Some of you may have read Emma’s blog post on preparing food at University and enjoyed it as much as I did. But understandably, there is a time when you can’t be bothered to cook or you want to go out and just enjoy good food. So, to make something good out of my weeks without a kitchen, I’m going to share my favourite places to eat in Southampton. Of course, there are plenty of places to eat on Campus, but it's always nice to explore cafes further into the city. Everyone can find something here that suits them, and I have mentioned a few places which are ideal for lunch and breakfast as well with some good restaurants for dinner.
There are plenty of good Italian restaurants around the city, but my favourite is Piccolo Mondo.
Piccolo Mondo is located just across the road from the Civic Centre. It’s not easy to spot at first, but given that every time I have been there it has been very busy, it must mean that they have a lot of regulars coming back. The portions are a decent size, so be hungry. I love the spaghetti carbonara here.
Mexigo. This is very easy to find as it is located right on London Road. My friend Miranda and I have almost tried everything they have to offer; from burritos, fajitas, tacos to nachos and enchiladas. We both agree the enchiladas are the best, but don’t come too late as they are often sold out for enchiladas after 6. It’s also a reasonable price for the food and you can take it away or eat in.
Nara Sushi. I won’t claim that I have visited every sushi place in Southampton, but the few I have visited has been quite disappointing and hence I have been a bit sceptical to sushi here. For someone who eats sushi probably twice a week when I’m home, it’s safe to say I have missed having a proper sushi restaurant, so finding Nara Sushi in Bedford Place was one of the most pleasant surprises I have had while eating out in Southampton. The coolest thing about Nara is that you can bring your own drinks there, so you can buy whatever you want and enjoy it with your meal. Obviously it’s not very budget friendly if you want to go here every week, but if you are eating sushi for the first time, go to Nara.
Halladays Tea Rooms in Bedford Place is not exactly a place to come for dinner, but for breakfast, brunch or lunch this is heaven. Remember the delicious pancakes from my last blog post? This is the place. They serve everything from pancakes, ciabattas, baguettes and salads to full English breakfast. Check out the tea menu, I dare to say no other place in Southampton can offer a bigger variety of tea. They are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and very busy on Sundays, but worth every pound.
Again, it hits me mid-eating that I should take a picture of the food, but then half of it is already gone! Here's my breakfast at Halladay's Tea Rooms
When in Bedford Place, Retro Café is also a good choice. Located in the upper part of Bedford Place, this is a very enjoyable place to have lunch or simply just go for a coffee with a nice atmosphere.
Café Valentines in Oxford Street. Three words; Try the smoothies! I know there are some very decent smoothie bars around West Quay and High Street, but the smoothies here are actually just as good.
They also make delicious coffee, so if you fancy a Sunday stroll, you should end it here as it’s just a 5-7 minute walk from the docks.
I hope this gives you some inspiration to places to go out for coffee, tea, lunch or dinner in Southampton. As mentioned, I always seem to take pictures of the food when it’s too late, so I apologise for not having better pictures! However, if you are extra curious you can check out more restaurants and cafes on Tripadvisor.
I’m always up for trying new places too, so feel free to let me know in the comments if there’s somewhere I have to try next!
Alexandra
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