The Good Food Hunter UK is an independent review run by Alex White and Sam Wright who have over 25 years’ experience owning restaurants. They focus on giving honest, unbiased reviews of independent eateries across Sussex and beyond.
In recent weeks the Good Food Hunter has reviewed the William the Conqueror pub and Bosun’s Bite cafe at Rye Harbour, along with the recently re-opened Inkerman Arms.
Sam explains how it all began:
It all started during the Jack-in-the-Green weekend in May 2024. We were in the shop when Alex looked over from behind the counter and said, “Sam, shall we go for breakfast tomorrow? We won’t get a roast because it’s going to be too busy.”
That simple conversation sparked something neither of us expected.
Rather than heading to the big chains, we decided we’d visit local independent cafes and restaurants instead. The idea wasn’t to judge them or score them; we simply wanted to shine a light on the amazing small businesses that make our local area special. At the time, Alex had around 10,000 followers on her Facebook page and if we could encourage even a few more people to visit these places, then that felt like a worthwhile thing to do.
Most of those early breakfasts were in Hastings Old Town. As a local business owner ourselves we knew many of these cafes were right on our doorstep, and it was about celebrating what they offered and, we hoped, helping bring them a little more footfall.
Before long, we started venturing further afield. Breakfast became an excuse to explore new places, discover hidden gems and enjoy great food together. Then came our trip to Malta where we had some incredible meals and realised that this could become something much bigger than just breakfast.
When we got back, in November 2024, Alex said to me one evening, “I’m going to start a new Facebook page. It’s going to be called The Breakfast Hunter.”
For about an hour, that was the plan. Then she changed her mind. “No,” she said. “It’s going to be Good Food Hunter UK.”
That name opened the door to so much more than breakfasts. It meant we could share great cafes, pubs, restaurants and, eventually, food discoveries from wherever our travels might take us.
That vision is still growing today. As the page developed, so did our reviews. We introduced our scoring system, which at first was far more detailed and regimented than it is now. Over time it evolved into what we use today, a simple score that reflects the overall experience, taking everything into account rather than marking each individual element.
From one casual conversation about breakfast during a busy bank holiday weekend, Good Food Hunter UK was born. The rest, as they say, is history.
Image Credits: Alex White , The Good Food Hunter .