If you're looking for a seasonal restaurant East Sussex regulars actually trust for an autumn evening, this is how we'd suggest ordering tonight. Not a fixed menu, more a route through the à la carte, built around what Matthew and the kitchen have found this week.
Starting with something warm
A bowl of something rich works best here. Onion soup with a proper cap of melted cheese, or a plate of something braised and small enough to be a starter. The kind of dish that makes you glad you got here early rather than rushing straight to the main.
A few things we'd steer you toward on a proper autumn night:
Anything involving mushrooms
A salad
Something with a bit of char from the kitchen
The seasonal main course
This is where Harry's earns the "seasonal dining recommendation Sussex coast" reputation.
Steak frites remains the reliable choice on any evening. But if there's a shared main on the specials board tonight, root vegetables, or something slow-cooked, take it. They're the way Matthew prefers to cook when the ingredient deserves the attention.
A glass to match
For an autumn evening, we'd point you toward something with a bit of weight to it, a red that can stand up to braised or roasted flavours. If you're leaning toward the seafood side of the menu instead, a crisp white still does the job beautifully.
Finishing with pudding
Whatever's in season carries the dessert menu at this time of year: baked fruit, something with a bit of spice, and a scoop of good ice cream alongside. Just the sort of pudding you'd actually want at the end of a proper meal.
Book your autumn evening
The Guardian's Grace Dent called dinner here "a startlingly good dinner," and Country Life went further, calling it "the best dinner we've ever had." We're proud of both, but honestly, an autumn evening at Harry's is best judged by you, at the table, with the windows going dark over the dunes.
If you're planning ahead, our Christmas dining menu is now open for bookings at Harry's. Fits naturally near the end of the post, where readers are already thinking seasonally after the autumn menu content.
Have a browse through the full Menus to see what else Matthew's kitchen is doing this season, then Book a Table directly with us. We always prefer that to a third-party platform, if only because it means we know exactly who's coming through the door.
We'll have the lights low and something good on the specials board.
