Matt and Cat\'s Isle of Wight Eating Out Guide

Three Bishops, Brighstone

17th July 2007 25

Playing grockles is fun, as Matt and Cat found out one summer’s day. Following a delightful walk up Mottistone Down to take in the breath-taking views of the ‘back of the Wight’, they ventured to the nearby thatched mecca of Brighstone in search of a cream tea. Brighstone Tea... Read more
A gentle afternoon stroll between Yarmouth and Fort Victoria Country Park is one of the nicest ways to explore the West Wight, with the promise of an enjoyable destination whichever direction you travel. Matt and Cat visited the splendid Yarmouth Old Gaffers Festival, and decided to take this short... Read more
The design of the interior of a pub or eating establishment will often influence the type of clientèle that patronise it. A bar with traditional beams, horse brasses above the fireplace and a floridly-patterned carpet may appeal to the older punter; a bistro-style establishment with stripped-wood flooring, ten varieties... Read more
The capacious Bugle Coaching Inn in Yarmouth’s pretty town square was the venue for a Sunday lunchtime liaison. The welcoming pub has cosy nooks, a proper bar serving good beer, a light and airy conservatory indoors and a pleasant courtyard garden outside. Matt and Cat sat with a friend... Read more

The Sun Inn at Hulverstone

25th February 2007 26

The Sun Inn first came to Matt and Cat’s attention some years ago when its name was splashed over the local paper. A campaign by concerned locals to prevent the ancient hostelry from being converted to a house was eventually successful, and the pub, closed for some time, reopened... Read more

Farringford, Freshwater

2nd January 2007 5

So, Matt and Cat boast reviews of “the most modest of burger vans to the grandest hotel restaurants”. Burger vans have been covered, but what of those grand hotels? Farringford, Freshwater Cat and Matt had some money for Christmas which they decided to invest at the Poshest Location Yet... Read more

Gossips Cafe, Yarmouth

18th December 2006 7

As the reviews on Matt and Cat’s Isle of Wight Eating Out Guide bear testimony, the quality of food in Island cafes is wonderfully variable. The economy-class cafe might offer meagre portions, passive smoking and a long wait on an uncomfortable chair. Thankfully, to continue the airline analogy, most... Read more
Update May 2009. Matt and Cat revisited the Apple Tree café at the suggestion of a fellow Tweeter. Read M and C’s comments below, with earlier efforts below that. Having waxed lyrical about the café at Afton Nursery, Matt and Cat were surprised but pleased to get a request... Read more
Jireh Guest House, Yarmouth On a sunny Sunday afternoon working up an appetite looking around the lovely town of Yarmouth, your reviewers stumbled across the Jireh Tea Rooms in The Square. The tea rooms exude history. The low-ceilinged building has a compact terrace at the front which is in... Read more

The Wheatsheaf, Yarmouth

22nd November 2005 10

Situated in the picturesque port of Yarmouth is the Wheatsheaf Inn. If you’re looking for a quaint old pub in which to sip beer and enjoy views of horse-brasses, you’re too late here. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. What was a traditional pub has been upgraded and... Read more