The Royal Oak

Head out towards East Lavant and you'll find yourself in proper Sussex countryside, where The Royal Oak sits doing what it does best: being the kind of pub you actually want to spend an afternoon in. It's got that comfortable, lived-in feel—the sort of place where regulars prop up the bar and newcomers immediately feel welcome. The Butcombe brewery connection means the ales are solid, but it's the food that's really doing the work here. Nothing pretentious, just well-executed pub cooking that doesn't treat a roast or a pie like an afterthought.