The Bandstand, Sandown Hot
Reviews
16th April 2018
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After considerable investment and what must surely have been a labour of love, in 2016 Sandown’s Bandstand welcomed diners through its doors. Matt particularly was intrigued to see inside this iconic building, such a landmark of his Sandown childhood. The conversion is remarkable; from an open-sided bandstand, its ironwork... Read more
Caffe Isola, Newport
Reviews
2nd April 2018
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Has Newport reached ‘peak coffee shop’? Back in 2015 we wondered this in our review of the then brand-new Coffee Room at Skintrade. People probably asked the same question when the venerable God’s Providence House opened its doors back in the last century – yet seemingly the demand for... Read more
Farmers Market, Ryde Hot
Uncategorised
19th March 2018
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We’re a couple of idlers. While you are taking your children to swimming lessons and tending to your horses on a Saturday morning, we’re nearly always lazing about. However, due to a quirk of fate, we were up early today and you know what that means – a visit... Read more
Blueberry’s, Shanklin
Reviews
19th February 2018
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Social media coverage has been blamed for a lot of things – election results, disgraced politicians, a decline in educational standards – but one thing that the coming of Instagram can most certainly take credit for is the the advent of beautiful food. Yes chefs, if your dishes look... Read more
Courtside Cafe, Ryde
Reviews
5th February 2018
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Anyone who keeps an eye on the Isle of Wight County Press will note that, following our favourable review of the Woodman’s Arms, Gordon Pollard from Sandown was compelled to put pen to paper. He complained about our analogy between the pub’s gravy and a millionaire footballer. We had... Read more
God’s Providence House, Newport
Reviews
30th January 2018
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We often reminisce about Brading Waxworks. This much-loved tourist attraction closed in 2010, after 45 years. Tantalisingly, if it had hung on just a few more seasons, we reckon it might have seen its fortunes turn. After all, these days post-ironic tourism is big business, and goodness knows the... Read more
Smoking Lobster Hot
Reviews
30th October 2017
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You come to the Isle of Wight, you want seafood. You’d think there’d be no problem with that, really. After all, we are surrounded by the stuff. Londoners arriving at their cosy cottages by the sea reasonably expect crustaceans to be marching up from the beaches and throwing themselves... Read more
Garlic Farm, Newchurch
Reviews
16th October 2017
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We were pretty much on the doorstep the day the Garlic Farm Cafe opened in 2009 and had a lovely lunch. Our one gripe way back then was “The menu unexpectedly made no mention of local produce – other than the farm’s own chutney – and hardly any of... Read more
Gurt Cook Off 2017
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27th September 2017
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For those of you who think Isle of Wight Day is just about bunting, think again. This celebration of all things Island was conceived by Robin Courage during his tenure as High Sheriff in 2016 and was such a success last year that it is now an annual date... Read more
Newport Street Food Market
Reviews
4th September 2017
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We’ve worked in Newport for years. Years and years. We’ve seen them come and we’ve seen some of them go. Island Images, Mill Bay II, House of Legends, El Patron – all gone. The Farmer’s Market prevails but the alternative Country Market or, as it became known colloquially –... Read more