Archive review: the Wishing Well is now The Isle of Wight Distillery at The Wishing Well, the home of Mermaid Gin. Matt and Cat first reviewed the Wishing Well in spring 2006 when it had just been taken over by new owners. The earlier review is at the bottom... Read more
Terry’s Fish and Chips, Wootton
18th February 2006 12
One of a row of takeaways in Wootton High Street, Terry’s is celebrated for its incandescent Christmas lights display – sufficient to draw festive coach parties simply to observe it. However, for would-be diners, illuminated fish tastes much the same as dingy fish, and so the question Matt and... Read more
The Dairyman’s Daughter, Arreton Barns
20th January 2006 34
One of Brading’s most famous residents was Little Jane, an eighteenth century villager who featured in the wildly successful religious pamphlet “Annals of the Poor”, by the then curate of Brading, the Rev. Legh Richmond. Rather in the manner of a catholic saints’ shrine, the site of Little Jane’s... Read more
Archive review: Liberty’s, Union Street, Ryde
Uncategorised 14th January 2006
NB: Liberty’s is now closed. Liberty’s Cafe Bar is a new feature of Union Street, a road undergoing a remarkable revival. With perhaps the greatest concentration of listed buildings on the Island, Union Street has intrigued visitors and locals alike with its mix of the mundane and the fanciful... Read more
Archive review: The Aviator, Sandown Airport
Uncategorised 25th December 2005
Archive review: the Aviator is now closed. The Aviator opened in summer 2005, publicised with a full page advert in the County Press. The ad showed a lovely clean restaurant with 1930’s style aero-related artefacts which caught the attention of Matt and Cat. The ad was accurate; there is... Read more
UPDATE: The Chicago Rock Cafe has closed its doors. The building is now home to the William Coppin. The review below is for archive purposes only. Well, another day, another food chain. Senses dulled by unsatisfactory experiences in many franchise eateries, Matt and Cat had low expectations when they... Read more
Ventnor Winter Gardens, Bell Bar Cafe
6th December 2005 6
Matt and Cat visited the Bell Bar in December 2005. A nice sunny Bank Holiday weekend in 2008 saw Cat revisit the place. Read the latest review below, followed by the 2005 review beyond that. May 2008 Review England in the summer time, eh? Whilst the rest of the... Read more
Bradbury’s/Warwicks Cafe, Ryde
3rd December 2005 0
A quiet café in the upper reaches of Ryde High Street, well away from the bustle of Union Street. A few extra steps will take you to a café frequented by locals, as opposed to hordes of visitors. The menu is simple, there is no view of the sea,... 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
Verdi’s Cafe, Fort Victoria, Yarmouth
12th November 2005 0
It’s small, but perfectly formed. If you are looking for a place for a good cup of tea and a light meal, with sea views, you could look a long time to better this splendid venue. Outside, when the weather is suitable, is a truly spectacular view of the... Read more
