More Exciting Places to Eat Out

Food Lovers Guide contd...

The Pond Cafe

For an intimate, romantic lunch or dinner head for one of the island’s prettiest hideaways, The Pond Café in Bonchurch.

Watch the wildlife on the sunken pond and order from chef Andy Beaumont’s short, seasonal menu with homage to Mediterranean flavours. The Pond offers good value, especially at lunch times. Typical dishes include a starter of local crab salad with Datterino tomatoes, fried courgette and caper berries; and a main dish of braised leg of black-legged chicken with a ragout of mushrooms, spinach and lentils.

Andy enjoys pastry work and his soft chocolate cake with marinated prune mascarpone is dense, gooey and pleasingly sophisticated. More please! Tel. 01983 855666

by Alison Jane Reid

The Terrace Restaurant, Osborne House, East Cowes. Take your place in Queen Victoria’s former private chapel and enjoy lunch carefully made with local, seasonal produce or a sumptuous afternoon tea and gaze on the flower filled gardens and fountains of Osborne, Victoria’s favourite home by the sea. Open 10am – 5pm. There is an admission charge for the gardens. Tel 01983 298052 for bookings.

The St Helens Restaurant: Renowned for its perfect crab brulee and delicious local fish cooked with flair and simplicity, and island pork, chicken and duck.  All served in a pretty, idyllic setting, on the Green at St Helens, a picture-postcard village away from the tourist trail. Tel 01983 872303.

Morgans, Shanklin: A relative newcomer and making a name for itself as sleek, contemporary restaurant where local fish and Isle of Wight Blue cheese are specialities. Tel 01983 864900.

Ramble along the coastal path from Ventnor to Steephill Cove and reward yourself with a seafood feast brought to you by the local fisherman in the most magical setting.

Wheelers Crab Shed is renowned for its lobster salads, crab pasties and mackerel ciabattas. Bring your own wine for a small corkage fee. Steephill Cove, Ventnor. Tel. 01983 855819. Open Easter to November, 11.30am to 3.30pm daily.

For more exciting places to eat where local ingredients are king try: The Seaview Hotel where head chef Graham Walker is able to take his pick of produce and meat from the hotel’s home farm.

Go for the glorious, inventive puddings and exciting wine list. Tel. 01983 612711.

If you are after a quick bite you might also like to try The Quay Arts Café in Newport Tel. 01983 822490, the Briddlesford Farm Café Tel. 01983 884650, or The Garlic Farm Café Tel. 01983  865333, all put the emphasis on homemade food prepared with local, seasonal ingredients.

Quay Arts also offers delicious gluten free and vegan options.

For Fish 'n' Chips besides the sea try Corries Cabin, Shooters Hill, West Cowes. Nothing beats feasting on fish ‘n’ chips at the seaside and the best place to sample them is Corries Cabin - celebrated for the freshest fish and the finest chips. Get there before the pubs close as the queue can become rather long! Tel. 01983 293733.

More great fish and chip places... June’s Fish Bar, Shanklin; The Jolly Friar – look out for his van during the summer months.