Orla Restaurant & Rooms on Lindfield High Street is in the MICHELIN Guide, 18 months after opening. Head chef Ian Brunsdon runs it with his wife Ellen.

Orla Restaurant & Rooms, the 31-cover restaurant at 67 High Street in Lindfield, has been included in the MICHELIN Guide, a little over 18 months after it opened in March 2025.

It is owned and run by husband and wife Ian and Ellen Brunsdon. Ian is the head chef, and he previously appeared on BBC’s MasterChef: The Professionals.

“Being included in the MICHELIN Guide is something we’re incredibly proud of,” the couple said. “When we opened Orla, we wanted to create somewhere that offered really great food and wine, but without losing that relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.

“We’ve put so much into the restaurant over the past 18 months, so to receive this recognition means a huge amount to us and the whole team.”

A chef in a white T-shirt and a black Orla apron slicing on a wooden board in a kitchen with dark green tiles
Preparation in Orla's kitchen. Photo: supplied by Orla Restaurant & Rooms

What the inspector wrote

The guide’s write-up of Orla, dated 21 October, opens: “It only feels right that a delightful little village like Lindfield should have such a great neighbourhood restaurant on its high street.”

The inspector describes the cooking as “British at heart, with subtle international influences along the way”, picks out a chorizo and rabbit terrine as showing “the kitchen’s skill, care and sourcing of top-quality ingredients”, and notes that there is “something for everyone”, from weekend breakfasts to a tasting menu by way of what it calls a great value set lunch. The guide lists the cuisine as Modern British.

A chef in a black Orla apron placing greens on white plates lined up on a steel kitchen counter, with a second chef working behind him
Plates being finished on the pass at Orla. Photo: supplied by Orla Restaurant & Rooms

Fine dining with a neighbourhood feel

Ian and Ellen say they set out to combine the attention to detail of fine dining with the warmth and familiarity of a neighbourhood restaurant, built on seasonal ingredients and what they call thoughtful, creative cooking.

The menu runs from relaxed lunches and à la carte dining to tasting menus served at the chef’s pass, where diners can watch Ian’s cooking up close. There are set menu lunches and set menus on selected evenings, and the wine list includes a selection of English wines.

A filled pasta dish topped with grated cheese, crumbs and thin slices of radish in a wide white bowlA ring-shaped chocolate dessert with chocolate crumb and a quenelle of ice cream on a grey plate, beside a glass of water and a glass of white wine

2 photos, swipe or scroll. Photos: supplied by Orla Restaurant & Rooms

Staying the night

Orla also has guest accommodation, so visitors can make a longer stay of it in the village. The MICHELIN Guide listing gives the number as four bedrooms.

The white-painted front of Orla on Lindfield High Street, covered in pink and white hanging flowers, with an A-board reading open for breakfast, lunch and dinner
Orla's frontage on Lindfield High Street. Photo: @girlaboutwestkent

The couple credit the village for much of the restaurant’s first 18 months.

“We’re also incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received from the local community,” they said. “Lindfield is a wonderful place to have a restaurant, and we’re very lucky to be part of it.”

Upholstered chairs and laid wooden tables with wine glasses in Orla's dining room, with framed artwork and fairy lights on the wallsA laid table with a wine glass, a tumbler, a folded napkin and gold cutlery beside a small vase of pink flowers

2 photos, swipe or scroll. Photos: supplied by Orla Restaurant & Rooms

What comes next

Ian and Ellen describe the listing as the start of a new chapter, and say the aim has not changed since the day they opened: to serve exceptional food with warm, relaxed hospitality.

A chef in a black T-shirt and apron plating food at a steel counter under kitchen shelving, with a second member of staff behind
Service in Orla's kitchen. Photo: supplied by Orla Restaurant & Rooms

Orla Restaurant & Rooms is at 67 High Street, Lindfield, RH16 2HN. Its website is orlalindfield.co.uk, and the phone number listed in the guide is 01444 217889.

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