The story
The Royal is a modern British gastropub at 1 St Johns Road in St Leonards on Sea, Hastings, and Michelin awarded it a Bib Gourmand in 2026 for good quality, good value cooking. It occupies a corner site directly opposite Warrior Square station.
The Good Food Guide describes Ben Krikorian's cooking as well-executed, seasonal and robust. Starters lean classic, such as crispy pig's head with gribiche, or a little jazzier, like wild garlic soup with goat's curd. Mains have included onglet and chips, hake with anchoïade, and vegetarian plates such as charred hispi cabbage with tomato lentils. Desserts run to tarts, custards and chocolate fritters.
A sample à la carte lists celeriac soup with Kentish blue, confit duck leg with puy lentils and black pudding, and rare roast venison with a potato cake. Guinea fowl and mushroom pie is served for two. Sunday roasts run from 12.15 to 3.45pm, and a prix fixe (two courses £24, three £28) is offered Monday to Thursday evenings.
The building dates to the 1860s, when it opened as a hotel, and The Royal opened in its current form in October 2019. James Hickson, who trained at St John, Great Queen Street, The Canton Arms and Moro, runs the place. The bar stays open for walk-in drinkers and diners, with real ales and draft beers alongside the dining room.
The list changes often and leans European, with Berry Bros & Rudd crémant by the glass and a Rheinhessen Riesling from Thörle. Bottles are mostly under £70, and dessert wines and fortifieds are poured by the small glass.
Recognition
Details
History
good quality, good value cooking
Admirably surviving the COVID-related battering that commenced a few months after it opened, the Royal has raised the bar in St Leonards. It has done so without flash or hype, gaining a reputation for down-to-earth warmth, as well as its well-deserved status as the town’s best in show. With its spruced-up Hague Blue prow, it makes a beacon of well-considered gentrification bang opposite Warrior Square train station. The interior is unpretentious but grown-up, with quietly intriguing artwork – the perfect setting for Ben Krikorian’s well-executed, seasonal, robust cooking. Starters either veer towards classic (an irreproachable crispy pig’s head with gribiche sauce) or slightly jazzier (wild garlic soup with goat’s curd or an autumnal dish of duck ham with boozy prunes). At least two vegetarian mains (including a vegan option) might include charred hispi cabbage with tomato lentils or marrow curry with pickles. There’s also onglet and chips, as well as hake with anchoïade and superb crispy fried prawns. Very good tarts, ice creams, custards and outliers such as amazing chocolate fritters round things off. Service is responsive and on the ball. The wine list changes frequently, remaining decidedly Europhile with Berry Bros crémant by the glass and Sybille Kuntz Riesling, but also trying out New World reds that max out at £55.
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