Best places to eat in Southampton for cruise visitors

Southampton is your gateway to the best food of the South of England. The chalk streams and vineyards of Hampshire, salads from the Isle of Wight and the artisan food producers of the New Forest.

Here are the best places to eat in Southampton and the foods to look out for, especially if you’re visiting on a cruise. You’ll want to know where to eat in Southampton in between seeing the sights. You may also like to read my article on Top 10 things to do in Southampton.

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Mettricks: for coffee and brunch

Mettricks is a locally owned café restaurant near the Southampton docks that’s on a mission to bring great coffee to Southampton. The decor is homely, with scrubbed pine tables and mismatched chairs. They work with many local suppliers for the best quality meat and bakery products.

If you’re on the hunt for free wifi, this is the place to settle down. Try an egg and crispy bacon sandwich or tea-time treat of home-made cake and coffee.

We especially like the original café at 117 High Street. It stays open in the evening for cocktails, wine and real ales with light bites and bar snacks until 10pm.

Mettricks: Branches at 117 High Street, 2 East Bargate and opening soon at 1 Guildhall Place.

The Grand Café: afternoon tea in Southampton

Around Southampton and the historic towns you may visit on your cruise excursions, you’ll find plenty of tea-rooms serving tea and cakes. If you want to try the oh-so-English ritual of afternoon tea in Southampton, head for The Grand Café. Originally the historic South Western Hotel, it was used by first class passengers on the Titanic.

Afternoon tea is served from 2.30-5pm (book in advance). You’ll be served at a table with an array of delicate sandwiches, scones with cream and jam and a selection of cakes.

It’s a meal in itself, so you’d better miss out lunch to do it justice. If you’re visiting Beaulieu, another elegant afternoon tea stop is the luxurious Montagu Arms, for tea in the lounge or courtyard garden.

The Grand Café, Southwestern House, SO14 AHS, Afternoon tea £17.50

The Pig in the Wall: a stylish place to try local produce

The Pig in the Wall is a boutique hotel, set into the old city walls of Southampton. It’s also one of the restaurants in Southampton serving light dishes, homemade flatbreads and cakes from mid-morning to 10pm.

As the name suggests, they specialize in charcuterie, with a fine selection of ‘piggy bits’ such as pork crackling and apple sauce or Honey Mustard Chipolatas.

The decor is shabby chic with exposed brickwork, easy leather chairs and a touch of the potting shed. All the produce is all locally sourced with New Forest pork, Hampshire cheeses and Isle of Wight tomatoes on the menu.

Their sister hotel, The Pig at Brockenhurst, is well known locally as a foodie stop. It’s well worth the 30 min taxi ride, but best to book in advance.

The Pig in the Wall, West Esplanade, Southampton.

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The Dancing Man: for real ale and pies

This micro-brewery, bar and restaurant is housed in The Wool House. This atmospheric medieval stone building once stored wool on Southampton’s quayside. Behind the bar is the micro-brewery where around 20 different beers are brewed in rotation with seven on tap at any one time.

Look out for the Pilgrim’s pale Ale and The Last Waltz, named after the song playing on the Titanic as it went down. There’s also guest beers from other local breweries. The menu is deliciously British, with pies a specialty (served with buttery mash and greens) and a popular Sunday roast.

The Dancing Man, Town Quay, Southampton

Restaurants in Southampton on Oxford Street

If you want to find a selection of great restaurants in Southampton, head for the lively restaurant quarter in Oxford Street. It’s just a 10 minute walk from the cruise terminal.

At weekends and in the evening, the pedestrianized street has a buzzy atmosphere. You’ll also find good value lunch menus from many of the restaurants.

We especially like the lively Oxford Brasserie serving a cosmopolitan menu using local produce and Olive Tree offering classic French bistro food. The White Star Tavern, specializes in modern British cooking using local Hampshire produce.

Head for: Oxford Street, Southampton, SO14 3DA

You may also like to read my article on Top 10 things to do in Southampton for cruise visitors.

The Duke of Wellington: a traditional pub

Looking for a cosy, traditional pub for some real ales and hearty home cooked food? Try the Duke of Wellington, opposite The Tudor House in the heart of the Old Town. The timbered building dates back to the 13th century and has been a public house since 1494 when this was just a stone’s throw from the bustling town quay.

They serve a wide selection of draught and real ales and on the menu you’ll find pub favourites. On offer are fish and chips, or steak and ploughman’s with ham or cheese.

There’s also options from the specials board and sandwiches at lunchtime. This is a good choice if you want to dip into traditional English pub culture.

The Duke of Wellington, 36 Bugle Street, Southampton

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While you’re exploring Southampton and other parts of Hampshire and the New Forest, look out for the following local specialties.

The wine of Hampshire

The chalk soil that characterizes much of Hampshire is ideal for wine growing and close to Southampton you’ll find some of England’s best-known wineries. The still and sparkling white and rosé wines feature on many restaurant menus.

Those made by Nyetimber and Hambledon that aim to rival the best champagne. Near Southampton you can visit the Three Choirs Vineyard at Wickham (30 min taxi ride) where they have regular tours, daily tastings in the shop. You can also have lunch in their elegant restaurant.

Watercress from Hampshire’s rivers

One of the seasonal foods that Hampshire is renowned for is the peppery, green watercress. The Watercress festival is held in the market town of Alresford every May. Watercress grows in beds that span the Itchen and Meon valleys, thriving in the clear water flowing over chalk beds.

There’s even a steam train that runs from Alresford past the watercress farms, known as The Watercress Line. This was used in the 19th century to transport watercress to the markets in London. Watercress is available all year round, but look out for it on restaurant menus in the spring and summer when it’s at it’s best.

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Isle of Wight tomatoes

With a mild climate and hours of sunshine, the Isle of Wight is known for its fresh produce such as asparagus, cherries, apricots and especially tomatoes. The island is just a short ferry ride from Southampton and can be visited in a day.

Look out for the tomatoes and other produce on restaurant menus in Southampton. The glass houses and tomato growers like The Tomato Stall sell the sweet and flavoursome tomatoes through supermarkets, local delis and farm shops.

Ice Cream from the New Forest

Well you wouldn’t be on holiday, if you didn’t have an ice cream! The local New Forest ice cream produced at Lymington is widely available in shops and cafés around Southampton.

A few other artisan ice cream producers are worth looking out for while visiting attractions near Southampton. There’s a delicious selection at Sundae’s Child, who have an ice cream parlour in Romsey, and at Beaulieu chocolate studio in Beaulieu village.

You may also like to read my article on Top 10 things to do in Southampton for cruise visitors.

Plan your visit to Southampton

More information for visitors is available from the Discover Southampton Website and the Visit Hampshire website.

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This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com

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