The best of Sussex dining recognised at the Michelin Star Awards 2026 – with Brighton & Hove gaining its first Star in over 40 years
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The Michelin Star Awards 2026 for the UK and Ireland were held on Monday 9 February in Dublin with Sussex restaurants gaining clutch of coveted Stars, writes Nick Mosley.
The benchmark for culinary excellence in the international restaurant world, Michelin stars rate restaurants on ingredient quality, harmony of flavours, the mastery of culinary techniques, how the chef’s personality shines through their cuisine and – crucially – consistency across the entire menu and over time. One star means very good, two excellent worth a detour, three exceptional cuisine worth a special journey.
The most notable new Michelin Star in Sussex has gone to Maré by Rafael Cagali on Church Road in Hove. Despite the impressive culinary talent to be found in the city in the past couple of decades, Brighton and Hove hasn’t had a Star restaurant for over 40 years when Le Francais in Paston Place, Kemp Town, closed.
Maré by Rafael Cagali is a culinary venture from celebrated chef Rafael Cagali and his partner Charlie Lee that opened in late summer 2025. Rafael’s protégé – Ewan Waller – leads the Hove kitchen as head chef. The menu offering reflects Cagali’s Brazilian-Italian heritage and world-class training, served in a warm, inviting space alongside an extensive wine and cocktail list.
“I’m incredibly proud of the whole team for this recognition," said Rafael. "From the beginning, Maré has been about thoughtful cooking and creating a place that feels genuinely special for our community. To be acknowledged by Michelin in our first year, and to see Brighton & Hove recognised in this way, means a great deal to all of us.”
The Michelin Guide UK & Ireland 2026 said: “Maré’ translates to ‘tide’ in Portuguese, reflecting the ever-changing seasonality of the cooking at this neighbourhood restaurant from the acclaimed chef behind London’s Da Terra. The beautiful interior is sleek and modern, while the cooking draws on influences from Cagali’s Brazilian roots, along with forays into the Mediterranean, Mexico and Japan. Sharing is encouraged, although you’ll be loath to give up any of the signature ‘baba au cachaça’. Service is warm, genial and caring, with many dishes delivered by the chefs.”
In West Sussex, chef Martin Carabott has retained the Star that The Dining Room restaurant at Gravetye Manor in West Hoathly has held since 2015. Prior to joining Gravetye, Martin gained a wealth of experience in numerous Michelin starred restaurants in London and New York and won the Roux Scholarship in 2018 at the age of 29.
“It is a huge honour to have been invited to attend the Michelin Star ceremony and to receive the news in person that we have retained Gravetye’s Michelin Star”, said Martin.
“For many years Gravetye Manor hotel and restaurant has enjoyed a wonderful reputation for providing exceptional Michelin Star quality and I am proud to be continuing this legacy.”
“It is a privilege to have immediate access to fresh produce grown just steps away from the restaurant in our walled kitchen garden, led by our esteemed head gardener, Tom Coward, and the producers, farmers and suppliers on our doorstep in West Sussex.”
The Michelin Guide UK & Ireland 2026 said: "This quintessential country house hotel is surrounded by 35 acres of glorious gardens; it was, after all, once home to pioneering gardener William Robinson. Ornate ceilings and fireplaces feature in the beautiful sitting rooms, while the restaurant sits within a striking contemporary extension. The kitchen garden provides the kitchen's heartbeat, with the fruit (and veg) of its labours being used across carefully executed dishes that appeal to both the taste buds and the eyes – as in the seemingly simple but utterly delicious 'garden salad’.”
Led by chef Jean Delport – who appeared on last year’s BBC Great British Menu – Restaurant Interlude is known for its immersive tasting menu that takes inspiration directly from the surrounding woodland, gardens and vineyards of Leonardslee estate. Ingredients are foraged and grown across the estate and nearby countryside, allowing the menu to reflect the changing Sussex seasons. The restaurant retains both a Star and Green Star for sustainable practices.
“Retaining our Michelin Star and Green Star means a huge amount to all of us, particularly because everything we do is so closely tied to this place”, said Jean.
“Leonardslee, the gardens, the woodland and the wider Sussex landscape are at the heart of every dish. It’s a real privilege to cook food that tells the story of where we are, with a team that cares so deeply about the land and our local community.”
The Michelin Guide UK & Ireland 2026 said: "The 240-acre Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens were first planted in 1801 and are famous today for their azaleas, rhododendrons and even a wallaby colony. Within the grounds sits an Italianate mansion housing elegant bedrooms and this intimate restaurant. The 'Estate Experience' tasting menu uses seasonal ingredients from their own land, with Chef Jean Delport's South African heritage shining through – such as in the carrot biltong forming part of the signature 'Rabbit Eats Carrot' dish. The wine list continues the South African trend, with choices from their own Benguela Cove estate.”
Over the past couple of decades, the five star South Lodge hotel and spa, north of Horsham, has been home to some of the biggest names in Sussex cuisine, many of whom have gone on to found their own restaurants in the county and further afield.
Under the tenure ship of chef Ben Wilkinson – formerly of the renowned Michelin-Starred Cottage in the Wood restaurant in the Lake District – The Pass fine dining restaurant, an open kitchen concept where diners can watch the brigade prepare their dishes, has held a Star since 2023.
“Retaining our Michelin Star is an incredible achievement and a testament to the passion, precision and creativity the team brings to The Pass every day”, said Ben.
“I’m immensely proud of what we’ve accomplished together and grateful to our guests for their continued support.”
“What makes this moment even more special is that it comes just as we prepare to open our fully refurbished restaurant later this month. It’s an exciting new chapter for us, a space that reflects our evolving vision and gives us even more opportunity to craft memorable, immersive dining experiences. We can’t wait to welcome guests in and share what we’ve been working on.”
The Michelin Guide UK & Ireland 2026 said: “Situated in an enviable location next to the South Downs, South Lodge is a beautiful country house hotel that thankfully has a restaurant to match. Ben Wilkinson is an intelligent and skilful chef who runs a calm, focused kitchen; sit at the high-topped tables to watch him and his young team use impeccable techniques to get the most out of exceptional produce, be it day boat turbot or wild fallow deer. The flavours build as the menu progresses and the desserts are a real highlight. Dishes are delivered with real pride by the chefs.”
Another notable addition to this year’s Michelin Guide UK and Ireland is Knepp Wilding Kitchen on the Knepp Estate in West Sussex who have been awarded a Michelin Green Star for sustainability and responsible practices.
Knepp Estate is a globally recognised pioneering rewilding project where free-roaming animals, restored habitats and natural processes have reintroduced rich biodiversity to the county’s countryside. The estate’s restaurant – led by head chef Alex Dome and chef director Ned Burrell – is focussed on unfussy seasonal ingredient-led menus utilising produce from their own market garden and wild range of meats.
“This award means the world to us because sustainability is at the heart of everything we do”, said Ned.
“At Knepp, we’ve seen firsthand what’s possible. Through rewilding, biodiversity has increased by over 900%, and our land now stores as much carbon as any plantation. The kitchen is a direct expression of that landscape, demonstrating in practice how our food system can work in balance with nature rather than against it.”
“We built Knepp Wilding Kitchen as a hub for community, nature and food, where different voices can share in conversations and celebrate our extraordinary planet through good food”, added Alex.
“This recognition feels like a testament to a changing industry, one that’s beginning to adapt, take responsibility and actively fight climate change and contribute towards a more sustainable future.”
The Michelin Guide UK & Ireland 2026 said: “At the heart of it all is an ethos of rewilding, something which drives the menus at its restaurant housed inside an 18th-century barn. Here, the cooking is overtly seasonal and often uses ingredients from the Estate; try to kick off your meal with one of the fine flatbreads and punchy wild garlic butter.”
The Michelin Guide began over a century ago when the famous tyre company published a handbook for motorists in France, listing places to eat, sleep and refuel. The initial idea of encouraging people to drive was just as much about wearing their car tyres out as it was about hospitality but has now grown to be the most respected restaurant guide in the world that includes Star awards for exceptional cooking, Bib Gourmands and Plates for good value food, green stars for sustainability and responsible practices and special awards for individual chefs, sommeliers and service.