

Grab a bite
As a student in Portsmouth, you've got plenty of options for delicious food – explore a few handpicked gems
Portsmouth is a fantastic eating city.
All the big names and chains are here – you'll find most of them gathered in one place in Gunwharf Quays – but what sets the city apart are our great independent restaurants and cafes.
Places to eat
All the places to eat and drink below are independently-owned and run. They're all either a short walk from our main University buildings, or near a stop on the free University bus (U1) route.
And all these places to eat and drink are just for starters: there are even more amazing places to discover a little further from our buildings, and well worth exploring. Dig in.
(All images, copyright the individual businesses.)
Coffee | Cakes | Sandwiches

Bread Addiction
Unbelievably good breads, pastries, sandwiches and cakes, made fresh on site. It's tiny inside, so getting a table is tricky, but the sourdough sandwiches and cinnamon buns are worth it > breadaddiction.co.uk

Hideout Coffee and Donuts
Opposite St. Andrews Court in the University quarter is Hideout – an insanely instagrammable place whose coffee and eye-popping donuts are as tasty as the interiors > @hideoutcoffeecompany

Hunter Gatherer
Catch the U1 to Festing Road to find Hunter Gatherer, where specialty coffee and incredible brunches and lunches await – 100% of the menu is vegetarian and almost everything is vegan too > huntergatherer.coffee

The Southsea Deli
An amazing deli in the heart of Southsea, where you can buy – and eat – fresh, healthy, seasonal food from small local and regional producers. Great for breakfast, lunch, and coffee > thesouthseadeli.com
Pizzas | Burgers | Street food

Need Street Food at The Merchant House
The award-winning Need Street Food serve insanely-good burgers, gyros, mac and cheese, and vegan grub at the Merchant House brewpub. Every order also funds the shipment of life-saving food to children overseas too > needstreetfood.co.uk

Outside-In Food Court
Based in a renovated warehouse near University House, you'll find great street food vendors – like Dumpling Dumpling and One Tonne Burger – at this plastic-free, cashless and popular spot > outside-in-food.com

Burgerz 'n' Brewz
Serving up stacked burgerz, loaded friez, sidez, craft brewz and winez, Burgerz 'n' Brewz celebrates street food and street art, with a full vegan menu and a sister hot dog restaurant, Bangerz 'n' Brewz if you prefer dogs to patties > burgerznbrewz.com
Seafood | Roasts | Comfort food

King's Street Tavern
Home to unbelievably good roasts on a Sunday – and home-smoked BBQ meats during the week – the King's Street Tavern is a cosy spot for a real feast. Good beers too > kingstreettavernsouthsea.co.uk

Southsea Beach Cafe
Right on the beach and serving great fresh seafood, the views from Southsea Beach Cafe across the Solent are amazing all year round, but especially in summer. Try the fish and chips > southseabeachcafe.co.uk

abarbistro
A cosy and always bustling pub-restaurant just a short walk from the Library, it's a good spot to take the parents when they're in town (especially if they're paying) > abarbistro.co.uk

Nicholsons Tapas
Next door to Hunter Gatherer is Nicholsons, an intimate and relaxed place where you'll find authentic Mediterranean tapas dishes. A good place to take a date > nicholsonsrestaurant.co.uk
Asian food

Lin's Thai Cafe
Lin's has been serving up great-tasting authentic Thai street food for ten years and counting, and you can bring your own drinks – two reasons it's been a student favourite for the last decade > linsthaicafe.co.uk

Sakura
Portsmouth's first Japanese restaurant opened in 2009 and has been bringing fantastic sushi, sashimi, temaki, ramen and noodles to the city ever since > sakura-portsmouth.co.uk

Noble House Chinese
A great Chinese restaurant run by one of our Entrepreneurs in Residence, Albert Choi, the food and service at the Noble House are well worth seeking out > noblehousesouthsea.com
Something different

Pie and Vinyl
Southsea's very own record store and pie shop hybrid, Pie & Vinyl is a cosy spot where you can stock up on records in between eating some great pie and mash. There's often live music too > pieandvinyl.co.uk

HUIS Belgian bar and kitchen
You'll find amazing croque toasted sandwiches, sweet Belgian waffles, schnitzel, moules frites and craft beers at Huis – which means 'house' in Flemish. A cool, relaxed place for lunch or dinner > huissouthsea.co.uk

Dice
Dice is a board game cafe that stays open until 10.00pm. It serves a snack menu and has a library of over 500 board games > diceportsmouth.com

Agora
A family-run restaurant serving up original and traditional Turkish and Greek dishes – including delicious mezze and authentic kebabs cooked over a real charcoal fire > agorarestaurant.co.uk
Found a new favourite? Discovered a delicious student-friendly place in the city? Let us know on Twitter.
Late-night gelaterias
Portsmouth also has 4 late-night gelaterias where you can socialise with friends over ice cream. One is open until 11.00pm and the other three are open until midnight.
More places to eat
Discover more fantastic places to eat in the heart of Portsmouth, with these restaurants and cafes right on your doorstep.
Andre's Food bar
The oldest independent sandwich shop in Portsmouth and Southsea
Andre's offers healthy and fresh food with a 10 per cent student discount, including baguettes, salads, baked potatoes and paninis.
Andre's food bar was started in 1988 by my aunty and uncle.
We're very proud that he was the inventor of many of our unique fillings.
We've grown to two shops.
We've got one in Southsea and one in the heart of the university district.
We like to think we offer healthy, fresh food so that students feel like they're living a healthy lifestyle whilst they're at university.
It's just a very convenient and just healthy option, really.
Whenever I'm popping into the library or whether I'm going to lectures or seminars, it's always just a handy place to pop in.
It's easy just to pick up lunch on the way.
We treasure them.
As such, we offer a 10% student discount.
Portsmouth for me, there's always a lot going on, especially when it's sunny.
The mood is just unrivalled.
You've got the beach, there's also a nice sense of community.
I think especially because there's a lot of students, it feels very tight-knit.
With the waterfront, the historic dockyard, a really good mix of nationalities.
I think that it's the perfect place to come and study a degree.
You've got everything available to you.
The Southsea Deli
An amazing deli in the heart of Southsea
Buy – and eat – fresh, healthy, seasonal food from small local and regional producers. Great for breakfast, lunch, and coffee.
I'm Daniel, I'm the owner of the Southsea Deli.
My name's Luke, I'm the general manager here.
I'm Michaela, I'm a second-year film production student.
We pride ourselves on being a small, friendly cafe, shop, cookery school where local people can come in, buy great products that are made locally.
People supporting us in Southsea, they're also supporting a whole wider range of local amazing food producers.
The world is trying to push for more locally sourced foods, and that's a variety that they have here is great.
We've also got lots of nice places to stay so you can have your laptop and use the Wi-Fi and just have a change of scenery.
It's very modern.
We can come here to study, we can come in.
It's just two as well as obviously the amazing food they have.
I think Portsmouth is a bit of a hidden gem is such a signal to students.
It's a small, lively setting.
There's so many local independent businesses.
I think that's what makes Portsmouth and Southsea so unique in its own way.
Meat and Barrel
A family run business near Southsea seafront
Meat and Barrel offers incredible burgers, wings, fries and craft beer from both local and international breweries.
Croxtons
A Kitchen and Tap House based on Palmerston Road
Serving unbelievably good beer, wine and spirits, along with delicious late-night food and cocktail deals.
Croxton's is a tap house in Southsea.
There's really good vibes at the nighttime with like cocktail deals and late-night foods, so everyone on a student budget likes a deal.
Before 1809, Southsea was named Croxton after Thomas Croxton.
All the owners are from Portsmouth, and I feel like the community is so strong in Portsmouth.
So it's just all about bringing local people together and remembering the history of Southsea.
It's the lazy seaside town.
It just stands out from other places.
Everywhere else down the road is chain based, whereas, here we have locally sourced craft beers.
It's so much different to everything else in Portsmouth.
Specialist supermarkets
Portsmouth is a multicultural city and we're lucky enough to have a number of specialist supermarkets nearby. The Okey Chinese Supermarket, Mediterranean Supermarket, and Polski Sklep Delicatessen Maya are all on the U1 University bus route, or just a short walk from it.
Food festivals
The city hosts food festivals throughout the year, including the Hampshire Street Food Awards, an annual Oktoberfest weekend, regular Vegan Festivals, and the yearly Southsea Food Festival in Palmerston Road.
Food delivery apps
Portsmouth has hundreds of restaurants – including many of those listed above – who deliver to your door through the Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat apps. They'll even deliver to the main entrance of our halls of residence (just don't keep them waiting too long...)
Find out more about life in Portsmouth
Take a closer look at more of the exciting things on offer in our amazing city.
Beaches, piers and parks
Portsmouth is a bustling city with the sea on our doorstep and green spaces all around.

Shopping in Portsmouth
We're home to great independent businesses, so shopping in the city is a real treat.

Portsmouth's music scene
Want to get involved in Portsmouth's music scene? Here's all you need to start.

Sport in Portsmouth
From water sports to football and quidditch - few cities can compete with Portsmouth's sports opportunities.
