The Bonchurch Inn - Isle of Wight

I booked dinner for the family to celebrate my husband’s ‘big’ birthday a variety of ages in the party of 13, from 18 80. Most live on the island (we don’t) but no one in the party had visited before. Fantastic and authentic food, lovely service and unique setting in beautiful Bonchurch. Every dish got rave reviews, even from the impossible to please Instagram generation. Thank you so much for a memorable evening and even little things, like letting us bring in our own cake, actually mean a lot. We will be back!

Nestling beneath Bonchurch Down, this gorgeous little Inn is a must for visitors to the area. Parking is difficult, so you might have to walk a little to get there. However, it is well worth the effort, as it is quite exquisite, with its little cobbled courtyard and tiny terrace. We didn't eat there on this occasion, as we were just seeking new places to visit. Having recently moved to the area, we had been aware of the inn, but had never called in before. Scanning the menu, it was surprisingly mid-range in price and we were there long enough to watch several plates of food pass us by. Each looked very enticing, so we made a mental note to call again for a meal. Tables are very limited, so you almost certainly need to book during the holiday season. Drink prices were a little higher than expected, though that may simply have been the ones we chose. Choice though was limited on this occasion. In any event, it would not prevent us visiting again, for this is a very unusual little find, which has significant charm.

We always visit The Bonchurch Inn when we visit the Isle of Wight. The food is delicious, the service is super friendly and the courtyard setting delightful. Thank you for yet another wonderful evening!

Upon arriving at Bonchurch, you are greeted by a bizarre and (I suppose) fairly kooky layout whereby the restaurant is split over multiple buildings around what looks like a courtyard area. Inside is cozy, and the service was fairly quick. However, the food, on the other hand, was, for want of a more polite word, awful. I ordered a prawn linguine, and what arrived was linguine with (to be fair to them) a lot of prawns, but the whole thing was scattered with what seemed to be raw crushed garlic, and drizzled on top of it all was so much balsamic vinegar. My fellow diner opted for the 'life-changing lasagne '. I can say wholeheartedly, that it was definitely not life changing. My girlfriend ordered a garlic and chilli pizza, which also featured what must have been about 6 cloves worth of raw garlic scattered on top. I would not recommend this place unfortunately.

Book early to get a reservation, even on a Monday evening. We had a variety of choices offered on the menu, each of us were delighted with the food quality, portions and the salads accompanying the main was excellent.