Ryde is the first thing most people see when they arrive on the Isle of Wight: the pier, the sand running a long way out at low tide, the Solent behind you and the town rising in front. It is also one of the best places to eat on the Island.
Getting to Ryde
Ryde is the easiest arrival point on the Island. The FastCat foot-passenger ferry from Portsmouth Harbour lands at Ryde Pier Head in about 22 minutes, and the hovercraft from Southsea reaches Ryde Esplanade in ten. Both leave you a short walk from the town centre. With a car, the vehicle ferries come into Fishbourne, a short drive away, and East Cowes.
Which matters for one reason: you can be sitting down to lunch overlooking the Solent less than half an hour after leaving the mainland. The FastCat runs late enough for dinner, too: here are the boats and the last one home.
Breakfast
At RT Café Grill the kitchen serves breakfast from 8.30am Thursday to Saturday and 9am on Sunday: proper cooked plates, pastries, good coffee, and the view doing the work while you wake up. Walk-ins are welcome at the bar if you have not booked.
Lunch, with the Solent in view
Lunch is RT Café Grill at its most relaxed. The menu changes with the seasons: grills, plates and classics, with Island produce where we can get it. The dining room has windows on the water, so you can watch the ferries cross while you eat. In the warmer months the terrace opens for lunch in the sun.
Lunch runs from noon to 3pm. It is the easiest table to get. On Sundays from September to May it is the Sunday roast, with last orders at 3.30pm.
Afternoon tea
If you want something between lunch and dinner, afternoon tea runs from 2.30pm on the days we’re open, with last orders at 3.30pm: finger sandwiches, warm scones, pastries and a pot of tea, from £35 a head. Add Prosecco, English sparkling or Champagne if you fancy it. It is pre-booked only, with 24 hours’ notice.
Dinner
Dinner is the same room turned down a few notches: candlelight, the water going dark, cocktails from the bar. The menu shifts with the season and with what has landed that day, with steaks and fish from the grill. Dinner is served every day we’re open, except Sundays from September to May, from 5.30pm, with the last table at 8.45pm.
Drinks, and the sea-view bar
You do not need a table for the best of it. The bar and terrace are open from 9am, until 10pm Thursday to Saturday and until 5pm on Sunday, for drinks and bar snacks: oysters, a glass of rosé in the afternoon, cocktails as the light goes over the Solent. Walk-ins welcome.
For something special
Downstairs from the restaurant there are two more ways to eat.
- The Cellar: two private dining rooms looking into the wine cellar. The 1982 takes 8 to 16 guests, The 1945 takes 12 to 20. Menus planned with you. Each room has a minimum spend on food and drink, which depends on the day and the season. A deposit of £20 a person, on the room’s minimum numbers, confirms the booking.
- Thompson’s: Chef Robert Thompson MBE’s tasting menu, six, seven or eight courses from £100 a head, served at lunch and dinner on selected dates each month.
The practical bits
RT Café Grill, Royal Maritime House, 17 St Thomas Street, Ryde, PO33 2DL
Thursday to Sunday from September to May, Tuesday to Sunday in June, July and August. Breakfast 8.30am to 11am Thursday to Saturday and 9am to 10.30am on Sunday; then, from September to May, lunch noon to 3pm and dinner 5.30pm to 8.45pm Thursday to Saturday, and Sunday lunch from noon, last orders 3.30pm
Bar and terrace from 9am: until 10pm Thursday to Saturday, until 5pm on Sunday
FastCat from Portsmouth Harbour, 22 minutes to Ryde Pier Head. Hovercraft from Southsea, ten minutes to Ryde Esplanade
Tables for one to seven online, up to two months ahead. Eight or more, call 01983 526118
No guest parking on site; two public car parks within a two-minute walk, one opposite
Frequently asked
Where is the best place to eat in Ryde with a sea view?
RT Café Grill on St Thomas Street has a 180° view of the Solent from the dining room, plus a terrace in good weather.
Do I need to book, or can I walk in?
Walk-ins are welcome at the bar and terrace for drinks and bar snacks. For a table, especially at lunch and dinner in summer, book ahead: one to seven guests book online.
What time does RT Café Grill open?
Thursday to Sunday from September to May, Tuesday to Sunday in June, July and August. Breakfast 8.30am to 11am Thursday to Saturday and 9am to 10.30am on Sunday; then, from September to May, lunch noon to 3pm and dinner 5.30pm to 8.45pm Thursday to Saturday, and the Sunday roast from noon, last orders 3.30pm. The bar and terrace serve from 9am, until 10pm Thursday to Saturday and 5pm on Sunday.
Is there anywhere in Ryde for a special occasion dinner?
Yes. The Cellar has two private dining rooms for 8 to 16 and 12 to 20 guests, and Thompson’s serves a tasting menu at lunch and dinner on selected dates. Both are beneath RT Café Grill.
How do I get to Ryde from the mainland?
The FastCat from Portsmouth Harbour takes about 22 minutes to Ryde Pier Head; the hovercraft from Southsea takes ten minutes to Ryde Esplanade. Both land a short walk from the restaurant.
