Dining Out
The visitor is spoilt for choice for restaurants and cafes when visiting Winchester. Indeed, the city boasts a number of award-winning establishments. The range of eateries easily caters for all visitors, and all budgets, whether it's a simple sandwich or tea-shop you're looking for or a sumptuous meal from an nationally recognized restaurant. And all can be found close to the centre in this compact city. Even the cathedral has a rather nice restaurant for the weary pilgrim!
The town offers the usual fast food outlets and numerous sandwich shops. You can also eat, especially lunch, at many of the town's pubs - this is probably the cheapest option if you want a hot and filling meal. The following restaurants and cafes are, by no means, a complete list. They are a selection of places that I have eaten at and can recommend.
The Cathedral Refectory offers good value for money meals, ranging from tea and cake, to hot meals. The building is beside the cathedral (but discreetly out of site) and the building if light and airy and affords a nice view to a walled garden.
The Lock Fyne Restaurant on Jewry Street is on Jewry Street in one of the oldest buildings in the city. It specializes in fish cuisine and the food is delicious. It's price range is from medium to high, so not ideal for the budget traveller.
The Chesil Rectory Restaurant is on Chesil Street on a timber framed building dating from around 1450 AD. It was the site of the first Sunday School in Winchester. The cuisine is traditional British and it is on the more expensive side. I have mixed revues on both food and service; all I can say, is that on both occasions I've eaten there, both the food and service were excellent.
The Old Vine Restaurant is on Minster Street and overlooks the cathedral, so try and get a table near the window. I've eaten lunch there once and the food was good . The lunch menu was around the medium to expensive price range.
The Prezzo is a chain of Italian restaurants and is on Jewry Street. It has a light, modern interior and it's lunch-time set menu is very good value. The staff are very friendly and it has a loyal clientele.