Latest opening: Bayside Social
What: A relaxed, seafood-led restaurant in Worthing. Housed within a striking new luxury development on the West Sussex town’s increasingly attractive promenade, Bayside Social is inspired by the Art Deco-styled beach clubs of Miami’s South Beach.
Who: Bayside Social is the second restaurant outing for MasterChef winner Kenny Tutt. Located a short walk away in the town centre, his debut restaurant Pitch opened in 2019 and has been greeted enthusiastically by Worthing residents, who were rather short of aspirational eating options. Tutt runs his growing restaurant empire - he also operates a grilled meat-focused concession at Brighton’s Shelter Hall - with his wife Lucy.
The vibe: Opening out right onto the beach, the restaurant let’s the stunning views do most of the talking. Miami might be pushing it, but it’s fair to say Bayside Social has certainly brought some much needed contemporary glamour to Worthing seafront. The wood-clad building has a stripped back look with white walls, polished concrete floors and attractive Mid Century-style chairs and tables. The 40-cover dining room is filled with natural light thanks to it being surrounded on three sides by floor to ceiling windows, with the rear of the space home to a small bar, back of house and rest rooms. A semi-covered terrace has room for at least 40 more guests.
The food: Bayside Social’s small plates menu is eclectic, combining seaside staples - prawns with marie rose sauce; calamari with aioli; cockles with malt vinegar; and white fish tempura with tartar sauce - with more contemporary and creative dishes such as corn ribs with lime butter and gai yang chicken thigh, peanut satay and kohlrabi. There are also a handful of dishes that nod to the US beach bar source material, including old bay crab cakes with tomato salsa; and Baja fish tacos with pico de gallo and chipotle. Again staying true to the venue’s that inspired it across the pond, Bayside Social is an all-day affair, offering an expansive menu of breakfast and brunch staples.
To drink: The wine list is tight but well-chosen, with 14 whites, 10 reds and seven sparkling options which top out at just under £200 for a bottle of 2010 Dom Perignon. Alongside this is a creative and expansive cocktail menu that goes big on margaritas, with four to choose from including jalapeno and pineapple, and coconut.
And another thing: Despite being relative newcomers to the restaurant world (Kenny only won MasterChef in 2018) the Tutts know what they’re doing. Bayside Social is aspirational enough for those looking to spend without being off-putting to those on a budget, with small plates averaging out at £8 and most breakfast dishes priced at well under £10.
