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TERRA Restaurant Sussex at Tottington Manor
Restaurant description
TERRA Restaurant at Tottington Manor is an award-winning, AA Rosette restaurant set at the foot of the South Downs National Park in West Sussex. Located near Henfield and within easy reach of Brighton & Hove, Worthing, Shoreham-by-Sea, Steyning, Burgess Hill, Hassocks and Horsham, TERRA is a destination for relaxed countryside dining, special occasions, tasting menus, Sunday lunch, private dining and celebrations.
Set within the independently owned Tottington Manor boutique hotel, TERRA combines the character and personal service of a small country hotel with a serious focus on food. Seasonal menus are prepared freshly by the kitchen team using local ingredients wherever possible, with produce sourced from farms, growers and suppliers across Sussex. Local sourcing extends to the drinks list too, with Sussex wines, sparkling wines, beers and spirits sitting alongside a carefully selected international wine list.
The restaurant looks towards the South Downs and offers a choice of places to eat depending on the occasion. The main TERRA Restaurant provides relaxed contemporary dining, while the dog-friendly Olive Lounge offers comfortable sofas and log fires. In warmer weather guests can dine outside on the decking, in the courtyard or beside the gardens and enjoy views across the surrounding Sussex countryside.
Lunch, dinner and Sunday dining
TERRA is designed to be a restaurant people can return to regularly rather than somewhere reserved only for formal occasions. Guests visit for lunch, dinner, Sunday lunch, afternoon tea, cocktails and casual dining as well as birthdays, anniversaries and other celebrations. Menus change with the seasons to make the most of ingredients available from Sussex and the wider British countryside.
For diners looking for somewhere special near Brighton or Worthing without travelling into a city centre, Tottington Manor combines countryside views, free on-site parking and restaurant dining with the option to stay overnight in one of the hotel's 12 individually styled bedrooms and suites.
The TERRA Tasting Room
For a more immersive dining experience, guests can book the intimate TERRA Tasting Room. Set just beside the main restaurant, this small private room is designed for guests who want to enjoy a multi-course tasting experience in their own space.
The kitchen creates seasonal five and seven-course tasting menus, with an optional carefully selected wine flight. The experience is particularly suited to anniversaries, milestone birthdays, dinner with close friends or simply an evening centred completely around food and wine.
Private dining and celebrations
TERRA's food is also at the heart of private dining and parties at Tottington Manor. A choice of private rooms means the venue can host everything from an intimate dinner for a small group through to larger birthday parties, anniversaries, engagement celebrations and family gatherings.
The Inglenook provides a cosy private dining room for smaller gatherings, while the South Downs Suite offers a larger event space with its own private bar and access to the gardens. Depending on the occasion, guests can choose from private dining menus, tasting menus, buffets and other menus created by the TERRA kitchen.
This makes Tottington Manor particularly useful for guests searching for a private dining room or party venue near Brighton, Worthing, Shoreham, Steyning, Burgess Hill, Hassocks, Henfield or elsewhere in West Sussex. Free parking and bedrooms on site also mean a celebration can extend naturally into an overnight stay and breakfast the following morning.
Sussex food and drink
The name TERRA reflects the restaurant's connection with the land around it. The kitchen's approach is based around seasonality and the quality of the ingredients available, rather than transporting ingredients simply to maintain an unchanging menu throughout the year.
Sussex is particularly well represented. The restaurant works with local producers and suppliers for meat, vegetables, dairy and other ingredients, while the wine list champions the increasingly important Sussex wine industry alongside established wines from further afield.
This local approach has helped TERRA gain recognition beyond the immediate area. In 2025 the restaurant won the Sustainability Champion category at the Brighton Restaurant Awards and was runner-up for Best Sussex Restaurant. TERRA has also received an AA Rosette for Culinary Excellence and in 2026 was included by OpenTable among its Top 50 Hotel Restaurants in the UK.
A restaurant for a South Downs day out
Tottington Manor's position at the foot of the South Downs makes TERRA a natural stopping point for visitors exploring the Sussex countryside. It is close to the South Downs Way and within easy driving distance of Brighton, Worthing and the Sussex coast, making it equally suitable for lunch after a countryside walk, dinner during a weekend in Sussex or a destination meal in its own right.
Dogs are welcome in designated areas including the Olive Lounge and outside spaces, making TERRA particularly useful for walkers and visitors exploring the South Downs with their dogs.
Restaurant with rooms
TERRA sits within Tottington Manor, an independent boutique hotel with 12 individually styled bedrooms and suites. This gives diners the option of turning dinner into a countryside break rather than travelling home afterwards. It is particularly popular for anniversaries, romantic stays, tasting-menu experiences and weekends combining the South Downs with good food.
The hotel's location also works well for visitors who want to explore Brighton during the day while staying and dining somewhere quieter in the Sussex countryside.
Weddings, parties and events
The TERRA kitchen also creates the food for celebrations and weddings at Tottington Manor. The hotel is licensed for wedding ceremonies and offers countryside wedding spaces, private gardens, a dedicated bar and accommodation, with wedding breakfasts and celebration menus prepared by the same kitchen team responsible for TERRA Restaurant.
Couples can therefore combine their wedding, food and accommodation in one location, while smaller pre-wedding dinners and family gatherings can be hosted in TERRA's private dining rooms.
For other occasions, Tottington Manor also hosts restaurant events, dining experiences and celebrations, including tasting evenings, live entertainment and seasonal events.
Booking TERRA Restaurant
Advance reservations are recommended, particularly for Friday and Saturday evenings, Sunday lunch and special dining events. Guests can check live availability and book TERRA Restaurant at Tottington Manor on OpenTable.
The restaurant caters for dietary requirements and the team recommends advising them of allergies or specific requirements when booking so the kitchen can prepare appropriately.
Why visit TERRA Restaurant?
TERRA offers something slightly different from both a traditional country pub and a formal fine-dining restaurant: seasonal restaurant-quality food in a relaxed independent hotel surrounded by the South Downs. Guests can come for a casual lunch, Sunday roast or afternoon tea, celebrate over a tasting menu, reserve a private dining room, stay overnight or make TERRA part of a wider Sussex countryside break.
For diners looking for an award-winning restaurant in West Sussex, a restaurant near Brighton or Worthing, somewhere to eat in the South Downs, a private dining room for a celebration or a restaurant with accommodation, TERRA Restaurant at Tottington Manor brings those experiences together in one countryside location.
Find out more:
TERRA Tasting Room & Tasting Menus
Private Dining, Parties & Celebrations
Weddings at Tottington Manor
Check availability and book TERRA Restaurant on OpenTable
TERRA Restaurant Sussex at Tottington Manor restaurant reviews
Average rating: 4.5
Best restaurant lists featuring TERRA Restaurant Sussex at Tottington Manor
Award winning afternoon tea lists featuring TERRA Restaurant Sussex at Tottington Manor
TERRA Restaurant Sussex at Tottington Manor guide awards history
| Date | Guide | Old Award | New Award |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2025 | AA Guide | Added to Guide | |
TERRA Restaurant Sussex at Tottington Manor FAQs
Tottington Manor Hotel, Edburton Road, Henfield, BN5 9LJ.
To email TERRA Restaurant Sussex at Tottington Manor now, please click here
Our most recent description of the cuisine type served at TERRA Restaurant Sussex at Tottington Manor is Seasonal locally sourced AA Rosette Standard British Cuisine.
Yes, we believe TERRA Restaurant Sussex at Tottington Manor (or the associated hotel/parent venue) serves afternoon tea. Please note that afternoon tea may not be provided by the same restaurant team and may be served in a different dining area within the Tottington Manor Hotel. Please visit the restaurant website to learn more.
