Given the size and population of Bournemouth, it is no surprise to learn that there are plenty of restaurants. And plenty of take aways serving all kinds of food from the humble fish and chips to Italian, Indian and Chinese.
At the top end, there are no Michelin starred restaurants, and Bournemouth has not established a name as a culinary destination, in the way that Padstow in Cornwall and Dartmouth in Devon have through celebrity chef connections. Is it a place to avoid for foodies? Well a number of restaurants boast chefs who have trained and worked in Michelin star restaurants, so there is no doubt quality dining experiences out there.
But with hundreds to choose from, where to go? It would be nice to sample them all, if impractical and bad for the waistline! Instead here is TripAdvisor’s top 5 restaurants in Bournemouth:
- L’Assiette (English, French) – rated 1 of 166 – website.
- Mint Leaf (Contemporary Indian) – rated 2 – website.
- Ciao (Italian) – rated 3 – website.
- Gilbey’s Restaurant – rated 4 – website.
- Casa Pepe – rated 5 – website.
Elsewhere there is a plentiful choice to suit all budgets and tastes, spread across the town in the centre and the many suburbs. National chains can be found in the town centre – everything from Subway to Wetherspoons to Bella Italia as well the mix of national coffee chain shops such as Costa and Caffe Nero and independents, all with pavement tables for the warmer months.
Bournemouth has a vibrant nightlife with a combination of the university students and a reputation as a stag and hen night destination, though no different to any town centre on a weekend night.
Needless to say there are plenty of supermarkets dotted across the area to, some of which are open 24 hours a day except on Sundays, as shown on the map.
