The Cat Inn in Mid Sussex

After our last visit on 22/12/2024, I can only say that if you wanted to take someone somewhere for their 1st ever Sunday Roast you couldn't go wrong by taking them to The Cat Inn, but also for all the other lovely meals the produce & draft beer.

We enjoyed a delicious Boxing Day lunch. Beautifully cooked food full of flavour. Chips were very morish and all washed down with a local bottle of fizz called Boco, which we highly recommend as well as the olives. Brilliant friendly service, it’s a big place that is clearly very popular with locals so I advise booking.

I was born in the ancient cottage opposite the cat inn and knew it as a friendly locals local. I moved from the area in my mid teens and during November this year another former resident and I returned to the village for a nostalgic visit. On entering the Cat we asked the barmaid if we could order a sandwich to which she replied that it was too busy to make sandwiches and we were directed to the Fox pub at Sharpthorne. I was rather perturbed at her attitude which made us feel unwelcome so became determined to stay a while, so we had a lunch of peanuts, crisps and ginger beer whilst the table next to us ordered partridge. We found it a bad experience that after 60 years away it was very obvious that what was the hub of village life had now disappeared like so many others and was now in fact a restaurant. I am sure that the reviews regarding the quality of the food are correct, but not serving sandwiches and being directed to another pub is a bit rich. One star for the ginger beer.

Close ish to Gatwick. Very clean, prettily decorated, modern bathrooms and tea/coffee in the room. The food at the Pub is gourmet!!

Lovely pub, great food, friendly staff

Very nice food and friendly happy service. However even though it was a Friday afternoon and we had booked, it took 30 mins to be asked for our order and another 30 mins to deliver it. It was very busy (apparently they have featured in a nation newspaper recently). Worth a visit - as long as you're not in a hurry!

This is fine dining. Great atmosphere , beautifully prepared and presented food. All courses were of a very high standard. Master chef is here. The Harvey’s real ale brought back happy memories. I will come again , definitely!

Lovely food, pet friendly, definitely worth a visit.

Rooms are clean and comfy, the food is restaurant standard, best pub food I’ve had. The Cat’s biggest asset is their staff, they are polite, helpful and go out of their way to make your stay a great one. Mine Host Andrew is a master at his trade, a great example of a wonderful British pub, so good we’ve booked again for New Year.

every time i come here the food blows me away! it truly is phenomenal every time came here yesterday for a belated birthday dinner and i cannot fault the evening… the service is always fab here and the food was top notch. we ordered the cod special and the sea bream - the fish was some of the best we’ve ever had! our waitress (apologies but i didn’t catch her name!) was attentive throughout without being overbearing as some can be in other restaurants. we drive up all the way from brighton just to come to the cat and we are never disappointed - the value for money here is great too, perfect for a special occasion! i rarely write reviews but i had to after the meal we had last night! would 1000000% recommend!

Tried to get in here to eat lunch midway through a country walk. Upon entering we were told that they were fully booked despite plenty of visible empty tables. We were told to wait 45 mins for the chance of a table. At every stage the staff were unfriendly and unwilling to help squeeze us in. Couples with bookings were frustratingly put onto 4 person tables. We were eventually told (after prompting them ) that the kitchen was too busy and we couldn’t eat there. Far better going to the Fox Free house where they were much friendlier .

Very inhospitable reception. Large amounts of spare tables but we were told there was no space for 45 mins. After a long wait, they then told us that they could not seat us as the kitchen was busy. More generally, the reception from the waiting staff was rude and dismissive. Real shame as the pub otherwise looked lovely.

It’s a beautiful building but I’ve never been to a more unfriendly pub. Despite 40% of tables being empty and other bookers being given free reign to switch to bigger tables despite only coming in pairs, three of us were told there was no space after waiting 40 minutes for a table. I’m sure the food is lovely, but make sure to book in advance, and otherwise go to the much more friendly Fox Freehouse 2 minutes down the road.

We stopped in for lunch. The food and atmosphere was phenomenal. Exactly how you want an English pub to be.

Food was great here! Atmosphere was lovely by the fireplace. Good if you are gluten free!

We didn't stay at the hotel. Just had lunch. Lovely service, and the food was delicious. We sat by the door which was drafty but it is an old charmed pub I suppose. And if you choose small fish, be warned it is happy meal size. All very tasty though.

Attentive, friendly & efficient staff. Good food, way above the norm, beautifully presented and good value - will be going for more.

Nice pub in the middle of a nice old village The food was served hot and was delicious the 🍺 was great and the staff were very friendly and helpful

I have just had a wonderful experience staying at the cat. Not only was the food superb but also the accommodation. The management and staff were friendly and helpful. I will definitely be returning, hopefully soon.

Very charming pub and the staff are very kind!

We booked for Saturday lunch with our two spaniels as we were staying nearby in Ashdown Forest. We'd asked for a table 'out of the way' so the dogs wouldn't get trodden on or trip anyone up if it was busy and were given a lovely semi private table tucked away in an alcove but still part of the main room. The food was absolutely stunning - we can highly recommend the cheese gougeres (never had them before - amazing!!). I had the crispy avocado which was full of flavour, really interesting, and crispy! My husband had the monkfish and said it was fantastic. The service was faultless from start to finish, as we arrived I was greeted by my name even though we'd never been there before, a bowl of water had already been provided, dog treats supplied and the menu explained. We're already planning when we'll return and will probably book a dog friendly room and stay over next time!

Fantastic food, friendly service

Amazing service from beginning to end. Our table was booked as a 4 and i wanted to change to a table for 5. I was kindly offered a different time that could accommodate the extra person. As a family that eat many home cooked roasts we often struggle to find a decent one when eating out but this roast is highly recommended. We were all full of lovely food but still managed a pudding which were every bit as lovely as the roasts. A thumbs up for the burgers from my daughter too. The staff are all lovely and welcoming and we had a lovely meal and family time celebrating a Wedding Anniversary. Thank you so much and we will definitely be back.

Gorgeous pub and exceptional food. Came for a Sunday roast and it did not disappoint. Everything on the plate was delicious and fresh. Service was excellent. Definitely will be visiting again

Truely exceptional, definitely did not disappoint. I had been recommended this restaurant and read reviews and looked at the menu prior to booking. For a Sunday lunch for 5 of us I had to book three weeks ahead as low availability which speaks volumes. I saw the roast dinners being served before I ordered but had already set my sights on the monkfish. It was delicious, not a huge plate if food fir the super hungry, but an accomplished meal that was perfectly cooked with super tasty elements. I particularly enjoyed the small addition of samphire which packed a punch. The chicken roast was succulent and the sirloin was cooked to perfection. My partner demolished his Cat Burger and remarked what a good burger it was. My niece and I shared the Mango loose which was not my typical type of pud but it was packed with flavour that left my taste buds singing. My niece's partner rated the crumble! Loved the fresh flowers on the table and in the ladies. Also the staff were honestly incredible. Thanks to Mel and all the others who served us. Lovely to see such a great team, not short staffed at all. Thanks for a great experience.

super lunch great choices monkfish dish 5 stars passion fruit souffle .. superlative and sensible pricing highly recommend

My husband and I were staying in the local area and booked a table for Saturday evening. The place was very busy but also very welcoming. The staff took time to chat and made us feel very comfortable and welcome. The surrounds were lovely with both a more modern side and a very old world side both lovely. The menus gave a very good range of dishes all cooked perfectly from scratch and presented beautifully. We were particularly pleased to see some lovely options for vegetarians not just the usual mushroom based cop out. ( neither of us are vegetarians but always look as members of the family are and find if you dont eat mushrooms there is little choice) The food arrived quickly and at an appropriate pace between courses despite the place being busy. My husband had monkfish I opted for lamb. Our waitress was friendly and able to answer questions ref local area and the "art" on the wall. The gentleman from behind the bar even stopped to chat at the end of his shift on his way home. What a lovely thing to do, thank you. The chefs are amazing. Please go you will not regret it. I'm afraid I have no pictures to post. We were having such a lovely time we totally forgot about photos. We will be back Thank you Jem and Annie New forest.

Second time we have been turned away for lunch by the unfriendly staff at The Cat. We hadn't booked but the pub and dining tables were not even half full. Witnessed other people also been turned away as they hadn't booked. Perhaps they need to get more kitchen staff at the weekend. Not a great business model. Not sure we'll be back. Plenty of other local pubs which are far more welcoming. Big disappointment.

Excellent food and service Great value and dog friendly

Lovely staff and atmosphere. Food very tasty, definitely recommended...

Wonderful food and really good service in a great setting

Dropped in on the off chance as we were in the area and it rated high on Trip Advisor. Really nice experience, the food was delicious and the local sparkling wine so good we bought some online at our table. Both had roast beef, lots if tasty tender beef and lively veggies. Only gripe was thd crumble for dessert was so sweet I couldn't eat it but when I raised it, it,was taken off the bill with no fuss. Service also a bit slow... the food arrived quickly enough but took a while to get orders taken. Minor things though would definitely return.

Ina lovely setting , food was delicious , staff were very friendly and efficient, best thing my dog was welcome 😋

The Cat Inn serves wonderful food with excellent service. It hasn’t got a very big car park and driving through the village is hazardous at times.

Beautiful village and The Cat was a lovely place to stay. We had our 2 dogs with us and found it to be very dog friendly. If you love food, your dogs and walking this is a place you must visit (we are going back). If you have the pie do not order a starter, the beef roast is amazing and the local beers were perfect. Bluebell railway is within walking distance and the local village is steeped in history. Lastly the staff were so obliging and happy.

The service was great and the food was nice (that bland word), but the menu was just very uninspiring. Burgers, fish and chips etc.. I had the veggie option which was good but I get the distinct impression that this place is trading on its longstanding reputation rather than try hard to break new boundaries.

The service was first class but the food offering isn’t quite matching its price point. The quality is there for sure but it lacked a little something special which it had on the past which made it stand out from the crowd. It’s a really busy pub with a great atmosphere and good beer. The EV chargers weren’t working which was a disappointment but good that they are trying to support the EV drivers.

Great food and service, very accommodating of our family group and children on both occasions we've visited so far. Not the cheapest but we feel very good value for the excellent quality and generous portion size. There's not a huge amount of parking, so bear in mind you may need to park elsewhere nearby if you are going at busier times.

My wife and I stayed at the Cat Inn in January 2024 with our little dog for one night. It was one of those rare experiences when you leave a hotel totally impressed with every aspect of your stay. Andrew and his team were genuinely lovely people who made us feel so welcome. The other customers were really friendly and we felt part of a close community for a few hours. Food was amazing, room was great but I wish I could give a 6th star for the staff. First stay but definitely not the last. Sam and Tom

Sublim food…..a really great dining experience

Fabulous place to eat lovely atmosphere and good food. Lovely staff very friendly a real local vibe.