If you’ve ever found yourself searching for restaurants near Camber Sands and wondered where the locals actually eat, the answer is almost always the same: Harry’s. Tucked behind the dunes at The Gallivant, just a short drive from Rye, Harry’s is a French bistro with a proper origin story and one of those rare restaurants where the food, the setting, and the feeling all arrive together at exactly the right moment.
Here’s the story behind it.
Every great restaurant begins with someone who simply couldn’t let the dream go.
Harry, founder of The Gallivant, had long harboured a vision of a restaurant that felt genuinely of its place casual enough to walk into in sandy shoes, but special enough to linger over a long dinner and a good bottle of wine. Inspired by the effortless warmth of Californian coastal dining, he and his wife Sigrid had fallen in love with, Harry wanted to bring that spirit of sun-drenched seaside escapism to the East Sussex coast.
The result was Harry’s, a restaurant that wears its name lightly but carries real intention behind every detail. From the vintage coastal nostalgia woven into the interiors to the sense that time slows down the moment you sit down, Harry’s is, at its heart, a lifelong dream made real by the sea.
The menu at Harry’s is rooted in a straightforward but quietly radical idea: cook what’s best right now, buy it as close to home as possible, and let great ingredients speak for themselves.
French technique forms the backbone of classic brasserie dishes, sharing plates, and the kind of cooking that feels both confident and entirely unfussy. But the sourcing is firmly East Sussex. The team at Harry’s works closely with local suppliers and producers, shifting the menu with the seasons so that what arrives on your plate reflects exactly what’s growing, fishing, and farming in the region at that moment.
This approach has earned Harry’s a Michelin Key recognition that the cooking here goes far beyond what you might expect from a hotel restaurant by the sea.
Leading the kitchen at Harry’s is Chef Matthew Harris, former Chef Director at the legendary Bibendum in London. Matthew brings decades of classical French training and a deeply instinctive feel for seasonal produce to every service.
His menus blend the rigour of great technique with the relaxed confidence of a chef who knows exactly what he’s doing and who trusts his ingredients implicitly. Daily specials change with whatever Matthew can source at its finest, meaning no two visits are ever quite the same.
Whether you’re joining us for a relaxed weekday lunch at the bar or a candlelit dinner in the dining room, the menu at Harry’s has a wonderful rhythm to it.
At lunch, you’ll find lighter dishes served at the bar or in the Sitting Room during the week, ideal if you’ve been walking the beach at Camber and want something satisfying without a fuss. Weekends bring a full à la carte alongside a prix-fixe option, and Sundays are anchored by a magnificent roast beef that has become something of a local institution.
At dinner, the à la carte changes regularly, with daily specials woven in. Expect:
It’s the kind of menu where you know immediately what you want and then change your mind twice before the waiter arrives.
There are plenty of places to eat near Rye and around East Sussex. So what is it that makes Harry’s feel so different?
It comes down to a few things, we think.
The location is unlike anywhere else, set back from the beach at Camber Sands, with that particular quality of light that only arrives when you’re close to the sea. Dine on the terrace on a long summer evening, and you’ll understand immediately why guests keep coming back.
The cooking is anchored by genuine expertise. Matthew Harris isn’t cooking for trends. He’s cooking French bistro food the way it should be with soul, skill, and beautiful ingredients.
And the feeling matters too. Harry’s is warm and welcoming without being formal. You can bring the dog to the bar at lunch. You can celebrate a birthday in the dining room. It’s the rare kind of restaurant that works for every occasion and every kind of guest.
Harry’s is open seven days a week, for lunch (12.30–2.30pm) and dinner (6–9pm). Tables go quickly, particularly at weekends and throughout the summer months, so we always recommend booking ahead.
You’ll find Harry’s at The Gallivant, Camber, East Sussex TN31 7RB, right opposite the beach car park as you come into the village.
And if you’d like to make a proper occasion of it, why not stay with us? Our boutique rooms are steps from both the restaurant and the beach, so you can walk the dunes before dinner, then wake up to the sound of the sea and do it all again the next morning. There’s something rather lovely about not having to drive home.
