Your Local Guide to Food and Drink on the Isle of Wight
Last Modified: 2 June 2023 9:48 am
The Isle of Wight has miles of coastline, that’s 57 glorious miles. This means you’re never far from great places to eat with a sea view. The Island is lucky enough to have a plethora of pubs, restaurants and cafés benefiting from stunning views to eat by the sea.
On the south side of the Island at the end of Ventnor Esplanade you will find the renowned and multi-award-winning Spyglass Inn. Loved by locals and holiday makers alike, The Spyglass Inn is a proper, traditional English pub. The walls are adorned with authentic maritime memorabilia. Marvel at rows of pictures and paintings, lanterns, a letter written by Horatio Nelson himself and a skeleton in a glass cabinet… We like to tell stories that he’s a smuggler than bootlegged rum from the shores up to land.
That’s all amazing but what makes The Spyglass Inn so special is, quite possibly, the best sea views on the Island. Settle back on the terrace overlooking Ventnor Bay with a cool drink in hand and soak up the sun. With Ventnor’s added benefit of a microclimate you may find it a degree or two warmer here than anywhere else on the Island.
At a glance: Open daily and serving food from 12noon. There is a vast main menu and regularly changing specials-board to choose from. There is also a children’s menu and dessert menu available too. The Spyglass Inn is a dog-friendly pub and their motto is muddy boots and paws welcome (all year round) There is no parking on site but there is a pay and display car park just a short two minute walk away. Please note the pub does not take reservations but has plenty of seating inside and out.
Positioned slightly inland at Chale you would be mistaken in thinking you wouldn’t get a great view of the sea at The Wight Mouse Inn. Sitting in the large beer garden you will have a beautiful view of the sea while you eat alongside rolling countryside (it literally has the best of both worlds). The pub has around 100 tables but this popular destination can get busy and booked up fast. The outside tables cover the large beer garden and little ones will love this pub, there is not only an outdoor play area but an indoor one too (great for when the weather is less than ideal).
Not only can you dine but you can stay at The Wight Mouse Inn too as they offer a B&B service. You can eat from breakfast through to dinner at the pub and they have a well proportioned main menu but the specials board (which changes regularly) is definitely worth checking out before you make your decision.
Parking is not an issue as there is a large car park at the rear of the pub and also a small one, which can take about a dozen cars at the front.
At a glance: The pub is open daily from 9am for breakfast with the main menu and regularly changing specials board being served from noon. There is a children’s menu available plus a large play area. The Wight Mouse Inn welcomes dogs all year round. Booking recommended.
A dining experience that is literally on the beach. The Waterfront in Totland (West Wight) specialises in seafood and delicious Mediterranean cuisine. The whole family will love the homemade stone baked pizzas. The locally caught fish, crab and lobster are as fresh as it gets and much is locally sourced. The Waterfront is one of the best places to catch that glorious Isle of Wight sunset. The side of the restaurant that is waterside is completely glassed so you will benefit from amazing panoramic views.
At a glance: The Waterfront is open daily from 12noon. There’s a main menu and tempting regularly changing specials-board as well as a children’s menu available. The venue is dog friendly but only in the designated bar area. There is no onsite car parking but a pay and display car park nearby… Please note there are quite a lot of steps down to the restaurant. Booking is recommended.
If delicious top quality food is what you are after, try The Terrace. Located above Wightlink’s Yarmouth terminal it offers views over the harbour watching the plethora of boats and super yachts more alongside the pontoons. You can book to dine inside (where the walls fold back in the summer creating that alfresco feel but under cover) or turn up and see if they have space on the terrace. During the summer months there’s nothing like looking over the water in the surroundings of the historic market town of Yarmouth. The menu changes regularly with what has been landed locally and in season.
At a glance: The restaurant is open daily (visit their website for variations). There are a couple of pay and display car parks nearby. The Terrace now offers a ‘RIB’ service from Lymington to Yarmouth for diners (where additional costs apply).
Tucked away in the Island’s most southerly village of Niton, you will find a beachside cafe serving up some of the tastiest. The True Food Kitchen sits above Castlehaven beach. A quaint little fishing cove that offers a picturesque dining experience. The menu changes regularly and you may be lucky enough to spot a dolphin or two.
