The 30 Best Bistro in Southampton

“I would highly recommend this company for excellent customer service and advice. I ordered a product which arrived quickly. On first use I found the applicator was faulty. When I contacted Bev she responded quickly and resolved the issue for me immediately. Thank you so much Bev.”

“Really good food and staff, just attentive enough but never too much. The chef is excellent and the dish descriptions on the menu don't do justice to what you'll receive. For us the desserts were the stand-out part of the meal, and the Latvian Honey cake, Teurgoule, and the Pear with blue cheese and chutney ice cream all got rave reviews. Definitely worth a visit.”

“Outstanding!! The staff are quite frankly amazing! We had amazing food, Prawn Pad Thai, Jungle Curry and Jasmine rice...it was absolutely beautiful. My only complaint is that I don't live near Winchester so I'll have to wait until my next visit before enjoying this lovely restaurant again. Go, it's amazing!”

“Lovely evening at Tim's Bistro, the food was very fresh and was a delight to have a wide selection of fish dishes to choose from. The monkfish wrapped in Parma ham was delicious and the mussels were tasty too. They need to sort out their booking system, we reserved a table two weeks in advance but seemed to not have our details on record but squeezed us in on a table at the back. We overheard the chef swearing in the kitchen, sounded peeved that everyone who had sat down for a 7pm booking all had their orders submitted at once and had to turn out all the meals in one blast. Definitely be back for the food, but do sort out your online booking system.”

“Top quality full English breakfast, plenty of it, nice & hot, & non-greasy. I've eaten here quite a lot, there is a wide variety to choose from, always tasty & good value. Well established, family run, clean & busy, so it must be good!”

“Decided to have dinner here after a show at the Mayflower. Had some starters, pasta and shared a dessert. The food was amazing, heavenly soft ciabatta with pesto, sauce in seafood pasta was delicious and one of the best tiramisu we've had in the UK. Will definitely be back to try specials! The atmosphere was also nice, with soft quiet music and gentle light. Service was good, we felt cared for but not overly, which I always appreciate. It's a great place for a nice dinner with a date or a mate, highly recommend to try.”

“Lovely setting inside and out! Coffee and blueberry macaron cake were delicious. We visited with our young neurodivergent kiddos and were made to feel very welcome. We will visit again when back in the area.”

“Huge sweet potato toast,i liked it a lot. Good size of cup of coffee. Nice place,just location-couldn't find carpark near.”

“We went to the Little Kitchen Bistro right after it had had a face lift, and they did a great job! The ambiance is amazing, despite it being a very busy small cafe ,and they even took the styling right through to the bathrooms....an area many cafes/restaurants forget. The service was attentive and, we thought, timely given how busy they were. The food was divine and, if you live in Winchester or are just passing through, you would do yourself a favour by calling in here for a drink and a bite. Once you've eaten, you can also get some Froz ice-cream, which is a treat with so many delicious flavours. For our breakfast, we had Smoked salmon, scrambled egg & avocado on sourdough, and the Fulflood Breakfast - hash brown, two slices of bacon, Cumberland sausage ring, home made baked beans, roasted cherry vine tomatoes, two fried eggs & toast (granary, white or sourdough). The salmon meal was delicious, with a generous serving of salmon, perfectly cooked eggs (which tasted free range) and nicely seasoned avocado...none of that bland mash you get elsewhere! The full breakfast was hearty and very flavourful, with the sausage being super tasty, and the homemade baked beans having an unctuous umami flavour profile. Totally crave-worthy!”

“Love this little place, they don't serve food anymore just drinks. The staff & regulars were all very friendly. You make new friends instantly. Reminds me of the US sitcom Cheers. Where everybody knows your name.”

“The drinks are awesome! Honestly one of the best bars in Southampton. The music is great as well as the service :) I would go again! The 2-4-1 deal is perfect for big groups, I would recommend it!!!! Dj Matt is the best 10/10!!”

“I've been on the hunt for great fish and chips for years, and today, I finally found it at The Bistro Shamrock Quay. The batter was perfectly crunchy, and not greasy. The chips were just right – crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. It's evident that every aspect of the dish, from the sourcing of the fish to the cooking technique, has been meticulously considered. From now on, whenever the craving for fish and chips strikes, there's only one place I'll be heading – The Bistro at Shamrock Quay. Trust me, once you've tasted their fish and chips, there's no going back.”

“This is a lovely location right inside the boatyard, they have a good selection of food and cakes. The coffee is good. We had smoked salmon and the avocado with poached eggs. My partner really enjoyed his salmon but my avocado was unpleasant, it had a strange texture and a weird taste so wasn't from a fresh avocado and also had no seasoning, so for me this was an expensive poached eggs on toast. I will go here again but would have something else.”

“The decor at Mbuntu is cool with fun wall art that makes it stand out. The staff were great and the place was clean. Perfect for a chill night.”

“Had dinner here during camping stay. Easily the best evening we had. Very good food (great authentic pizza), great location and very friendly and accommodating staff. Small playground for kids to play on whilst the adults enjoy a sneaky glass of wine or in my case a bottle of planet lager. Highly recommend.”

“Great Sunday roast here today. It was hot, fresh with loads of flavour, lovely bar staff and Chef was very friendly. Cost £8.00. Will definitely return.”

“As an OAP I didn’t want a full fish and chips so I ordered the Special Fish and Chips at £5.45. Great choice. More than enough. Very helpful and friendly staff. Fish was good, batter good (not oily), chips good chunky.”

“Wow i ordered 1 time from you. I love kebabs i was eating everywell, but here is very good fresh meat (not from the oil pot) and fresh salats . Loovely. I will take it more times”

“Fantastic Sunday lunch and the french market cart is a lovely touch for starter. Amazing service from Sam. Well recommended and will definitely visit again!”

“Great food and good atmosphere. Staff are friendly and helpful. Enjoy our dinner there.”

“Came here for lunch and I was completely blown away! Situated outside of the main town, this gem of a place was a really great find. Quality of ingredients was superb, especially the salmon. Prices were reasonable. Definitely recommend the peking duck roll, eel unagi & salmon nagiri. The menu has a ton of items so be prepared to be overwhelmed at first! There’s something for everyone. Server was really nice and attentive during our visit. 10/10”

“Extremely good price! I got a small english breakfast for only 7£ and it was delicious! All of the food was hot, fresh and so flavorful! The interior is gorgeous and cozy. Staff is attentive and helpful. Will definitely come back again.”

“We really loved Kesarum- it has a lovely atmosphere with friendly staff and most importantly, the food is so tasty. Every dish we had was a feast for the eyes and tastebuds. Fully recommend a visit.”

“Top-notch french cooking in a relaxed ambience. Informed and friendly service. We left with a smile on our faces.”

“10 of us ladies arrived no booking but it was no trouble for them at all, unlike a nearby empty pub that couldn’t take us? Food was amazing staff were full of fun and helpful beautiful toilet a great atmosphere we will be back”

“We had an absolutely fantastic meal at Botley Mill! The food was a solid 10/10 – beautifully cooked and full of flavour. The staff were so friendly, welcoming, and attentive throughout, but what really made the evening extra special was the personal touch. When we arrived, we were greeted with a complimentary glass of prosecco and a card signed by the team congratulating us on our one year wedding anniversary. It was such a thoughtful gesture and meant so much to us. Thank you for making our night so memorable, we’ll definitely be returning! (I only took a picture of our starter as i was too excited to dig in and forgot a photo of our main and desert!) Glass of prosecco again had been half drunk before i took a photo”

“Really good choice of all day breakfasts and different specials. Delicious freshly squeezed orange juice too.”

“Top job, polite food was very hot on getting home, would highly recommend this establishment to anyone. If you are running late and time is not on your side get down to Tony’s for a quick bite to eat you will not regret it that is a fact.”

“We popped in for a meal and were pleasantly surprised. The food was well-cooked and tasty, and the service was friendly and welcoming; a really nice atmosphere overall. It’s the kind of place that’s easy to miss as you pass by, as it’s not immediately obvious it’s a restaurant from the outside. While we did feel the prices were a little on the high side for what you get, we still had a lovely time and enjoyed the experience.”

“This is by far the best Restaurant we have been to for a very long time the host Max was fantastic his hospitality was 2nd to none his partner Karen was absolutely brilliant the food was also fantastic. The whe evening spent with friends was amazing.”