Matt and Cat\'s Isle of Wight Eating Out Guide
Bluebells Café, Wootton
The English breakfast may be the true legacy to the world of this country’s cuisine. Yes, there are English muffins, creme anglaise, and of course English breakfast tea. But the only dish that needs no specific description is the eponymous Full English. It’s a meal that is widely available... Read more
Review of 2015
When we were asked to write about the Island’s restaurant scene for the County Press we decided to have a manifesto. Nothing too complicated, just two points: we would cover the whole Island, and choose varied and diverse places to review. We’ve enjoyed seeking out this diversity. Places are... Read more
On The Rocks

On The Rocks

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Regular readers will have discovered, through the medium of Matt and Cat, the delights of eating out on the Isle of Wight. They will have read of the skill of master chef Robert Thompson, vicariously enjoyed the fruits of Cantina‘s artisan bakers and had their mouths positively watering at... Read more
The Mission With The Ralvins
One of our favourite Island places is The Mission. This classic tin tabernacle, built in 1895, has been converted by our pals at Vintage Vacations into a truly unique property. Available for holiday lets (we’ve hired it ourselves a couple of times), it is sometimes also used as a... Read more
Worth Every Penny
Yes, we know that JD Wetherspoon’s is at the budget end of pub dining, but last year the team at Newport’s Man in the Moon totally underperformed for our works Christmas dinner. Undeniably a characterful venue, the service and food were pretty woeful. The annual knees-up with our colleagues... Read more
One Holyrood, Newport
As is the modern way, Matt and Cat wear several hats. As well as their eating out hobby which takes up considerable time, they also have day jobs. Juggling all of their activities is part of what the neologists call portfolio working. Running a business from a smartphone is... Read more
Planet Buffet, Shanklin
The all-you-can-eat buffet is a curious animal. Almost an equivalent of the popular Sunday carvery – but without the vast sweaty bird – the nature of the buffet system is to prioritise quantity over quality. In places like Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth where you have huge crowds of hungry... Read more
Ganders, St Helens
The gravy pooled on the plate; it was not piped, spotted or smeared into a comma. There was no danger at all of bread appearing in a cloth cap, nor vegetables in a flowerpot. Even chips in a bucket seemed a little unlikely. Nothing was deconstructed – on the... Read more
Archive Review: Burrgrills, Seaview
Archive review: this pop-up is now closed. Street food, the sort of nosh that you buy from a hatch in a wagon, is so popular that now they’re opening restaurants dedicated to it. No, seriously. And, to prove that it’s not all fuddy-duddies in faded red trews, the poshest... Read more
Rylstone Tea Garden, Shanklin
Matt and Cat don’t half bang on about it but for them a significant part of the Island’s charm is the steadfast way it refuses to move with the times. Yes, it is home to some top tech companies, future energy factories and even the electric bicycle has made... Read more