The Milk Churn, just outside Rudgwick, West Sussex was once voted one of the top ten places to eat in the countryside by The Guardian. And whether you’re travelling by foot, by bike, by horse, or by car, it makes a great little Pitts-Stop.
Where is it?
It’s in Lynwick Street, which is just outside Rudgwick and which you can access from the A281 or from the north end of Rudgwick village. More importantly, it’s a short hop, skip, and a jump from the Downs Link – a disused railway (and now footpath and bridleway) that links the North Downs to Shoreham. The Milk Churn is signed and you just have to cross a small field and you’ll see its decking and outside seating. It is dog friendly and has somewhere to wash paws and wellies as well as somewhere to tie up your horse should you need to.
What makes The Milk Churn special?
Apart from its accessibility (which makes it a great turnaround point, if you’re travelling up or down the Downs Link), the Milk Churn is home to Sussex Charmer, the well-known, much-loved and award-winning Sussex cheese. In fact, you can often see Charmer cows grazing as you enjoy a sandwich. Their menu unsurprisingly is therefore weighted in favour of cheese and their signature dish is cheese on toast. They even do cheese on toast sharing platters which include their classic, onion, tomato and pickle! But don’t worry if cheese is not your thing because they have a mighty fine selection of soups and sandwiches as well as cakes, pastries and muffins and a selection of smoothies and hot and cold drinks.
There are also lots of really thoughtful finishing touches, like their tables inside which are made out of old milk churns and their artwork which feature a number of their cows. Outside, there is a large decking area with parasols for hot days and blankets for the cold ones. And the staff are quite lovely!
There’s more
While you’re there, you might also want to visit Firebird Brewery in the Brickworks which is an award-winning Sussex craft brewery!
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