You’ll find plenty of things to do in Portsmouth, whatever the weather. Visit top attractions like Portsmouth Historic Dockyard or experience its top-rated activities like seeing the views of this port city from the top of the Spinnaker Tower. Bargain hunters won’t want to miss shopping in Portsmouth while couples and families alike can enjoy Portsmouth's culture. Check out the best places to eat in Portsmouth and get a taste of the local food, before experiencing some exciting Portsmouth nightlife. Plus, getting around Portsmouth couldn't be easier, however you choose to travel. In the evenings, you can rest easy knowing you've enjoyed all of Portsmouth's entertainment before heading back to your hotel in Portsmouth for a great night’s sleep on a super comfy bed.
Places to eat in Portsmouth
Restaurants
Head to our Portsmouth restaurants page to find out more about Restaurant 27, Soprano’s, Algarve’s Grill and more.
Sant Yago
Soprano's
Southsea Coffee
Cafés
Not just a cool name, Pie and Vinyl dish up two of our favourite things in the world – tasty pies and tasty tunes. Located on Castle Road, a short walk from our Southsea hotel, the decidedly hipster café does a wide range of pies, including several vegan options, as well as a tasty range of pie-related desserts including a cinnamon swirl blackberry twirl. They stock an impressive range of vinyl and also run events, weekly podcasts and more, making them one of the coolest cafés in the city.
A short walk away is Southsea Coffee, an independent coffee shop that sells espresso-based drinks, cold brew and hand-brewed coffee – if it’s a caffeine kick you’re after, this is the place, as it takes its speciality coffees (and teas) very seriously. Pair it with their breakfast or lunch menu (or a cake – we won’t tell anyone, promise), and you have a real winner.
Still in Southsea, Casa de Castro is another highly impressive coffee shop that prides itself on its coffee quality as well as its cakes, quiches and other home-baked treats. If the sun is shining – or rather less optimistically if it’s not raining – head for their outdoor terrace, neatly decked out with fake grass, leafy plants and gently overhanging trees.
Another Southsea café a short walk from the Canoe Lake, T & Thistle is a Scottish-inspired licensed café and bistro open until 10pm on Friday and Saturday nights serving up local tea and coffee, cakes, bakes, platters and pastries.
The perfect place to pick up a coffee on the go from our City Centre hotel, Canvas Coffee Shop is part of the Portsmouth and Southsea train station and serves locally roasted speciality coffee, and also sells bags of beans you can take away.
Next to the Fratton train station, Baffled Coffee is one of the top-ranked cafés on TripAdvisor, and has a relaxed, slightly bohemian feel. They’re well known for their coffees – try their iced latte in summer – and their cakes, while locals and in-the-know tourists flock for their weekend brunch.
If it’s cakes you’re after, settle for nothing less than the Parade Tea Rooms, a stone’s throw from our Southsea hotel. With over a dozen cakes to choose from, it’s easy to get carried away but with an excellent food menu and a seriously impressive afternoon tea service, it’s almost – almost – a shame to fill up on cake alone.
If nothing short of a plate of bubble and squeak or fried eggs and black pudding will do, head for the Spinnaker Café. Open for breakfast and lunch, the portions are on the generous side and your meal comes with impressive views of the Spinnaker Tower.
Food markets
A monthly affair held on the third Sunday of the month on Palmerston Road in Southsea, the Hampshire Farmers’ Market celebrates the best fresh local produce. With stalls selling everything from craft beers to local honey, meat, chocolate, artisan bread and more, it’s a great place to grab some great food and drink in one of the city’s coolest streets. Better still, it’s just a 15-minute drive from our Portsmouth (Horndean) hotel.