6 Best Restaurants in The South, England

Both the taste and presentation of its creative dishes have been winning rave reviews for this family-run, centrally located restaurant. Produce is largely fresh and local; meats and poultry are free-range and sustainably farmed. There's a six-course set-price tasting menu for sharing as well as shared plates that allow diners to sample a broader mix of dishes. Options might include roast cod with oyster mushrooms in a green curry cream, venison haunch with walnuts, and pigeon breast with roast celeriac.

For a refreshingly modern take on Indian cuisine, try this bustling restaurant a few minutes from the town center. Classic recipes are taken as starting points for the artistically presented dishes, which include tandoori breast of guinea fowl with fenugreek sauce, pistachio chicken korma with sweet basil and clove, and a Singapore-style chickpea and baby eggplant curry (part of an extensive vegetarian selection). A two-course seasonal set lunch and an early evening set menu offer good value. The setting is contemporary and cosmopolitan, and service by staff in traditional dress is friendly and prompt. Live performances by a musician or dancer occasionally take place at dinner.

Freshness and sustainability are paramount at chef Mike Naidoo's acclaimed seafood restaurant, located in an 1855 stone building on on the water above an artisanal fishmonger. He uses line-caught fish and shellfish delivered from the fishing boats moored just outside in the four-, six- (weekdays only), and eight- (Saturday dinner only) course tasting menus, which might include dishes such as Portland crab dumpling in crab broth, barbecued lobster, and, of course, the catch of the day. On the dessert list are options such as a yogurt and elderflower sorbet.

A solo venture from celebrity chef Mark Hix, this restaurant combines stunning views overlooking the Cobb with his trademark high standards and originality. The menu changes twice daily, but the focus is always on simply cooked and beautifully presented locally sourced seafood dishes, such as grilled monkfish tail with caponata, chargrilled black sea bream, and, of course, local oysters. There's a limited vegetarian menu, but the dessert menu is extensive, with dishes like Brazilian chocolate mousse. Book well ahead to sit by the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the coast, on the small terrace, or for the six-course Kitchen Table experience, where Hix cooks for you in his own home.

The funkier sister of glamorous Lime Wood, this New Forest "restaurant with rooms" is a local favorite that puts the emphasis on local produce (with all ingredients sourced within 25 miles if not the restaurant's own kitchen garden) and seasonality. Lunch and dinner are served in a large Victorian greenhouse overlooking the lawns, and the twice-daily changing menu may include dishes like an Isle of Wight eggplant with Romano peppers or a whole Poole sea bass. You may also accompany the "staff forager" on expeditions to find shellfish or edible flora like wild garlic and berries. Overnight in one of the 26 comfortable rooms in the main building (an 18th-century former royal hunting lodge) and the converted stable block or one of seven huts and lodges. All combine a slightly retro, shabby-chic style with modern bathrooms.

Befitting its waterside location in a harbor village just outside Ryde, this hotel has two restaurants with a strong maritime flavor. The fine-dining Aquitania sources much of its produce from the Seaview's own farm and features dishes such as herb-crusted cod loin with an heirloom tomato salad, whereas the less-formal Pump Bar serves battered fish-and-chips and traditional Sunday roasts. There are also gluten-free and vegan options, daytime light bites, and sandwiches. Luxurious fabrics characterize the chic guest rooms in the adjoining hotel.