Southampton - places to eat close to Holiday Inn

[vvnh16a]

We will be staying at the Holiday Inn near the port and wondering if there are any recommended places to eat breakfeast and dinner close (ie walking distance) to the Hoiliday Inn rather than simply eating at the Hotel. Looking for nothing fancy..just good food..especially for the breakfeast meal

[John Bull]

Breakfast could be difficult, there's not a great demand for a "good" breakfast other than hotels, you'll probably find the Hol Inn is your simplest bet, unless you want to splash out on breakfast at the 5-star De Vere Grand Harbour hotel, just across the road - I think they serve non-residents, though it'd be worth checking.

There's a food court in West Quay Mall, and a cafe in Marks & Spencer but the mall doesn't open til 9am and I'm doubtful about availability of a proper breakfast. There's also a cafe in the Asda store, Portland Terrace (opens 8am) which does a very good value breakfast, and a cafe in IKEA.

.......................and a McDonald's. Which kinda sums it up ;)

 

All are within a 10 min walk, but I don't think they're worth the effort. Unless someone comes up with a recommendation for a little independent cafe - perhaps near the fruit & veg wholesale market or the rail station?

 

Dinner is much easier, consider:

Bouzy Rouge cellar restaurant, by the Bargate

Dock Gate 4, South Western House, near Oxford St

Langley's, Bedford Place (most eateries in Bedford Place are down-market, but this one is excellent)

Olive Tree, Oxford St. Probably my top choice

Oxford's, Oxford St

Oxford Brasserie, Oxford St

Ennios (italian) opposite Town Quay and La Margherita (italian) on Town Quay I rate lower but OK, they make the list because they're closest.

All are within 15 min walk.

Bear in mind that saturday evenings you'd be wise to book, sunday and often monday evenings many are closed.

 

John Bull

[tally10]

Can't suggest anything else for breakfast except the McDonalds. The hotel may be a better option. In the West Quay Mall, there is a Nando's Portuguese Bar-Be-Que in the food court. It is one of our favorite places to eat and the chicken is delicious. Everytime we are in London, we try to find a Nando's as they are all over the place. They are also in Washington, D.C. and Vancouver, Canada. Semi-fast food but reasonably priced and very good. The accompanying sauces are delicious.

[vvnh16a]

Where is McDonalds..if staying at the Holiday Inn..Not what I would call an English breakfeast...but all options are on the table.

 

John....we were really looking for that small independent cafe ??????

[Col1874]

I know you've said you don't want to eat in the hotel, but believe me on this one, The Holiday Inn will do as good a breakfast as anywhere else in the area.

[phabric]

We stayed at the Holiday Inn in 2009. The Holiday Inn is in walking distance to the West Quay Mall. There is a food court in the Mall. We had excellent fish and chips there and the portion was HUGE. We were the first persons there when they opened and didn't see what the portion was looked like and if we had we would have only ordered one and shared.

 

There is a pub across from the mall. On the other side of the mall parking lot there is a TGIF. All with in walking distance of the Holiday Inn.

 

We just got a muffin and juice at the grocery store and ate in our room the next morning since we would be getting on the ship and having lunch.

 

We took a taxi (ask the receptionist to order ahead) to the Princess dock and it was only 5-7GBP.

[aquilegia]

In the UK we don't eat breakfast out as much as you do. Small independent cafes such as you're looking for won't be likely to open before 9.00am and some will be even later. And you're likely to get just as good a breakfast, if not better, in the hotel.

[John Bull]

McDonalds is on the West Quay Retail Park, left out of the hotel & left along West Quay Road, the retail park (large separate shops surrounded by carparks) is on the opposite side of the road, past IKEA 5 to 10 mins walk - easiest if your hotel points you to it. It opens 5am. TGI Friday is nearby but doesn't open til 11 am & is about as British as McDonalds. But you might as well go a little further & have a proper full-cholesterol at the Asda store (rear entrance by the coach park at the back of the retail park) It's a shoppers' cafe, breakfast is just a large fry-up (bacon, eggs, sausages, hashbrowns, mushrooms) & a mug of tea or coffee but at under £5 its excellent value. Much the same fried breakfast as you'd get at Hol Inn without the cereals/croissants/fruit etc or the ambiance.

Of all those choices I'd plump for the quality & convenience of your hotel.

 

Little independents? Was hoping someone can come up with one or two. Probably near the fruit&veg wholesale market, Bernard St, but they'd be workmens' cafes.

 

JB

[HeinBloed]

We are just back from Southampton and if you like Indian dinner I would highly recommend:

 

http://www.corianderlounge.com/

 

 

which you can find in a 10-minutes-walk from your hotel.

 

It was wonderful. Food and service reminded me very much to a superior cruise ship experience.

 

And it was surprising "cheap"... for that what and how much we got. Next time again. Definately.

 

If you do not need a full hot English breakfast we mostly grab a croissant or other fresh Danish and good coffee just at the Town Quay where the HighSpeed service to Isle of Wright starts.

 

Regards

HeinBloed

 

or you change your hotel and get this...

 

[jjdc]

Heinbloed -- Just wanted to thank you for posting the info on Coriander Lounge. I went there tonight and it was wonderful. I agree that both the service and the food are excellent. I was dining alone, and they made me feel very welcome and provided excellent service. The restaurant itself is very attractive as well. I knew I was in for a treat when I started eating the poppadums and assorted chutneys that came with it.

[HeinBloed]

Heinbloed -- Just wanted to thank you for posting the info on Coriander Lounge. I went there tonight and it was wonderful. I agree that both the service and the food are excellent. I was dining alone, and they made me feel very welcome and provided excellent service. The restaurant itself is very attractive as well. I knew I was in for a treat when I started eating the poppadums and assorted chutneys that came with it.

 

Great to hear that you enjoyed it...

 

We were only so surprised that we thought to be in an alternative restaurant on a cruise ship as nice as they treated us...

 

We really loved their service and their food...

 

Regards

HeinBloed

[Maryandi]

We took the bed, breakfast and dinner package at the Holiday Inn this past May - the food is very good, we even had 2 lunches there, too.!!

[FritzG]

We stayed at the HI on 29 & 30th of October, and the only good part of the hotel was the breakfast. We were amazed that such an awful hotel would serve such a great breakfast.