The Coast Bar and Dining Room

On a visit, we met some friends in Cowes for dinner, and the Coast was a consensus choice — and it didn’t disappoint! The food was excellent — and the service was even better (thanks Cydney!) The list of specials for the evening included duck leg confit and mushroom risotto — quite good — and rich tasting — and we had the great antipasti and melted cheese starter, both highly recommendable.

This was our second visit to Cowes and we thoroughly enjoyed the food, the service and the ambiance. It’s been more than 2 years since our last visit but they are consistently delivering quality. Can’t wait to come back again; I know we won’t be disappointed.

With two menus, two different chefs, four main seating areas including one outside (and a smoker courtyard in the back), Coast offers a lot of diversity to the Cowes dining scene. It’s intended to be an Italian-​cuisine restaurant with wood fired pizza’s, Italian beer on tap, risottos and pastas, however they do have a few other meals catering to typical heavy English cuisine.
The best meal I’ve ever had here was a spicy pizza, drizzled with a little chili oil (which they have very good quality oil on hand). The worst meal was surprisingly the risotto, being undercooked and a combination of flavors that didn’t really mix well I thought. Everything in between that on the menus however are really some of the best in Cowes, if not England. The burger is ‘artisan’ and delicious, the wine list is well balanced, their deserts aren’t overpoweringly sweet.
This place deserves its success, and its success is shown by opening up a new dining room every few months to handle the demand it seems.

Such a relaxing spot. Coast seems to combine a coffee shop vibe with the feel of a restaurant and bar. The restaurant’s location along Cowes’ High Street ensures excellent people watching, especially during the height of sailing season. The décor is very calming and nautical, without being over-​the-​top, and the staff were attentive and pleasant. We came for lunch and did not feel rushed or pressed to order and get out by any means. All of the dishes were high-​quality and featured locally-​sourced ingredients. I ordered the risotto with parmesan and Isle of Wight asparagus and was pleased with my selection. I would definitely return to Coast on any future visits to the Isle of Wight.