Crawley

Crawley gets a reputation as simply the town next to Gatwick, and it's true the airport shapes a lot of what happens here. But spend an evening in the town centre and you'll find a food and drink scene that goes well beyond airport hotel dining, with more than 80 places to eat ranging from quick lunch spots to proper sit-down venues.

Most visitors base themselves at one of the hotels built around the airport's edge, places like the Arora Hotel Gatwick, Crowne Plaza London Gatwick Airport, and Holiday Inn Express London Gatwick Crawley, all set up for early flights and easy transfers. For something with more character, the Cottesmore Hotel Golf & Country Club gives you grounds to wander and a golf course alongside the usual comforts, while smaller options like Barrington Lodge and Da Vinci Guest House Gatwick suit those who want a simpler, quieter stay away from the bigger chains.

That scene runs from the everyday to the occasion-worthy. Black Sheep Coffee and Bewbush Centre Cafe handle the daily coffee and casual bites, while Best Kebab/Sultan is the sort of dependable local spot every town needs. Big Smoke Taphouse And Kitchen brings a proper beer selection alongside its food, good for an evening that starts with dinner and doesn't need to end there. For something more themed, keep an eye out for seasonal afternoon teas, the Alice in Wonderland Afternoon Tea and Easter Afternoon Tea have both made appearances, giving visitors a reason to dress up a simple cup of tea into something more of an event.

With Gatwick on the doorstep, plenty of Crawley's dining also serves the practical traveller, corporate catering like Bartlett Mitchell At Rentokil included, but the town's food and drink offering has genuinely grown into something worth exploring in its own right, not just a stopover between flights.