Most of us, as islanders, have a greatly romantic connection with the sea: envisaging ourselves on the shore, we’re in a simpler place, somewhere less challenging, away from the daily stresses of life.

Somewhere made for tranquillity. Somewhat of a fantasy.

A part of that fantasy involves eating great food by the sea. Queue Port Hotel.

A delightful sea-facing Victorian conversion, Port Hotel is a smart boutique hotel situated along the town’s main promenade, Royal Parade. One of Eastbourne’s newest hotels, Port is quickly establishing a good reputation.

The restaurant at Port Hotel recently opened a new terrace, on which beach goers, windsurfers, ramblers, and sun worshippers can retire to after a long day of activities. We took a look around, sampled the food and cocktails and made up our own minds about the brand new outfit.

The New Terrace

With Eastbourne railway station a 25-minute walk away and the beach but a stone’s throw, the brand new sea-facing terrace is a tantalising draw-in for many people taking a stroll along the pretty promenade.

Perfectly positioned between town and seafront, the terrace attracts a myriad of visitors: while we were having an early dinner, ramblers traipsed in complete with their hiking poles, compulsory Barbour jackets and Timberlands, and happy dogs in toe.

Well-dressed couples stopped by and had a glass of wine in the early evening sun, and groups of friends celebrating a special occasion were sipping cocktails and picking at canapes.

On a sunny Saturday, make sure to book a space on the terrace as it’s guaranteed to be brimming with brunchers, lunchers and everything-in-betweeners.

The Ambience

During the day, inside the restaurant is reasonably busy so booking is essential. Staff are attentive, genuinely care about you and your experience, and are quick to make a suggestion should you be struggling to decide what to eat.

The decor is chic, contemporary and inviting throughout the hotel, with sustainability and minimalism at the core of the hotel’s ethos.

There are four different ways to dine at Port restaurant: get cosy on armchairs positioned around a marble-surround fireplace in winter, shelter from the rain with friends around a large round table with sea views, dine in a more intimate setting on tables for two or sit outside in the sun, sipping cocktails and eating the catch of the day.

The Food & Drink

The restaurant at Port feels like an entirely new concept in artisanal dining in Eastbourne: one of the only classy outfits in the seaside town, it attracts well-heeled clientele who would have perhaps travelled to Brighton’s The Ivy for brunch should Port not have opened.

With the chimerical silhouette of Eastbourne Pier in the background, the restaurant and bar champion regional produce, with Head Chef Alex Burtenshaw commandeering the ‘ship’s’ kitchen.

“The majority of our seafood comes from Newhaven, just 13 miles along the coast,” says Alex. “Our supplier there provides a vast array of produce, including a lot of fish caught by local ‘day boats’. This means each week I can pick and choose what is freshest and seasonal. As well as this, we get our smoked fish from Yorwarths in Seaford.”

The menu is seasonal, dishes are generous in size and entirely different to anything we’ve had before. An Indian fusion of spinach and courgette pakora (vegetable fritter) came with complementary coconut raita (yoghurt dip) and the line-caught fish of the day was fresh off of Newhaven beach and accompanied by chunky chips, peas and tartare sauce.

Classic yet titillating to the tastebuds.

Over at the Lunar bar in the restaurant, cocktails are a delight and made with love. We’d recommend the Pornstar Martini, Pear and Elderflower Martini and a refreshing Port twist, Oaxaca Old Fashioned with Mezcal, Reposada Tequila, Agave, Orange Bitters.

Sussex draft beers, wines and spirits are all sourced from vineyards and breweries local to the area.

Drinks on the terrace is a must-try if you’re in town or live nearby.

Our top recommendation for a saccharine end to your stay in Eastbourne?

Sample the rich, chocolatey dream that is the Chocolate Pot with White Peach and Coconut at Port or head down to the renowned ice cream parlour, Fusciardi’s, on the beach for a cool sundowner.

We’ll leave that up to you.

Visit Port Hotel in Eastbourne

11-12 Royal Parade, Eastbourne BN22 7AR, UK.

01323 438526

porthotel.co.uk