Destination Ventnor

Ventnor is undoubtedly the coolest, quirkiest seaside resort on the Island, and it has never felt so alive. There’s so much to see and do, from exploring its independent boutiques and artisan shops to discovering the best local places for incredible food and drink.

Tracy and Chris Holbrook welcome you to ice cream nirvana at Crave

Everyone is so welcoming and it’s clear the town is thriving because all the local businesses are passionate about providing customers with something different, and supporting each other. They promote local produce, brands, arts and crafts, and are rewarded by Islanders, second homeowners, and tourists returning for more again and again.

Ventnor’s seaside vibe is well and truly back, and there are plenty of ice cream stop-offs around town, but Crave is truly an ice cream destination. Tracy and Chris Holbrook opened their popular ice cream parlour seven years ago, and make the ice cream onsite daily. They always use the best quality Italian ingredients for their special recipe, honed by trial, error, and lots of good advice.

Offering 24 different flavours, including dairy-free options, Tracy says, “We love being in Ventnor, and have the best job in the world.

We wanted a seasonal business, had big imaginations, and it’s all turned out beyond our expectations. We come to work, have fun, and make people smile.” You can sample heavenly flavours

Sensational savouries in The Kitchen @ London House Soak up the relaxed vibe at Cantina Possibly the best scones on the Island

like Jammie Dodger or Malted Teaser from 10am-6pm, seven days a week throughout the summer months. The Island’s southernmost town has become a real foodie destination, where local menus are full of fresh produce grown, farmed, caught or made on the Island. Sally Cooper owner of The Kitchen @ London House says of the town, “We’ve been here six years now, and it’s definitely the place to be. We’re busy all year round and I wouldn’t want to work anywhere else.” Her sandwich shop, deli, and bakery provides delicious light bites, lunches, homemade cakes, pastries, milkshakes, smoothies, and much more, all to take away. The deli sandwiches are incredible – the salt beef comes enveloped in thick wedges of Island-baked speciality breads, like roasted red onion and olive focaccia, with gherkins, melted Monterey jack cheese and mustard mayo. Their bakery offerings are out of this world, from brownies to sausage rolls, and possibly the best scones on the Island. Sally will soon be opening the space next door as a bistro, for breakfasts, brunches, and afternoon teas, so keep an eye out for that too. Whether you pop in for brunch, a coffee or evening meal, Cantina always has an easy-going vibe. Partners Dita Kristopaviciute and Adam Edmunds showcase fresh local ingredients on their largely Mediterranean-inspired menu. You’ll find distinctly different dishes here, and for brunch you can savour a full English breakfast, try shakshuka – a deliciously simple dish with poached eggs in a tomato and pepper sauce – or Swedish Hash, a tasty bowl of potato, onion, beetroot, and sausage, topped with a perfectly fried egg. They’re well known for their good coffee, from specialist London roasters Square Mile, and on Friday and Saturday evenings the restaurant opens for customers to enjoy dinner in the same relaxed environment. When sisters Debra Hart and Kay Russe were looking for somewhere to establish their café, Two Cooks, they knew in their hearts Ventnor was where they wanted to be. “We love Ventnor, we live and work here now, and it doesn’t get any better. We’ve carried on with same ethos we started with offering freshly cooked food, using local ingredients where possible, with a flexible menu, creating minimum wastage.” Their breakfast menu includes everything from a full English, with vegetarian options, to boiled egg and soldiers, with light lunches like omelettes, bagels, and jacket potatoes, and you can’t leave without sampling the delicious

From Italian favourites... ...to fine dining ... all served with true Ventnor hospitality

homemade cakes. It’s real cooking from the heart. They’re supported by local customers all year round, and visitors return because it’s a friendly, welcoming place. One of the newest eateries in town is Amarcord Pizzeria e Ristorante. The owner fell in love with Ventnor and took almost a year to completely renovate the restaurant. Now, with a warmly industrial dining area upstairs, and a brighter, Mediterranean-style space below, this labour of love opened as an Italian pizzeria in April. Their pizza dough uses a special blend of flours not found anywhere else in the UK, and they use as many local ingredients as possible. The owner uses Isle of Wight tomatoes because they have a fantastic flavour, and give Italian tomatoes a real run for their money. There’s a good selection of tapas, with a Steakhouse and cocktail bar coming very soon, and the whole space is available for private functions. Check facebook for the latest updates and opening times. Another very inviting option for lunch this season is The Royal Hotel. In good weather you can make the most of al fresco dining, surrounded by pink climbing geraniums in the beautiful gardens, or enjoy relaxed dining in the Conservatory and Brasserie. Customers can always expect top class service, and superb food using seasonal and fresh ingredients. The Island’s best produce is showcased on the menu in dishes such as The Royal’s classic Gallybagger cheese soufflé, Briddlesford halloumi served with beetroot hummus, a half or whole local lobster, and sumptuous panna cotta with a Mermaid Gin granita and mint. Their weekday lunch menu is available Monday to Saturday from 12 noon to 3pm, and you can also stop by for dinner, Afternoon Teas and Sunday lunches. Perched majestically on the cliff overlooking Ventnor seafront, The Hambrough’s friendly team welcomes all to its bar and restaurant, whether you’re popping in for a coffee, a cocktail, or a three-course meal. Multi-award-winning executive chef Matthew Tomkinson prepares exquisitely tasting dishes cooked from scratch, using the best quality local produce. Lunches are delicious, and very good value at £25 for two courses, or £30 for three. There’s even

There are three noticeable archways between buildings in the shopfronts of Ventnor - see if you can find them. They are there because a waterway is running beneath them – hopefully in a large pipe a long way beneath your feet.

For those with a sweet tooth... ...or families to feed ...there are feasts for all in Ventnor

a charming tiered garden for lunching outdoors. The dinner menu includes starters like slow-cooked heritage beetroot, with whipped Briddlesford Farm fetter (the local version of feta cheese), or mains like Cotswold white chicken, with white onion puree and wild garlic. Moving down from the town past the pretty Cascades waterfall, and iconic Isle of Wight-shaped paddling pool towards the seafront, the good food just keeps coming. Toni Horsfield opened her bustling seafront café, Toni’s Tea Room in 2019 and says, “I want my customers to feel like they’re in my front room, surrounded by plants and homely touches. We make sandwiches to order, and customers can essentially build their own, with as much or as little as they want. We make our own cakes and fabulous gluten-free cream teas here too.” With tables outside, customers can soak up the beauty of Ventnor Bay with a tea or coffee. Open seven days a week, the café is dog friendly, with resident dogs Florence and Tallulah happy to provide cuddles to anyone who needs them. “We get lovely feedback which warms my heart. I try to give people what they want, so they go home with a smile, and want to come back.” Situated at the heart of the bay, and 2021 winners of best restaurant at the Red Funnel Awards, Smoking Lobster is yet another jewel in Ventnor’s crown. Specialising in seafood, cooked to perfection with a blend of pan-Asian flavours, it quickly established itself as the place to be. Manager Paris Curzon says, “We cook everything fresh, using seafood caught by local fisherman Justin Urry, and our new menu features dishes like tempura lobster, lime and mango sweet chilli uramaki, or katsu yellowfin tuna with soy cured quail egg, ginger and wasabi cream”. There’s outdoor seating here too, and drinks include Asian-inspired cocktails, quality sakes, old world wines, and fizz. Here you can eat delicious and beautifully presented seafood, in a contemporary space right next to the sea. For more than 30 years, The Spyglass Inn has been an iconic landmark overlooking Ventnor Bay. Here, you really can enjoy a pint with a view. Bar manager Jo Gibbs says, “We work in the best office in the world. We’ve got amazing views, we meet lovely people, and I’m proud to be serving really good food in such an established venue. It’s a proper family-owned pub, and you don’t find many like this anymore.”

Street food in Ventnor is something special

The characterful interior is more like a nautical museum, housing owner Neil Gibbs’s 50 year collection that pays tribute to Ventnor’ smuggling heritage. Food is served all day, prepared to order using local produce like freshly caught seafood. There’s an extensive wine list, and on most evenings throughout the summer, live music fills the air. Moving back up to town, Jo Keyes’s upmarket burger van has become a familiar sight at the unusual location of St Catherine’s Church on Friday and Saturday evenings. Jo was working at Stripped in Ventnor when lockdown closed the restaurant, and Stripped on the Road was born. She took over this mobile business last year, and says, “Stripped was a bit different, always thinking outside the box, and I love that I’m working with something that’s got such a great reputation, and provides quality food.” Andy Flood is Jo’s chef and right-hand man in the van, cooking up delicious burgers, plant-based options, creative fusion fries, and unexpected accompaniments like refreshing tomato and watermelon salad. Everything is freshly made here,

from buns to the burgers, sauces, and toppings. Customers can pre-order online or just rock up. From 4th June the van will pitching up at Freshwater Bay on Saturday evenings, with Thursdays and Fridays in Ventnor.

Ventnor has its own flower, Ventnor Pride, which grows along the cliffs and out of walls around the town. Introduced from the Mediterranean, this pink flowering plant called Red Valerian (centranthus ruber) became naturalised, but Ventnor may have been one of the earliest places in the UK it appeared.

For great drinks, head to Drunken Lobster, an Izakaya bar, which is

Browse vintage sounds at Ventnor Exchange

Japanese for ‘stay drink place’. The cool, welcoming ambience certainly makes it a very inviting place to unwind with a sophisticated cocktail or two. Bar manager Rob Gilmore loves the experimental element of making cocktails, coming up with new techniques and combining unusual spirits with mouth-watering ingredients like fresh apple and coconut. Their ‘Smoking Old Fashioned’ even uses smoke, and Rob explains, “We use oak chips to create a really nice woody aroma, because that smell is associated with the bourbon.” It’s a real experience watching the cocktail come together in the glass,

Ventnor has a beautiful, gently sloping beach of sand and fine shingle set in a sheltered bay. The southernmost beach on the Isle of Wight the beach is popular all year round but is more tranquil than the larger resorts even at the height of the summer season. Nestled in the bay beneath the tumbling tiers of the Victorian town you will find vintage beach huts – and deckchairs for hire. Ice creams and fresh seafood as well as traditional family pubs and dining.

The steep south-facing St. Boniface Down is chalk down that acts like a shielding blanket to Ventnor. Its summit, 241 metres, is the highest point on the Island, with views stretching from Beachy Head to the east, Portsmouth to the north and the Isle of Portland to the west make this a true Isle of Wight viewpoint.

Find a hidden treasure at Reggie’s Records Bethany and Ku take a break from the design studio

but of course, the best part is drinking it. With a range of Japanese whiskeys, premium sake and wines, we bet you’ll find something new to try here. For a chilled blend of arts, culture, good drinks, and company, pop into Ventnor Exchange. The town’s social and creative hub is run by Mhairi Macaulay and Jack Whitewood, the team that delivers the eclectic Ventnor Fringe festival. The specialist craft beer bar offers around 50 varieties, with an extensive wine list and selection of gins. They also make a mean cocktail - their Gooseberry Bramble is worth a taste. You can order teas, coffees, and add an Isle of Wight cheeseboard at any time of day while playing board games on the comfy sofas. The versatile Exchange hosts a variety of creative performances and workshops all year round, and is a record shop too. If music is your thing, then you’ll also have to visit Reggie’s Retro. The shop is a collaboration between Sharon Holloway and Mick Sumner, a second-hand vintage record trader. Sharon runs the place day to day, and says, “There’s something special about visiting a record shop. People can spend time just mooching, and chatting to other customers. It’s an experience you can’t get online. It stimulates the senses, you can browse through the records, listen to music, appreciate art on the covers with aromas of incense, all in a chilled space.” A vinyl lover’s dream, it stocks everything from funk and soul, to ‘80s, EDM, and jungle. You can also browse for gifts, like T-shirts, socks, puzzles, mugs, vinyl accessories, and incense here. The creative vibe in Ventnor is very strong, and you’ll find a wealth of local talent creating a variety of desirable things. At Honeybourne Jewellery the windows, walls, and cabinets are adorned with the gorgeous items fashioned right here. As well as jewellery, you’ll find unusual vintage dome frame pictures, enchanting door plates, and tealight holders, lovingly crafted by owner Sophie Honeybourne and her team. “We see that as jewellery for the home, and the shop is just the tip of the iceberg of what we do. We take so many commissions, and I never know who’s coming in or what I’ll be asked to do next. One little spark from an order I’ve discussed and designed with a customer can inspire a whole range. I love it, and never get bored.” The team can also upcycle sentimental or old jewellery to make a special new piece. Kimiko Ure opened her jewellery studio Ku six years ago, and now shares the airy space with fellow designer Beth Hayes.

Adorn your home... ...treat your body ... uplift your spirit.

Their exquisite jewellery is made on-site, largely inspired by the Island’s delicate natural forms and ever-changing seascapes. Creating commissioned pieces for all price brackets and occasions, Beth says, “I love that silver starts off as a boring piece of wire, and you need to use creativity to mould and shape it, to transform it into something customers will love for years.” Kimiko adds, “I think of each individual item as a piece of art that can enrich life with its beauty. I want to make sure the wearer of my jewellery feels very special.” The studio also showcases local art in the gallery space downstairs. It’s hard to pass the window display of colourful clothing and homeware without being drawn into Luchelle Boutique. As well as stylish ladies’ fashions, there’s a small children’s section, with an array of gifts, jewellery, bags, and sunglasses. Debbie Malcolm has owned her family-run boutique for three years, and enjoys every aspect of what she does, saying, “I just love shopping — picking the garments and homeware to sell, and meeting the variety of people that come in.” Debbie likes to stock things that are a bit different and supports local traders, selling cute beach huts made using recycled wood from Ventnor beach by Trudi Bridgeman Design, natural skincare from Duxmore Botanics, and The Constant Doodler’s clever greetings cards. Ventnor is also home to awardwinning organic vegan skincare range Blue Labelle. Entrepreneur Pascale Edwards-Labelle started her brand in 2011, and now produces it at her shop, Blue Labelle Boutique. She says, “People can come in for skincare advice, and I give them a consultation before recommending products to suit them.” Her award-winning Argan and Sea Buckthorn face oil replenishes and rejuvenates the skin, and nourishing lip balms in delicious flavours like peppermint and cacao or Italian bergamot are packaged in eco paperboard tubes. “I love it when tourists come in asking if anything’s made in Ventnor, and I can say all of this is,” smiles Pascale. Her products sit beside other ethical brands like Lavera and Benecos, and she sells locally made gifts, from art to candles, essential oils, bath products, and diffusers. On the theme of self-care and health, Laura Jane Toogood offers a wide range of beauty and holistic therapies at her welcoming unisex salon

Laura Jane.

Having grown up next door to a Romani gypsy, who taught her about crystal balls and tarot, she’s always had an interest in the holistic side,

Paul and Dee champion fresh local produce Farm to fork is just a short journey thanks to Ventnor Butchers

saying, “Holistic therapies treat the mind, body, spirit, and emotions, and can be really beneficial, particularly after the stresses of of recent years.” The shop front stocks candles they make themselves, a variety of crystals, incense sticks, and local brands like Earth Conscious cream deodorants. “We also host friendly, informative talks and workshops, where groups or individuals can learn about everything from chakras and charm casting to aromatherapy or making dreamcatchers.” What you put inside your body is important too, and at Five a Day you’ll find shelves filled with daily goodness, as fresh and local as it can be. Owners Paul and Dee McMullin are born and bred in Ventnor. They saw a gap in the market to open this charming, traditional, greengrocery 11 years ago and have never looked back. The couple has built up good relationships with local growers, and supply several restaurants and hotels in the area. “As well as locals, we get a lot of holidaymakers and second homeowners coming in, often looking for Isle of Wight produce to take back home.” At this time of year Isle of Wight asparagus and juicy cherries from Godshill are top sellers, and are a real taste of the Wight. There’s always plenty on offer, from high quality local tomatoes to free range Isle of Wight eggs, with accompaniments like Non’s local marmalades and pickles, and Isle of Wight honey. Paul Whitewood, owner of Ventnor Butchers, is now the only butcher grazier on the Island. He began learning his trade straight out of school, and has owned sheep since he was 10 years old. Now, his flock of around 250 Dorset horns and polled Dorsets roam on local land, providing the shop with the highest quality fresh lamb. Paul says, “It’s really satisfying when you can breed and raise the lamb, prepare it for the customer and they come back in to tell me how good it was.” They sell beef from Westcourt Farm in Shorwell, and all the sausages are hand-made on the premises, with a variety of tempting flavours like Ventnor spicy leek. You’ll find plenty more meats and accompaniments to create a delicious summer barbeque too.

Wall lizards (Podarcis muralis) live in Ventnor, and you’ll often see them on rockeries and rocky walls around the town on sunny days. Originally from Italy, it is thought that a Victorian botanist may have introduced them to Ventnor, or that they escaped from an Italian shipwreck.

Contemporary art... Quirky gifts... ...and Hurst’s Dave Rudman can supply everything else!

Ventnor Butchers, Five a Day and The Kitchen @ London House also provide a free local delivery service for customers to order meats, grocery, and bakery products to their homes, another example of how the businesses aim to support each other here. “We’re so lucky in Ventnor, we’ve got everything here, the sea, beautiful walks, all the shops but, most of all, the people. It still has a community feel which is hard to find these days. Quirky, arty, like-minded people are drawn here, and end up staying,” says Lesley Genge, who’s lived and worked in Ventnor for many years. Everything inside her well-loved shop Lesley’s Nutshell supports a healthy and ethical lifestyle. The wide range of health foods and supplements include Isle of Wight mushroom tinctures, containing non-hallucinogenic medicinal mushrooms like Lions Mane, said to be beneficial for the brain, anxiety, and depression. There’s also a range of carefully sourced, natural, and environmentally friendly gifts, fairtrade homeware, locally made children’s clothing, and traditional toys. More unusual gifts can be found in Quirkies, the perfect name for a shop in the quirkiest of Island towns. Owned by partners Joanne Dore and Gavin Pullman, it’s packed with gift ideas and homeware for all ages. Joanne says, “We just pick things for the shop that we like — we need to feel passionate about what we sell, and we love to find those odd things that people haven’t seen before.” You can’t help but be captivated by the shelf full of beautiful Mova globes, magically spinning using just the earth’s torque and lights. Stylish click clocks light up when you

clap your hands, and there are plenty more items to quirk up your life, from striking steampunk sculptures and decorative skulls to Sass and Belle children’s tableware. If you’re looking for something more classic to enhance your world, it’s worth visiting Jackie and Pete Burfield

The streams running down under Ventnor from the Downs emerge at the top of the Cascade on Ventnor’s Shore Road. These attractive waterfall gardens were designed in around 1900 by Edgar Harvey, the Town Surveyor (1856-1943).

at Burfields Antiques, Art and Design. Established on the Island for 40 years, their blend of antiques and contemporary art really complement each other, drawing in customers of all ages and varied tastes. Jackie says, “We generally deal in antiques from the early 17th to early 20th Century, and our main love is period oak furniture. Pete just has the ability to spot a good piece.” Last year, Burfields was visited by TV’s Salvage Hunters, who discovered plenty of exciting finds to feature on the show. The shop also promotes modern art, including ceramics and sculpture, from a range of leading local artists, and you can find garden and architectural antiques in a separate space next door. And if you need anything else for your home or garden, you can expect to find it at W Hurst and Son’s. This independent Ironmonger is a real Island treasure. Dave Rudman is the Ventnor store manager and has

been working for the business for 21 years. He says, “It really is one of those shops that you don’t see around much anymore. We sell everything that people need, even out of season, stocking over 20,000 products.” These include barbecues, charcoal, all you’ll need to prepare your garden for summer, gifts, and homeware. What sets this store apart is the friendly, traditional customer service. Dave and the team will always go out of their way to provide expert advice and ideas to help you find exactly what you need. Lawrence Allen knows the area well, and has sold hundreds of incredible properties in Ventnor, and the surrounding villages, since establishing 01 Estate Agents in town 16 years ago. He says, “I run the business, so I’m involved with everything and enjoy every aspect of the job. We offer a full service for clients and always go above and beyond to make all our customers happy. I see all kinds of individual and unique properties, and beautiful Victorian buildings, which keeps things fun and interesting. The area is so desirable, with the National Trust downs, beaches, countryside and coastline, and Ventnor just has its own quirky side, which draws people to it.” Ventnor certainly has plenty of stunning spaces where you can picnic, sunbathe, play, walk, and generally explore to create a different experience each time you visit. It really does have a special magic about it. There’s a buzz in the air, and there’s never been a better time to uncover all of Ventnor’s delights.

Karl Marx visited Ventnor on several occasions and convalesced here in the last years of his life, staying at number 1, St Boniface Gardens where there is a blue plaque in commemoration. Marx claimed to his friend Engels that: “One can stroll here for hours enjoying both sea and mountain air at the same time.”