Matt and Cat\'s Isle of Wight Eating Out Guide
Pavarotti’s, Shanklin
There was a time, back in the early nineties, when Pavarotti’s was the go-to restaurant in Shanklin. Cat enjoyed many a work do or birthday party in this trattoria; with its lively atmosphere and traditional Italian menu, it was the place of many happy memories. Fast forward thirty years... Read more
Summer menu at the Seaview Hotel, 2023
The Seaview Hotel has been one of our top recommendations for year-round quality dining for many years.  And it’s not just us – the hotel has two AA rosettes for food and was this year awarded the keenly contested IW Chamber of Commerce​ hospitality business of the year award. ... Read more
Stripped, Ventnor

Stripped, Ventnor

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Stripped is, and long has been, one of our favourite places to eat, ever. It has been years since we first stepped into the former Midland Bank in Ventnor and enjoyed what was, and remains, the Island’s best burger. When it was trading from a mobile van we pursued... Read more
The Garden, Cowes

The Garden, Cowes

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It never ceases to amaze us that so many people are willing to step forward and open new dining-out venues on the Isle of Wight. Admittedly there is a strong tradition of hospitality on our Island but even so, in the current difficult economic climate, it is a delight... Read more
Drunken Lobster, Ventnor
Aside from the Bitesize donut kiosk in Newport, Drunken Lobster must be a candidate for the Isle of Wight’s smallest eatery. Back when it was El Toro Contento, about a third of the bistro was taken up with a kitchen, and not an inconsiderable amount of space on the... Read more
Murray’s, Cowes

Murray’s, Cowes

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We are often asked ‘Where is the best place on the Island to go for seafood?’. This is a very popular question, particularly of summer visitors, who seem to imagine that the Isle of Wight should have its equivalent of Rick Stein, Padstow’s dominant fish peddler. Years ago we... Read more
Da Vinci, Newport

Da Vinci, Newport

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When we started writing our eating out guide, the main thrust (apart from making our dining experiences more diverse) was to help people make informed choices about where to spend their hard-earned. Nobody wants to waste money on a poor or indifferent meal. Nothing worse than forking out for... Read more
Cantina, Ventnor

Cantina, Ventnor

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Cantina has, in the past, been one of our favourite venues ever. When it arrived in Ventnor, around the time Robert Thompson was winning the Isle of Wight’s only Michelin star of the millennium, it brought an unexpected taste of trendy London cafe life to the sleepy seaside town,... Read more
The Hambrough, Ventnor

The Hambrough, Ventnor

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You’ve got to have some sympathy for The Hambrough. Everything the venue subsequently does is compared to its early triumph with Robert Thompson at the helm. The talented chef won the Isle of Wight’s only Michelin star this millennium at The Hambrough in 2006, aged just 23, before going... Read more
Saint Pizza, Newport

Saint Pizza, Newport

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One of our favourite games is ‘Either/Or’, which is inspired by the famous conundrum of whether you would rather fight a horse-sized duck or one hundred duck-sized horses. Our version is, naturally, more food based. For example, if you could only have one thing to accompany your desserts for... Read more