Good Places For Food Around The Solent

[Jeremy Fry]

I have to bribe my family with promises of lunch to get them on the water.

Can anyone recommend English RIB - friendly pubs or restaurants, where mooring up nearby is pretty easy, and the food and refreshments are good, within perhaps 30 miles of Lymington?

Sadly, The Good Pub Guide does not have a symbol for mooring....

Thanks

[Dirk Diggler]

Folley Inn, a mile or so past Cowes on the Medina. Excellent food, good mooring facilities with water taxi service if the pubs pontoon is full!

[Richard B]

Originally Posted by Dirk Diggler

Folly Inn...Excellent food

Hmmm... quite mediocre I've always thought - not a patch on the Jolly Sailor.

[robin]

Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth....Expensive to moor for long periods but there are shops galore and loads of restaurants, burger bars etc etc. Gets busy in the summer.

Further up the harbour you have Port Solent, they have facility for short stay visits....loads of food in restaurants there, Mexican (lunchtime menu for about a fiver, all you can eat), Charbar, Weatherspoons etc etc.

Main Quay at Hamble. Short stay and a couple of good pubs up the road. Harbourmasters Quay on the other side of the Hamble, adjacent to the Rising Sun pub at Warsash, haven't eaten there can't vouch for the nosh.

You can moor up at the main Quay in Cowes too (adjacent to the Red jet) about 3 quid for 3 hours. You then have access to quite a few pubs and restaurants in Cowes. Can be busy at times. Can also get wobbly when the wind is in the north. (mind you so can i!)

[Dirk Diggler]

Originally Posted by Richard B

Hmmm... quite mediocre I've always thought - not a patch on the Jolly Sailor.

Egon Ronay eat your heart out!!!!! Jolly Sailor great for sticky puddings with custard, and always seems to be a seating shortage.

[Searider]

Originally Posted by Richard B

Hmmm... quite mediocre I've always thought - not a patch on the Jolly Sailor.

Jolly Sailor now very good after its refurb this winter. However the prices have climbed steeply!

Also, watch the tide - access only about HW+- about 3 hrs

Duncan

[Searider]

Main Quay at Hamble. Short stay and a couple of good pubs up the road.

R Bar nearest the Quay - V expensive but good.
Victory up the high street good pub grub.
Square rigger at Port Hamble variable but mostly good - and you can see your boat.

OR

If the wife and kids want a swallows and amazons adventure the Horse and Jockey at Curbridge - but only spring tides -1.5hrs to +0.5 hrs of HW - this fits in with lunchtime though.

Duncan

[timboli]

Newtown,high tide only,up to the quay but a half mile or so walk to shalfleet,the shalfleet inn,reasonable food but usually very busy,must admit I,ve only done it in a yacht tender though.
Also high tide only,go past the folly inn and up to Newport,pontoon mooring but then you have various pubs etc.
Wooton creek(fishbourne),again high tide,good pontoons by the ferry berth,the yacht club usually does food and beer,(not posh)but you may have to sign yourself in as a guest from another sailing club.
There is a pub also up past the sailing club and turn left which does reasonable food.
Keyhaven also has a yacht club that serves food,and a pub a short walk away and of course Yarmouth,several good pubs for food.

[John Kennett]

Yarmouth is an easy choice, with all tides access, friendly harbour masters, fuel and a choice of pubs.

The Wheatsheaf is a long standing BIBOA favourite, but if you're on a higher budget then I can thoroughly recommend the George Hotel where the food is ecellent but prices vary between expensive (in the Brasserie) and very expensive (in the restaurant).

Oh, and it's very close to Lymington.

John

[Robert1]

As robin said, Port Solent has many restuarants and bars. However, the all you can eat buffet at Chiquitos (The American/Mexican/TGI style restuarant) is not a patch on its regular menu. There is a nice Indian and a good new Chinese opened a few weeks a go, Dragon Marina, I think. Perhaps not ideal for lunch given the boat trip home, but still good food. Charbar is a great novelty, they bring you raw meat and you cook it how you like it on the barbeque on your table! (Also at Port Solent, you can stop at the Marine Super Store and buy some bits!!)

Robert

[Biggles]

Try the pub at the entrance to Langstone Harbour. Free mooring as long as you have a good anchor.

Also Sparks Marina at entrance to Chichester Harbour. I think you need to use the Marina to lay up, so haven't used it myself but the bar comes highly recommended from everuybody I know that has used it.

[Suzuki416]

The Jackeens House for a bar-b-que
Gets 5 stars from me!

[Matt]

We went to the Ferry Boat Inn, Langstone for lunch last summer and weren't impressed with the food or service, the staff were pretty rude. Also you have to put your boat on the beach or on an anchor, and there's generally too many pikies loitering around for my liking. (Can we 'ave a go in yer boat mate?)

If you are in Langstone harbour, the Ship Inn is quite nice. It's more or less by the bridge across to hayling. Has a small quay and a slipway, but does dry out.

The folly is always a favourite, and while the food is typical pub food, rather than posh restaurant, it does the necessary and has a pretty good atmosphere. Last time I visited in the evening however, it was unbelievably packed. I think there is however a campsite walking distance up the road, so you could even stay overnight.

Was in Chiquito's at Port Solent could of weeks ago. The same as any other Chiquito's really. Port Solent does have a number of different eating and drinking options, plus there's usually plenty of eye candy.

Wooton Creek/Fishbourne. The sailing club were quite welcoming and we stayed overnight on their piles, which don't dry out completely, but it didn't have much atmosphere. If you carry on up the river to the bridge though, I think there's a slightly better pub by the bridge. Been a while since I was at wooton though so it's a bit hazy.

Yarmouth was always a firm favourite. Decent selection of pubs & restaurants, doesn't dry out. If you are into 'nature', you can go under the bridge and follow the river up which is quite nice.

Priory Bay is quite good, there's a reasonable pub about 100yds west on the sea front.

Ryde is also quite nice also, dries out, but loads of bars and pubs, plus an ice-rink too.

Sorry, these are mostly East solent, but hopefully some useful places nonetheless.

Cheers
Matt

Originally Posted by Biggles

Try the pub at the entrance to Langstone Harbour. Free mooring as long as you have a good anchor.

Also Sparks Marina at entrance to Chichester Harbour. I think you need to use the Marina to lay up, so haven't used it myself but the bar comes highly recommended from everuybody I know that has used it.

[Richard B]

Don't forget The Bugle or Gossips Cafe at Yarmouth and Cafe Uno at Port Solent. Three of our favourites!

[thorper]

How about the pub up the beaulieu river at bucklers hard? I've not been in there but have heard its not bad. Nice place to go and look around even if you dont eat.

Ricky

[Mark Halliday]

I am told the pub at Ashlett is worth a visit if you are feeling adventurous. It dries, so check the tides.
Panoramic views of the oil refinary and power station.
Anyone tried it?

[Scary Des]

Yes it's OK but watch the tide

[Rogue Wave]

I am fond of ashlett creek and the pub is great, Lately however I can only afford to go to the lifeboat in East Cowes, which is a food chain pub like the Harvester but a different one. So they have a good range of Kid's meals

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by MadMat

We went to the Ferry Boat Inn, Langstone for lunch last summer and weren't impressed with the food or service

But you do get the bonus of watching some very entertaining launching and recovery techniques on the slipway!

John

[Matt]

Very true.

Originally Posted by John Kennett

But you do get the bonus of watching some very entertaining launching and recovery techniques on the slipway!

John