There are many restaurants in the New Forest to tempt you, whether you are looking for 5-star dining, traditional English fare or trying a new cuisine from around the world, we’ve got your foodie needs covered with the best restaurants in the New Forest.
Here in the New Forest, we are one of the UK’s best-kept foodie secrets. But word is getting out – and it’s no wonder! Discover New Forest restaurants offering garden-to-plate seasonal dishes, influenced by our landscape, and ones that serve up all manner of cuisines. There is a lot of choice no matter what your preferred tastes or budget.
Cuisines from Around the World
Traditional dishes capturing the nature of the New Forest are what’s on offer at Careys Manor Hotel and SenSpa’s main restaurant, Cambium or sample the exotic Thai flavours in the hotel’s Zen Garden Restaurant. They are also home to Le Blaireau, a gorgeous brasserie, offering high-quality authentic French cuisine. There are plenty of options for dining at this luxurious spa hotel.
Aubrey's Forest Kitchen is a fantastic Italian restaurant located at Sandy Balls Holiday Village. With a fresh new look and a great choice of Italian classics, it's the perfect place to enjoy delicious food with your family and friends. Another place to eat and drink at Sandy Balls Holiday Village is The Woodside Inn.
Go Al-Fresco on the terrace at the 2 AA Rosette Awarded Beresfords Restaurant at Balmer Lawn Hotel. Enjoy some fantastic food at this stylish restaurant, and perhaps combine the experience with fine wines from some of the best wineries worldwide.
At Forest Park Hotel you have the choice of 2 different locations to enjoy their sumptuous local food. Their newly refurbished restaurant, The Acorn Room, is ideal for candlelit dinners, celebration meals and family get-togethers. Or you can dine at The Inn at Forest Park Hotel, where you'll find extravagant fabrics and decor mixed with country tradition and fantastic food and drink menus to choose from.
At the Stag restaurant at New Park Manor, families can expect a relaxed atmosphere with super family-friendly service and menus in this very child-friendly hotel. In the evenings, the restaurant is the epitome of fine dining serving local produce such as wild mushrooms and venison reared here in the New Forest plus herbs hand-picked from the hotel’s gardens.
If you fancy fish and chips or perhaps the kind of artisan and craft dishes you thought were only available in London, let us tempt you with our many restaurants. Take a look at the various restaurants that can be found in the New Forest in the listings below, you will find fine dining through to traditional English, Thai, Indian, French, Italian and Chinese cuisine as well as much more. If you know the area that you are staying in, why not use the search box on this page to find restaurants close to where you will be, or if there’s a specific type of cuisine that you are looking for then you can use the search box that way as well.
Award-Winning Dining
The Montagu Arms in Beaulieu is home to many awards and was recommended in the Good Food Guide 2018. Much of the ingredients that make up the stunning dishes come straight from the restaurant’s organic New Forest kitchen garden.
With three AA rosettes, Lime Wood has the relaxed, yet stylish, Hartnett and Holder restaurant. Expect a menu of delightful Italian-influenced dishes using lots of locally sourced produce; they define their style as ‘fun dining, not fine dining’.
Also with three AA rosettes is Le Blaireau at Careys Manor Hotel, Brockenhurst. Sample some of the best French cuisine in Hampshire paired up with the perfect French wines within the beautiful surroundings of the hotel.
The Pig Rooms and Garden Food, just outside of Brockenhurst has taken locally-sourced food to the next level. They offer a 15-mile menu where 95% of fresh ingredients are sourced from the local area. The menu on offer here can change by the minute depending on what is available in the kitchen garden or what the forager has found. It’s no wonder this restaurant has two AA rosettes to its name!
Live the life of luxury at the 5* Chewton Glen’s ‘The Dining Room’ or enjoy the more relaxed vibe at ‘The Kitchen’ at Chewton Glen, where the à la carte menu features wood-fired pizzas, gourmet burgers, superfood salads and much more.
You will also find restaurants with other awards, dotted around the New Forest. Just look at each of their entries for details or use the search box on this page to discover restaurants in the area you are staying.
Seasonal Dishes and Local Produce
Many of our restaurants make full use of the New Forest’s natural larder, using fish, meat and game from within our borders as well as locally grown and seasonal vegetables. You may even find meals accompanied by locally-produced English wine or a pint of ale brewed in the New Forest.
Look out for local specialities, such as the pork from our unique, roaming Pannage pigs. These pigs are released into the Forest during autumn to eat acorns and nuts that are poisonous to our New Forest ponies and other cattle.
Lots of our restaurants and eateries are proud to carry the New Forest Marque, indicating that the produce they use has been sourced locally and sustainably, helping to support the local economy.
Save Money on Eating Out in the New Forest
Buy a Go New Forest Card for just £10 and save lots of money off dining for up to 4 people at restaurants throughout the New Forest. These money-saving discounts are available at restaurants, cafés and other eating establishments as well as places to stay, attractions and shopping.
