Restaurant in Worthing, United Kingdom
Worthing's most credentialed kitchen. Book it.
Tern is Worthing's most credentialed restaurant, holding a Michelin Plate for 2024 and 2025 with a 4.7 Google rating. At £££, it is the clearest choice in town for a special occasion or a considered dinner. Book ahead — availability tightens, and there is no comparable alternative in Worthing at this level.
Tern is the most credentialed modern cuisine restaurant in Worthing, holding a Michelin Plate for two consecutive years (2024 and 2025) and a Google rating of 4.7 from 85 reviews. If you are visiting for the first time, book it for a special occasion or a considered dinner out — it operates at a price point (£££) that sits meaningfully above Worthing's casual dining options, and the Michelin recognition signals a kitchen that takes its cooking seriously. For context, this is a restaurant that has earned external validation two years running in a town not historically associated with destination dining. That matters.
Coming back to Tern a second time, the question is not whether the kitchen can cook — it has answered that twice over with back-to-back Michelin Plate recognition. The question is whether the menu has moved. At a restaurant working in modern cuisine at the £££ level, seasonal rotation is not a marketing phrase; it is what separates a kitchen that is actively developing from one that has found a formula and stopped. Worthing sits on the Sussex coast, and a kitchen this close to the English Channel and the South Downs has access to ingredient cycles that reward repeat visits: early spring brassicas and coastal shellfish giving way to summer stone fruit and heritage vegetables, then the root-heavy, game-adjacent months of autumn. A first-timer will be experiencing whatever the current season has to offer. A returning diner is tracking whether the kitchen is using that calendar intelligently.
For a first-timer, what matters most is knowing what kind of restaurant this is before you arrive. Tern is modern cuisine at a price point that implies a considered, multi-course format rather than a quick dinner. The address , 39 Warwick Street, in central Worthing , puts it within easy reach of the seafront and the town centre, so it works as either a destination meal or the anchor of a longer evening. The Michelin Plate is a recognition of cooking quality rather than a star, but it is not a consolation prize: it means the Michelin inspectors found the food worth noting. Two consecutive years of that recognition suggests consistency, which is what you actually want from a restaurant you are visiting for the first time.
The £££ pricing puts Tern in a bracket where the expectation is not just competent cooking but a meal that has been thought about , sourcing decisions, dish construction, the relationship between courses. At this price tier in a coastal English town, you are not competing with London's density of options; you are the option. That shifts the calculus slightly. Tern does not need to out-cook [Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/restaurant-gordon-ramsay-london-restaurant) or [CORE by Clare Smyth](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/core-by-clare-smyth) to justify the booking , it needs to justify itself against what else you could spend that money on in Worthing. On that basis, with two Michelin Plates and a 4.7 rating, it does.
Seasonal rotation at modern cuisine restaurants at this level typically means the menu shifts three to four times annually, with individual dishes moving in and out more frequently depending on what a particular week's sourcing looks like. For a first visit, that means trusting the kitchen to be working with what is current rather than arriving with a fixed idea of what you will eat. The Sussex growing calendar , and the Channel's fishing cycle , gives a kitchen here material to work with across the year. Spring and early summer tend to bring lighter, more coastal-forward plates. Autumn and winter push toward depth and earthier combinations. If you have flexibility on timing, the shoulder seasons (late spring, early autumn) tend to represent the widest range of available ingredients simultaneously.
For reference, other Michelin-recognised restaurants in the south of England working at a comparable or higher level include [hide and fox in Saltwood](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/hide-and-fox-saltwood-restaurant) (Kent coast, similar coastal modern cuisine positioning) and [Hand and Flowers in Marlow](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/hand-and-flowers-marlow-restaurant) (two Michelin stars, gastropub format). Tern sits below those in terms of star recognition but ahead of most of its immediate Worthing competition by a significant margin. If you are building a South of England restaurant itinerary, it fits alongside rather than instead of those venues.
For the broader Worthing picture, see [our full Worthing restaurants guide](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/worthing). If you are planning a longer trip, [our full Worthing hotels guide](https://www.joinpearl.co/hotels/worthing), [our full Worthing bars guide](https://www.joinpearl.co/bars/worthing), and [our full Worthing experiences guide](https://www.joinpearl.co/experiences/worthing) cover the rest of your stay. For wine-focused visits to the region, check [our full Worthing wineries guide](https://www.joinpearl.co/wineries/worthing).
Address: 39 Warwick St, Worthing BN11 3DQ. Cuisine: Modern Cuisine. Price range: £££ (budget for a considered multi-course dinner at this tier). Awards: Michelin Plate 2024 and 2025. Google rating: 4.7 from 85 reviews. Reservations: Booking is recommended; demand at this recognition level in a town with limited comparable options means tables fill. Booking difficulty: Moderate , plan ahead, particularly for weekends and special occasions. Dress: Not confirmed, but a £££ modern cuisine restaurant with Michelin recognition typically expects smart-casual as a baseline. Solo dining: A counter or bar seat may be available, but confirm when booking. Groups: Contact the restaurant directly for parties larger than four; private dining arrangements are not confirmed in available data.
If you are researching modern cuisine at a comparable or higher level across the UK and Europe, the following venues offer useful reference points: [Waterside Inn in Bray](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/waterside-inn-bray-restaurant), [L'Enclume in Cartmel](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/lenclume-cartmel-restaurant), [Moor Hall in Aughton](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/moor-hall-aughton-restaurant), [Gidleigh Park in Chagford](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/gidleigh-park-chagford-restaurant), [Midsummer House in Cambridge](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/midsummer-house-cambridge-restaurant), [Opheem in Birmingham](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/opheem-birmingham-restaurant), [Ynyshir Hall in Machynlleth](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/ynyshir-hall-machynlleth-restaurant), [Restaurant Andrew Fairlie in Auchterarder](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/restaurant-andrew-fairlie-auchterarder-restaurant), [Frantzén in Stockholm](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/frantzn-stockholm-restaurant), and [Maison Lameloise in Chagny](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/maison-lameloise-chagny-restaurant).
Tern is a reasonable choice for solo dining at the £££ level in Worthing, where options at this quality tier are limited. A counter or bar seat may give you the most comfortable solo experience , confirm availability when booking. The modern cuisine format, which typically involves a sequence of smaller courses, works well for solo diners who want to focus on the food rather than conversation. Budget accordingly: a solo visit at £££ adds up, but the Michelin Plate recognition means you are getting a kitchen that is delivering at a level above the town average.
Based on available data, Tern holds a Michelin Plate for 2024 and 2025 and a 4.7 Google rating , both signals that the kitchen is executing at a high level. Whether the tasting menu format is worth the price depends on how you eat: if you want flexibility or a quicker meal, a multi-course tasting format may feel like a commitment. If you want to see what the kitchen is doing at its leading, a tasting menu at this price point and recognition level is typically the right vehicle. Specific menu format and pricing are not confirmed in available data , contact the restaurant directly before booking.
Bar seating is not confirmed in available data. At a £££ modern cuisine restaurant of this size and style, a bar or counter may exist, but it is not guaranteed. Contact Tern directly to ask about counter availability , particularly useful if you are visiting solo or want a shorter, more informal experience. Do not assume walk-in bar seating is possible at this level without checking first.
Group bookings are not addressed in available data. For parties larger than four, contact the restaurant directly before assuming availability. At a £££ Michelin Plate restaurant in a town-centre location, capacity is likely limited and large-group bookings may require advance arrangement. Worthing does not have a deep bench of comparable options at this level, so if Tern cannot accommodate your group on your preferred date, plan your timing with flexibility.
At £££ in Worthing, Tern is worth it if you want the most credentialed cooking in town. Two consecutive Michelin Plates and a 4.7 Google rating from 85 reviews point to a kitchen that is consistent and has been independently assessed. The comparison that matters here is not against London's £££££ restaurants , it is against what else £££ buys you in Worthing. On that basis, Tern is the clearest answer in its price tier. If you are comparing against Michelin-starred kitchens in the wider south of England like [hide and fox in Saltwood](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/hide-and-fox-saltwood-restaurant), Tern sits a step below in recognition but makes the booking case on convenience and value within its market.
Yes , this is one of the cleaner booking decisions in Worthing for a special occasion. The Michelin Plate recognition (two years running), the £££ price point, and the modern cuisine format all align with what a celebratory dinner requires: a kitchen taking the food seriously, a setting that signals the occasion, and a price point that reflects it. Book ahead; availability at this level in a town with limited comparable options will tighten for popular dates. If you want something more elaborate or starred, you will need to travel to venues like [Waterside Inn in Bray](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/waterside-inn-bray-restaurant) or [Midsummer House in Cambridge](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/midsummer-house-cambridge-restaurant), but for a special occasion dinner in Worthing itself, Tern is the answer.
Tern is the only Michelin-recognised restaurant confirmed in Worthing at this time. For modern cuisine at a comparable or higher level nearby, the closest reference points are along the south coast and into Kent , [hide and fox in Saltwood](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/hide-and-fox-saltwood-restaurant) is a Michelin-starred option if you are willing to travel east. For a broader view of what is available in the town, see [our full Worthing restaurants guide](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/worthing). If your primary interest is the level of cooking rather than the location, the wider south of England offers options like [Gidleigh Park in Chagford](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/gidleigh-park-chagford-restaurant) and [Hand and Flowers in Marlow](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/hand-and-flowers-marlow-restaurant) at higher recognition tiers.
Three things: first, book ahead , this is a moderate-difficulty reservation in a town with limited comparable options, and you do not want to arrive without a table. Second, it is a £££ modern cuisine restaurant with Michelin Plate recognition, which means the format is likely a considered multi-course experience rather than an à la carte quick dinner , build your evening around it. Third, the menu will reflect what is seasonal at the time of your visit, so arrive without fixed expectations about specific dishes. The kitchen's two consecutive Michelin Plates are the most reliable signal that the cooking will be worth the price. For everything else you need for a Worthing visit, see [our full Worthing restaurants guide](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/worthing).
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tern | Modern Cuisine | Michelin Plate (2025); Michelin Plate (2024) | Moderate | — |
| Restaurant Gordon Ramsay | Contemporary European, French | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| CORE by Clare Smyth | Modern British | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| The Ledbury | Modern European, Modern Cuisine | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Sketch, The Lecture Room and Library | Modern French | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Dinner by Heston Blumenthal | Modern British, Traditional British | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
Side-by-side comparison to help you decide where to book.
Tern is a reasonable solo choice at the £££ price point if you are comfortable with a considered multi-course format and the atmosphere that comes with a Michelin Plate kitchen. Solo covers at this level tend to work best at counter or bar seating — check directly with Tern on availability, as the venue database does not confirm a dedicated counter. If solo fine dining is a priority, London options like The Ledbury offer more established solo-seating infrastructure.
Back-to-back Michelin Plates in 2024 and 2025 are the clearest signal that the kitchen is operating at a level that justifies a multi-course commitment. At £££, Tern sits in a range where you should expect precise, considered cooking rather than volume. Specific menu details are not confirmed in the venue data, so contact Tern directly for current format and pricing before booking.
Bar seating at Tern is not confirmed in the venue data. At a Michelin Plate restaurant of this scale in Worthing, the dining room is likely the primary format. Contact Tern at 39 Warwick St directly to ask about counter or bar options before assuming flexibility.
Group suitability at Tern is not documented in the venue data, and Michelin Plate restaurants at the £££ tier often have limited covers. For groups larger than four, it is worth enquiring about private dining or whether the full room can be reserved. Larger group bookings at this standard typically require advance notice of several weeks.
For Worthing, yes. Two consecutive Michelin Plates — 2024 and 2025 — place Tern ahead of any comparable local option, and £££ is the expected entry point for that standard of cooking. If you are benchmarking against London peers like CORE by Clare Smyth or The Ledbury, the price gap is significant in Tern's favour, though the depth and ambition of those kitchens is also greater.
Tern is the most credentialed option in Worthing for a special occasion, with a Michelin Plate in both 2024 and 2025 giving it a verifiable quality signal. The £££ price range fits a celebration dinner rather than a casual meal. Book well in advance and confirm current hours directly, as these are not published in the venue data.
Within Worthing itself, no comparable Michelin-recognised alternative is documented. If you are prepared to travel, the South East has a wider field of recognised modern cuisine restaurants. For a London comparison at a higher price and accolade level, CORE by Clare Smyth and The Ledbury are the relevant reference points — expect significantly higher spend and harder bookings.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
