We already love Lewes for its antique shops, independent boutiques and gorgeous lido (guide coming soon!), but now there’s another reason to head to the little market town: a new independent restaurant is opening next month, Fork.
Fork is the first solo venture of Richard Falk, who worked at the two-Michelin-starred The Ledbury in London’s Notting Hill and as head chef at cool Clapham hangout The Dairy.
“It’s been a long-held ambition to move out of London with my family and open my own restaurant. Fork will give me a chance to create dishes made from seasonal ingredients from the best growers and producers in East Sussex,” the head chef and co-owner said.
“We have had a hugely positive response from the local community. People are now really wanting more places to eat and drink together. Lewes is also renowned for its tradition of radicalism and independent spirit and this really works well with the ethos of Fork.”
So what can we expect food-wise? Fork’s menu will be both innovative and accessible; a modern interpretation of a traditional neighbourhood restaurant menu serving modern British cuisine.
Lunch will include staples like Trenchmore flank, salsa verde and smoked bone marrow on toasted milk bread, warm salad of Namayasai beetroot, chickweed and black garlic, and Lady Grey custard tart.
Dinner, meanwhile, will feature a changing menu of both small and large plates, alongside a concise beer, wine and cocktail list featuring brewers and producers from Sussex.
Think Newhaven cod, spring cabbage and garden sorrel cooked with Beak brewery Lulla and charcuterie from Hove producers Rebel, cheese from Golden Cross and a warm compote of fruit from nearby Offham nursery to finish. And at weekends, they’ll also be offering classic brunch dishes, Middle Eastern dishes and whole-animal butchery.
They’ve paid just as much attention to the interiors, too, with vintage Vico Magistretti chairs sitting alongside English oak-clad walls, stools and tabletops and red quarry-tiled flooring. Richard and co-owner Stephen Yeomans say they wanted to create an interior that felt classically cool but also welcoming and intimate.
And, happily, there’s outside space, too – the bar and dining room stretch into a beautiful courtyard terrace and garden. You’ll need to book to eat in the main restaurant, but they’ll be keeping eight seats at the bar for walk-ins.
Opens 1st June 2021; open Wednesday to Sunday (midday – 3pm and 5.30-9.30pm daily except Sunday, 9.30am-3.30pm)
14 Station Street, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 2DA
fork-lewes.co.uk
Photo credits: Hikaru Funnell Photography
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