The South Restaurants

In summer, and especially on summer weekends, visitors can overrun the restaurants in small villages, so either book a table in advance or prepare to wait. The more popular or upscale the restaurant, the more critical a reservation is. For local specialties, try fresh-grilled river trout or sea bass poached in brine, or dine like a king on New Forest's renowned venison. Hampshire is noted for its pig and sheep farming, and you might zero in on pork and lamb dishes on local restaurant menus. The region places a strong emphasis on seasonal produce, so venison, for example, is best between September and February.

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  • 1. Allium

    $$

    This family-run, centrally located restaurant has been winning rave reviews for both the taste and presentation of its creative Modern British dishes. Produce is largely fresh and local while meats and poultry are free-range and sustainably farmed. Standouts include roast Guinea fowl supreme and confit leg with shitake, squash, and spring greens, pork belly confit with black garlic, glazed carrots, and pickled turnip, and a starter of cod cheeks with fried capers and grapes. Set lunches (two courses £19.50, three courses £24.50) offer good value.

    6–7 Ox Row, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 1EU, England
    01722-326057

    Known For

    • High-quality, creative dishes
    • Nice wine selection
    • Reasonable prices

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
  • 2. Anokaa

    $$

    For a refreshingly modern take on Indian cuisine, try this bustling restaurant a few minutes from the town center. Classic recipes are taken as starting points for the artistically presented dishes, which include tandoori breast of guinea fowl with fenugreek sauce, pistachio chicken korma with sweet basil and clove, and a Singapore-style chickpea and baby eggplant curry. A two-course seasonal set lunch (£10.50) and an early evening set menu (£17.90 for 2 courses plus wine) offer good value. The setting is contemporary and cosmopolitan, and service by staff in traditional dress is friendly and prompt. Live performances by a musician or dancer occasionally make an appearance at dinner.

    60 Fisherton St., Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP2 7RB, England
    01722-414142

    Known For

    • Creative, well-executed Indian dishes
    • Excellent service
    • Buffet lunch
  • 3. Hix Oyster & Fish House

    $$$

    This coastal outpost of one of London's trendiest restaurants combines stunning views overlooking the Cobb with the celebrity-chef's trademark high standards and originality. The menu changes twice daily, but the focus is always on simply cooked and beautifully presented seafood, including Korean fried monkfish cheeks, grilled sole on the bone, and, of course, local oysters. There's a limited vegetarian menu, but the dessert menu is extensive, with dishes like Peruvian chocolate mousse with honeycomb. Book well ahead to sit by the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the coast, on the small terrace, or at the Kitchen Table, where you can watch the chefs at work.

    Cobb Rd., Lyme Regis, Dorset, DT7 3JP, England
    01297-446910

    Known For

    • Expertly prepared and locally sourced seafood
    • Great views of the coast
    • Extensive dessert menus

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner Sun., Reservations essential
  • 4. Seaview Hotel Restaurant and Bar

    $$$ | Vegan

    The outstanding food at this waterside hotel is defined by a menu with a strong maritime flavor that befits its location in the heart of a harbor village just outside Ryde. One of only two Michelin Bib Gourmand recipients on the island, much of the fresh produce is from the Seaview's own farm. You might start dinner with a local crab rarebit, then move on to the catch of the day with local tenderstem broccoli and saffron potatoes. The lunch menu features sandwiches and salads, plus vegan options. Food is served in a wood-paneled pub, the Pump Room and Grill, and in the Bistro, a cozy room modeled on a typical ship's Officers' Mess cabin. Luxurious fabrics characterize the chic guest rooms in the adjoining hotel.

    The High St., Seaview, Isle of Wight, PO34 5EX, England
    01983-612711

    Known For

    • Fresh seafood with local ingredients
    • Charming nautical theme
    • Good value prix-fixe menus

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
  • 5. The Pig

    $$$

    The funkier sister of glamorous Lime Wood, this New Forest "restaurant with rooms" is a local favorite that puts the emphasis on local (with all ingredients sourced within 25 miles if not the restaurant's own kitchen garden) and seasonality. Lunch and dinner are served in a large Victorian greenhouse overlooking the lawns, and the twice-daily changing menu may include dishes like an Isle of Wight eggplant with Romano peppers or a whole Poole sea bass. You may also accompany the "staff forager" on expeditions to find shellfish or edible flora like wild garlic and berries. Overnight in one of the 26 comfortable rooms in the main building (an 18th-century former royal hunting lodge) or the converted stable block. All combine a slightly retro, shabby-chic style with modern bathrooms.

    Beaulieu Rd., Brockenhurst, Hampshire, SO42 7QL, England
    01590-622354

    Known For

    • Nearly all ingredients come from their own garden or other sources within 25 miles
    • Excellent porcine dishes, as the name suggests
    • Foraging expeditions with the staff
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  • 6. Abarbistro

    $$ | Coffee

    A relaxed, modern bistro midway between Old Portsmouth and Gunwharf Quays, this place is ideal for a snack, meal, or glass of wine from the thoughtfully chosen wine list. The changing Modern British menu specializes in seafood dishes like pan-roasted chalk stream trout with a Nicoise salad or ale-battered haddock-and-chips, mostly sourced from Portsmouth's fish market directly opposite the restaurant. Alternatively, opt for honey-and-sesame-glazed duck breast or sweet potato, spinach, and cauliflower Wellington. You can sit indoors, in a garden at the back, or at Continental-style tables on the pavement.

    58 White Hart Rd., Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 2JA, England
    023-9281–1585

    Known For

    • Super fresh seafood
    • Friendly service
    • Extensive wine list
  • 7. Boston Tea Party

    $ | Coffee

    Specializing in quick, nourishing meals, this relaxed café in a 14th-century former inn allegedly once patronized by Shakespeare, Cromwell, and Pepys serves hot and cold breakfasts, lunches, and afternoon snacks. Choices include cheeseburgers served with bacon and fried egg, a Moving Mountains beetroot, mushroom, and soya version, or a sweetcorn hash with halloumi, avocado, and poached egg. You can eat upstairs in the spectacular Tudor great hall or in the quieter side room.

    13 High St., Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 2NJ, England
    01722-433266

    Known For

    • Child-friendly atmosphere and dishes
    • Freshly roasted coffee and homemade cakes
    • Casual dining in impressive historic setting

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner
  • 8. Cathedral Refectory

    $

    With a vaulted glass roof on steel supports, this self-service cafeteria in a walled garden across from the cathedral combines contemporary style with locally sourced, freshly prepared dishes to create a refreshing stop for lunch or afternoon tea. Food is served daily until 4:30 or 5, and there are tables outside on a slate terrace for fair-weather eating.

    1 The Close, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 9LS, England
    01962-857258

    Known For

    • Locally sourced ingredients
    • Homemade cakes
    • Walled garden for picnics

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner
  • 9. Chesil Rectory

    $$$

    The timbered and gabled building may be venerable—it dates back to the mid-15th century—but the cuisine is Modern British, using locally sourced ingredients. The small but well-executed menu is particularly strong on game dishes, like roast wood pigeon with white onion purée, butternut squash, and puy lentils or guinea fowl with a cabbage and mushroom fricassée and truffle cappuccino. Service and the heritage charm of the surroundings enhance the quality of the food. There's also a good-value set lunch (£21.95 for two courses, £26.95 for three).

    1 Chesil St., Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 0HU, England
    01962-851555

    Known For

    • Historic, romantic ambience
    • Generous Sunday lunch roast dinners
    • Good-value set-price lunches

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
  • 10. Duke of Wellington

    $

    This family-run traditional pub that dates back to the 16th century has flagstones, bare stone walls, an inglenook fireplace, an open fire in winter, and a beer garden in the summer. The homemade food leans towards the traditional, with superior versions of old favorites like fish pie. You'll also find more exotic selections like a housemade curry of the day as well as Purbeck-brand honeycomb ice cream for dessert. The inn also has 11 rooms for guests who want to stay the night.

    7 East St., Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5EE, England
    01929-553015

    Known For

    • Highly regarded beer and ale selection
    • Fresh fish specials
    • Organic and locally sourced Sunday roast lunch
  • 11. Fisherton Mill

    $

    A former grain mill, Fisherton Mill houses independent shops as well as artists' studios and a gallery showcasing paintings, sculptures, textiles, jewelry, and all manner of crafts. Enjoy a light lunch or Wiltshire cream tea in the highly regarded café. It shuts down for the day at 5, except for Sundays, when it's closed.

    108 Fisherton St., Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP2 7QY, England
    01722-500200

    Known For

    • Excellent homemade cakes and pastries
    • Gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian options
    • Cute shops and art gallery

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No dinner
  • 12. Forte Kitchen

    $ | Coffee

    This unfussy but elegant café-restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea offers freshly made soups, sandwiches, hot dishes, and cakes made with locally sourced ingredients. Favorites include beer-battered cod with fries, fried mushrooms on sourdough toast with creamed spinach and a poached egg, and a miso glazed chicken salad. There are no reservations and it's very popular, so a wait may be involved at busy times.

    78 Parchment St., Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 8AT, England
    01962-856840

    Known For

    • Excellent breakfasts
    • Fast, friendly service
    • No reservations so waits are possible

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner
  • 13. Green's Bar and Kitchen

    $

    Reasonably priced and healthy comfort food is served cafeteria-style at this established, family-run favorite, including dishes like a vegan cheeseburger, a quinoa salad with grilled tofu, and torched mackerel on toast. Serving breakfast (including a great full English) and lunch, the place transforms into a busy cocktail bar in the evening.

    4 Jewry St., Winchester, Hampshire, S23 8RZ, England
    01962-869630

    Known For

    • Excellent breakfasts
    • Outdoor seating in good weather
    • Great cocktails
  • 14. Howard's House

    $$$$

    If you're after complete tranquility, head for this early-17th-century house surrounded by two acres of grounds in the Nadder Valley. The excellent restaurant has fixed-price menus specializing in contemporary English cooking using local and seasonal ingredients (some from the kitchen garden), such as a pan-seared fillet of wild brill or roast loin of Wiltshire venison. The style is traditional and smart, and a terrace provides alfresco dining overlooking the tidy lawns in summer. Nine comfortable guest rooms may tempt you into forgoing the 10-mile drive back to Salisbury.

    Teffont Evias, Teffont Evias, Wiltshire, SP3 5RJ, England
    01722-716392

    Known For

    • Excellent four-course tasting menu
    • Relaxed and romantic atmosphere
    • Terrace dining in the summer
  • 15. Oxford Brasserie

    $$

    This airy modern brasserie on a restaurant-heavy street close to the docks is known for its melt-in-your-mouth meat dishes but also offers vegetarian options. The menu leans toward Modern British favorites like slow-cooked pork belly and pan-fried salmon with Mediterranean touches like fried zucchini or calamari.

    33–34 Oxford St., Southampton, SO14 3DS, England
    023-8063–5043

    Known For

    • Fresh shellfish
    • Good traditional roast Sunday lunches
    • Excellent desserts
  • 16. Pascal's Brasserie

    $

    Tucked away from the busy harbor, this French-owned local favorite serves classic Gallic dishes such as onion soup, eggs Benedict, and croque monsieur, plus simple seafood dishes like king prawns in garlic butter. If you're looking for an afternoon pit stop, try the substantial, and very English, cream tea selection and other superlative baked goods. A set-menu pop-up supper club serves dishes like pork fillet braised in Chablis with prunes on the third Friday and Saturday of each month and books up fast.

    8 Cove St., Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 8TS, England
    01305-777500

    Known For

    • Delicious housemade cakes and scones
    • French brasserie favorites
    • Excellent breakfasts

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner
  • 17. Restaurant 27

    $$$$

    Owned by chef Kevin Bingham (who lives upstairs) and his family, this 35-seat global French restaurant serving only set-price six-course tasting menus (£65) for the whole table is very much a personal vision, with Bingham's sophisticated, technically assured take on French classics (expect gels, foams, "soil," and smears) winning rave reviews (and now a Michelin listing). The set menus change daily according to what fresh ingredients are available, but dishes might include blackened beef sirloin with cavolo nero, a starter of whipped goat cheese with rhubarb and pistachio, or roast halibut with king prawn and wild garlic. The three-course Sunday lunch is a deal at £45. There's also an extensive, well-chosen wine list.

    27A South Parade, Southsea, Portsmouth, PO5 2JF, England
    023-9287–6272

    Known For

    • Excellent distinctive dishes
    • Extensive wine list
    • Set-price tasting menus

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch Wed.–Sat. No dinner Sun.
  • 18. Rick Stein, Winchester

    $$$

    Renowned as one of Britain's finest seafood chefs, Rick Stein chose Winchester for his first venture away from the Cornish coast. The menu is largely focused on fish and crustaceans, but carnivores and vegetarians are catered for as well. The airy room embodies tasteful nautical chic, but the restaurant's popularity means it can be noisy when busy.

    7 High St., Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 9JX, England
    01962-587348

    Known For

    • Simply but confidently prepared classics like turbot hollandaise
    • Exotic choices like spicy Indonesian curry with prawn and squid
    • Good-value set menus for lunch and early evening dinner

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Wed., Reservations essential
  • 19. The Bell Cliff Restaurant and Tea Rooms

    $

    This cozy, child-and-dog-friendly restaurant in a 17th-century building at the bottom of Lyme Regis's main street makes a great spot for a light lunch or a cream tea with views over the bay. Apart from hot drinks and sandwiches (including fresh crab), you can order more substantial dishes like homemade beef lasagna.

    5–6 Broad St., Lyme Regis, Dorset, DT7 3QD, England
    01297-442459

    Known For

    • Friendly service
    • Excellent cream tea
    • Generous portions
  • 20. The Seaside Boarding House

    $$$

    Perched on a bluff overlooking sandy Burton Beach, this airy restaurant in a hamlet at the western end of Chesil Beach specializes in freshly caught seafood and locally raised meat and produce. The small but focused menu includes dishes like grilled West Bay lobster with garlic butter and samphire or skate wing with lemon, oregano, and brown shrimp. The restaurant is in a Victorian villa remodeled to evoke a chic 1920s feel, and the tables outside on the terrace have fabulous views across Lyme Bay. Bar food is served when the restaurant is closed. There are also eight light-filled bedrooms with views upstairs.

    Cliff Rd., Abbotsbury, Dorset, DT6 4RB, England
    01308-897205

    Known For

    • Fresh seafood
    • Excellent cocktails
    • Great views from terrace

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner Sun. (except for hotel guests)

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