Winchester - lunch and where to go for a few hours

[mumma24]

Hi, we're thinking of stopping off in Winchester to break up our journey from East Sussex to cornwall. Where's a nice place to stop off for lunch and look around the area, 2 adults and 2 teenagers

Thank you

Well there are millions of restaurants in town but they are mostly chains or quite expensive and not that good... There's a small pub chain which does very good food so you could try the Green Man or the Corner House or the St James Tavern - all good places to eat and walking distance from the high street.

Winchester is quite a nice place for a stroll - from the St James Tavern you could walk down from the top of the high street, pop into the Great Hall, through the Westgate, down to the Butter Cross on the High Street, then go through the arch into the Square, down to the Cathedral, round the back of the Cathedral Close, down past Winchester College and Wolvesey Castle, through the Abbey Gardens along the river, come out by the old city mill and the walk up the High Street again past the guildhall and the statue of King Alfred. An easy circular walk that takes in most of the sights and goes past some nice shops!

What sort of thing do you fancy? Pie carumba is fun for the teenagers maybe? Or the river cottage in abbey gardens for something fancier. If you just want a pizza without fuss the stable is nice.

The cathedral is v impressive and Jane Austen is buried there.

The Bugle in Twyford is amazing! Just outside Winchester

We like the river cottage canteen. It's not far from the city mill.

Wow thank you so much for your recommendations on places to eat and things to see and do. We like places that are a bit quirky, vintage, historic buildings, I love interiors, gardens, places with character. Happy with any food, pasta, pizza, pie and mash, salads but not too posh or expensive, looking forward to my visit

Thank you so much 😊

There's the usual places like ask Italian and a few chain pubs along the top like the gaolhouse (wspoons). The stable is fab but a little pricey. Alfie's is a lovely pub near the bottom part of the high street near king Alfred's statue. I ordered a portions of onion rings one and a huge bowl of them appeared rather than the expected about 6 rings In a tiny cup. The high street itself is very pretty to walk up and down, the cathedral is beautiful and well worth a walk around the grounds and maybe a visit inside as others have mentioned. Also on several days of the week there's also market stalls with food on sale also so if the weather is nice you could sit in either the gardens down by king Alfred's statue or the cathedral grounds and eat outside.

I Also second the river walk as also mentioned above.