Knepp Wilding Kitchen in Sussex earns Michelin Green Star

The Michelin Guide held its annual ceremony on Monday (February 9), revealing the new additions to its list.

All Three-Michelin-Star establishments retained their distinction, with two restaurants receiving Two Stars and 20 new restaurants achieving One Michelin Star.

New Bib Gourmands have been awarded to 37 restaurants for their good food at a great price, and seven more Green Stars have been given out, including to one spot in Sussex.

What is a Michelin Green Star?

Any restaurant in the Michelin Guide is eligible for a Green Star.

As explained by the Guide , the Green Star is an annual award that “highlights restaurants at the forefront of the industry when it comes to their sustainable practices.”

It continues: “They hold themselves accountable for both their ethical and environmental standards, and work with sustainable producers and suppliers to avoid waste and reduce or even remove plastic and other non-recyclable materials from their supply chain.

“These restaurants offer dining experiences that combine culinary excellence with outstanding eco-friendly commitments and are a source of inspiration both for keen foodies and the hospitality industry as a whole.”

The Guide says that while each restaurant has different ways of working, to make a difference, many work with growers, farmers and fishermen, forage in hedgerows and woodlands, and grow plants and rear animals.

Green Star restaurants have also used regenerative methods such as no-dig vegetable gardens and successional cover crop growing.

Knepp Wilding Kitchen earns Michelin Green Star

Among the seven restaurants to be awarded Green Stars by the Michelin Guide in 2026 was Knepp Wilding Kitchen near Horsham.

The Knepp Wilding Kitchen can be found at the Knepp Estate in West Sussex.

Its website describes the restaurant as “a hub of community, nature and food”, with its “land-to-plate menu shaped by the seasons and inspired by Knepp’s rewilding ethos”.

The Guide said: “Having lunch here on a summer’s day, with sun streaming through the windows into the bright and airy barn, feels a lot like paradise.

“The Knepp Estate as a whole is a wonderful place, with an ethos of rewilding that aims to let nature nurture the land, encouraging biodiversity and removing human interference wherever possible.

“It’s this ethos that feeds the kitchen too, where every dish is a true demonstration of farm-to-table dining.

“While meat comes from the surrounding rewilded Estate, vegetables are grown in the 2.5-acre Market Garden, which has been certified organic.

“The result is dishes such as loin of venison from the Knepp Estate, served with Market Garden beetroot.

“Where other suppliers must be used, they follow a similar philosophy, such as a regenerative miller in Oxfordshire providing flour for the flatbreads.”

What do visitors think of the Knepp Wilding Kitchen?

Aside from its green efforts, the restaurant’s food is also praised by visitors, having already been on the Michelin Guide.

It is rated a 3.5/5 on Tripadvisor and a 4.4/5 on Google reviews.

The food at Knepp Wilding Kitchen in Sussex is highly praised (Image: Tripadvisor)

A review summary on Tripadvisor said that Knepp “offers a warm and inviting atmosphere that often earns praise for its charming and vibrant environment”.

It said that visitors “frequently highlight the fresh, local ingredients and creative seasonal menus”.

One reviewer wrote: “We had fabulous venison fillet with beetroot for mains today for lunch with a delicious Austrian red wine. Cooked to perfection, a generous serving and followed by a generous and beautiful dessert.

“Friendly and charming Kate, who attended our table. I love the open kitchen- seeing the chefs create.

“Beautiful, elegant barn and soft acoustics. Very busy on a Monday, proof it’s great and recommend a visit.”

Another said: “My friend and I often visit this place and always have a great time.

“The food is amazing, all freshly cooked (you can see the open kitchen.

“We always find the staff helpful and welcoming. Very relaxing place to be with nice walks about the Estate.”

Have you visited Knepp Wilding Kitchen before? Let us know in the comments.