and cafes
If we're honest, myPetersfield isn't strong on the fine dining experience. Not that we don't appreciate good food (we surely do) but somehow out in the shires it often seems to work best in the atmosphere of an inn or a pub. Our loss maybe - if you've been somewhere good in the region and it isn't listed here, let us know.
Anyway, for completeness, we've listed the pubs where you'll get food of real restaurant quality, and a good dining atmosphere, as well as unashamed restaurants. As Basil would say, 'bon appetito'.
And again - let us know what you think. And who we should be including. mail@myPetersfield.co.uk
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JSW.
Petersfield's smartest restaurant, Michelin
starred and Michelin priced. Recently moved to new and swish premises in
Dragon Street where the rooms are roomier, the decor neutral and the
atmosphere austere. Presumably this is to minimise any distraction from the
culinary event to come but we felt it had been taken too far; no-one likes
to eat under searchlights but we disliked the peculiarly flat, indirect
illumination which made the room feel inhospitable - as though the
traditional 'gloomy corner' had been extended to the entire restaurant - and certainly
didn't set the food (or the diners) in a flattering light. Another time we'd
make sure we had one of the few window tables with natural light or (in
summer) would
aim to eat outside in the attractive courtyard. Both food and wine
at JSW have hit the
mark with our readership in the past; we found the food technically
excellent, though more in terms of appearance and construction than flavour,
the wine (from a fairly short list available by the glass) OK but unmemorable, the
service professional (though not faultless) but the whole experience
emotionally uninvolving and pretty joyless. We guess there are
a lot of people around who still like this kind of haute cuisine. If
you're one of them, then JSW checks all the expected boxes and may well ring
your bell - don't let our oikish preferences put you off. Dragon Street, Petersfield, Hampshire.
01730 262030 -
The Lounge. Occupying the site in Heath Road vacated a couple of years ago when JSW headed for grander premises, The Lounge offers comparatively unpretentious but nonetheless high quality dining in a small but comfortable space which, even when full, doesn't feel cramped. The food is squarely in the modern British camp (i.e. really quite traditional), rich and substantial (heading in the direction of comfort eating, but on a cold January night we weren't complaining) locally sourced where possible and treated with a restrained but expert hand. Positives: friendly and knowledgeable staff, very enjoyable food, decent short wine list, good value - expect to pay between £30 and £40 and to leave feeling you've had the best of the deal. Negatives: tables next to the big picture window can feel draughty... and someone should proof-read the menu. Nitpicking though - we like the Lounge a lot. Welcome to Petersfield. 1-3 Heath Road 01730 266668
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Annie Jones, Lavant Street. Makes an effort with an interesting menu but results a bit hit and miss, and service on the amateurish side when we visited (particularly for the prices). That was in 2005 though, and we'd bet on it being worth another try, particularly following a recent refurbishment which has left it looking a lot less ascetic than hitherto. Garden likely to be a nice lunch spot for the spring and summer. Try it. Let us know. 10 Lavant St, Petersfield. 01730 262 728
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Djangos - putting the culture into Petersfield's cafe scene, the town's coolest coffee bar by a country mile. Not quite a restaurant but licensed and serving great coffee and food all day, from breakfast onwards, plus dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Music plays an increasingly large part in the operation, with lunchtime, afternoon and occasional evening shows by some fine musicians of the acoustic persuasion, often combined with something worthwhile in the food line - see listings for details. Proper art regularly features on Djangos' walls. Now selling excellent coffee beans and freshly ground coffee for your machine from a list of boutique blends in a shop upstairs - look out for Djangos' Bireli brand. In Bakery Lane - the alley between Waitrose car park and Chapel Street. 01730 267615.
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Natural Cafe, which really couldn't be hotter on organic produce, fair-trading, health, wellbeing and all that good stuff if it had been designed by a Guardian focus group. Even a BLT is made to sound like a healthy option here (well that works for us!). Would be nice to see it make more of locally sourced ingredients but a decent menu of sandwich, baked potato and wrap-based food, plus soups, quiches and so on, and a good range of (good) coffees, teas and juices. Decent kids' menu. Exhaustingly healthy, a bit franchise, a bit too obviously marketed to a certain demographic (viz. most of the people who would be reading this), but still a decent place for a coffee and a nice sit down on the High Street. Outdoor tables at the side and on a deck round the back. Organic bread stall outside at weekends looks nicely authentic, if a bit pricy. Open 8.30 till 6. 6, High Street. 01730 261702.
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The George, bistro, bar, brasserie, burgers (good ones), breakfast, lunch, brunch... by George (sorry), we really rather like it. Check out the full review here.
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The Spice Lounge, tucked away up a flight of stairs from the Square, the Spice Lounge offers the best Indian food we've had in Petersfield and, we thought, more than a match for the more celebrated Madhuban in Liss. Interesting menu, more than the usual favourites and, even with four of us eating, a real struggle to make a choice. The food didn't disappoint, with strong, distinctive flavours throughout. Good value too. The Spice Lounge is regularly recommended by myPetersfield regulars including Paul Barnett, a Petersfield visitor from the US and is a particular favourite of the local Curry Club - we now see why... 1-2 The Square 01730 309309 GMAP
Local curry enthusiast John Till adds: "I can't believe that the "Spice Lounge" gets such a small mention in the restaurants section of your website! This restaurant has the best curry and service for miles around..."
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La Piazzetta, Simple but warm and comfortable Italian trattoria, installed on the Square in Petersfield since the end of 2007. The menu isn't staggeringly innovative - pasta and pizza, steaks and a handful of other pesce e carne dishes - but the food is excellent, with a real Italian feel. Seafood dishes - mussels, spaghetti marinare etc. - were especially good. Terrific puddings too - classics again, but when that includes excellent ice-cream pancakes and a tiramisu which virtually floats off the plate, who's complaining? Nice short wine list and decent value too. We'll be back. 2, The Square 01730 260006.
John Lowe says "We have been there 3 times in 4 months with different sized groups from us as a couple, to family, to a group of friends. Excellent food at excellent prices, great service and a lively atmosphere! I'm currently recommending it to everyone!!"
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Rowan's, Not just a (very fine) delicatessen, Rowan's in Lavant street is now a licensed cafe too - a nice bright space offering a variety of snacks, sandwiches, pastries and their own selection of teas and coffees. More detail here. 4, Lavant Street 01730 262600
also mentioned in despatches:
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The Tai Tong. Gwen Draycott observes "I simply love the food and atmosphere there. Plus the service is great as well. I have heard people say that the Tai Tong serves the best Chinese food outside of ChinaTown in London. I tend to agree with this opinion having lived in London for 6 years!" We've heard similar views expressed elsewhere - sounds like a good bet. 19 Chapel Street, 01730 263216
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Upstairs at the Folly Wine Bar. Dependable pub/ restaurant food, recommended for large groups. 01730 264088
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The Seven Stars. Big flintstoned pub in Stroud, just out of Petersfield on the Winchester Road (A272). Now a cavernous family food barn, somewhat in the Wetherspoons/ Chef & Brewer style but offering a wide-ranging and decent menu of steaks, salads, pastas and many more interesting and exotic items. Several vegetarian options, many available as 'small appetite' versions which is a nice touch (kids' classics of the 'dinosaur feet variety' also available if you ask). Hall and Woodhouse beers (really good Fursty Ferret when myPetersfield dropped in). Decent table wine. Outside tables too. If you don't enjoy dining surrounded by family tables and lots of children, you won't like this. If you need to entertain those children and families yourself, however, you might be more tolerant. 01730 264122.
Does Petersfield have more to offer the discerning grazer? Please - let us know. mail@myPetersfield.co.uk
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Hotel du Vin, Winchester, 20 miles. Needs no introduction from us. Warm, comfortable, classy. Brasserie food in the classic style. Lovely rooms too. A real treat. Southgate Street, Winchester 01962 841414
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The Pub With No Name, Priors Dean. Great atmosphere, excellent food. Full review here.
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The Thomas Lord, West Meon, 6 miles. Not many establishments justify a full entry in both pub and restaurant columns but the Thomas Lord does so in spades. As we've found before, it's a great place to drop in for a pint, but come back for a meal and be as amazed as we were at the quality of the food. Short menu which changes every day and quietly undersells what will turn up on the plate (in clear contravention of standard restaurant practise). Highly skilled but not madly ostentatious cooking (you'll look in vain for timbales of anything here), drawing on local suppliers and traditional English menus (in the best way), so anticipate game, fish, organic vegetables and old-fashioned puddings all prepared with great attention to flavour, beautifully presented and balanced in a way that makes three courses entirely feasible. Excellent wine list with many available by small or large glass, half or full bottle. Attentive service, friendly without being overpowering, lovely ambience with a mix of rooms, tables and lighting which gives the place a real clubby atmosphere and can comfortably accommodate anything from dinner à deux to large parties. Proper linen and heavy cutlery is a nice touch. Real value too - even the bill came as a pleasant surprise, and how often do we find ourselves saying that? The Thomas Lord taxes myPetersfield's limited powers of description, but you should have gathered by now that we sure do like what we find here. In fact, it shames us to say it, but we struggle to find anything to criticise. Get there: West Meon is on the A32 Alton - Fareham road, a mile or two south of the intersection with the A272. The pub is signposted off the main road just inside the village. 01730 829244. GMAP Also see our pub review here.
myPetersfield subscriber Ian Willson adds: "Great atmosphere on the night I visited, with a Studio 54 party somewhere in the vicinity meaning 70s kitsch mingled with the antique book and cricketing vibe. The staff were helpful and friendly and dressed as though expecting a Vogue photographer through the door at any moment. Food was tops, from the Mushrooms with Asparagus Sauce through Herb Mash and Salmon to the wicked Rhubarb Roulade. I was pleasantly surprised by an Argentine red. All in all an easy going but top-drawer experience I can highly recommend."
Herry Lawford adds: The Thomas Lord is everything one could wish for in a country pub - except perhaps for the lack of a view. But once inside, it exudes the warmth and charm of its cheerful owners and the unmistakable smell of a good table. Exceptional cooking, using local produce and supporting local farmers, butchers and fishermen, results in dishes such as mouthwatering pork chops, succulent venison and a perfect vegetable 'shepherds' pie. A short but interesting wine list includes a very tasty and reasonably priced Chilean Carmenere red - and the beer is of course excellent. Add two blazing fires and a semi-private back room lined with books (that you can buy for 50p each), and aged wood everywhere, and you will be tempted to stay all day. About £25 a head for two courses and a lot of wine!
Excellent photo courtesy of Herry too.
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The Trooper Inn, Froxfield, 3 miles. The Trooper styles itself an inn, but it would be hard to imagine anything further from a traditional boozer. Although it still maintains a bar, where they'll happily serve you a pint, and a small but decent selection of beers (Ballards, Ringwoods), this is very much a dining pub and pretty much an out and out restaurant, with room for a hundred or more covers in two bars and any number of alcoves and annexes. Not that this need be read as a bad thing; in fact, the less you think of it as a pub, the happier you're likely to be. The specials blackboard changes ever day and features a great range of genuinely tempting dishes, running from British classics delivered with imagination through modern European to a good handful of Asian-influenced dishes, backed up by a substantial a la carte menu. Shellfish features strongly. Excellent wine list is supplied by the General Wine Company. Place is warm and welcoming, a big fire going in the main bar and the walls dense with photographs and posters, hopbines and all that caper. Stylish in a slightly Jack Vettriano way but hey, the food enjoys an excellent reputation, it's a nice space to sit in, the staff know their onions and few visitors are going to be disappointed. It really is a place you could comfortably bring your children and your aged P's without feeling the desperate ennui that normally accompanies a 'family restaurant' concept. Get there: west of Petersfield through Steep, up Stoner Hill (great views to your right) to Alton Rd, Froxfield. 01730 827 293 GMAP
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The Bakers' Arms, Droxford, 8 miles. As they would say on Masterchef, 'oh yes...'. This is great, but begs some serious questions: 1) what have the good folk of the Meon valley done to deserve largesse on this scale, with at least three excellent dining pubs within walking distance of each other? and 2) couldn't we see more of this kind of action a bit closer to Petersfield? Please?
Providing a masterclass in how to get it right, Anna Thompson and Adam Cordery took over the Baker's Arms two years ago and have turned it from what was - by all accounts - a pretty grotty local into the the kind of pub that any village and many small towns would kill for. Plain but comfortable and warm inside, with a nice assortment of furniture tucked into interesting corners, and a good fire blazing away. Good lighting, no music, just a really pleasant and characterful space to be in. Friendly, attentive staff, good local beer from the Bowmans brewery (this place operates as a real pub, not just a restaurant), a short but decent wine list - and fantastic food. The menu isn't long but offers a decent choice of dishes from classic steak béarnaise and chips (often it's the classics which separate the great kitchens from the ordinary) - to more adventurous cuts and dishes, mostly locally sourced, nicely presented and very, very well cooked. Food tends to the comforting, but it's not served in overwhelming quantities and as it also inclines to the lip-smackingly, plate-wipingly delicious, we weren't complaining. Good puds too. We are indebted to the ever-reliable Herry Lawford, who drew our attention to The Baker's Arms. Excellent call Herry - more welcomed. Note that The Baker's Arms been winning dining awards since it opened and some of the big guides are sniffing around, so get in now and beat the crowds. Booking already advisable. High Street, Droxford 01489 877533 GMAP.
Further afield: the Greyhound, Stockbridge, 30 miles. The gastropub par excellence, in the heart of huntin', shootin' and (especially) fishin' country. Bit of a trek, but Stockbridge is a nice place to wander around and walk off lunch at the Greyhound. Stroll along the Test or down to John Robinson's, the excellent butchers' on the High Street. Pick up some sausages or a pie for tea. the Greyhound: 31 High Street, Stockbridge. 01264 810833
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The Lickfold Inn, Lickfold. 12 miles. Pukkah joint, a little too Goodwood for myPetersfield's tastes. Good food, (but not that good; be prepared for your credit card going home a good deal lighter than you) excellent wines, many by the glass, in a lovely old pub. Nice terrace garden, Veuve Clicquot parasols provide that special 'Cowdray' feel. Upside: very smart, characterful, decent food. Good chance of rubbing shoulders with Argentinian polo players at the bar then enjoying the company of the celebrated in the restaurant. Downside: no better than it ought to be at these prices, food service can be a bit amateur. Perfect for: lunch in the garden on an unexpectedly warm early summer's day. Or in the bar on a sunny winter's day. Avoiding the rush hour advisable. Get there: Lickfold signposted off the A272 between Midhurst and Petworth, close to Half Way Bridge. North of the A272 a couple of miles. 01798 861285. GMAP
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The Three Horseshoes.
Our favourite southside (of the A272) dining pub. Often busy, but that
shouldn't surprise. Full review
here. -
The Keepers Arms. More grape than grain (though two or three excellent local ales can be depended on) and certainly a finer and more consistent dining experience than it ever was. Taken over and revamped in 2007 and given a design makeover consistent with its short, sharp menu, losing some of its wilder eccentricities but retaining its intriguing spaces. New kitchen already installed and functioning well, producing modern British food of an extremely high standard - the best we've enjoyed on the Sussex side of Petersfield by some distance, and several myPetersfield regulars have informally commended it too. Nicely balanced wine list and warm service. Undeniably it's more of a restaurant than a pub, but the generous lounging space in big leather sofas and armchairs by the fire (and the south-facing terrace outside) give it a great, relaxed feel. When the upstairs renovation is complete, this is going to be a serious destination for weekend hedonists. More here.
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Prezzo, Midhurst, 8 miles. It's a chain, but just feels like a really good family-style Italian. Comfortable for families, couples, anyone really. Mostly pizza and pasta but stylish and really great value. Decent wine list. The thinking person's Pizza Express. West Street, Midhurst 01730 817040. Also in Chichester (61 South Street, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1EE01243 536951) and Alton.
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Loch Fyne Restaurant, Midhurst. Again, a chain, but a good one. A small door on Midhurst High Street opens, tardis-like, into a big, stylish and surprisingly light space. Big french windows at the back lead onto a parasoled terrace which will be a treat if hot weather ever returns to West Sussex. As for the food - fish and shellfish of course, with a few token gestures in the direction of carnivores and vegetarians. Well presented from an interesting menu, lots of specials and an £11 set two course menu which is decent value but disappointingly restricted - whatever your intentions going in, you're likely to be choosing from the carte. Reasonable wine list. Comfortable, family-friendly (in a good way). North Street, Midhurst, 01730 716280.
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The Halfway Bridge Inn, Lodsworth. 10 miles. Old on the outside, contemporary within - leather and whitewash - but not distressingly so. Owned by the Royal Oak people and offering the same standards of food and drink. Those fine olives available here too. Get there: on the A272, halfway between Midhurst and Petworth. 01798 861281. GMAP
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The Fox Goes Free, Charlton. 13 miles. Pubby, but decent restaurant area and remarkably fine food. Full review here.
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The
Star and Garter, East Dean. 15 miles. Actually equidistant Midhurst and
Chichester, south-east of Petersfield. Great menu which majors on fish but makes room for some interesting sounding
game too. Big seafood platters caught our eye as we sat at the bar enjoying
a glass of Ballards drawn from the barrel, as did several ways to enjoy
mussels and a game grill featuring venison, pheasant and rabbit. Pub has
been blasted back to bleached wood and brick in an appealing manner.
Good-looking wine list. Much more a restaurant now than a pub but retaining
lots of character - food report follows. Highly recommended by
myPetersfield
regular Derek Banks. Garden and rooms too. Get there:
head east from Singleton on the Midhurst/ Chichester road, about a mile or
so past the Fox Goes Free. 01243
811318
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The White Horse, Chilgrove. 10 miles. Smart restaurant, good one too. Bar a little sterile but excellent beers and snacks. Friendly service. Nice spot to sit outside in the lee of the downs on a sunny day. Mighty popular with wedding parties and Goodwood hoorays, however, so ready yourself for disappointment, especially in the summer. 01243 535219 GMAP
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The Royal Oak, East Lavant. 15 miles. A trek from Petersfield for sure, but a real treat. Worth visiting just for the pub's own special marinated olives, prepared to a closely guarded recipe, but nothing that follows disappoints. Cracking food, excellent wines, including many by the glass, beers from the barrel, proper good service. Not cheap, but tremendous value all the same. Downside: can get noisy in the evening. myPetersfield recommends it as a top spot for a long lazy lunch, maybe followed by a stroll round Chichester. 01243 527434 GMAP
you may also like to consider:West Stoke House, 15 miles, recommended by subscriber Mark Hipsey. "Truly excellent food", writes Mark, "served in a modernised country house with pleasant grounds just a mile from Lavant. The food was nouvelle cuisine but lots of it; the best of both worlds. They have five bedrooms as well upstairs. Perfect for a night away from the kids...". myPetersfield has only had a look online, but it certainly looks like our kind of joint... West Stoke, Chichester, 01243 575 226, info@weststokehouse.co.uk. Get there: West Stoke is about two miles west of Lavant (on the A286 Midhurst Chichester road).
Further afield: Pebble Beach, Barton-on-Sea. 40 miles. Yes, it's a drive, but it's through the New Forest and worth every food mile. Perched on the cliffs overlooking the Isle of Wight, Pebble Beach is lively, friendly and dedicated to all things finny and crustacean. There probably is meat on the menu, but why would you, with fish, shellfish and fruits du mer of every description of this quality? Go in summer and sit out on the terrace, squint a bit and it could be Juan-les-Pins. Or go in winter and sit by the picture windows looking out over the sea. Ab fab. Marine Drive, Barton-on-Sea, 01425 627777.
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The Sun Inn, Rake. 5 miles. The Sun seems to have changed hands several times over the last few years with no-one seeming able to make much
impression
on it (or us). Now inherited by the TailorMade Pub Company, which on
the face of it doesn't exactly set the heart singing, but the
reality is much better news. TailorMade only owns three places (so
we're not exactly talking Chef & Brewer) and seems to take a fairly
bespoke approach to each. It's certainly given the Sun Inn a
distinctive identity. Not really a pub any more (though the parlour
bar offers a couple of nice comfortable leather armchairs to loaf in
and the canopied terrace out back is a real treat on a sunny day),
more of a brasserie feel with a good range of steaks (ordered from a
cold cabinet in the restaurant, cut and prepared to order), seafood,
plenty of classics. Upside: Food generally excellent, decent beers
(Greene King on draught) and wine list, commitment to 'slow food'
makes a nice change, as does extensive range of dishes available
half-size for kids, not just the usual chicken nuggets and dinosaur
feet. Service friendly and attentive. Roomy, and recommended for
larger groups. The terrace looks a good option, weather permitting.
Downside: Music a bit intrusive at times. Not cheap - these are very
much restaurant prices and the bill brought a bit of a sharp intake
of breath. Get there: North from Petersfield towards Liphook on the
old A3. 01730 892115
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The Madhuban, Liss. 4 miles. Recently revamped and given a much bigger, brighter and more modern feel, while retaining its traditional friendly service. The Madhuban is felt by many to be the best Indian restaurant in the region, and certainly people travel substantial distances for the experience (and for the takeaways - myPetersfield especially recommends the chicken darjeeling). We think the Spice Lounge in Petersfield is a real challenger for the quality and variety of food, but the Madhuban probably takes it on the combination of both food and ambience. The Madhuban produces its own sauces too, sold far, wide and locally. 94, Station Road, Liss, (01730) 893 363 & 894 372 GMAP
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Fifty Seven, Liss. Unique Italian restaurant, pretty much a one-man labour of love which myPetersfield reader Michelle Stainer recommended for "the honest simplicity of the place, the good quality food and the great wine ... The staff come over to your table and tell you what's on the menu (they don't have printed menus), explain how everything is cooked and suggest a good wine to go with the food. It really doesn't get any better, definitely worth a try! " Quite honestly, we couldn't have put it better ourselves. It's not cheap, but the food is handcrafted with a real Italian slow cooking feel and the experience is unique. Open for lunch and deli to take away during the day too. 57, Station Road, Liss 01730894751