Tillingham in Rother

What looks like a big shed accommodating a large bar and restaurant manages to be both comfortable and industrial at the same time. Had a drink in the bar - great music - before being taken upstairs to the restaurant. The Garden Menu at £60 was the only menu on offer with a choice of main course. The beetroot and yogurt starter was aggressively peppered which overwhelmed the rather overcooked beetroot, and a pool of something green which didn't really improve matters. The next course of cured trout was more successful, firm clean tasting trout with labneh and wasabi roe - things were looking up. I opted for the Tillingham Lamb which was not a good choice. The lamb had been overcooked, shredded and reformed into a large puck shape. It was seriously under seasoned as was the potato 'terrine' - the single cavolo nero was the best thing on the plate. The two deserts were the stars of the menu - why two deserts? - especially the Panna cotta which was seriously good, lovely and silky and delicately flavoured. I declined the additional cheese course at £12.50 for one cheese - which even in these harsh times is a bit much. The service was haphazard - our waitress was very nice but some very basic training is clearly a work in progress. It is encouraging to see a business like this with a young and enthusiastic staff but the food was so hit and miss that a return visit is unlikely.

I recently took a group of 20 for lunch one Friday, Tom the chef met us and briefed us on the menu, It was superb in every respect, each dish was delivered promptly to all and worthy of a Michelin star . The whole group who had never been before were thoroughly impressed. The staff were fantastic, accommodating and went out of their way to look after us. 5 stars is not enough.

We dined her for Father’s Day. This place was met with some expectation as we were local and have been meaning to visit for some time! We were greeted warmly and led upstairs to the dining area. ‘They’ then took some time working out what table to put us on. So we waited. We were led to our two seater table (generous size!) and given the wine lists, and told that the food menu was in the door. We choose two courses each for around £38 if memory serves. Three choices of starter and three for main. (Two for pud). We enjoyed a barrage of wine and a non alcoholic beer (for the designated driver!). We thought that given the bill for two course each, a carafe of wine and the beer was a little steeper £117, given the food was ok but not generous by any means. I recently saw this place also into British Travel Journal which made it look much more appeal than we found it to be! Maybe next time we will try their pizza offering.

We popped up to Tillingham from Camber Sands late afternoon at the Bank Holiday. Beer selection was unusual but pleasant. Pizza selection limited but very tasty and served piping hot. Great service especially from Elian! Nice evening sunshine helped lift the mood even further.

We stayed there for the night with another couple and experienced lunch, dinner and breakfast. First of all the positives - setting, decor, feel of the place is really special. The wine tour was interesting and insightful. Also the rooms were comfortable and generous. Negatives are a lot (not all) staff have a bit of an attitude problem and service is meh. It felt like a place that just opened both in terms of quality and service. Dinner was a joke. 3 hours for them to serve 6 courses which were not 6 courses. The food was very mean - probably smallest portions I’ve ever had. Bar shuts at 10pm. Took forever to get lunch too. Staff got annoyed when one of us asked for ketchup with a cooked breakfast. It’s a shame. It could be totally amazing but the service is a long way off and the kitchen staff need improving both in terms of quality and speed of service. I wouldn’t recommend or go back which is a shame.

This place is great in principle; farm, vineyard, local produce with an East London meets East Sussex aesthetic. But the execution is half assed, the food mediocre and prices that match the “idea” of the place, not the reality. A shame.

Popped into Tillingham for a drink. Jake was very knowledgeable about the wines and immediately came to our table and helped me choose a glass of wine. Very friendly staff . Coffee was great blend, milk slightly foamy for a latte but great taste. Will be back in the spring to try the restaurant menu . All round great ambience and can't wait to come back .

Visited for the evening tasting menu. A nice place to visit. Staff were nice. Food did not live up to the price (£67.50 per person), particularly the vegetarian alternative, which was not nice as a main. Maximum 3/5 for adding 12.5% 'service charge'. Not sure why this is not incorporated in the price stated in the menu if it is going to be added anyway, and if it is optional, then don't add it by default. This underhand way of scalping customers will always put me off revisiting. In addition it took so long between dishes, taking around 2.5 hours in total, plus another 15 minutes at least to pay. We also visited the separate pizza restaurant which is open in the summer and this was very nice.

I went to Tillingham’s New Year’s Eve disco, not knowing what to expect… But what an awesome night, it was like stumbling into a party scene from Saltburn or the Great Gatsby (depending on your points of reference 😉). Country but high octane glam; long metallic fringing zig zagging across the ceiling and beautiful glowy lighting. They served drinks (Tillingham based, of which I am a fan) and posh pizza. The crowd was cool, boho and dressy, and stand out queen of the night was vibe alchemist and DJ Antonia Deeson, who had three generations dancing all night to the perfect mix of cherry picked disco, pop magic and hands in the air house. Outstanding, posh, vibey and fantastic fun.

Tillingham is such a great spot for lunch with family, it is also dog friendly. A little off the beaten track but well worth the drive. We were kindly given a room off the main dining area which worked well for our large family. We enjoyed the chilled, relaxed vibe, the food was pricey but excellent. The staff attentive and accommodating.

Working farm, vineyards, wine tasting, restaurant and lodging all wrapped in a bucolic setting. Worth finding and your GPS should yield to old-fashioned guidance from the locals. A+ experience.

Visited the bar here on an afternoon to taste wines and buy some. Literally n the middle of nowhere down old country lanes in a beautiful part of Sussex. It's a big working farm surrounded by vineyards. Has a large up barn style restaurant and then a bar with a terrace looking out over the vineyards. Various goats, sheep, and chicken roaming free. Clientele is very London visiting countryside. A few too-cool-for-school types and groups of affluent young people. Bar service was great. Guy new the wines and was enjoyable to chat here. These are natural wines, so some are an acquired taste and will be made with wild yeast so can have tart cider-ish qualities. I thought the wines were outstanding. Look out for the Tillingham sparkling wine which is naturally carbonated. Hazy and delicious.

Had a wonderful mid week 2 night stay for my birthday and had an absolute blast! Everything was perfect from the lovely room (we had a standard double), the friendly staff, amaaaazing food, yummy drinks (wine and cider particularly!), brilliant tour, beautiful scenery and (my fave) Bertie the resident cat. The restaurant meal was the star of the show. All courses were mind-blowing and I had the wine flight which was fun. Loved how they would explain each wine and why it was chosen to go with that course etc. Cannot fault the place and would 110% recommend it to anyone!

We went on the wine tour and lunch for my wife’s birthday, we live in Kent and have done several wine tours in the UK and overseas. Tillingham certainly nailed the brand, effortlessly cool with friendly staff, all look like they’ve been to ME+EM for their uniforms. Our tour guide was genuinely passionate about the process and knew his stuff, I really enjoyed that part but if this had been a blind taste and you’d have told me the price of the wines, I’d think I’d been mugged. Maybe I’m missing something, I’ve drunk a lot of wine all round the world and it just wasn’t that pleasant however much I wanted to like it. Acidic to the point of spitting it out and I couldn’t get the complex layers described to me. We were 25 years older than everyone on the tour and we consider ourselves youngish 50’s so maybe we’re just not the target. When we’ve finally got to the point in life of not worrying about the cost, I can’t part with £50 for something not that palatable. Saying that the restaurant was lovely, nice tasty food if a little limited in choice, why have no meat at all when Romney Marsh lamb is so close. The staff are nice and go and try it for the vibe, I admire the sustainable farming mantra but just can’t get over the wine, it’s not like anything I’ve ever tasted before, that could be both good and bad, make up your own mind but be prepared to pay for it.

It has been altogether a very very satisfactory experience. We stayed for one night, did the wine tour and had dinner. Everything was great. Food delicious, tour informative but fun as well and room really really super comfy and tasteful.

Whilst the actual place is set in a beautiful place our whole experience had been a complete sham. Firstly when the phone is answered by the reception beware you may get the most unhelpful and rude member of staff that whilst I was trying to book the feature room with terrace I was told I would get what feature room is available on the day when I arrive?? Odd as both rooms available on the day I’m booking but they seem to have a major problem booking the one I’m requesting. After some intervention I got the room in requested booked in. The day arrived and off we went for the long drive. When we did arrive at Tillingham there was no running water in the whole area and they had no idea when this was going to be rectified. Whilst this is no fault of Tillingham we was not advised before we left for the drive. We had our pizza which was really really good… and there was still no idea when water was coming back on. As we had booked a tour, dinner and over night stay. We approached reception to ask what our options were due to the lack of running water situation and we was then told that the restaurant wouldn’t be opening that evening and that we could have pizza for dinner..: we just had pizza! We again asked whether we could just rebook the whole thing, and we was spoken to like we was a major inconvenience, although we were very polite even though we hadn’t been told. Anyway the miserable receptionist decided that she would re book our stay. We choose a week day in August and said we would take a couple of days off work.. July came and I received a text to say my dinner reservation was in 10 mins, immediately I text back and said a mistake had been made and our booking was for August along with the tour and overnight stay. August came took a couple of days off work and was ready to go the next day for the trip we had been looking forward to. Only to be called by Tillingham advising us that the whole booking had been messed up and the not so polite receptionist hadn’t even booked us a room! So a tour was booked, no room and dinner on a completely different date!!! We was offered a standard room but we had booked and paid for well in advance the Feature room, which I had an initial problem trying to book. I have emailed by dissatisfaction and complaint but no one from Tillingham had even bothered to reply or acknowledge the problem. We have received a full refund from them and will be doing a wine tour and stay somewhere else, which is disappointing as when we did go there in May the place is really lovely and the pizza amazing just unfortunately let down by the incompetent staff.

The setting is interesting, a large barn with table and chairs and a large wood fired pizza oven. limited but reasonable variety of wood fired pizzas including one vegan option. Our pizzas were good. Service was variable, staff are very young & sometimes friendly sometimes less so. I have an issue with the wine, a small carafe of not very nice red (imho) at £31 is ridiculous

Took hubby to Tillingham for his Birthday was a little anxious as I am coeliac ( gluten allergy) and there were no reviews for allergy’s. So too all my coeliac friends you are safe at Tillingham and not only safe but you will experience a stunning meal and only one bit was changed due to allergy. The GF bread was delicious too. Overall a delightful stay .

We met my cousin at Tillingham to celebrate her birthday and spent a night there. It's a beautiful location in the Sussex countryside. Chickens wandering around and pretty goats to see adds to the ambience! The evening meal was a tasting menu which was delicious. A very relaxed evening with very attentive and knowledgeable staff.

As many reviews rightly point out , this place isn’t cheap , and whilst it is set in beautiful surroundings , the overall experience is disappointing Firstly , the wines and the wine tour - really poor . I would totally agree with a number of other views on here , that they taste of very poor cider , and very close to undrinkable . Not great for an upmarket vineyard Secondly the bedrooms are fairly small , and basic , especially for the price . Thirdly - this is the good bit - the tasting menu , and sourdough pizzas , are fantastic . In fact our evening meal , was one of the best meals we’ve ever had , and fortunately paired with foreign wines , rather than the cider vinegar wines from Tillingham - phew ! Overall a bit frustrating , as it has the potential , to be a great weekend away , with fabulous food .

We have been to Tillingham a couple of times now. The first visit was for Sunday lunch in the upstairs restaurant, it was overall a nice experience. However, the menu is very limited so you will need to check this before you go if you...

We had a simple lunch in the converted barn. Pickles, pizza, salad and a glass of wine. The food was delicious especially the pickled veg. Pizza from a wood fired oven, simple green salad and wine from the vineyard. Delightful stuff and the place is...

Just had a wonderful visit to Tillingham. Arrived to be greeted by wonderful scenery despite wind and rain. Lovely greeting at reception. We arrived at lunchtime so ordered a couple of their wonderful wood fired pizzas and red wine. This was followed by an extremely...

We had a lovely wood fired pizza here recently, the menu had a range of toppings to suit everyone. The wine is organic but an acquired taste. They also have a large choice of drinks available.

We came here on a mid-week break of one night on DBNB deal. I hadn't taken a great deal of interest in the booking but as the day dawned I read a few reviews and became a bit concerned. Some people appeared to have been...

We experienced a delightful visit to Tillingham. Wine tour, Bell tent, restaurant meal and breakfast. All staff so friendly and professional. Tasting menu and wine flight was awesome, such a treat. Waking up to the countryside noises was so cute. Don't do it if you...

We came on the back of a recommendation in the local area. It was the midsummer bbq so not their usual menu. We were a group of four and were recommended the nose to tail sharing platter. Well, it was very tasty but it seemed...

Excellent - the ambiance, beauty, artistic atmosphere everywhere; quality of pizza; Mediocre- 1) The house Pinot Noir. 2)we felt like we were surrounded by a staff of well-intentioned but immature late teens, epecially the bartender woman. Poor eye contact, little warmth, lacking sophistication that generally...

Very rustic appearance in a converted barn with great atmosphere. The staff were very welcoming and the pizza was excellent. Good range of local drinks on the menu, will stop here again

This was our fifth or sixth visit here. Whenever we come down from Manchester (Didsbury actually!) to visit my mother Tillingham has become a ‘must’. The pizzas in the barn are superb, drinks on the terrace are also part of the experience and the vibe...

First visit and certainly will not be my last. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch ,staff were amazing attentive ,friendly and professional. The food was delicious and incredible wine.. The setting is beautiful, I loved the decor and attention to detail. We can not wait to...

Fabulous wine tour, dinner and overnights stay. Staff are fantastic and a big up for the fantastic Holly on reception! We will be back

Delicious lunch at the restaurant. Highly recommend. Focaccia a highlight but all dishes very good. Would return. Nice atmosphere.

What an amazing place they’ve created here! We came for their Sunday feast menu and the food was exceptional. The staff were incredibly friendly and the space they’ve created is beautiful. A perfect place to enjoy a Sunday lunch. 10 out of 10!

I’ve been a number of times to Tillingham’s for pizza and their restaurant, however today was really disappointing. After booking a few weeks ago for a group of us to have pizza at Tillingham, we turn up to a packed bar area. After speaking to...

We stayed overnight in Tillingham & had dinner before . My partner & I opted for the set menu dinner & a bottle of their wine . The service was fabulous . Super attentive staff . Stylish dining room with a beautiful view over the...

Booked a table online for celebration birthday Sunday lunch. When we seated with the menu were not impressed with it as there is only one choice of main printed which was mutton or mutton @ £32 veg @ £7 pp extra unless you go for...

Friends invited us to join them for dinner in the restaurant at Tillingham Wines, none of our party of four knew what to expect and, although I tried to find out what the menu might consist of there was no information online. The place is...

Had the most special birthday weekend here! The Tillingham staff were so lovely and friendly, going above and beyond to help my husband plan a birthday surprise in their private dining room. The wine tour was brilliant, food INCREDIBLE (honestly one of the best meals...

Amazing birthday wine tasting in a gorgeous atmosphere! Tillingham’s whole set up is fantastic. The atmosphere makes you not want to return back into Rye! The tour was fabulous, and it was a great way to try and discover some delicious natural British wines. Lovely...

There was such a great buzz and vibe to this place, and they grow so much of what they serve on their own land. Carrots were sweet and crisp; their homemade focaccia bread was amazing. The fish dish we ate was in a sauce containing...

Excellent menu and fantastic food. Very good cocktails and a decent wine list too. The restaurant was very nicely put together, and the waiting staff were the right level of attentive yet discrete at the same time. Would definitely go back.

We had a drink downstairs and sat outside. The house white was £5.50 for a 125ml, which was a blended wine. Nothing wrong with that but it was awful and left a bitter metallic taste in your mouth. The next level wine was £8-9 for...

Visited several times before weekday and a Sunday always wonderful tonight the whole experience was amazing from the welcome on arrival through dinner and staff making sure we would get home Food amazing the real pleasure is definitely the staff 11 out of 10 xxx...

We booked to eat in the restaurant and not the pizza barn which felt like a big mistake. On arrival we didn’t feel welcomed by the bar staff. There was a massive wine list, the cheapest being £36 and the most expensive over £200. We...

We love an English vineyard and we've never found a bad one yet... until today. The actual place was lovely and had a great ethos on the organic front but the wine was acidic and there are honestly so many better vineyards in the area....

We’d heard a lot about Tillingham, mostly good so we thought we would give it a try. It’s set in a lovely location and the outlook is superb. Plenty of parking as well which is good, given it’s the only way to get here! If...

One the most delicious pizzas I ever had . The restaurant and bar areas are very cool, relaxed atmosphere. Food is delicious

We discovered Tillingham. By chance two years ago and have visited for a family birthday each year since. The setting is stunning with breathtaking views, the pizzas are superb, the staff and ambiance give a London vibe. I’m not a wine drinker but the IPA...

This is our second visit and I will honestly say, this was a very enjoyable visit and a great pizza. The dough was beautifully cooked, served as it should be and was delicious. We had two pizzas and they were both devoured and enjoyed very...

My wife and I stayed over two nights and experienced all elements on offer, including breakfast, pizza, the restaurant and the wine tasting. I was looking for a relaxed, somewhat 'different' wine experience, which would be special for my wife's 40th birthday. We were not...

Staying at Pett Level beach - the Dutch Barn Pizza restaurant was recommended to us . Great vibe accompanied by friendly service and very good pizza Pickled veg plate and garlic bread as appetisers good also. Despite being a very hot day we always seem...

Fantastic stay , great dining , great pizza , super chilled and relaxed vibe , people were lovely , holly the receptionist made you feel more than just guest . First class

Bit late on this but I tend to review in batches. We visited this place last year as we had always wanted to go. Went to the barn for pizzas. The pizzas were nice but we made the mistake of having one of their white...

We arrived early for our table which allowed us to enjoy a drink taking in the views in the rear terrace. The staff where very welcoming and when our table was ready we was taken upstairs to the lovely restaurant. The food was outstanding along...

We stayed at Tillingham after a recommendation and we were not disappointed. The restaurant was comfortable and quirky , it had a really nice retro feel to it with lots of interesting pieces of furniture and a good choice of background music adding to the...

We have been to Tillingham several times in the past, both for outdoor pizzas and to eat in the restaurant and enjoyed the visits. Today we had an extremely disappointing experience. We ordered wine at the bar. There was no wine menu, the bar attendant...

Stumbled across this place while out on a bike ride ! Seems a bit out of place in the middle of some beautiful countryside. Very nicely done out. Only complaint is looked on line can’t find a menu ??? And the wine is very pricy...

We booked a table in the bar area which on arrival was empty apart from one other couple at a table. Despite two members of staff behind the bar and no other customers, neither made an effort to welcome us. We ordered drinks and pizza...

We had a dinner reservation at the restaurant which is on first floor and overlooks the vineyards through floor to ceiling windows.The back of the restaurant overlooks the centuries old oast house and green fields.The space is expansive and tables well socially distanced with eclectic...

Worst winery tour ever. Period. The so claimed guide who had no history in wines made up a complete story that didn’t make any sense and had nothing to do with winemaking. The place by itself looks cute, but it is a hipster trap. There...

A rustic trendy restaurant. We had the orange wine along with cuttlefish and then beef. Great service and nice atmosphere My only criticism is that the seat was uncomfortable

Visited as a family group on a Saturday afternoon. An offhand welcome from a rather supercilious hipster member of staff, who denied it was even possible to book a table outside (which we had). We did eventually get a concrete picnic-style table outside - not...

Shockingly awful wine tasting. The wine guide does not like "wine snobs" he said....wine snobs...we were drinking vinegar with an after smell of dung. What a rip-off for £70 for two people....

That Tillingham is voted 3rd out of 4 restaurants in Peasmarsh on Tripadvisor is pretty amusing. It's a really lovely spot and has clearly been designed and nurtured with great care. The lighting in the barn is beautifully done, and you sense a real attention...

Delicious wine and pizza. I had the Spinach, Ricotta & Chill Sauce Pizza and my friend had Anchovy, Olives & Caper Pizza. They let us have a taste of 3 wines before we made a choice of the Pinot Blanc (I bought a bottle it...

We live locally and Tillingham is our special place. Came for a pre Christmas romantic dinner for two. The dining room was warm and beautifully decorated and lit. It was busy for a Wednesday. The staff who waited on us were friendly and helpful. The...

Found randomly, but amazing dinner. Beautiful venue, friendly and knowledgeable staff, happy to explain what dishes are. Local, fresh and constantly changing menu. Great to be able to choose their own wines, but others available too. Very reasonably priced. 10 minute drive from Rye, but...

What an amazing day and experience. This is a wine farm to watch. Their work ethic is inspiring. Their wines are so organic it’s like medicine for the soul. Food out of this world. It’s not cheap but you pay for absolute quality. Highly recommend.

We have tried to visit this vineyard before but the pandemic kept getting in the way. Whilst staying in Rye we ordered a taxi to take us out for dinner at the lovely barn style restaurant on the first floor. We had heard about the...

We were unprepared for the happy buzz of the restaurant over Sunday lunch, full of families and young couples. That it could have been a trendy East London eatery was emphasised by the industrial chic design, though the lovely view out over to Rye and...

We had drunk Tillingham wines before visiting, so it was interesting to see the vineyard and eat there. The first thing that strikes you when visiting is the case and attention that has been given to the buildings and the quality of the architecture in...

We ate in the outside marquee during covid restrictions for inside dining. The tables, chairs and cutlery could at best be described as shabby chic and at worst cheap and cheerful. The chrome seats are to be avoided. The wine glasses however were in a...

This review is after 3 visits to the pizza place and 1 to the restaurant. Food: limited choice of 4 sourdough pizzas at pizza restaurant. No GF Pizza. Pizza is good with lovely topping. I wish there was a bit more choice and a bit...

Went for lunch with three others, decided to celebrate with a bottle of their £60 'fizz' - very odd indeed! We were advised on ordering it was 'different' - well it certainly was. It had a beer stopper and when pleasant server opened it it...

We have been here twice when visiting Sussex from Manchester. The location, food and general ambiance are superb. Friendly staff, rustic location and the best pizzas for miles around. It gives the impression no expense has been spared in developing this experience, everything is of...

If we listened to some of these reviews we would not have visited this place - and that would have been a crying shame because it’s a magical place. You can see it’s been built with passion and it was our delight to be part...

What a horrible experience. Rooms very basic and overpriced. How can they justify the price tag. The wine tasting was very professional but the rooms and manager are awful. Very sad as a special occasion for my partners special birthday

We had a lovely meal at Tillingham on the final night of our holiday. The restaurant is great and the food divine (although quite highly seasoned, which as salt lovers we enjoyed but could imagine this wouldn't be quite to everyones taste). The wine pairing/sommelier...

A truly relaxing stay in a beautiful setting. Staff work hard & are friendly, the accommodation is fab (dog room!) House keeping fussed her wonderfully). Food, wine & beer excellent. If you like informality but excellent service give it a go!

Great view! My husband and I went for lunch but were turned down as prior booking is needed. So we tired just sat in one of their rooms and tried their wine and had something to nibble. A bit expensive, but it’s quite an experience....

We are local people and we could not wait to visit Tillingham, what a disappointment! No one on reception so crossing over to the pizza barn we waited to be seated, no one bothered to come over so we just sat down! Uncomfortable seating park...

Work party outing, pizza was amazing and lovely setting absolutely would recommend. Service was great. We did book through a very complicated system on line as no phone number to enquire on. Turned out we didn’t really need to!

Food: set menu. No choice apart from a veggie option. Food was good. Inventive and tasty Setting:gorgeous and quiet and remote Atmosphere: trendy industrial restaurant. Nice look Staff: young people who lack some people skills. Disinterested and detached service I would go again for the...

No complaints about either the rooms or the food at this trendy place, save that it is so remote there is no wifi coverage. Their own wines however are frankly execrable, though they assured me thy can sell every bottle they make, and at absurdly...

We discovered this lovely new place from a review in the press. Located in the countryside near Rye it consists of an excellent indoor restaurant and bar and an outdoor converted barn for informal meals including pizza. There is also some accommodation but we did...