Location: Ditchling Road, Plumpton, BN7 3AF
Overview: Beautifully refurbished, buzzing with atmosphere and whilst the food is good it’s the fantastic service that makes the Half Moon hard to beat for quality family wining and dining.
Under new ownership, with a new chef and following a recent refurbishment, the Half Moon finally reopened its doors last month.
The last time I ate at the Half Moon I felt that standards had slipped. The food failed to hit the heights of previous visits, the place felt cold and the staff disinterested, so for me, new ownership was an opportunity to reset standards.
The Half Moon is a gorgeous 200 year old traditional country pub, nestled at the foot of the South Downs. Its interior combines wooden beams, broken brick work and open fire with sophisticated fittings and fixtures, including chandeliers, candelabras, ornate picture frames and atmospheric lighting.
The refurbishment has completely lifted the feel of the Half Moon, building on its traditional structure and adding touches of class throughout. When we arrived the place was fully booked, buzzing with families and young children. This immediately made me feel at home as I had my son George with me who’s only seven months.
We were greeted by friendly staff that showed us to our table, which was complete with the highchair requested when I made the booking. The menus were quickly presented as I slipped to the bar to peruse the fine wines in abundance, alongside real ales and ciders on tap, plus a fridge containing a quality selection of soft drinks including the Bottle Green range (this is important if you have kids and/or a pregnant wife).
Roasts were priced at £12, I ordered the lamb and my wife ordered the beef (George sucked on a rice cake). I’m not sure whether I’m in the minority, but I can’t stand it when restaurants serve the vegetables in a separate dish, often brought to the table five minutes after the meat. To my delight, my meal arrived in its entirety, well presented with honey roasted root vegetables propping up stacked slices of succulent lamb drizzled in gravy. The staff quickly returned with sauces and we dived in.
Potatoes slightly dry, food a few degrees cooler than I would have ideally liked, but overall very tasty. Not yet in the same league as Sussex’s best gastropubs.
Sticky toffee pudding for dessert (£6) which arrived well presented, bathing in sweet toffee sauce and accompanied by a swirl of cinnamon ice cream which really set the dish off. Again, very good and enjoyable but I wouldn’t leave my wife for it.
In previous incarnations the food at the Half Moon has been really special at times, I once remember a chicken and wild mushroom dish with Madeira reduction which blew me away, but during my latest visit I experienced something distinctly lacking on those previous visits.
I had never experienced service which made an impression before and I can't recall the Half Moon fully booked or so full of children and families. I really enjoyed the family buzz and when your kids are made to feel happy and welcome then you’re so much more likely to keep coming back.
The thing that really stood out for me was the service. The staff were lovely, extremely helpful and helped to create a fantastic vibe in a place which, to be fair, was packed.
The open fire and classy décor make for a very enjoyable backdrop and although the food may not be quite on a par with the likes of The Griffin or The Jolly Sportsman, I experienced one of the most enjoyable dining experiences I have had for a long, long time and one I hope to repeat soon.
Sounds like a nice experience. This is owned by the same people as the windmill in Hanover i seem to remember.
I think £12 is a lot per person for a roast.. You could get a vege box delivered for that and feed the entire family for the price of one meal.
Where's your favourite place in Brighton? Would be interested to know..
