Winchester has no shortage of decent restaurants, but the Stable is a standout. Specialising in…read moreunusual pizzas (as well as the more usual ones!) and with a broad menu of ciders (that's HARD cider for our American friends,) many of them local/West Country. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and the ambience is wonderful -- the whole front of the restaurant opens up with folding doors and overlooks Winchester's Market Square. On a recent trip, we ate there twice. The first time we had a margarita pizza and their pot pie. Both were delicious. The second time, we had appetizers to share -- bread and olives ( little niggle, it would have been nice if the olives had been warmed, but they were delicious anyway) and the meatballs, which were excellent. Prices are very reasonable. Enjoy!

Visiting from the US and came here on the recommendation of a local due to its location along the…read moreriver by Wolvesey Castle. The outdoor seating near the river gave a great ambiance. The espresso martini was excellent and the Half Roast Norfolk Chicken was good. As a member of the service industry myself, what really stood out to me was the service. Considering our status as tourists, James was very patient and helpful in taking my mom's order as she was a bit indecisive. Minashe (not sure if I'm spelling that correctly) was extremely helpful and accommodating despite it only being his second day on the job here, though you wouldn't be able to tell due to his exceptional service. All in all, I would definitely visit again if I ever find myself in Winchester again.

I went to this place with my friends for some drinks. We were not very hungry. They had good…read moreselection of appetizers. We ordered their hummus and pita plate. the hummus tasted very fresh and good. I ordered a Pinot. The server helped me to select from a variety of wines. My friends had Negroni cocktail and they liked it. The only thing that disappointed me was that they had very less option for vegetarian appetizer. Towards the end we ordered their sticky toffee pudding and it came out to be amazing. The place overall was very cozy and old fashioned but still luxurious. They had a cute patio but we went on a winter evening so decided to sit inside as they do not have heating outside. Would recommend this place.

Great food, wine, and ambience! Service was outstanding. I had crab cakes which were good, but they…read morewere not my favorite type of crab cake as I prefer the non-breaded, meatier ones. I also had the crispy squid which was excellent! My dad had the pulled pork sandwich, and it was delicious.

From the owner: Contemporary Restaurant and Bar set in a beautiful period building in the heart of Winchester. No.5…read morealso has 6 Boutique Hotel Rooms and a Private Dining Room that can also be used as a Meeting Room.

Very nice gastro pub in the centre of Winchester. Very welcoming and griendhout staff!…read moreGreat food, we had the lovely artisan bread, great crab cake and a very jummie steak with a glass of Malbec. The pub is nicely decorated, pub style, country style, but still modern.

My friend and I walked through the Winchester city centre looking for a place to have dinner, and…read morewe couldn't have gotten luckier when we chose No 5 Bridge Street. What a delight! Apparently the restaurant has been newly redone, and the interior is very cozy and inviting. My friend and I split some wonderful fishcakes for an appetizer, then I got one of the specials - Merguez sausages with beans and grilled baby gem lettuce. Sounded so simple, but it was really outstanding. So much flavor, so filling yet so light and fresh, and a really affordable price. I was quite pleased with myself for ordering it!! I asked for a side of rose harissa (!!) which was a beautiful, floral but spicy accompaniment. All of their sauces sounded incredible (broad bean and mint pesto, saffron aioli, etc). The blackberry brûlée with elderflower sorbet at the end was the perfect finish. This is one of those farm-to-table restaurants that support local charities, and you'd do well to spend your money here. The friendly service and inviting atmosphere only added to our experience. Highly recommended to anybody staying in Winchester!

Absolutely delicious chocolates. Brilliant cafe. Always really good customer service. A joy to…read morevisit

This random surprise hit me on a sunny Monday in Winchester when I saw two older ladies sat idly…read moreoutside having an ice cream in a large waffle cone that looked like caramel. Upon asking where they got it, they seemed to ignore me, which isn't a response I used to. When glancing more closely, I saw a tag with a language that wasn't English and politely excused myself. However, I asked the men on the bench next to them who pointed at the shop under my nose and in front of my face, and another up the road. On entering, there was a warm, friendly staff, who quite wickedly offered me a taste of the Dorset Sea Salted Caramel gelato. This was irresistible, along with the Honeycombe flavour too. Not only was this double waffle cone delight lovely, but it was slightly less expensive than the other ice cream vendor and, as an added bonus, it came with the choice of either a golden chocolate or dark chocolate stick! Heartily recommended and a place I'll need to take my partner and get the stamp on their loyalty card.

Chesil Rectory is my very particular father's favourite, itself a rite of passage. From the…read morehistoric story behind the ownership of the restaurant to a phenomenal quality of inventive and exciting dishes Chesil Rectory has never failed to amaze and delight. Genuinely. Sounds slightly over the top but true.

We went for a day out in Winchester and found ourselves let down by so many things being closed,…read moreunavailable, etc. Finding Chesil Rectory was a treat. We were walking by and saw it and the look of the building stood out for its age and style. A sign outside proclaimed it had been rated one of the most romantic restaurants in Britain and after having dinner there I have to agree! We worried that due to nearby graduation festivities we might need a reservation, so arrived just after they opened at 6pm and were delighted that they had space available. From 6-7pm they offer a set menu option in addition to the regular menu, and we both went for this. I had a fish starter, potato dumping main and the berry fool. All were delicious - especially the dumplings which were a bit like big gnocchi, but absolutely melty and dreamy. In addition to the delicious food, the service was wonderful. I'd mentioned it was our anniversary when we were being seated and my dessert came with "Happy Anniversary" written in chocolate sauce on the plate! A really lovely touch. The building itself is charming and full of history from medieval to modern times. Downstairs there are 2 rooms for dining, and upstairs there are 2 more (plus a door that indicated a private dining room). Upstairs is a bit brighter than downstairs, but both are cosy and sweet. Ceiling and door heights are low, as to be expected in a building of such age, & there are lovely wooden beams throughout. It is truly a dreamy space. I highly recommend having a meal here if you're in Winchester!

Black Rat is a wonderful dining experience. We were lucky to be seated outdoors on a beautiful…read morenight, beautiful garden setting, very comfortable seating, wish my whole family (not simply my son) had been there to enjoy it. Started with the duck confit and beetroot on the server's recommendation, it was perfect. The duck was tender and plentiful, the pickled beetroot made worked great and made it interesting as well as tasty. The lamb shoulder was also delectable, to the point that I spooned out every bit of consommé that was part of the dish. Looked like a great wine list (good wines by the glass and half bottle) as well as a very interesting gin list, unfortunately I was driving so had to pass on both. I look forward to returning with my family as The Black Rat was a tremendous experience.

Although I have lived around Winchester for years, I have never been to the Black Rat and so booked…read moreit for a birthday dinner, remembering that it once had a Michelin star and hoping for the best food in town. Sadly that was far from the case. Disappointment started the moment I sat down - on one of the smallest and most uncomfortable chairs I have ever sat on in a restaurant. An old school desk chair made for small people's bottoms and certainly not for comfort. I stole another one from a nearby table and just about managed the evening, but 'good' restaurants must have comfortable chairs, preferably with arms. As starters we had 'lamb sweetbreads, cooked & raw peas, burnt onion oil, ash yogurt, charred onion rings' - an unfortunately they tasted of burned onion oil, ash and charred onion rings with a dull pea sauce! Not a good taste at all. The main course was guinea fowl, which lacked flavour, while the birthday girl had puntarella, which was seriously dull. Most disappointing. Matcha ice cream, sea buckthorn posset, manadrin granita, fennel meringue was ok but looked awful on the plate. £280 for four seemed a little over the top for such a meal.

Located next to Winchester Cathedral, this a nice place to stop for a break to have a tea and scone…read moreor a nice hot lunch. They also have an outdoor patio when the weather is warm.

An absolute star of a cafe in a gorgeous setting. It's built so cleverly, maximising their confined…read morespace with elegance. We arrived at 3pm so the hot food was finished, but we were delighted with our doorstop sarnies of egg & cress and ham & cheese with pickle. There was a great selection of drinks but as the cold white wine was finished, I settled for a pleasant still water. We had a lovely time in a gorgeous venue and would be happy to return.

Was looking at the menu of the place next door & saw the menu for this place, one flight up &…read moredecided to try it. Happy surprise.

I was informed by the fiancée that Forte tearooms (as listed on Yelp) has transformed into Forte…read moreKitchen We had brunch here on Sat before heading off to the new Star Wars movie. They do also serve different menus for lunch and dinner The fiancée had a full English while I had the smoked mackerel, slow roast plum tomato, spinach, poached eggs and toasted sourdough toast from the 'healthy' part of the menu The full English included some nice flavoursome sausage and bacon. My combo was nice and may have been lifted further something else sharp in the mix If Yelp had half stars, they would get a 4.5

For someone who has been visiting the original Loch Fyne Oyster Bar for years and is a huge fan of…read morethe place, it's inevitable that any of their offspring branches are going to be held up against that benchmark standard for comparison Happily, this Winchester branch did not disappoint. The entrance looks more like an old-fashioned English pub, with its half-timbered façade and bar area; it could easily be mistaken for a Wetherspoons or something. It's once you get further inside that the full cunningness of this conversion becomes clear. Just around the corner is the fish counter, all tiles and ice, where you can pick your poisson of choice and even buy some to take home with you. Beyond that, the rear is a much more spacious affair, arranged around a central courtyard with a long wing stretching farther back that can accommodate larger groups. The meal quality was exceptional, as was the service from the friendly and courteous staff. I had crabcakes to start, which were not terribly large but were very tasty; and followed that up with an artichoke and mushroom risotto - for once, I decided not to go with the fish! I adore artichoke and it seemed too good an opportunity to pass up. My question about dairy content was quickly answered after the waitress went to check with the chef, and it was served without the usual parmesan slices topping. I was tempted to try the sorbet for dessert, but a last-minute resurgence of willpower prevailed, so it turned out to be a very reasonable pre-theatre meal. Excellent value for money, excellent food, great ambience, great service. Love it!

The girlfriend and I were feeling famished after playing badminton and we liked the look of the…read moredinner menu at Loch Fyne and wandered in It's a big place with an interesting mix of old exposed beams and modern light and glass. I love the centrepiece being a display of fantastic fresh seafood and the open kitchen. A nice touch that our waiter gave us a little tour of the fresh fish on offer One of my must order dishes is a good French fish soup, which should be thick and packed full of crustacean and piscine flavour. The version here came with the traditional grated Gruyere cheese and a slightly less traditional and slightly odd crouton, which had been topped with salt cod brandade. I liked their attempt to do something different but I wished the crouton was more crispy The pea risotto starter tasted a lot better than it looked when it first arrived - reminiscent of the flavours of spring For mains, I had the best dish of the day - a top class seafood tagliatelle. All the seafood was perfectly cooked, not an easy feat with the different elements needing different lengths of cooking. The pasta was silky and there was just the right amount of seafood flavour Strangely, the only dish to disappoint was the fish and chips. It was just OK though ,y girlfriend mused later that perhaps, she should have gone for tempura batter rather than traditional batter A solid choice for food in Winchester