious experience. Its also gluten free. DedBest’s GINgerbread liqueur is quite simply Christmas in a glass. £21 for a 500ml bottle. www.dedbestdistillery.com
Madame Jennifer Distillery Christmas spirits
This Hove-based craft distillery has gone all-out with three limited edition Christmas spirits. Their ready-to-drink Christmas Negroni – last year’s best seller – is back and the perfect aperitivo drink (£30 for 500ml). The Christmas Gin has all the flavours of the season – lots of sweet and bitter orange, nutmeg, cinnamon, coriander and allspice (£37 for 500ml). The star of the show for me at least is the Sussex Sloe Gin Liqueur that is made with hand-pick Sussex sloes which are then infused over many months in a gin (£19 for 200ml). It's a hearty 43% abv so it's very warming and not too sweet. I’d like to find that under our tree on Christmas morning. www.mjdistillery.com
MDTea matcha set
Wrap up some zen this Christmas with their Japanese-inspired cute cat matcha bowls and vibrant, high-grade MDTea Matcha including both Spiced and Spiced Mushroom blends. Unique, uplifting and delicious, it’s the perfect gift for anyone who loves matcha, its ritual, flavour, and feel-good benefits. A matcha made in heaven .www.mdteashop.co.uk
Pizza Pilgrims cookbook
In recent years we’ve seen a trend of restaurants publishing cookbooks – my bowing shelves are a clear testament to that. As a fan of all-things Italy, Pizza Pilgrims new ‘Pizza Napoli’ published a couple of months back is a prime example of how to do a cookbook well. Written by the restaurant’s founders – Thom and James Elliot – it not only shows you how to make the best pizzas ever with pages of recipes and everything you need to know about making your own dough, the book is also packed with well-written and engaging stories about the brothers’ journey. Complete with lots of gorgeous atmospheric photography, it really is a cookbook that’s good enough to eat. £25 from bookstores or buy directly from Pizza Pilgrims restaurant in Ship Street. www.pizzapilgrims.co.uk
Roebuck Estates Classic Cuvée 2019
New from leading Sussex-based English sparkling wine producer Roebuck Estates, the Classic Cuvée 2019 is an elegant vintage blend aged for 48 months. With notes of baked apple, rich citrus, and sweet spice, it’s also available as a beautiful gift set with two glasses and optional personalised bottle to make a truly memorable gift. £38 for a bottle or £65 for the gift set. www.roebuckestates.co.uk
The Cheese Hut at Cases
Elevate your Christmas table with two festive showstoppers from The Cheese Hut at Cases on Western Road. There’s a huge range of Sussex and wider English cheeses to choose from including the luxurious, rich and velvety Cropwell Bishop Potted Stilton in Port (£15.45 for 200g) and the indulgent, earthy and elegant Sussex Truffle Camembert (£6.65 for 100g). www.casesclub.co.uk
Unbarred Brewery Stoutzilla
The beast from UnBarred is back! Served chilled yet delightfully warming, gift someone the 2025 vintage of UnBarred's luxurious, 10% abv Imperial stout, blended with lashings of whisky and locally roasted coffee. Pick up some cans or bag a limited-edition sharing bottle from the Unbarred Taproom on Elder Place behind London Road. It makes the perfect stocking filler for the beer lover in your life. £7 for a can. www.unbarredbrewery.com