Bistrot Pierre - Eastbourne — Restaurant in Eastbourne

My wife and I had the pleasure to eat here on the preopening night Thursday. We were not disappointed. This reinvention of the old space that was the Wish Tower Café is a total transformation.  Contemporary  furnishings, and decoration, coupled with an amazing expanse of modern glass give diners unparalleled views over the English Channel. It’s alfresco dining without being outside.

We arrived early so we would have a chance to sample what the bar has to offer. The bar / lounge area itself has ample space inside, and is comfortable with high stool table as well as booth, and normal table space. This is an important addition as this gives a great place to enjoy a pre or post meal drink. The drinks menu itself is ample. All the usual is represented. Good range of wines, Lager and Ale. There is a fairly comprehensive cocktail list with all the current favourites. We tried a Porn Star Martini and an Aperol Spritz. Both were very well made, and presented, There were no shortcuts when they were being mixed. I also tried a glass of the house Chardonnay, this was dry and light and also a good value glass of wine. All the glasses were clean and polished, the straws were paper. That should keep the environmentalists happy. Lots of shiny chrome around the bar offsets the wood very well.

After enjoying our drinks we were taken to our table. The restaurant was extremely busy so we took the table for two persons we were shown to. In most instances this would be fine. However as we had our pre drinks, ordered wine, and water. With the other bits on the table it made for a bit crowded even before the meal  started. I’m sure on another occasion we will be able to request a larger table. That said, the table was clean, and the cutlery was spotless, the salt and pepper were full, chairs comfortable, the table was steady.

Krys was or waiter, he was very attentive. He kept us appraised of what was going to happen, and when. The dinner menu was clear, easy to read, has a suitable number of choices without being overbearing. No reason that anyone can’t find something they would like, if true French style cuisine is not your thing, don’t worry. There is plenty of all-time favourites for you to fall back on. I liked the addition of the Fish Specials of the Day. Nice touch.

We ordered three small plates to share as our starters as we were keen to try as much of the food we could. These were delivered in good time, hot, fresh, tasty and well presented.  Our table did get a little overcrowded but that is an exceptional case. Looking around no one else seemed to be so full. Nice touch is the waiter not calling for the main courses till you are ready. I do so hate having my main meal dropped onto the table as soon as the starters are cleared, We had a good chance to spread the meal time out a little.

Main courses arrived in good time. Once again, hot, fresh, tasty, and well presented. Krys checked on us throughout.

Unfortunately we did not manage to enjoy dessert. Just too full by then. I did manage to take coffee back to the bar area. This too was hot and well served, good quality.

We were lucky enough to meet Nick the manager and Sharron his assistant. A really nice personal touch. I look forward to returning to try both the breakfast, and the lunch menu.

Keep up the great work and the business will take...

We visited yesterday for a birthday celebration with a large group, and overall had a lovely time despite a few hiccups. The restaurant itself is beautiful – spotless, stylish, and with a really warm, welcoming atmosphere. The views out to sea are absolutely stunning, and there’s outdoor seating available if you fancy taking it all in while you eat.

The food was delicious, served hot, and really good value for money. The set menu at £24.95 for three courses was fantastic, and the children's menu was equally impressive – great portion sizes and variety, with 2 courses for £6.95 or 3 for £8.95. It’s refreshing to see such thoughtful options for kids.

The staff serving our table were friendly and helpful – they quickly brought extra napkins when we had a spillage and kindly kept two of our meals warm while my boyfriend took our toddler outside to settle him. That kind of attention was really appreciated.

That said, the restaurant did seem a little unprepared for a large group. Despite most of the meals being pre-ordered, it took 1 hour and 15 minutes for the remaining few orders (mainly kids' meals) to be taken, and mains didn’t arrive until two hours after we got there. By that point, our toddler was understandably tired and hungry, and had a bit of a meltdown. He ended up falling asleep before his food arrived and missed the meal altogether, which was really disappointing.

There was also some confusion with drinks – I was asked several times what I wanted even after ordering, and drinks meant for other tables were brought to us by mistake. It all felt a little disorganised.

With a bit more assertiveness and focus on efficiently handling the children’s orders early on, the experience could have been much smoother. Still, the positives – especially the food, setting, and lovely staff – mean I’d happily return, particularly for a smaller group or...

Today we have decided to explore this new place in eastbourne and went for breakfast. We have booked a table the evening before just in case. We were greeted by the waiting staff and taken to the table with some incredible views overlooking the Beachy Head. We were impressed my the decor as well. This is where our positive impression has stopped. The order was taken straight away. We ordered two eggs Benedict, one with a sausage and the other with bacon plus two lattes. It took exactly 33 minutes for the food to arrive, coffee arrived a couple of minutes later, which is a nonsense as drinks always come first. We were not even offered a glass of water despite having two empty water glasses on the table. People sitting next to us, complete strangers, said that we should complain as we are waiting far too long. Bear in mind the place was only 30-40% full. I have politely asked the staff member called Vic about when we can expect our order. The reply was rather rude. Instead of telling us something like “I will check on your order” he said “everyone are waiting” and another waitress apologetically said “sorry, We were not expecting such a busy morning”. This is a surprise considering the bad weather and that the place has only opened its doors as a business. One of eggs Benedict was overcooked, the sausage was cold and bacon was too dry. The whole presentation was poor. Upon exiting the place we saw people lining up and heard the staff saying they have no places. This was strange as I said earlier the place was only 30-40% full. I recommend going to a similar concept place called Nelson’s, run by a lovely couple Ben and Lucy. Not as massive and views are less appealing, but breakfast and coffee are far more superior for the same price. Keen to give this place another chance and go for...