A-Z of Hampshire Restaurants

North Hants Food Guide

Basingstoke & North Hampshire IVC members often visit many of the restaurants in and around Basingstoke listed below either individually or as part of a club event. The restaurants listed have been rated by 1 to 5 pictures of a plate depending on how many meals the reviewer(s) would be prepared to have in the restaurant in a year. The absence of a rating usually means that no-one from the club has arranged a meal at that restaurant so we are unable to give a rating.

Below is a guide to our rating system:


This is a restaurant ... enough said!	OK for a quick stop for food ... not a dining out place!	Nice Average Restaurant ... OK to dine out here occasionally!	Very Good ... One of our favourite regular dining places!	Excellent ... great restaurant to dine out anytime or take someone on a date!

Restaurant Name	Comment and rating
AMERICAN DINER
Chicago Rock Café, London St., B’stoke	An average restaurant ... infrequently used by IVC for meals out. The atmosphere is pleasant enough and the food is generally of a reasonable standard. Service can be a bit slow though generally acceptable. Busy on Weds tribute bands night and at the weekend. Cost is as you would expect for a chain establishment.
Dexters, Festival Place, B’stoke	The food and drinks can be on the pricey side but it is a very comfortable place to meet. IVC use the Dexters mostly for meeting in for a meal before going to the cinema and as an occassional venue for our Tuesday clubnight. The staff are friendly and attentive.
Little Frankies, Leisure Park, B’stoke	The food and drinks are generally what would be expected from a chain restaurant and it is a comfortable place to meet. The staff were friendly and attentive. It's certainly an improvement on the previous pizza restaurant that was on this site.
Rhu Bar, London St., B’stoke	This restaurant has a small upstairs room that is good for groups to book for a meal. IVC use the Rhu Bar mostly for occasional Sunday lunches which are very good value and quality ... but don't expect to be in and out quickly. The staff are friendly and attentive, though drinks are on the pricey side.
Spruce Goose, B’stoke Leisure Park.	An average Beafeater restaurant ... infrequently used by IVC for meals out. The atmosphere is pleasant enough and the food is generally of a good standard. Service is good with everything arriving when it should and the staff are attentive. Cost is as you would expect for a chain establishment.
Spur, Festival Place, B’stoke

CHINESE
Empress Garden, Yorktown Road, Sandhurst	A very nice restaurant offering a great value all you can eat menu for £14.95 in addition to all the usual choices. The atmosphere is very conducive to conversation and the food is of a high standard. Service is excellent with everything arriving when it should and the staff are friendly and attentive.
Cheng’s, Reading Road, Yateley
Hee’s, Town Centre, B’stoke
Kings Restaurant, High St., Odiham
Man’s Chinese, High St., Alton
Mayflower, May Place, Basingstoke
Wok This Way, High St., Hartley Wintney
Wusungdan, Winchester Street, Basingstoke	A nice restaurant offering a great value chinese buffet all you can eat menu. The atmosphere is conducive to conversation and the food is of a high standard. The food is self service and the staff are friendly and attentive for drinks. A good restaurant for a meal out rather than a celebration.

ENGLISH / HOTEL
Candlelight Restaurant, Alton House Hotel
Colleys Supper Rooms, Reading
Bartons Mill, Old Basing
Basingstoke Country Hotel, A30 Nr Hook
Bluebeckers, North Warnborough	A very popular old mill house restaurant ... particularly for IVC members looking for somewhere to hold their birthday celebrations. The atmosphere is very conducive to conversation and the food is always of a high standard. Service is good with everything arriving when it should and the staff are friendly and attentive. Great atmosphere with a very pretty boating lake at the back and the restaurant arranged on different levels.
Chef & Brewer, Down Grange, Basingstoke	Used several times by IVC for Xmas parties.. Chef & Brewer at Down Grange provide a consistent standard of good food with an excellent (if predictable) choice on the menu. This venue has been used by IVC for parties rather than meals out. Ordering of food and drink is self service at the bar, with food arriving in good time. Friendly waiting staff bring your order to the table. The self service aspect has affected the rating given to them by IVC. Always worth considering going to whenever they have an offer advertised in the papers.
Grapevine Bistro, High St., Odiham	A very popular high street restaurant. IVC visited this restaurant for the first time as part of the Hampshire Food Festival 2003. The atmosphere is very conducive to conversation and the food is of a very high standard. Service is good with everything arriving when it should and the staff are friendly and attentive. Great atmosphere for any occasion.
Lismoyne Hotel, Church Road, Fleet
New Mill Restaurant, New Mill Road, Eversley
Stilton Dish, Pheonix Green, Hartley Wintney
Tylney Hall, Rotherwick, Nr Hook

FRENCH
Churchills, Winchester St., Overton
La Foret, High St., Odiham

ITALIAN
ASK Pizzas, Festival Place, B’stoke	ASK is a new pizza and italian restaurant in Festival Place. The atmosphere is conducive to conversation, though the background music could be better. The food was of a mediocre though acceptable standard and has room for improvement. Service was OK with everything arriving when it should and the staff were friendly and attentive.
Ciao Baby Cucina, Festival Place, B’stoke	A very popular restaurant in Festival Place. The atmosphere is very conducive to conversation and the food is of a very high standard. Service is good with everything arriving when it should and the staff are friendly and attentive. Great atmosphere for any occasion and used frequently by IVC members and as a venue for new members meals.
Galetto's, London St., B’stoke
Pizza Express, Winchester Rd., B’stoke	A very popular restaurant with IVC ... particularly the Pizza and Jazz on Wednesday evenings. The atmosphere is very conducive to conversation and the food is always of a high standard. Service is good with everything arriving when it should and the staff are friendly and attentive. Pizza Express is often used by IVC members celebrating birthdays.
Pizza Hut, Retail Park, Winchester Rd., B’stoke	Not a high scoring establishment with the IVC. The one time we went here the air conditioning was over zealous leaving us and our pizzas cold. Service was imprecise with main course arriving before all the starters were finished. Also staff not sufficiently attentive ... too often we had to attract their attention to order food and drinks.
Pizza Hut, Festival Place, B’stoke
Zizzi's, London Street, Basingstoke	A well presented restaurant at the Top of Town. The restaurant has been used less frequently lately by IVC members since they started requiring deposits for party bookings. The decor is very relaxing and the atmosphere is very conducive to conversation. The food is of a high standard and the service is good with everything arriving when it should. The staff are friendly and attentive.

INDIAN
A Subhan Curry Palace, High St., Alton
Alton Tandoori, Normandy St., Alton
Bengal Brasserie, Winchester St., B’stoke	This is a very popular restaurant with IVC. The atmosphere is very conducive to conversation and the food is always of a high standard. Service is good with everything arriving when it should and the staff are friendly and attentive. It is usually the first restaurant suggested whenever anyone in IVC wants to have a curry in Basingstoke. It is always a good idea to book well in advance if taking a large party here.
Chineham Indian Cuisine, Old Reading Rd, B’stoke	This is another very popular Indian restaurant with IVC. The atmosphere is very conducive to conversation and the food is of a high standard. Service is good with everything arriving when it should and the staff are friendly and attentive. It is advisable to book in advance if taking a large party here.
Curry Palace, High St., Alton
Gate of India, Hook, B’stoke	The Sunday buffet lunch at this Indian restaurant is very popular with IVC. The service is good with everything arriving when it should and the staff are friendly and attentive. It is advisable to book in advance if taking a large party here.
Hook Tandoori, Station Road, Hook
Mina Balti House, London St., Whitchurch
Redfort Tandoori, Winchester St., Overton
Spice Indian Restaurant, Pack Lane, B’stoke
Standard Tandoori, Caversham Rd, Reading
Viceroy Indian, High St., Hartley Wintney


MEXICAN / TEX MEX
Chiquito, Virginia Water

PUB LUNCHES / PUB GRUB
Bush Inn, Ovington, Nr Alresford
Chequers Inn, Well
The Fur and Feathers, Herriard, A339 to Alton (RG25 2PN)	This is a very pleasant country pub that serves excellent home cooked food. The atmosphere is homely with a rouring log fire in the cold winter nights. This pub has featured more often in IVC events including being a regular venue for the Tuesday club night.
The Hampshire Arms, Crondall www.thehampshirearms.co.uk	This is a top class restaurant in very pleasant surroundings. The food is of good quality and well presented. The staff are attentive and it is really nice to meet the chef during the meal. This is an excellent restaurant that has achieved many prestigious catering awards.
The Hatch, London Rd., Old Basing
Harvester, Wnchester Rd., B’stoke
Hen & Chicken Inn, Froyle, Alton
Jeckyll & Hyde, A33 Stratfield Turgis
Purfoy Arms, Preston Candover
Raven Bar & Restaurant, Station Rd., Hook

SEAFOOD
Cromwells, High St., Odiham

SPANISH
El Picadero, London Rd., Camberley
La Tasca, Festival Place, B’stoke	The food here is very good and the service is prompt. The portions are generous on the banquet menu (good for groups) and the food is generally of a good quality. The atmosphere is pleasant and relaxed, though the place is usually very busy at the weekend so advance booking is essential.
Manuels’, Fleet Rd., Fleet

THAI
Lemon Grass, Upper Church St., B’stoke
River Kwai, Cross & Pillory Lane, Alton
Thai Smiles, 3, New St, Basingstoke	The food here is very good and the service is prompt and friendly. The restaurant has been used several times by the club as a venue for the new members meals. The atmosphere is pleasant and relaxed, though the place is usually fairly busy at the weekend so advance booking is essential.