A Coast for All … Fresh flavours by the sea

Enjoy a BBQ cruise around Poole Harbour, sophisticated seafood tasting menu or gin distillery tour, the south coast offers some of the best food festivals with fresh tastes for every budget.

Some of the best dining experiences are well-hidden, off the tourist track, but for Catch in Weymouth, one well-timed positive restaurant review in the Times rammed it with bookings for months. 

Catch sits right off the quayside in the Old Fish Market, buy fresh fish downstairs and head upstairs for a unique sea-to-plate dining experience.  Dorset’s coast teems with excellent seafood and Weyfish provides Catch with top quality, sustainably-caught fish and seafood. 

This is no run-of-the-mill seafood restaurant, come for the likes of glazed octopus, skate jowl and Portland Brown Crab or black sea bream with kale flower sprouts. 

If you’re not looking to splurge, Dorset’s coastal resorts are awash with superb seafront dining, check out The Noisy Lobster at Avon Beach, Christchurch, well priced dining at Rockfish in Poole, Weymouth and Lyme Regis, BBQ cruises on Coastal Cruises Poole and Key West Bar and Grill on Bournemouth Pier for wrap-around sea views. 

And food festivals abound, annual events include the Christchurch Food Festival, Swanage Fish and Food Festival, Seafood & Sounds Festival in Poole, Great Dorset Chilli Festival and more. 

Wander amongst the vines for a vineyard tour at Langham Wine, Furleigh Estate or Bride Valley vineyards and for a guided brewery tour, visit Palmer’s Brewery in Bridport, the only thatched brewery in the UK and one of the oldest family-run breweries. 

West along the coast, Portsmouth offers a range of foodie workshops and events. Book at South Coast Cookery for bagel making, Asian Street Food, tapas, Greek Souvlaki and much more.   

Take a tour at The Portsmouth Distillery, set in the wonderful 18th century Bastion of Fort Cumberland on the south eastern tip of Portsea Island. In addition to gin tours, there are also comedy and music nights. 

If you’re heading to the Isle of Wight, you know you’re in for a culinary treat with the freshest seafood!

Isle of White cheeses and renowned food sellers such as The Garlic Farm, Tomato Stall, and more - but in Ryde, the food scene is exploding for 2025.  

Heron Braai is a unique farm-to-fork pop-up dining experience on the beautiful Nunwell Estate, just outside Brading. Come to this joint venture between Nunwell Home Farm, Heron Restaurant, Wight Knuckle Brewery and Wight Whisky for open-fire cooking served with local beers and cocktails.  

New this year is also The Cellar underneath the RT Café Grill in Ryde, with two private dining rooms, private bar and bespoke dining. Fine-dining events and cooking classes also feature. James Gregory, former chef at the Heron (one of the Island’s top fine-dining restaurants) opened new chef-run sandwich shop, Craft, in Ryde in February. Come here for gourmet sarnies made with local produce, such as the braised shin Sticky Beef toasted sandwich. 

Heron Smoke House at Robin Hill Adventure Park is a further addition, open this summer and offers a cut above the fare you might expect at an attraction. Having worked closely with Michel Roux Jr, enjoy fine-dining with great valley views during your day out. 

In Kent’s White Cliffs Country, Deal has been having a foodie moment for some time and from its Saturday market to high street locally sourced stores like the Black Pig butchers or Jenkins & Son fishmongers, tempting tastes are at every turn.  

Forager-cum-chef Lucia Stuart runs Wild Kitchen; join her for monthly foraging adventures and discover gourmet wild foods from asparagus and goji berries to sea buckthorn. Some events offer add-ons such as swimming, cycling or exploring a Roman fort or James Bond coastal mansion.   

Japanese-inspired fusion dining and seasonal cocktails are on the menu at the Blue Pelican in Deal; its broths, croquettes and cuttlefish have brought rave reviews since opening in 2024.  Or drop in for a free tasting without appointment at Barnsole Vineyard, near Sandwich, one of the oldest vineyards in Kent. 

Having received a Michelin star for the third year running for Àclèaf in Boringdon Hall, Plymouth offers one of the widest ranges of eating out, from cafes and delis to the best vegan-friendly cuisine.  

For the ultimate dining experience, head out on the water with Plymouth Boat Trips. Bring in your catch then visit The Boathouse Café on the Barbican, or Hook and Line at Royal William Yard, to have your very own catch of the day cooked to your liking!  Visit the oldest working gin distillery in England, Plymouth Gin, and join either a Distillery Tour, a Gin Connoisseur’s Tour or the Master Distiller’s Private Tour and sample products from the range before relaxing in the Refectory cocktail lounge.  

Small-batch brews and craft beers are on tap at the Steel Brew Co based in Royal William Yard - a great spot for live music, too. Or check out Cosmic Kitchen, Veggie Perrins or The Hedgerow Hound for great vegan and plant-based options.  

Plymouth also hosts the south west’s biggest food and drink festival, Flavour Fest, usually around the beginning of June. Expect more than 80 stalls, chef demonstrations and lots of entertainment. 

Easily reached by train from London, the Isle of Thanet has a great line-up of new pitstops. 

Good Space Tap is right on Ramsgate waterfront with new food offering while Smoke & Co which opened as a takeaway in Ramsgate has now opened a restaurant in Margate featuring burgers, bagels and wraps stuffed with smoky pulled pork, beef and lamb, ribs and more. 

Margate also now has a little sister to Pomus, an established restaurant and wine bar, Pom offers wines, cocktails and tempting snacks on Margate Harbour Arm, takeaway or enjoy on the terrace. 

Perfect Place to Grow supports 18 to 24 year-olds to get into employment, it has recently opened a café from Tuesday to Friday with the plan to open on Saturdays.  It offers global cuisine, from breakfasts to curries, cooked by international chefs and their trainees.  There are also monthly open weekends. 

From June to September, The Curry Mistress Pop Up at Louie on Sea, Margate, provides an ever-changing evening menu of soulful, flavour-packed Indian food, no booking required! 

Thanet also has a strong offering of foodie events including QuexFest the Thanet Food & Drink Festival 1-3 August , Low Margate and Sausage and Cider Festival at Quex Park.  

Broadstairs Food Festival takes place 3-5 October bringing a mix of passionate foodies and producers, top chefs, live entertainment and family activities. Oktoberfest promises traditional Bavarian steins and oompah bands, lashings of beer, bratwurst and singalongs. 

Margate also offers a 2.5 hour Wine Tasting and Walking tour across three wine bars with expert guidance, book through Visit Thanet and for foragers, Dr Forager Walks track a coastal trail, learn about edible seaweeds and plants, followed by workshop and lunch.