Dill in Lewes

There’s a reason this place is in both the Michelin and Good Food guides - the food, service and atmosphere is amazing! Really interesting and delicious small plates, good booze and lovely friendly service. Looking forward to going back.

Had the best experience at Dill. It really is a little hidden Gem. We were a walk in, as didn't book, just me & a friend & the menu was amazing, found some new combinations & flavours I've never tried before. Good combination of vegetarian & meat options. The food was excellent, tasty & left us wanting to come back & try everything on the menu, wanting more. The staff & service was also excellent, knowledgeable, attentive & great. Restaurant is very clean & smart inside. It is small, but I think thats what makes it special. Would definitely recommend & I am already making a booking to go back. All round a really enjoyable experience. Thank you Dill!

Oct 24 The food here is excellent, innovative and unusual. One chooses from an extensive list on a blackboard. In a sense, everything is a "special" and for that reason there isn't much point recommending particular dishes because in two weeks time I would guess the list will be different. However, I did love the piccolo parsnips which came with chana dal, coconut and coriander and if you see something similar to this spicy option, it's worth a try. The food comes when it's ready and in a random order with everything to share. The ambience is great. If you are looking for a structured three course you won't find it here but what you will find is a different way to serve and present food. If we return to Lewes Dill will be right there at the top of things to do.

Interesting and eclectic menu. Mostly delicious and unique. But the experience was ruined by heavy metal/rock music throughout. Booked a lateish lunch here with a friend. The menu was definitely not run of the mill but was also intriguing and very very tasty. Also expensive. Lunch for 2, including 4 glasses of wine was £150. We asked the waitress about the music and the explanation was it was "chef's choice". There is a very simple rule here. An expensive and exclusive menu will attract people with money - often slightly older people. This pub is in Lewes. That should be enough said. While we are not all music connoisseurs we are the only people who can afford to eat at your restaurant and mostly choose not to listen to death metal - especially while we eat. Would not return because of the music, but would definitely have returned, and recommended to others if this hadn't been the case. 5/5 for the food, 0/5 for the poor atmosphere and thrash metal.

OK, never left a review for a restaurant before, but feel compelled to do so after our family meal there last night. Basically, the food was really good on the whole. An interesting menu with original dishes. The one thing that let everything down was the wait.... One of our dinner party went over 90 minutes without any food. The reason for this is that they've decided the 'platters', which they serve for two people, can only be brought to the table AFTER the small plates have been served. So with four people ordering only small plates, it meant the platter didn't arrive for absolutely ages, due to the intermittent arrival of the other dishes. To be fair, we were told of this arrangement prior to ordering, but not for one moment thinking it would have meant sitting there for getting on for two hours whilst everyone else ate their meals first. It just seemed ridiculous at the time, and it seems ridiculous now. The outcome was it was stressful for everyone who was eating their food whilst others had to look on with nothing in front of them for, let me repeat this, over 90 minutes. It basically ruined the evening for all of us, and I advise anyone who plans on visiting Dill not to order the platters if you're a largish party.

We enjoyed a beautiful meal at Dill. Wine is fabulous (if a little on the pricey side), food delicious, with decent portions for a small plates restaurant, hearty bigger plates / sharing platters available too (we went for beautifully cooked duck, with sausage cassoulet, heritage carrots, pork belly and more). Desserts are very creative and delicious (I went for a dark slab of chocolate tart with stout ice cream). Overall it came to £90 per couple with a tip, including drinks, and for this quality of food and warm service we felt it was very reasonable. Dill is now undisputedly the best restaurant in Lewes, nothing comes close.

Delicious everything. Was a bit skeptical walking into the restaurant because at times popular places do struggle in consistency/quality. Dill doesn’t disappoint. Great ingredients and pairings. We love everything we’ve ordered, especially the dessert - fig tarte tatin. £120 for 3 people left so full with a bottle of wine. Staffs are friendly and attentive. Will definitely be back.

If you like pretentious places with really small portions at high prices then come here. £14 for 3 prawns and £15 for a small bowl of vegetables is a rip off, there are plenty of small family run businesses in Lewes where your money is better spent. Wouldn't return

the most incredible food made by the loveliest people. the ox tongue and celeriac are life changing and im obsessed with the pavlova as well. the playlist also goes hard. service was great. everyone who works there is super kind. i had a wonderful experience here.

What a marvellous evening. Dill is a humble little place looking like a cafe, but what a gem. Every dish was memorable. An extraordinary prawn ceviche, some wonderful fish on a bed of beans. A little tortelloni with smoked pig inside. Each element of each dish delicious, with very creative combinations. Lovely staff. One tiny point would be to recommend they bring dishes out in one's or twos, rather that all at once, so each dish could be properly appreciated. But that is only because I wanted to savour every mouthful. Yum.

Yes, yes and more yes! Totally delicious, generous portions, full in heart and stomach.

I had dinner here last night, low key and friendly with excellent food. There is a huge amount of work in making this food with great results. Perfect for a treat!

10/10 experience!!! Just wow!! My taste buds walked away highly impressed and satisfied. Full of flavour, creative dishes and fresh with top notch service. Highly, highly recommend this restaurant and order their crumpet- you won’t regret it.

What a great find in an even greater town. Dill, Son of the Seas, is a small restaurant at the edge of the city center in the town of Lewes. Lewes is less than an hour south of London by train and two stops from Brighton. It is a ten minute walk through the city center from the rail station. I went to Dill excited to try a selection of Belgium beers from a top producer near Brussels and ended up blown away by the selection of food pairings created by the chef. Great setting, amazing service and unbeatable food from this Michelin starred restaurant.

A lively evening celebrating a family birthday. Relaxed friendly environment with delicious food and drink. A joyous find!

After a moody waiter "greeted" us unceremoniously, a lovely friendly waitress introduced the "sharing concept" (ahem). Great variety of choice on the blackboards, reasonable prices (we spent £65 for 2 of us including one alcoholic drink each)...but overall left us underwhelmed. The venue itself would struggle to feel special as the outdoor space is opposite a small car park, while the indoor space is poky. During the hot weather, there was no cooling facility which made us both quite uncomfortable. The design/tables are not given any visible thought - v simple and unnoteworthy. I'd add a simple vase of seasonal cut flowers for a bit of colour pop. Apart from forgetting to place our order (consequently we waited about 75 mins for food - and received lovely cider and crisps by way of apology), we enjoyed the flavours in the main but only one dish stood out. I've eaten at Michelin restaurants previously and my taste buds were blown. Presentation of dishes was v good though. The stand out dish for my friend and I were the ox cheek (very good). The marrow bone confused us both- there was so little marrow to be had, but the accompanying spiral slaw with lovage cream was absolutely delicious. The nduja samosas and hen of the woods were just OK. Tiny portion. The oyster with watermelon/cucumber (£5 for one) sounded wonderful; it was just OK. The ajo blanco was dreadful - mostly steamed/charred leek with skin on almonds and a tiny amount of cream. I've loved in Spain and I can assure the chefs that this was NOT ajo blanco. They made a mistake on the bill for the Radler - charging £8 rather than the advertised £6. Not a big deal but the whole thing just left us both "meh" and we didn't tip. Sorry! You guys clearly work very hard and details for dishes have been well curated. But it's lacking something and has an air of pretentiousness that antagonises the local seasonal "concept".

They seemed too busy to cope? 15 minutes after arriving we had to ask for drinks. Food comes when it comes but was delicious. Had to ask for everything when someone was passing..... Maybe someone hadn't turned up but they said that wasn't the case so.....?

One of the best dining experiences I’ve ever had! Try everything it’s worth it. Great portion sizes for the price and everything is tongue quenchingly delicious. Can’t even think what my favourite was. I will be back! Not to mention the amazing selection of wines and spirits!

This was the third time I have been to Dill. This time instead of with a friend, I brought my husband and 2 teenagers. As always, the food was delicious. There’s always something slightly different on the menu, we had a mix of small plates and one of the big sharing plates. In hindsight we should have ordered less, as we ended up not managing to eat everything. Will definitely go again! Planning on bringing a big group so that we can try one of everything on the menu!

Serious food and wines are served at Dill, dishes are created by well connected, well travelled, innovative and intelligent owner-chefs, but in an unfussy and humble way. Impeccably judged. We enjoyed our meal immensely. Flavours and presentation were up there with true top tier restaurants, but totally free from the stuffiness of the gastronomic establishment.

We shared a few small dishes that were surprisingly rich in flavor and creatively prepared. Pavlova was my favourite.

My partner and I were recommended this place by a good friend of ours and we decided to go for our anniversary. The atmosphere is perfectly fine with a warm and intimate interior but that was about as good as it got for us. The drinks arrived 30 minutes after we ordered them (bare in mind there were only max 4 other tables being served) and we were told it was because he was talking to someone about wines? When we asked about the dishes there was a lack of knowledge with the staff about each dish and we ended up with unexpectedly different food because of this lack of understanding. The food itself was ok nothing to rave about but to top it all off there was a woman who seemed somewhat intoxicated coming in and out of this kitchen and coughing over the pass while we were expecting food. Safe to say we didnt stay for dessert.

A incredible meal, only regret, forgot to take a photo of the sea trout dish we ordered! Food was fresh, sauces were amazing and so complimentary. Highlight dish was the sea bream, flaky and full of flavour! The meal was finished off with the gooseberry and elderflower trifle. For anyone who has to eat gluten free, the restaurant has many safe dishes available!

I am struggling a bit to understand some of the more negative reviews about Dill. OK they could probably have done with another pair of hands on a warm, busy Sunday lunchtime BUT what a find! We stopped in Lewes with no other plan that to look around, buy in some food supplies and relax. As I walked past Dill I saw the ‘small plates’ menu on the blackboard outside and we decided to give it a try. The food was really very good - we wanted a light lunch and that is what we got, a veggie dish (charred leek with all sorts for flavours/textures), a fish dish (sea trout with interesting accompaniments) and (from the starters on the ‘normal’ menu) hay baked heritage potatoes. I had a very drinkable Portuguese red. The execution was spot on and compares very favourably with many high end places (I was particularly reminded of Jöro in Sheffield)

Our 1st visit and had a wonderful meal!! Depth of flavours, delicious and creative cooking. Thankyou 😁

Seriously tasty food. Buzzy atmosphere. Good wine list. Still dreaming of the lamb sweet breads. Absolutely delicious. Thank you!

Had a wonderful meal with my partner, Dill is a very special place, would love to go back again soon.

Had heard good things about Dill from friends. We were not dissapointed. The menu was short and we were recommended to order a selection of 4 dishes to share. We could not resist the manchego crispy balls with truffle oil as an aperatif. We drank some lovely English orange wine which was excellent. The dishes were varied and beautifully presented. With only one person serving at the table a quick lunch is not poswible but the food on a sunny day on their terrace is worth the wait.

Fantastisk flott opplevelse. Ansatte som virkelig viste forståelse og innlevelse i jobben sin. Maten var i high class, virkelig verdt et besøk.

This is by far one of the most interesting places to eat in the Lewes/Brighton area. The team does a great job creating innovative dishes and the platters for 2 are a wonderful dinner (we usually get a whole fish and split it). Also, the wine and beer list do not have the usual suspects, rather a carefully curated choice of interesting producers from many locations. Very generic restaurants command the top ratings on this Lewes list but Dill is far from generic. You won't regret eating here if you are up for an adventure.

Excellent food at a very reasonable price with very helpful and friendly staff. Just a lost star for the dull 80s soundtrack which didn't add anything to the experience.

You come here ot enjoy their high quality, inventive food. The room itself is a bit shabby and the drinks overpriced but the cooking is seriously good.

Had an absolutely fantastic meal here, the food is incredibly inventive, each plate is a surprise, a bit of an adventure. Highly recommended!

Since its opening, Dill has become an institution in Lewes. As a photographer, I've had the pleasure of working with them and tasting most of their food. The quality of their dishes is truly exceptional. One goes to Dill for quality over quantity. When you indulge in their cuisine, it's essential to savor each bite, trust me, I'm quite the eater! I recently attended an exclusive dinner event organized by ooway at Dill. Two renowned chefs, coming from different starred restaurants and countries, collaborated to create an eleven-course menu for 16 guests. The theme of our event was Aqua and Fusion, and each dish was a revelation of flavours. The price, at £70 per person, was more than fair for such a unique culinary experience. The specially curated wine selection added a delightful touch. What made the evening even more special was the attentive service. Despite having only one table, we were served by two highly knowledgeable waiters. The opportunity to dine with other guests, around 8 couples in total, added an extra layer of enjoyment to the evening. I could go on and on about how unique this experience was, but I'll simply suggest you to secure an invitation to the next event or visit the restaurant to taste their everyday menu. Trust me, you won't regret it.

An incredible evening at Dill. Was very impressed by the flavors, and Colin was both an excellent host and chef who made us feel very welcome A few menu highlights: Mackarel vindaloo, tiger shrimp aguachile (pictured), and the vegetarian platter which was a nettle lasagna with beans, peas and other veggies. A must-stop if you’re in the area for both the food and experience.

I'm really not sure what all the fuss is about. The food was ok at best. They served a bowl of homemade crisps with a dip at the bottom, but the dip is completely covered by the crisps. Id expect for the price/claimed quality they'd just...make a little well in the middle so you can immediately access said dip. There were little quails egg skewers where a pickled chilli just completely overpowers all other flavours. Bland fideua. A marmite pork dish I've forgotten about already. The highlight was definitely the mackerel vindaloo. Normally when I visit somewhere that is Michelin recommended I leave wanting to try to recreate at least one dish. I didn't feel the need this time.

Wow, wow, wow. If you want something superb, different, memorable, delicious, and unique....go here. I tried 4 things I've never had before and loved them all. The chef is passionate about his dishes. It is better to go with others, to try more dishes. Even better for me, my wonderful friend paid. It is a meal I will remember fondly. My friends are already talking about coming down from London just to eat here again. Small intimate place. Menu changed weekly.

What a treat. Fantastic lunch today, thanks. We really liked it all, but particularly the lamb and vegetable/mushroom dish with the poached egg. Great dishes.

Pretentious nonsense. If you are happy with having your food endlessly described, shocking music and then being kicked off your table after two hours before dessert, then fine. It was an expensive two hours and I now wish we had spent the money elsewhere.

A wonderful restaurant. From start to finish an excellent experience. The server was probably the best we've ever had, completely adapting to every table's personalities, absolutely the epitome of how a waiter should be. Doing things before we asked and everything was seamless. The food was impeccable and we loved sharing every dish. Our favourite was a tie between the onsen tamago or the ox tongue crumpet. Highly recommend.

We booked lunch for the 23rd February on February 6th which was 'confirmed'. Received a strange email today (9th February) in which it stated 'Sadly at the moment our team it’s too small to reopen fully'. I understand that this place is small in size anyway, so found this rather odd. I won't bother booking again.

Dill is fine dining at its best and most relaxed. This was an amazing experience that matched and at times exceeded any New York City (my home) restaurant. The service was simple and caring. The food was delicious. The lamb was amazing. Plus the course with barley ( which I had learned about on tour) was very unique. Got introduced to a great new wine. Here is to Dill ( and sad NY lost Agern). A must if you enjoy exploring flavors.

Amazing food, amazing wines, amazing concept. I've been here a few times. The french guy is really good as well. Trust him to choose for you.

Excellent and knowledgeable service. Incredible food, with a real twist of flavours and combinations! We had 3 courses for my son's 18th birthday and were not disappointed!! Will definitely go again... What a gem!!

Food and staff are top notch. It's a nice spot but the lighting is quite bright and harsh so it doesn't feel atmospheric.

I thought the absence of a menu outside did not encourage walk ins. In fact 3 or 4 couples walked in had a look and walked out! We found this a bit disconcerting. The menu is inside on a blackboard and is quite extensive. Do read it carefully to see if there are items that catch your attention and my advice is to discuss the planning of the meal with the front of house staff, as some platters are very large for sharing say between 4 people. Everything is designed to share and this is not fast food as the dishes seemed to be cooked from scratch which is good, but not if you're in a hurry! We had a starter, 2 plates, which arrived in succession, not together and a cheese selection to finish and that was great for us, but we chose well by accident rather than design.

The menu looked really interesting and on the whole the food didn't disappoint. Very unusual flavours and combinations. A treat to try some quite fancy food. It was a bit on the pricy side though, our bill overall was £98 and we had 3 drinks, those costing £30+. The reason I've marked it down, was the attitude of the staff, one particular person who I think may have been one of the owners. We ordered 'a side' with our meal. I thought, wrongly it seemed, that this meant it would come as a side dish to our other dishes. By the time we'd finished all our other main savoury dishes, this side of sprout tops hadn't arrived. We asked twice - "it's on its way". It came after we'd finished all our savoury dishes. I said it had come too late and we didn't want it now, and explained my understanding of what I thought was meant by a dish advertised as 'a side'. Not so apparently. Side dish did not mean it came to accompany other savoury dishes. The explanation from the waitress was that 'it's a more relaxed' say that we do things! Then the owner came, a young French guy I think, and I proceeded to explain my understanding of a 'side dish' and my expectations. He didn't listen and didn't really want to know it seemed. He had his own explanation of how he saw things and how their menu worked. It was quite reasonable and acceptable that the side of sprout tops had arrived after we'd finished everything else, apparently. From that point on, his previously jovial and friendly manner just evaporated and he could barely raise a smile. Such a poor attitude, a really obvious shift in his demeanour which I thought was very poor form and really bad customer service. I'd have definitely gone back but for this really poor attitude. Won't be visiting again

Excellent dinner; some interesting and innovative dishes based around sharing plates. Attentive and great service with good explanations of the menu and the choices around mix of dishes. Will certainly be going again.

Small space and quite squashed in places. There is no menu on the table, everything is on blackboards on the wall, which was quite difficult to read, so everybody was taking photos of the menu. It is small plates, with lots of different combinations, some of which I would never have put together, but they work! Absolutely loved the Pigs Trotter with black garlic and the sea bream was first class. The cooking is wonderful, but the plates come out when they are ready, so unless you're all prepared to share the same dish, some people may have to wait for their dish to arrive. Wine is expensive. Waiting staff were pleasant and helpful. A few minor niggles. Service is not included. Our bill came to approx £54 per head inc wine.

Absolutely sensational feast of incredible flavours, new food concepts that will tickle your plate into food ecstasy. It’s got to be one of my favourite eating experiences ever. Starters , mains and desserts incredible well executed and presented well. We were part of a group that celebrated friends birthday so got to taste the entire menu and it was all delicious and plenty of food. Can’t recommend it enough!

It was a pleasant experience. The food was yummy, the staff was great. Definitely recommend and want to come again as I already feel bad I didn't try the oysters~

We'd heard a lot about how great this restaurant was so were looking forward to trying it. The menu was quite confusing and the serving staff didn't really explain it very clearly. We waited a really long time for each dish, and although the first starter was excellent the second was actually inedible. The main course was fine, perfectly pleasant but nothing to write home about, and took about an hour to arrive. The wine was good, but we didn't feel that the overall experience was worth the very considerable bill.

One of the best meals I have had in along time. You wouldn't be surprised if this place had white table clothes and a Michelin star. The stand out dish was the snail croquettes. As creamy as the creamiest croquette you've ever had in Spain, but elevated to another level. Get to this place before it's booked up for the rest of time.

On all accounts, this restaurant is incredible. Simply the best food I have ever tasted and the staff are lovely.

Another amazing meal, Tandoori Mackerel was so good and great service as usual.

Decided to give this place a try after noticing it came with a Michelin recommendation. It's a very unassuming interior, looking like a simple cafe. It's also in a spot where it's not easy to notice and I'd walked past a few times without seeing it. The food was of the highest order. We tried a number of small plates from the menu and everyone was a winner. The marmite glazed ox tongue and crumpet was exceptional, and don't worry if you don't like marmite as my wife doesn't and she could barely taste it. The ricotta dumplings were also excellent. The food is innovative, tasty and high quality. The environment is relaxed and informal. The staff were welcoming, friendly and keen to discuss the dishes. We had 6 small plates between us and left quite full. Will definitely be returning and recommending it to anyone who will listen.

We’ve been wanting to eat at Dill for a while now. We were lucky to get a table on a random Sunday afternoon visiting Lewes. The Hype is Real! When we were choosing our dishes we got chatting to a couple of tables sat outside with us. They all said that EVERYTHING is delicious. And they were right. We went for a couple of sides, the corn with fermented chilli was great! And a few plates, salt baked celeriac was one of the best dishes we have eaten in a very long time!! Everything had so much flavour and it was perfectly seasoned. Service was very friendly too even tho she was on her own and rushed off her feel, nothing was a hassle. I can’t wait to dine with you again! Thank you Dill for being so great!

We went to Dill out of curiosity since was mentioned in the Bib Gourmand’s guide. Exceeded our expectations, in fact it was an impressive food experience, great presentation, fresh and tasty food with some unexpected ingredients. Service was - au pair- with the food. Highly recommended if you’re into fine and interesting food, We will be visiting Dill soon again!

Really enjoyed the feel of the place. The menus are interesting to challenge what you might normally try, but well thought out. The wine list is also very different, with ones you may not be familiar with. I would say if you are prepared to open your mind, try things, you won’t be disappointed.

Amazing service, imaginative and varied dishes, great wine - this was a really wonderful experience. The attention to detail of every dish was impressive. Can’t wait to come back!

We can't tell you how much we love this place. It's not without its quirks but is easily the best place to eat in Lewes and is a wonderful and much needed addition to the town's food offering. The way they operate is open, friendly and convivial with diners invited to take photos of the different menus that are on boards vs. printouts at the table (make sure you take photos of ALL of them including specials inside!). They are big fans of orange wines but have a tight selection of whites, roses and reds. They also have a surprising beer selection that covers a range of flavours. Oh and the food is magnificent! My wife is vegetarian/non-dairy and honestly this is the ONLY place that we both look forward to eating in (and we include London in that!) We've been several times and will keep going back regularly and supporting this excellent outfit.

Best restaurant in Lewes or Brighton. Interesting flavours, great left-field booze, super friendly staff. Some dishes are challenging, but never ever dull. Also, had the 2 greatest desserts I’ve ever had in my 6 visits here. LOVE IT

Absolutely fabulous evening of great food, wine and service. Nothing was too much trouble for this young foodie team. Fresh ingredients, interesting combinations all extremely professionally presented. Bursting with flavours and original ideas. Definitely worth treating yourself to a big night out here.

We'd been to Dill shortly after it opened and really enjoyed it, so thought we'd go back for a wedding anniversary dinner. The waiter who seated us didn't explain how the place worked, which would have been good to know - the menu is a real mix of bits and pieces, platters, small plates, sides, etc etc and we'd forgotten from our previous visit - and we had to wait a bit after being seated before someone came and took a drinks order. We didn't realise that other than the starters, the different dishes would each arrive pretty much as they was ready - the way it worked out was all my food (which my wife didn't fancy sharing) arrived first and I ate while my wife had nothing. Then just as I finished, her food arrived and she ate and I watched. It didn't feel like we were having dinner together. My food (mackerel, sea trout) was to be fair lovely, as were the oysters we had to start. My wife's (ricotta dumplings, rabbit & snail) was pretty bland and unexciting. Service was OK but a bit offhand. The post-food espressos weren't great. Once we'd paid the bill, we didn't get any acknowledgement when we left - just a 'cheerio' would have been nice. We were very disappointed at what we'd hoped would have been a lovely special occasion dinner. Unlikely to be back.

Casual dining setting, with an elevated food experience. I really, really loved dining here today. Portion sizes are small, but the food is top notch. Magic, even!

Fast rising to be undoubtedly one of the best restaurants in Lewes. Great service. Delicious food. Good ambience. Highly recommended.

A gastronomical experience beyond compare. The meticulously curated menu and a welcoming staff made for an unforgettable dining experience. The ox tongue was my personal favourite. I look forward to coming back soon. Bravo!

Unlike some of the older reviews for Dill, I can't display photographs which; is a shame as the oysters were presented in a nice bowl with a little brass crab to make it look a little quirky along with the marble pebbles that had been used instead of ice, a mistake in my opinion until I realised that two of the oysters were supposed to be warm. Unfortunately, my lunch (more like afternoon snack) companion and I saw "Oysters" on the blackboard menu and as we are both regulars at the phenomenal Urchin in Hove, we thought we'd tuck in. What was delivered to the table was, although stated on the menu, not what we ordinarily expect as oysters, they were so severely dowsed in pointless accompaniments such as mint sauce, ox fat, chilly and several other forms of disguise, that my stomach is still sending me warnings, I do hope I'm wrong! 🤮 Along with the completely ruined oysters we had two shot glasses of gazpacho, these were nice but needed to be in a bowl with a lot more gazpacho! Apart from that was some rather dry bread with what the server claimed to be a herb infused and smoked butter, really, couldn't taste a thing. Generally disappointed we asked for the bill, (and yes, I told the server what I thought of the food so this review will be no surprise) 20 minutes later, the staff are all sitting around a table and the painfully arrogant French server playing on his laptop and eventually I approached the table and complained that I’d asked for the bill 20 minutes earlier, that we were both in plain view of them and completely ignored, there were only 4 other customers. I’ve no idea how this restaurant has good reviews if this is the example set, had the oysters not been so badly damaged by their chef’s total misinterpretation of allowing produce to speak for itself along with the rest of such a blatantly pretentious menu then I have to assume the reviews are faux (French for fake). Dill is housed in what used to be a public convenience, perhaps Lewes council should consider converting it back, I seem to remember it being a very clean and well maintained toilet…………..unlike the one Dill now present as the customer lavatory.🚽 Less arrogance and pretentious nonsense is needed for Dill to survive especially now that people are looking more carefully for value while their mortgage rates are rocketing.

We had heard very positive things about Dill so thought we’d give it a try. I couldn’t be more delighted we did. The food was everything I wouldn’t try to do at home. Exquisitely prepared, beautifully presented, an exceptional depth of flavour in every single ingredient and such a unique variety of dishes. It was by far the most interesting meal I’ve had, certainly locally. I love that they use the brilliant local Nama Yasai farm for vegetables. I was incredibly impressed by the desserts too. It’s not cheap but nor should it be and it certainly wasn’t expensive. The staff were friendly and delightful and the young lady looking after us was wonderful. I should imagine that at dinner service there would be quite a buzzing atmosphere in there. A perfect lunch and I’ll be returning ASAP! Thank you Dill.

The food was ok. Good quality ingredients used. Very small portions for the price you're paying. For a Michelin recommended restaurant I expected more impressive food, not things I could make at home. The service was good but slow. Unfortunately the table next to us started shouting at each other. Not Dill's fault of course but the intimacy of the restaurant didn't help.

Amazing food, wine and service. Well priced and certainly better than another place in Lewes. So i would highly recommend and will certainly be going back.

A cross between small plates and mains. But they'll enjoy explaining things. Our party of four managed to try most of the small dishes. All nicely cooked and presented. The duck was my favourite but the "raw prawn" also went down well. The rabbit Wellington worked well between four. Remember to ask for bread to mop up the juices. Small but interesting wine selection. Good to have an English sparkler as an option. The Quinta Vista Tinto went well with the rabbit. Could easily become a regular haunt if we moved to Lewes.

Peas mixed with seaweed and mint mashed into toddler food purée Weird combination of ricotta dumplings in what looked like custard with green shoots. Duck wings in deep fried breaded coating which were mostly bones (is there ever any meat on duck wings?) Confusing menu....

2nd visit this time, new menu, new wine! Great evening out

We visited recently and just had the most amazing time. The food was exceptional, service was warm and friendly, everything was just perfect. Really recommend going here ♥️ it’s a gem

We had a rather dismaying dinner experience at Dill, and it is with regret that I write this less than complimentary review, as both I and my husband want to love Dill with all our hearts. The beginning was promising: we were taken by the lovely rustic but refined ambiance in the small dining room, and were warmly greeted by our very nice server. We put an order for the rabbit wellington, a sharing dish for two, which was relayed promptly to the kitchen. From that point on things started going south, not out of bad will but out of chaotic organization of the service. We still had to complete our food order but our lovely waitress was super busy with other tables, which ended with us ordering the rest of the meal 20 minutes later. 40 minutes passed, no one stopped by to tend to us, while people that arrived well after us were getting their food. All this until another person (I think from the kitchen staff) asked us if we want to order food. We said we did, and that we were actually expecting something to come our way as we were sitting for an hour already without a speck of food on the table. It finally did, two dishes, good but not stellar. A so called tomato cacio e pepe, which despite being tasty bore little resemblance, in spirit and in ingredients, to the quintessential 2-ingredient miracle that is cacio e pepe. Most glaring was the absence of pepe, in flavor and in appearance. The soy glazed eggplants were good, although lacked the unctuous quality that such eggplant dishes can carry. Then, the piece de resistance, the rabbit wellington arrived. And what a disappointment it was. There are many different ways to do a fantastic wellington, but there are some real no-nos no matter what wellington it is, and one of them is no lining of the central element to fill the gap between it and the crust. No duxelles, no leaves if any sort, just air. The result is a glorified sausage roll rather than an expertly prepared wellington. The carrots that came as accompaniment were bland and unloved, and the accoutrements were good: an herby sauce, a black garlic condiment and salsa Verde, which found itself added to the carrots to give them flavor. There was also a small Japanese dumpling, which didn't really connect with anything on the plate. All of this could have been put under "matter of taste" and a personal opinion. What is NOT a matter of opinion is that throughout the meal were were essentially ignored. Not once anyone came to ask how the food was, if we wanted anything else to drink, or just show that someone cared about how our dinner was proceeding. This is a cardinal sin in a restaurant, one that will prevent is from coming again, even if the air in the Wellington is filled with deliciousness. It didn't help that an unpleasant drama was taking place at a large table next to us, but this is not in the restaurant's control, just people with bad manners. Again, it is with regret that I wrote this here, but since no one seemed to be interested in how we felt while we were at the restaurant, at least I hope someone from the team reads this here.

Fantastic all round. Great staff, welcoming and knowledgeable. Can’t believe this place has been on our doorstep and have only just visited! Superb food, too many highlights to mention specifics. We plan to return soon and try all the plates we didn’t have! Great choice...

Outstanding - best restaurant in Lewes - great vibe, relaxed, friendly, food seasonal, creative, delicious with heart and soul put in. Must visit - wines and beers selection is great with lots of local options too.

Wow an amazing find. We went on a recommendation & certainly weren't disappointed. Theo was very attentive; knowledgeable; helpful & funny. We sat outside so didn't see the prices of the beers until we saw the bill...eye watering. The food was excellent; amazing combination of...

Food was a 4 star (inventive and great, fresh ingredients like the nutbourne tomatoes and seafood. The duck and ox tongue were also stand out courses). Service brings my score down. Was left waiting a while to have the system of the restaurant explained, for some courses, and for the bill at the end. Only one course was fully explained on arrival. No wine menu to look at, had some wines brought to us to quickly choose between instead. Wobbly table close to neighbouring table (receiving much fuller service experience!). Sadly wasn't made to feel too warmly welcome, which is a shame considering the food quality and value.

What am amazing tasting experience, awesome flavours.

It's great to have fine food being served in Lewes after it's been absent for some years. Innovative menu and well cooked shared plates: top level food really, worthy of the Michelin review. But can't recommend a place that assaults me with very loud percussive...

Dill goes from strength to strength. Outstanding food and fantastic personable service from Theo and the team.

Amazing find…. Exceptional and highly innovative food…. And good value too. Go now before word spreads and becomes one of the most talked about restaurants in the area!! And likely to be booked out for weeks ahead. Very skilled and executed dishes - with super interesting combinations that make dining out at Dill a real pleasure… Many thanks again.

Super interesting menu with very high quality food. Everyone at our table was enchanted with food and wine menu. So different from standard English gastro-pub and fusion cooking - real thought and care into all the dishes we had. Super geat find - will be...

First time trying Dill. Food absolutely sublime. Not somewhere to go for a quick bite as the food comes out as it's ready. Small plates so depends how hungry you are. We had 3 between 2 of us and probably would have more another time. Can highly recommend the stuffed courgette flower and orzo and the lamb scrumpet. Will definitely return.

Truly amazing lunch and delightful staff - we will return. At last a memorable meal in our home town!

Fine dining in Lewes! This informal setting makes it all the more of a pleasant surprise. Highly talented chefs, offering really interesting plates. The wine is a little over priced but the food exceptional and great value. Visit while it is still there as I imagine these chefs are off to bigger things.

Wow . Creative brilliance we ate stunning seasonal small plates and family sharing platters… A must visit for lunch or dinner

Me and my husband popped in for a drink & met a wonderful group of people! We ended up having the wild boar & it was PHENOMENAL. The menu is inventive & delicious, an absolute gem in the Lewes area will be coming back again. x

We had the bar bites, the aubergine and the plaice to share. Highlights were the seaweed hash browns and the plaice. If we could’ve had a big bowl of those hash browns with the plaice it would be amazing! The love that went into the plaice dish was really evident. The Italian and French waiters were both very friendly and helpful. Great value for money too. We aren’t drinkers and that always helps save us money for food and a decent tip. Looking forward to returning.

Booked a table for six for lunch Bank Holiday Sunday. A fascinaing choice of sharing plates (need to stay a week to sample them all !).Fresh local ingredients beatifully served & explained by the well informed staff. Very enjoyable tasty food with each ingredient making...

Dill is what Lewes has needed for decades. Creative yet unpretentious dishes using unusual ingredients and locally sourced produce, all made with care. You can taste the love! We couldn’t fault the food or decide on a favourite dish (we had 6 small - but satisfying - plates between 2) and felt that it was good value for such amazing food. The only thing that would have improved the experience and ambience was more ambient music, or none at all. I have been twice now and can’t wait to go back.

The best food we have had in Lewes in years. Friendly helpful service. Very interesting and tasty food.

Great menu. The food was incredible and very inventive. Nice wines on offer by the glass too. Small place but great vibes. I cannot wait to go back. Best Lewes restaurant for this kind of thing.

The food is delicious. The service attentive. The only thing that lets this place down is the ambience (which was a bit 'stark', bright and chilly when I went). However, that is easily improved and by no means impacts the quality of the experience.

Excellent modern food for Lewes. Swerve bill's go to Dill's

The finest food I’ve ever eaten in Lewes. Every dish highly considered, beautifully balanced and locally sourced. The sort of food you could never make yourself, and therefor well worth trying. The menu has obviously taken years to create, a rare treat, go there and try for yourself.

We had the wonderful meal. Every dish was interesting and absolutely delicious. The service was excellent, incredibly friendly. Will be back very soon.

I have had 2 outstanding meals at Dill…. Dining at Dill epitomises the joy of eating out - trying new food and exciting dishes - all loving prepared and presented beautifully. I look forward to trying the May menu….