Eastbourne Borough Council has chosen Bistrot Pierre for the historic Wish Tower site after previous choice Rick Stein backed out last year blaming fears over Brexit.
Bistrot Pierre, which operates 23 restaurants across the UK, offers Anglo-French dishes prepared every day using ingredients from local suppliers and artisan French producers.
Open seven days-a-week serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, the menu in Eastbourne will include classic bistrot favourites such as steaks-frites, boeuf bourguignon, moules marinière and crème brûlée, along with dishes using fresh fish sourced from local fishermen.
Award-winning architects Levitt Bernstein have already provided initial designs for the stylish restaurant that will now be further refined in close liaison with Bistrot Pierre.
Construction is scheduled to begin early next year, with the doors opening in spring 2019.
