Southampton Restaurants
Home KitchenSouthampton Docks have long been a favorite destination for international travelers, and this global influence is evident in the diversity of their cuisine, ranging from traditional English to Indian, Spanish, Asian and other culinary influences. There is a restaurant that can satisfy even the most demanding palates in Southampton.
Of course, at the top of the Southampton restaurant list are great places to dine like the Atlantis Bar Restaurant, Tonic Bar & Kitchen, and Bleu, one of the newest sensations in town.
The Atlantis Bar Restaurant is famous for serving Southampton’s premier culinary specialty – fresh fish. The a la carte menu is filled with a wide selection of different ways of cooking, including service like the popular Breton fish soup. Another specialty of the house is Poole’s oysters. Atlantis Bar Restaurant has a great atmosphere to enjoy delights from the deep blue sea.
Tonic Bar & Kitchen is an ideal place for a light lunch and perhaps some perfectly mixed martinis. When it comes to coffees, this is one or two above the rest. They also have an outdoor terrace, which is a great place to relax and watch the world go by. House specialties include seafood skewers; Melted Tuna Panini and Southern Short Ribs.
Bleu is Southampton’s latest Grill and Wine Gallery. The food is excellent and the atmosphere is light, conveying a homey feel amidst the modern and stylish decor. But this restaurant’s main claim to fame is its exquisite wine gallery, where guests can select from an impressive collection of more than 40 types of wine. All of these wines have been carefully selected to enhance the dining experience, especially when served with meat and seafood.
Visiting vegetarians will also feel right at home at Bleu, which has a delicious variety of vegetable dishes and complementary desserts such as bread and butter pudding and apple pancakes with caramel sauce.
If your choice of dining venues leans toward the more laid-back, the place to hang out is Radley’s Bar & Restaurant. Located on Oxford Street, Radley’s exudes a casual flair in a sophisticated setting. It is the perfect place for diners who want to dress casually but still experience a classy dining experience. The food is excellent and offers a wide variety of à la carte dishes. House specialties include Thai Crab Cakes and Beef with Sweet Chili. And perhaps the most surprising thing about this restaurant are its prices. Rest assured, this meal won’t break the bank.
For more adventurous tourists who prefer unconventional dishes from different countries, Southampton has its share of slightly different restaurants to counter what can sometimes seem like the same boring and predictable food. Here is a short list of the best such places.
For starters, try Los Marinos at the Canute Pavilion. Its Spanish tapas bar is magnificent and the perfect place for people who want to taste a wide variety of small and exotic dishes. Tourists with discerning palates will likely find something they really enjoy here. The house specialties include fish and seafood tapas. There are also a handful of delicacies for vegetarians.
Are you a fan of spicy Indian food? That is exactly what the Spice of India restaurant offers. Located on Commercial Road, this famous Indian restaurant has a rare and refreshing atmosphere that will make the tourist feel precisely in another place. The house specialties include a wide variety of meat, curry, Balti and Dhansak dishes, as well as a number of vegetarian delicacies.
Now if you’re in the mood for something really different, try unusual Asian cuisine at Gurkha Chef. Located on City Road, this one-of-a-kind restaurant offers cuisine that is cooked the old-fashioned Nepalese way, in clay ovens. House specialties include chicken in yogurt (known as Agena Ko Kukhura) and Kathmandu favorite Dolkha Ko Raksi.
Vegetarians will have to be careful where to eat in Southampton because there aren’t many vegetarian-only restaurants in the city. Your safest option is to dine at some of the exotic restaurants or go for Indian or Thai food. Two of your best options are the Taste of Thailand or the Olive Tree restaurant.
The Taste of Thailand has a wide variety of vegetarian cuisine and many of the usual dishes for your carnivore friends too. This is actually one of the funniest restaurants in town, with live bands performing regularly at night.
Meanwhile, the Olive Tree restaurant offers an explosion of Mediterranean food. Located on Oxford Street, the Olive Tree serves excellent vegetarian dishes cooked in a unique Mediterranean way. Vegetarian meals are served with a generous dose of virgin olive oil and buffalo mozzarella.
Among the vegan cafes in town, Allsorts Psychic Cafe has to rank as one of the best. Located in Carlton Place, Allsorts has a wide variety of vegan dishes, as well as healthy teas and coffee.