TERN CHEF PATRON JOHNNY STANFORD'S INSIDER GUIDE TO WORTHING
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
The South Coast’s most exciting chef shares the best places to eat and drink in the seaside foodie destination
Johnny Stanford is one of the most exciting chefs on the South Coast, championing hyper-seasonal, zero-import British cooking and helping to put Worthing firmly on the culinary map.
The Chef Patron of Tern and Basement has made waves in the restaurant world, with its fine dining open kitchen experience and its dark and moody, downstairs cocktail bar.
He runs the restaurant with his partner, artist Sophie Harvey, and the pair have bagged two AA Rosettes and a listing in the Michelin Guide, thanks to their sustainable and endlessly creative tasting menus.
Expect bar snacks like cauliflower croquettes and mushroom ketchup and ox cheek balls with chimichurri, and dreamy restaurant dishes like lamb liver and anise doughnuts, or clam gazpacho with pickled garlic and lovage.
He’s equally passionate about Worthing and brings us this delicious insider guide, which proves why the seaside town has quietly become one of the UK’s most exciting food destinations.
Tern and Basement, 39 Warwick Street Worthing BN113DQ
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COFFEE
Il Foxo
If we’re grabbing a coffee, it's usually Il Foxo. It's one of those places that always feels welcoming, and the coffee is consistently excellent. Their cakes and pastries are the real deal, so it's very difficult to leave without picking something up to take with you. As a small business we know how big a difference those small choices make so we feel that it’s really important that we support other independents in the town.
Il Foxo, 5 Montague Pl, Worthing BN11 3BG
BREAKFAST
Malt Cafe or Laughing Dog
If we've got time for breakfast, we'll usually head to either Malt or the Laughing Dog, depending on which end of town we're in. Both have become proper local institutions and are brilliant at what they do. Great coffee, fantastic pastries and breakfasts, and they're exactly the sort of independent businesses that make Worthing such a good place to live.
Malt Cafe, 167 Montague St, Worthing BN11 3BZ
Laughing Dog, 20-22 Brighton Rd, Worthing BN11 3ED
LUNCH
Fiordilatte
For lunch in town, it's often Fiordilatte. The best pizza, done properly, and exactly what you want when you've only got half an hour to spare. These pizzas more or less sustained us while we were decorating the restaurant, and someone always orders the picantina!
Fiordilatte, 5-6 Stanford Square, Worthing BN11 3EZ
DINNER
Chipwick & Bauji
Mondays are our day off, which means a lot of the independent restaurants we love are closed too. More often than not, we end up doing something really simple. Fish and chips from Chipwick on Brighton Road, then heading down to the beach with the kids. After spending all week thinking about food professionally, there's something really special about sitting on the seafront with paper-wrapped fish and chips, watching the sea and just being together. Our team also really rate the recently opened Bauji, and it’s top of our list of places to try!
DRINKS
Merakai & The Selden Arms
We tend to split our time between Merakai and The Selden Arms. The Tasting Room by Merakai is a fantastic little microbrewery and taproom just across the way from us, with a brilliant atmosphere and always something interesting on tap. The Selden Arms is another favourite, a proper independent pub run by people who really know and care about beer. They put on great events, champion independent breweries and are some of the most knowledgeable people you'll meet.
Merakai, Little Stanford, Unit 8 Stanford Square, Worthing BN11 3EZ
The Selden Arms, 41 Lyndhurst Rd, Worthing BN11 2DB
INSIDER TIP
The best thing you can do in Worthing is slow down. Most things are within walking distance, so the best thing you could do would be put your phone away for an hour and just wander. Walk the seafront, explore the little streets, dip into the independent shops and don't worry too much about having a plan. Worthing is full of small moments that are easy to miss if you're rushing through. It's a town that rewards curiosity, and I think that's what makes it such a great place to spend time.
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