17 Must Eats In Hastings & St Leonards

    There's more to us than fish and chips, but it's a good place to start.

    Chloë King
    by Chloë King

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    1. Fish 'n' Chips at The Blue Dolphin

    2. Pub lunch at The Crown

    Christopher Snook / Via thecrownhastings.co.uk

    An independent freehouse on All Saints Street, The Crown is one of Hastings most rated gastro pubs. Boasting that magic mix of local art and locally-sourced food, open fires, craft beers, and crafty afternoons, The Crown is a boon year-round.

    3. Street Food and Cocktails at The Observer Building

    4. Indian Thali at The FILO

    FILO / Via thefilo.co.uk

    The FILO is a pub-lover's pub, serving up their own ales, six of them, live music and banter. FILO began their popular Thursday thali nights about a year ago, making all of their own curries and dhals from scratch using fresh spices and their own-roasted garam masala for a home-cooked authentic flavour.

    5. The Gonzo at Half Man Half Burger

    Dave Brown / Via halfmanhalfburger.com

    Half Man Half Burger on Marine Ct St Leonards has only been open since this July, but owners Rory & Matt say they've had queues every weekend. Their new local following just can't seem to get enough of their craft beers, burgers, chilli cheese fries and "trashy" desserts. "The Gonzo" (pictured) features two patties, smoked bacon, HM!HB! Memphis Screamin' Whiskey BBQ Sauce and monterey jack.

    6. Tush n Pat's Fishermen's Rolls

    Tush and Pat / Via Facebook: Tush

    The husband and wife team fry up freshly-caught fish – usually dab or plaice – and slam it into bread rolls with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pure, simple, cheap, and famous too.

    7. Posh Fish at St Clements

    St Clements Hastings @StClementsRest

    Chowder to start, with salt cod, mussel, spring cabbage & potatoes

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    St Clement's is recommended by The Michelin Guide, Harden's and a whole bunch of broadsheet food critics, and why the hell wouldn't they? Fish fresh off the boats, including prized turbot and salt cod chowder (pictured), cooked with care and minimal ponce. The restaurant also has a great value weekday lunch menu and evening set menu.

    8. Sunday lunch at Clubhouse at The Beacon

    9. Meal and a movie at Kitchen

    Media 25 / Via kino-teatr.co.uk

    The building that now houses the KinoTeatr on Norman Rd St Leonards has been a picture house since 1913. It is now home to an independent cinema, the Baker Mamonova gallery of Russian art, and a pretty funky cafe named Kitchen, serving up delicious sandwiches, light mains and salads like glazed chicken with hazelnut (pictured).

    10. Thai classics at the Boulevard Bookshop

    11. Fruits de mer at Webbes Rock-a-Nore

    12. Afternoon Tea at Petit Fi

    13. American breakfast at Pelican Diner

    14. Turkish barbecue at Ada

    ADA Turkish Barbeque & Meze Bar / Via ada-restaurant.co.uk

    At the right moment, you can't beat the smell of grilled lamb wafting through a dining room. Ada is a no-nonsense Turkish restaurant. Expect great value – £7.95 for a two-course lunch – friendly service, casseroles, baked dishes, grills, and the occasional extravagant salad presentation.

    15. Homemade soup at Hanushka

    16. Modern British at Pier 9

    17. Two scoops from Will the Cone-queror

    Helena Wojtczak / Via hastingspress.co.uk

    Willie the Cone as he's sometimes known shuttles real ice cream along the seafront on his tricycle during the summer months. His magnificent Italian ice cream is churned by Di Paulos in nearby Bexhill to old family recipes. Molto buono.