Lunch in Portsmouth - first visit- advice?

[Cathpot]

Hi , I’m heading to Portsmouth to meet up with a friend who is over in UK briefly. We are meeting in Portsmouth, neither of us have been there before. Coming into Portsmouth harbour station just after lunch and need to kill 2 hours before air B and B available- any recommend? Thank you!

Portsmouth Harbour is very close to Gunwharf Quays which is full of chain restaurants. Or you can walk through to Southsea where there are more individual places. We had a nice lunch at The Parade Tearrooms a few months ago.

Old Portsmouth is nice to wander round too, but not sure about eating places. The Still and West has great views but is IMO overcrowded and overpriced.

Thanks for that. The air B and B is in Southsea- how far is that to walk roughly?

Southsea is huge so it depends where it is. Have you got a streetname?

Lawrence road

That's a good half hour walk, probably a couple of miles. I would imagine fairly easy to bus or taxi. It's off Albert Road which is a studenty area so probably plenty of places to eat there but it's not an area I get to very often now so not sure of specifics. A few restaurants in Elm Grove en route too.

Palmerston road has loads of independent cafes, I'd recommend Croxtons, Southsea Coffee co or Bread Addiction (on Elm Grove) for lunch but there's plenty of proper restaurants if you want a main meal. Gunwharf is by the station but it's chain restaurants if that's more your thing!

I would be inclined to skirt round Old Portsmouth (cathedral area), then along the back of Southsea Common and look for somewhere to eat in either the Castle Road or Osborne Rd areas before heading towards Lawrence Road.

Thank you very much!

If your air bnb is Lawrence road there are some nice places on Albert road or go a bit further to the tenth hole which is amazing :)

Or the courtyard at Southsea castle is lovely!

Meat and Barrell, Gin and Olive, Pie and Vinyl and Rosie's Vineyard. All in Southsea (Palmerston Road, Albert road area).

Oh yes, Tenth Hole (better for breakfast IMHO)

Yes, I've heard good things about the Tenth Hole but haven't been. There's another nice cafe right on the beach close to the Canoe Lake too.