JUST four miles north of Bexhill, situated along the bustling road that connects Hailsham to Bexhill, in the charming village of Ninfield.
Having passed through countless times during the daily commute from Hailsham to Bexhill over the past five years, we finally made the decision to put an end to that and visited The Blacksmiths Inn.
This charming public house is perfectly positioned at a fork in the road, right by a zebra crossing. In recent years it had a facelift from a forgettable grey sign to a dominating black and white sign that demands your attention. New signs and eye-catching swingboards now showcase the amazing food it serves.
As soon as we walked in, the warm, inviting ambience welcomed us, hinting at something extraordinary awaiting inside. The charming wooden floor and rustic vibes instantly transport you to a place of comfort and delight. Despite it being early in the evening, the restaurant was already buzzing with activity. One table held a lively party, while other tables were occupied by various families having a great time.
This modern gastro pub embraces rustic charm and contemporary style with reclaimed barn doors, scaffolding planks, and changing room lockers acting as stylish dining separators. The additional warm glow of fairy lights, floral wallpaper, and trendy décor truly brings together the perfect blend of old tradition and new innovation.
Friendly staff is all we ask for when venturing out and about and found the staff here were very hospitable and obliging. The menus were offered on clipboards and a chalk specials board add modern twist to tradition.
They boast that they offer game and fish specialities and their menu absolutely screams of these foods. It was a tough decision to choose just one, so we opted for their tapas to sample a variety of their amazing food — Thursday night is Tapas night so it was rude not to!
Each platter included four samples of meat, fish, and vegetarian options, ensuring there was something for everyone. Our selection included Crispy Pork Belly, Chorizo & Parma Ham (two portions), Salt & Pepper Squid (two portions), Scampi, Garlic Mushrooms, and Brie Bites.
We didn’t have to wait too long, which was surprising as the pub was starting to fill up now. Pleasantly surprised that this village pub is clearly a very popular place to be. The tapas were served on wooden boards and was put together beautifully and was a real pity to spoil the art of it.
However, we delved straight in and it didn’t take long to completely clear the board! Every bite was bursting with flavour. We were spoiled by olives and bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar dip — the perfect amount for the two of us. Honestly, there was nothing we didn’t like.
We left feeling completely satisfied and enjoyed every single bite.
The tapa’s menu if offered at £16 per person for four dishes. For that price, the bread, olives with oil is complimentary, so is a glass of wine. We’re not wine drinkers, so the staff were more than happy not to charge for one of our drinks, which was a very kind thing to do. Our total bill was £40, so only £20 a head for such an amazing meal and fine local beer.
Now we’ve visited this amazing pub, we certainly won’t leave it so long to visit again.
Ninfield’s best-kept secret, is now revealed!
We send anonymous members of the team to check out local pubs, cafes and restaurants to give you an honest reviews. These visits are not pre-arranged, and the venues do not know they are reviewing the food and drink!
