Portsmouth & Gosport

Lively Portsmouth has a wealth of attractions for visitors, from the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and Spinnaker Tower to Southsea Castle and harbour tours.   

But all that exploring makes you hungry! Whether you like fish and chips, fajitas or fine dining you’re sure to find it in Portsmouth.

The cobbled streets of Old Portsmouth used to be the haunt of vagabonds, thieves, seafarers and press gangs but life is quieter there now, with traditional  pubs, tea rooms and fish markets offering a welcome distraction.   

Port Solent and Gunwharf Quays are renowned for their night life and shops and here you’ll find a wide choice of cosmopolitan restaurants and bars, many with glorious terraces overlooking the water.  

Two celebrity chefs have chosen to locate their restaurants at Gunwharf Quays, adding cachet and a European feel. Brasserie Blanc, owned by Raymond Blanc, offers quality French food in relaxed brasserie style while Jamie Oliver’s Italian restaurant offers authentic and affordable Italian menus.
 
Southsea has a diverse range of restaurants serving food from all corners of the globe - including African, Lebanese and Turkish cuisine. Southsea Common, meanwhile, has allocated BBQ areas overlooking the Solent.

Take the ferry across the harbour to Gosport, home of HMS Alliance at the Royal Navy Submarine Museum and Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower.  There are a variety of cafés, bars and services right on the water’s edge with spectacular views of the Solent and Isle of Wight. Tours for a minimum of 6 adults are also available at the family-run working brewery.

Key events

The Portsmouth Festival of Food takes place over the summer and includes food festival events in Southsea, Port Solent and Gunwharf Quays. Activities range from farmers’ markets, international food fairs, cookery demonstrations and a real ale festival to music, celebrity visits and entertainment. 

Hampshire Farmers’ Markets also come to Palmerston Road in Southsea once a month, bringing their speciality local produce.