Pubs, bars and restaurants re-open

Raise a glass – the city’s pubs, bars and restaurants have re-opened! The easing of restrictions for Step 2 on the roadmap out of lockdown meant that certain hospitality businesses were able to welcome visitors back once more, and locals and visitors alike could enjoy a meal or a drink out once more.

What are the rules?

Currently, hospitality businesses can only serve food and drink outdoors, with indoor service not set to resume until stage 3 - set for May 17 at the earliest. However, it does mean you can now get a table in a beer garden or at some designated outdoor space for al fresco drinking and dining.

Anyone visiting a bar or restaurant must register their details for Track & Trace purposes. This isn’t just the lead booker, as it was last summer, but every member of the party. All visitors must wear a face covering until they’re seated and only get up to use the facilities. When seated, however, the face coverings can come off.

Where has re-opened?

A huge number of pubs, bars and restaurants re-opened as soon as they were able to – excited to go back to serving their customers once again. Of course, it’s currently limited to those with outside space, but that hasn’t stopped a great many places from opening their doors once again.

Southsea Seafront

The seafront has been a bustling destination even during the strictest lockdowns, with people heading to the open space and fresh air for their permitted exercise. Now that restrictions are lifting, the area continues to be popular, but not just for runners and cyclists...

The Briny and Southsea Beach Café have both re-opened to visitors, offering views out over the Solent as well as top quality food and drink. It’s a similar story at the end of South Parade Pier, where Deep Blue is serving up fish and chips outdoors, whilst Mozzarella Joe’s has also opened its patio for al fresco dining.

Old Portsmouth

The historic old town is these days as famous for its excellent pubs as its heritage – so it’s no surprise many people are flocking to this area for refreshment.

The Still & West and Spice Island are welcoming guests back to their terrace areas – which offer unrivalled views out across the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour and across to Gunwharf Quays. Meanwhile, over at the Camber you have the Bridge Tavern, where you can enjoy a drink watching fishermen bring their haul to shore.

If you want to try some of that seafood, head to ABar near the Wightlink ferry terminal, where you can enjoy the catch of the day with a chilled glass of wine to wash it down.

Gunwharf Quays

The bars and restaurants at Gunwharf Quays are hardly short of outdoor space, so there’s plenty to choose from here. The likes of All Bar One, Eden and The Old Customs House have long been favourites for al fresco drinking and dining even before it was the only option available. These have large outdoor areas bathed in sunshine for you to rest up after a trip to the shops.

Alternatively, head over to Café Rouge, Carluccio’s or Loch Fyne for some quality food looking out towards the Spinnaker Tower and harbour.

There’s a huge selection to enjoy at Gunwharf Quays, so head to the website for full details and the latest opening hours.

Southsea

Though areas such as Albert Road and Osborne Road have long been associated with great food and drink, outdoor space is more of a premium here, so not all have been permitted to open straight away. However, a good number are still able to welcome their customers back – and even those which aren’t can still offer a takeaway service, enabling you to keep supporting your favourite places.

Among those which have been able to re-open are the Southsea Brewhouse & Kitchen – with its huge patio area overlooking the western side of Southsea Common. So too is the nearby Parade Tea Rooms, where you can get a cake and coffee right on the common. Similarly, the Tenth Hole has also re-opened, so you can sample its famous range of sweet treats, or grab a hearty breakfast or lunch.

Down at the eastern end of Southsea Common you’ll find the Coffee Cabin and Waterfront Tea Rooms for a caffeine fix, or enjoy something stronger at the Jolly Sailor on Clarence Parade.

Eastney

It’s a similar story at Eastney, with the Bransbury Park Café open for you to enjoy a hot drink on the benches outside. Or, head off to the coastal area around Lock Lake for some food and drink at the Thatched House pub – which has a huge number of tables looking out over the still water.

There’s also the Eastney Tavern garden which is taking email bookings, or the Coffee Cup's bench seating, where you can just walk up and have a coffee right on the beach.

  

All these are just a selection of the places open right now in Portsmouth for outdoor service. As ever, check ahead with your favourite place to see if it’s open yet, and always book in advance (where available) to ensure you can secure your slot. Remember to follow the guidelines at all times, and be respectful of others around you as we all try to deal with the ever-changing situation.