A new restaurant in Hove is a promising addition to the city’s culinary landscape.

Sussex-born chef and owner Will Murgatroyd cut his teeth working with top chef Marcus Wareing at Gordon Ramsay Group’s Petrus French restaurant in London. Manageress Roz Watson recently moved down from the capital, where she worked at the fantastic Spanish Moro in Clerkenwell and the famous Quality Chop House nearby.

Their credentials are impressive and – as it should be – so is the food.

Will and Roz share a passion for quality fare and, as the restaurant’s name suggests, they focus on the bounties of the English countryside. The menu is modern British, influenced by French and Italian cooking techniques.

Ingredients are seasonal and, as the menu explains, are sourced from the best farms and suppliers they can find, many of which are local. So local in fact, a fair amount of the veg Will uses actually comes from his parents’ garden in Storrington.

Although Roz hasn’t been here long, she says she is fast finding her favourites in and around the region, from fishmongers Kevin’s of Hove to Ridgeview Wine Estate in Ditchling, whose wines will soon be featuring on the wine list.

“It is our big thing,” she says. “Will used to be head chef at the Old Forge restaurant in Pulborough before he went to London, so his knowledge of local suppliers is great, and I’m starting to get to know people now too.”

Situated alongside the Clock Gardens in Hove, The Meadow has taken over the spot where bar restaurant Red Rum used to be.

A former bank, the exterior of the building is heavy set and austere, but the interior is light, modern and relaxing with high ceilings and large pendant lampshades, pale green paintwork and, in the bar area, cosy leather sofas in muted tones. A large photograph of England’s green and pleasant land presides over the interior.

During the day sunlight streams through the huge windows and makes The Meadow a lovely setting for a light lunch.

Both a set lunch menu (two courses for £11 and three courses for £14) and an a la carte evening menu are varied and inventive, yet fuss-free. There is also a newly-introduced “social menu” which offers dishes to share between two or more people.

Changing daily, the dishes on offer include the likes of Hove smoked salmon with rye bread and chive creme fraiche (£6.50) to start, Cornish crab linguini with roasted peppers, basil and lemon oil (£15.50) or pan-fried rump of Longhorn beef with roast tomatoes and chips (£14.50) to follow.

An experienced pastry chef, Will’s desserts (£5.50) are sublime. Try baked chocolate brownie and caramel sundae or poached strawberries with shortbread and clotted cream.

“Will is passionate about quality and consistency,” says Roz. “Everything is nice and natural, it’s all home-made from the bread to the bar snacks and ice cream.” At the bar you will find Middle White pork scratchings and olives infused in the chef’s own marinade.

Mouth-watering ice cream combinations include vanilla and praline, chocolate and cinammon, and toasted almond. Or for a dairyfree alternative with a kick, try blueberry and vodka sorbet.

“Service is informal but informed. It’s not a trendy place,” Roz says. “It’s more of a foodie’s place, where the staff can talk intelligently about what we are serving. People are just starting to hear about us and we have been getting a huge amount of return trade, which is encouraging.

“Whether you want to come in for a coffee during the day, or enjoy an evening meal for a special occasion or even just enjoy a drink in the bar, we hope The Meadow has it all.”

Review by Xenia Gregoriadis

• If you are interested in restaurants in Brighton, Hove and Sussex, visit www.theargusfoodguide.co.uk