10 Best Restaurants in Winchester

Rick Stein is the Winchester arm of the British chef's brand, where favourite recipes are cooked and presented skillfully in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. The dishes are tempting, with oysters or cuttlefish risotto to start, and classic fish pie or Indonesian fish curry for mains. 

Food is attractively plated, without the pretension that can be found elsewhere. The restaurant itself is smart and welcoming, with staff eager to please. Altogether, this is a strong contender when it comes to Winchester’s best restaurants.

The Ivy brand has gone from strength to strength and its Winchester branch has been warmly welcomed. With an ostentatious and floral-heavy design, the restaurant has an elegant ambience that matches its modern British food, whether that’s from its brunch, afternoon tea, or a la carte menus.

If you want a night out with friends, grab a comfy chair at the bar and choose from a delicious range of cocktails. For a family gathering, slip into an inviting leather booth and order from the huge selection of dishes, ranging from truffled wild mushrooms to lobster linguine.

Shoal was created by a local chef who wanted to share his passion for traditional fish and chips – and he’s succeeded. You’ll find it in a prestigious corner of Winchester’s gorgeous Guildhall. Essentially, it’s an elevated version of a typical fish and chip shop. And while it doesn’t try to be gourmet, it manages to be both delicious and great value for money. 

If you choose to dine in, you’ll find simple but effective navy booths, bar stools, matching tilework, and a relaxed atmosphere. Select from cod, hake and haddock, or the signature fish pie. The salty fish and chips are best complemented by gelato for dessert – complete with Shoal-branded wafers.

Forte Kitchen is one of Winchester’s finest daytime eateries. Known across the city as ‘the brunch spot’, if you’re looking for a meal to fuel your day, this could be the place. Its sister restaurant, The Hatch, is next door if you’re looking for lighter options.

Inside, the attractive dining space is minimal and relaxed, with a wooden flooring, dark-hued walls, and simple wooden tables and chairs. The design works, especially if you’re looking for a daytime venue that’s a little more polished than most. Choose from sweetcorn fritters and avocado on sourdough, or the more traditional full English. For an afternoon pit stop, take your pick from a selection of tempting cakes and loose leaf teas.

The Chesil Rectory occupies one of Winchester’s most historic restaurant venues – a 600-year-old medieval house, with a plethora of historic features. Everything about the Chesil Rectory has been modernised, but done so sparingly to preserve the building's history.

The menu at Chesil Rectory is as exciting as the structure. Offering contemporary British gourmet cuisine, you can expect dishes like venison with onion tatin, pomme purée, and chocolate sauce, or Loch Duart salmon with potato fondant, crab bon bon and bouillabaisse. It's definitely one to consider for a special occasion in Winchester.

The Porterhouse is one of the best steakhouses in Winchester. It’s simple and clean on the inside, with dark wood furnishings and yellow accents. But the best way to judge a steakhouse is, of course, by its steaks. 

Across the board, the meat served at Porterhouse is high quality, even offering a UK-bred grass and grain-fed Wagyu steak. While there are fish and meatless options available, this is definitely a meat lover's place, with pretty much every cut of beef you could imagine on offer. It’s a local favourite for family meals, offering an attractive balance of quality produce and value for money.

Michelin-mentioned Kyoto Kitchen is a Japanese restaurant in a tiny spot on Parchment Street. It offers a modern and elegant interior with Japanese flourishes. The restaurant has worked hard to build strong relationships between staff and customers, which guarantees regulars, in addition to the steady flow of diners experiencing Kyoto Kitchen for the first time.

The small plates are a great place to start, with tempting options like pan-fried scallop served with shiso pesto, courgettes and mango salsa, or grilled skewers of chicken and leek with teriyaki sauce. The menu is split into tempura, sashimi and special rolls, as well as a limited selection of large plates. Extensive vegetarian options are also available.

The Wykeham Arms is a sizeable pub and something of a Winchester institution. Taking up a corner of Kingsgate Street, it’s a quintessential English pub from the outside. You'll find a traditional pub sign over the door and hanging baskets by the windows. And once you step inside, it’s even more traditional, with tankards hanging from the ceiling, all-wooden furnishings and bar, and exposed brick walls.

The menu offers what could be called fancy pub fare, with dishes like roasted cod loin with buttered leeks and Bordelaise sauce, or beef fillet with crispy ox tongue, sesame carrot, and creamed potato. There are always 5 cask ales on tap, and over 70 wines available from the wine cellar. 

The Winchester Stable is known for its extensive selection of delicious sourdough pizzas. With a focus on freshly made dough and local ingredients, its pizzas are anything but standard. You may also be tempted to stay all night once you taste some of the craft beers on offer.

The Winchester Stable has a striking interior, with impossibly high ceilings and picnic-style benches helping to create a buzzy and sociable atmosphere. Pizzas emerge from the oven in an endless stream. Try the Hen Party (chipotle chicken, roast piquillo peppers, sweetcorn and red onion) or Aubergine Kenobe (roast aubergine, sunblush tomatoes, mozzarella, parmesan, spinach and roast pumpkin seeds). 

Greens has been a Winchester staple for over 30 years,  serving up delicious brunch and lunch items to a hungry crowd of locals and students. With outdoor seating, customers can dine with a view overlooking busy Jewry Street. Inside, the decor is traditional-modern, with a comfortable and laidback atmosphere.

The menu is a tasty range of brunch dishes, including the now-ubiquitous shakshuka alongside a full vegan breakfast and Mexican huevos rancheros. Lunch options are equally varied, with burgers, salads and sandwiches on offer. After the lunchtime rush, why not settle in and sample some of the delicious cocktails? Whether you stay for 1 hour or a whole afternoon, Greens is worth the visit.