The Bluebell at the Wok Inn, Lewes

I didn’t spot any signage for the Bluebell during a recent Thursday visit during their lunchtime service, Just the Wok Inn above the door and on the sign out front. There’s no way driving past this building and adjacent Chinese Gardens that I would have thought to pop in for a pint. However, there is a bar area with mainly sofas beyond the entrance and on the rear wall, adjacent to an inglenook to the left, is a serving counter with some bar stools. The lone hand pump was drawing Harvey’s Best and keg options of Stella, Stowford Press cider, San Miguel, Guinness and Camden Pale were also available. The old wooden beamed ceiling is evidence that this was once a rural pub, but all of the seating beyond the front bar area is set for dining and there was some slow lounge music playing in the background. The service was very polite and I think I will return for a meal because it really is a nice looking restaurant, but I’ll not be popping in just for a drink again. Note that my rating is for the bar and not the restaurant.

Visited 13/01/25 Just the single handpump offering Harvey's Sussex Best. Very well kept. Keg options were Stowford Press, Guinness, San Miguel, Becks, Camden Pale, Stella. Bar area in this popular rural Chinese restaurant. Was pretty dark on my visit so didn't get to see much of the outside or surround. Inside bare boarded with some large flagstones around the pebbled bar counter. Some stools at the bar but generally a few sofas and armchairs around the bar area with a single tall table by the pillar just inside the door and a small table with low stools inside the large stone grate - no fire lit on my visit on a quiet mid Monday evening. The place had low beamed ceilings and offered a warm welcome on my visit.

Although now really the Wok Inn restaurant, it still retains some of The Bluebell signage and there is a general seating area in front of the bar. Chinese-style beer garden, reflecting the menu available in the large dining areas. Slightly surprisingly, cask ale is offered from a single handpump (and in good shape too), but entirely unsurprisingly this was Harvey's (£5.50).

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