Camellia at South Lodge

If you’re looking to be treated like royalty, then Camellia is a good place to start. Chairs are pulled out for you as you take a seat, wine is poured before you even realise your glass is empty, and the service is charming with a ‘nothing’s too much’ attitude.

The restaurant itself comes with a lot of soul and a hearty menu to match, with dark wooden interiors, intimate tables for two, and a dimly lit lamp on each of them. It’s easy to get caught up in the romance of it all, particularly while gazing out over the impressive grounds.

The food here is classic French, rich, and exactly the sort of thing we want to tuck into in such a setting. The meal kicks off with warm coffee and rye bread, which is so fresh it’s still steaming as we pull it apart. Starters follow with a sizeable quenelle of chicken liver parfait, crispy chicken skin, sour cherry and orange slices, but the real gem is the chicken fat brioche served alongside. Both crisp and soft, with a slight char, it's the perfect accompaniment to the ultra smooth parfait, and we’ll no longer be accepting brioche in any other format.

Mains are another masterclass in flavour, with various rich elements on the plate like slow-cooked beef cheek, bacon jam and a bone marrow and port jus. Each mouthful packs a punch, and left us feeling giddy.

We end on a suitably luxurious note. A Terre de Sienne chocolate crémeux is paired with mushroom caramel, popcorn crisp and whisky ice cream - it’s a beautiful combination of rich chocolate, crunchy texture, and sharp yet creamy ice cream, and the perfect end to such a comforting meal.

The wine list here is vast, and while we can personally vouch for the Chablis Colombier 2012, there is a sommelier on hand to help with any queries.

Located within the luxurious South Lodge hotel in Horsham, West Sussex, The Camellia is a British restaurant headed up by chef Josh Mann that serves an ever-changing, hyper-seasonal menu. Its commitment to sourcing is second to none, with Josh and his team growing most of the restaurant's fresh fruit and vegetables in the hotel’s walled garden, while sourcing anything it can’t grow in-house from local Sussex suppliers. The restaurant is open for dinner throughout the week, and lunch on Sundays only.

Josh Mann brings a wealth of experience to The Camellia following various roles at Michelin pubs and restaurants across the UK. Now leading a young and aspiring team of chefs, including a number of apprentices and students, his aim is to nurture and inspire a new generation, working with them to create dishes which eventually end up on the menu.

The a la carte menu features a concise selection of starters, main courses and desserts. Examples of starters include lobster ravioli with charred broccoli, lobster bisque and lime, with the option to add Cornish Exmoor caviar if liked, along with a scallop scotch egg with house made black pudding, XO emulsion and sour apple. For main course, you might try roasted cod with potato rosti, housed cured ham, fermented kohlrabi, mustard caviar and Thermidor beurre blanc, or whole partridge with spiced pear, cavolo nero, Sussex honey parkin, duck liver, whisky and elderberry jus. While desserts include a rhubarb and ginger mille-feuille with poached rhubarb, stem ginger crème patisserie and rhubarb ice cream.

The wine list features over 300 bins with varieties from across the globe. An ever-changing sommelier’s selection is available by the glass, along with half size and full bottles. If you’re not sure where to start, the sommelier is on hand to offer recommendations that pair perfectly with your meal.