In case you don’t know this about me by now, I’m sort of obsessed with food. That’s why I’ve not only eaten at most of the restaurants in Bournemouth, but I’m fairly certain I’m qualified to share my recommendations.
Without further ado, here are my absolute favourite places to eat in Bournemouth.
Pizza
For pizza in Bournemouth, you absolutely can’t beat Da Mario or Baffi. Da Mario is run by a lovely Italian family and their pizzas are just out of this world. The restaurant itself is quite small and simple, but you’re always guaranteed a warm welcome, friendly service and incredible food. Great for a casual dinner with friends.
Baffi is a bit more stylish, with stripped back industrial decor and romantic lighting. As delicious as their main courses are, be sure to save room for a dessert pizza – they are sensational.
That being said, I had a starter, followed by a whole pizza, with a dessert pizza to myself afterwards, like an absolute boss.
Fish and chips
Living in a seaside town, I couldn’t really write a post about my favourite restaurants without including fish and chips, could I?
Without a doubt, the best ones in Bournemouth are from Alfie’s. All the food is delicious and cooked fresh to order. The chips are perfectly crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, and their batter is nice and light, not too greasy. Definitely give the pea fritters a go.
Sushi
Again, I’ve picked two places. Sushi ‘n’ Roll is a tiny little place on Westover Road, but their sushi is unbelievable. It’s all made fresh to order, there’s a fantastic selection and the price is reasonable too. I would highly recommend the Rainbow Roll and crispy prawn roll.
For more of an occasion, you can’t beat the Nippon Inn on Charminster Road. Again, a great choice of delicious sushi, as well as other lovely Japanese dishes, plus you can choose to eat in the traditional way – at a low table, sitting cross-legged. Note: You will need to take your shoes off, so not the best time to wear boots!
Oh, and I would highly recommend you try the black sesame or wasabi ice cream for dessert.
Thai
Thai food is one of my absolute favourites and in my opinion, the best place in Bournemouth has to be Koh Thai Tapas. Their Tom Yum soup is the best I’ve tried anywhere (it’s ridiculously good, trust me) and because the menu is tapas style, you get to enjoy so many different flavours and dishes. I mean, it’s a way to eat more Thai food, so of course it was always going to be a winner for me. The atmosphere is great and they also serve lovely cocktails.
Other than the soup, I can’t recommend anything else because you just have to try everything. Trust me. Dave and I once ordered so much food the kitchen had to stagger its release because it wouldn’t all fit on our table.
Indian
Winton Tandoori wins, hands down. Dave’s order is a lamb Bhuna and I normally go for an okra curry with cheese naan bread.
Dosa World on Old Christchurch Road is great if you want to try something a bit different to your usual Indian. Their speciality is Dosas (as you probably could have guessed), a type of South Indian savoury pancake filled with curry. The food is really good value for money, tasty and filling, and great if you want to try something new.
Tapas
We have a few Spanish tapas restaurants, but the best one by far has to be Tapas Plus in the town centre. The decor is simple, but inviting, and the food is wonderful.
Two words: Fried. Cheese.
Yes please.
Chinese
When we want a takeaway there’s only one place we order from: Mr Rice. They do a great choice of Chinese and Thai dishes, and plenty for vegetarians too. Tofu can always be a bit hit and miss for me, but they cook theirs so nicely that I often find myself ordering it instead of meat.
Other recommendations include the Ha Gow (prawn dumplings – SO GOOD), Massaman curry and their spicy Thai soups. For dessert, you have to get the banana fritters. So freakin’ good.
Vegan
For wholesome and tasty vegan food (and the creamiest hot chocolate), it has to be Sukha Lounge. You can read my full review here.
Steak
The cocktails, food and atmosphere at Funki Griller are top notch. Plus, you can watch your steaks being cooked on a big screen, which is surprisingly quite fun.
Other favourites
Aruba is great for lunch with the girls. It’s right on the beach, does fabulous cocktails and there is something on their menu for everyone.
For really great pub food, fun cocktails, insane freak shakes and incredible desserts, Inferno on Holdenhurst Road is always a winner. They need to bring back their mac ‘n’ cheese toastie though – that beast was incredible!
For awesome breakfasts, you can’t do much better than Starz in Charminster. I always order the Eggs Royale – the poached eggs are perfect every time and they make the best Hollandaise.
Bosca Nova is a perfect brunch spot. They do great coffee, lovely fresh juices and have a lovely selection of delicious choices for vegetarians. You have to try one of their cakes too – they’re sublime!
For the chicken lover who fancies a change from Nando’s, Chicken ‘n’ Blues in Boscombe does something called the Mac Daddy wrap – trust me when I say this should swiftly make its way into your face.
If you work in the Lansdowne area of Bournemouth there are a few great places if you’re looking for somewhere to buy your lunch. Naked Coffee does a great selection of veggie and vegan food, plus fantastic coffee. Also, their white hot chocolate is the bomb.
Sands2 is the place to go if you’re looking for tasty, filling sandwiches, soups and jacket potatoes. My favourite sandwich of theirs is the chicken, bacon and avocado. The staff are absolutely lovely too!
For gorgeous cakes and macarons, check out Le Petit Prince in Westbourne.
Lastly, check out Frieda’s Tea Rooms for the BEST red velvet cake you could hope to put in your face.
