Where To Eat In Southampton: 10 Best Places
Table of Contents
Southampton is a stunning port city on England’s south coast, there’s so much on offer culturally and historically when studying here whether it’s the history of the infamous Titanic or a peaceful woodland walk, you won’t be disappointed.
There’s an abundance of art galleries with some of the finest names in retail at Southampton’s biggest shopping centre Westquay. One thing you won’t be short of, is delicious places to eat.
Southampton has some of the best cuisine on offer, whether you’re in the mood for some tantalising Indian food or some pre-theatre dinner Italia, students living in Southampton are spoilt for choice in this magnificent city.
1.The Jetty
If you truly want to dine in style, this venue is the place to be. Sister to the multi-award-winning restaurant in Christchurch, The Jetty specialises in deliciously fresh seafood caught by the local fisherman.
Every dish is served locally grown ingredients from the New Forest, perfecting your meal. Local renowned chef Alex Aitken is one of the South of England’s most respected chefs and ensures your time at The Jetty will be an unforgettable experience.
For starters, why not try “The Jetty Crumpet”, a homemade crumpet with glazed crab thermidor South coast hand picked white crab.
There’s an incredible choice of main courses on offer, but we’d have to recommend the “Tandoori Chicken” with red lentil dahl, confit leg meat pakora and lemon pickle, or the “Catch Of The Day” if you want to try some delicious local seafood.
The Jetty will even pick your wine for you, depending on what wine goes with what dish for an extra £19.95, a perfect accompaniment for the glorious sea view.
2. Dhaba 59
Fancy some street food? Dhaba 59 pay homage to the street food stalls all over India, with some fantastic dishes on offer bound to please your palette.
If you don’t want a big meal, they have some great smaller tapas dishes on offer, giving you the option to try a few different dishes at one time. We’d highly recommend the curries, especially the Goan Prawn Curry, consisting of juicy king prawns cooked in a tomato and coconut sauce.
The star of the show dish must be the “Bombay Badboys” though, which is the signature dish for Dhaba 59. It contains two patties served in cobs, garnished with homemade chutneys and Bombay onions.
3. Blue Island
This intimate, family run Greek restaurant was established in 1995, and has been extremely popular in Southampton ever since due to their wonderfully authentic Greek food. Situated on Above Bar Street, Blue Island is in a central location next to a grand selection of bars too.
The staff are incredibly welcoming and friendly and offer a Meze Night with Greek music and entertainment, you’re guaranteed a memorable evening when visiting here.
For a warm starter, we highly recommend the Bougardi, which is feta cheese baked in the oven with tomatoes, green pepper, olive oil, and oregano. The Moussaka for a main is highly rated at Blue Island, containing layers of delicious aubergine, mince, potatoes, and a gooey cheese topping.
4. POPSI’S
Everyone loves pizza, and what better place to try it than POPSI’S in Southampton! Their success comes from home matured dough with no additives, no chemicals, and no preservatives.
They have a fantastic range of meat, vegetarian and vegan pizzas, something for everyone to enjoy. Located on Bedford Place, POPSI’S offer an intimate yet casual dining setting, and a takeaway option if you feel like staying inside.
You either love it or hate it…POPSI’S offer a “Marmite Garlic Sharer” for starters, sound appealing?
For mains, the top tier pizzas include “The Great Goatsby”, consisting of house tomato sauce, mozzarella, fresh basil, goats cheese, and red onion, all finished off with a balsamic glaze.
For those who like spice, why not try the Diavola, a tomato, basil and mozzarella pizza with spicy salami, red chilli and garlic.
5. Carnicero Steak House
This stunning restaurant Galician Steakhouse restaurant and bar is based in the heart of Oxford Street in Southampton, and offers a wide range of fresh, contemporary dishes, to give your taste buds the ultimate treat.
In 2019, the loveable steak house won the “Best Steaks” award by Restaurant Gurus, that’s enough to make you want to visit!
There’s a great amount of starters available included Grilled Scallops in garlic butter and parmesan, as well as Steak Tartare with egg yolk and red peppercorn. For main courses, we’d thoroughly recommend the 10oz Hampshire Sirloin Steak served with fries, grilled tomato, roasted garlic, pardon peppers and peppercorn sauce.
Vegetarian options include Porcini Ravioli, in a creamy sauce with Parmesan crisps and truffle infused rocket…delectable!
6. Ennios
Nestled into the old walls of the city centre, this 100-seater restaurant is located on the ground floor of a Victorian warehouse and offers a fine selection of Italian food.
Ennio’s was voted in the top 10 Italian restaurants in the UK, giving you more reason to treat yourself to a tasty meal here.
For menus, they offer a lunch, Sunday lunch, and main menu option. If you’re a fan of pasta, we highly recommend the Spaghetti Lobster which consists of half a poached lobster, spring onion, chilli, garlic and parsley.
For meat lovers, the Pollo al Tartufo is a must try, featuring a pan roasted chicken breast with creamy dauphinoise potatoes, heritage carrots, buttered kale, and truffle scented jus.
7. Coriander Lounge
This popular Indian is restaurant located on the bustling Southampton High Street and has a great choice of popular Indian dishes on offer, as well as some unusual ones too.
The management of The Coriander Lounge opened this restaurant to restore authenticity of Indian Cuisine, and they’ve definitely achieved that!
Top picks on the menu include Taramind Duck, pieces of tender duck lightly cooked in a Tandoori oven, stir fried in taramind sauce and roasted spices to give a spicy sweet and sour taste. If you’re a fan of fish, we’d have to recommend the crunchy sea bass fillet on spinach and mushrooms.
8. Oxford Brasserie
Situated on the idyllic Oxford Street, this legendary Southampton restaurant won “Best Restaurant of The Year 2017” at The British Restaurant Awards, and it’s no wonder, their menu has some fantastic options available for you to try.
They have a great range of small plates and starters available to whet your appetite, and some glorious main courses destined to leave you feeling full and satisfied.
Recommendations include the Garlic and Rosemary Pork Chop and The Pea, Mint and Spinach Risotto.
9. Bacaro
If you feel like some tasty Italian small plates in a lively space with modern, industrial interiors, Bacaro is the place to be!
This restaurant has good wine, delicious food, and a great atmosphere, perfect for unwinding after a busy day of studying.
They have a great range of Pizzette’s available (small rustic pizzas), particular favourites are the Rosemary & Garlic round pizza with fresh burrata and Parma ham, and the Pork and Beef Meatballs in a tomato & chilli sauce with toasted breads. Situated on the busy Canute road, you’ve got some great bars close by for afters.
10. Blue Jasmine
Around the corner from Bacaro, you’ve got Blue Jasmine on the waterfront, a luxurious restaurant with some of the most delicious Asian fine dining dishes.
They have a special lunch set menu if you feel like visiting here in the day for a treat, and a glorious main menu too.
Their roots lie in the varied South East Asian cuisine, brought to you by a team of highly skilled chefs. With a vast array of incredible signature dishes available, we’d have to recommend the Sarawak black pepper roasted duck pancake and the Crispy squid with jasmine butter oatmeal.