Robert Shenton opened Due South with the intention of creating a restaurant serving the best seasonal, local food, and now Brighton is changing to fit in with his ideas of sustainable farming and ethical eating.

The atmospheric lighting, low arched ceilings and spectacular view make this award-winning restaurant a winner before you’ve even tried what’s on your plate. But Due South has always been primarily about the food itself, which is mainly English and 80 per cent comes from within a 35-mile radius.

With the focus on quality of ingredients and farming methods, Robert explains why the menu doesn’t include salmon, cod, skate or turbot. “We’re not having those flown in from Israel or Spain,” he says. “We only serve sustainable fish, such as lemon sole, Dover sole or sea bass when they’re in season.”

Starters include oysters with shallot sherry vinegar and lemon, and local wild rabbit kebabs with spicy peanut sauce. Even the side salads are incredible, combining nasturtium leaves and edible flowers.

Main courses include 34-day hung pedigree sirloin with garlic button onion confit served with wild mushrooms and hand-cut chips in either a red wine jus or a peppercorn sauce, and grilled fish of the day served with garlic, lemon and thyme.