Crab Shed in Isle of Wight

Crab and mackerel right by the sea. What more could you want? Not cheap, but nobody wants a cheap crab pasty and everything is here is top quality and is really good value. The wine is good quality too and compliments the food. Also, the setting is fab and with access a bit challenging you feel as if your meal is well earned.

Mackerel ciabatta sandwich - delicious

Simple good food done well. Crab pasties were delicious. Beautiful setting on a beautiful day. Will certainly return if in the area again.

Super friendly serving staff who were extremely helpful. I had an amazing crab pastie, delicious, seasoned to perfection and piping hot fresh from the oven. My friends had the salmon pastie and the sweet potato veggie option and said they were just as good. Thoroughly recommend a visit.

Great little place - on a sunny afternoon had a lovely glass of wine. Didn’t eat but looked lovely and very friendly staff. Would love to return one day

Stunning crab pasty and Salmon pasty. Views are out of this world

Worst experience on the Island. Terrible access and even worse service. Left waiting for food, which was only two pasties for over 45 minutes. Prioritised other customers over us and in the end had to get a refund without eating as they made us late for our ferry. My wife is heavily pregnant and she didn’t need this at all, they didn’t care. Terrible end to the holiday!

I heard about the Crab Shed whilst watching a show about steam engines on Channel 5 and thought I have to go there. Beautiful sea views, great rustic quirky cove and I have to say, fabulous crab pasties, so delicious I went back for another!! There was a queue but I could see why. Staff were great and very helpful. Lovely sitting area there also. Would definitely recommend 🍾😀

Seen this place on tv and it didn’t disappoint. Had the crab pasties (which were excellent and straight out of the oven) with a cold premium lager. I can totally recommend 👍🏻

Unbelievable location with amazing fresh local produce to match it. I would particularly recommend the mackerel ciabattas. However be sure to queue early as it can get quite busy during holiday times

A truly beautiful place, almost reminiscent of southern Crete. It is worth the little hike to this unique part of England and the Isle of Wight from Ventnor or beyond to experience the crab pasties or fresh seafood, to admire the picturesque setting and to listen to the waves. Definitely want to visit again.

Great fish taco's and holy Joe beer.

What a secret little gem! Tucked a way in the beautiful Steephill Cove that is kept by the locals. It’s clean, it’s friendly, it’s personal. We’d heard so many good reviews about the crab pasties and my gosh, they did not disappoint! Mine was so nice I had to go back up and get a second one. I think crab pasties should be available nationwide. The team here are all absolutely lovely too!

Such a lovely, welcoming family run and owned business. Every guest is cherished and the food, drink, service and aforementioned welcome are OUT OF THIS WORLD.! A joy, an annual pilgrimage, a total delight. Do not miss

Excellent crab 🦀 pasties absolutely delicious 😋 thank you x

What an absolute hidden gem. Such a lovely lady behind the counter and u can fully tell that a lot of love goes into these pasties and all that they do. Loved it and delicious to eat on the beach. We will return x

An absolute gem! We had the crab pasties (piping hot fresh from the oven) and some beers. They have the Lucky Saint hazy pale ale which I haven't seen anywhere before and tastes great. Oh, and back to the main thing: The pasties - they were delicous. Super friendly service and a lovely location. What else do you want?

I’ve been looking forward to coming here for ages. It surpassed my expectations! The welcoming staff added to the lovely atmosphere here and of course the crab pasty was absolutely amazing. I’ll be back very soon.

Definitely worth a visit...Best crab pasties ever with amazing vistas

The lovely ladies and exceptional scenery of Steephill Cove make eating at The Crab Shed a wonderful experience and I haven't even mentioned the famous Crab Pasties yet! They were absolutely delicious, hot, straight out of the oven and tasted incredible! Crab mixed with vegetables inside a flaky pasty - what's not to love? The pictures say it all. You cannot miss this place, drop in and you won't be disappointed! Fabulous, thank you!

Lovely crab pasties. My children absolutely loved the flavour. I’d definitely recommend the hike down a steep hill at the beach front to get to the hut. On a nice day, I imagine you’d get a lovely view from the hut.

Delicious crab pasty and mackerel ciabatta! Super friendly service too!

Independently recommended by two friends in London and met all expectations. Mackerel Ciabatta and Crab Pasty were delicious, all washed down with local Ventnor Grazed Knee Cider. Fab location, brilliant food and great service.

Amazing location, staff, service and food

Lovely little business, very tasty food & friendly staff. Hard to find the delightful quirky setting that is Steep Hill Cove but it was worth being rerouted correctly by Waze after our outdated sat nav took us to a dead end 😆. Parked in a private carpark with an honesty box, walked up a lane, past the cricket pitch & down a steep wobbly path down to the beach. We planned to find The Crab Shed on a day at the island and were lucky they hadn’t run out, as it was late on a sunny Sunday afternoon before the August bank holiday. Got to sample the mackerel ciabatta & a crab pastie from their daily specials board. Very tasty snacks in what felt like a secret Cove, thankfully untouched by predictable modern franchises. I’m amazed by some prior reviewers saying “they shouldn’t run out” or “they should accommodate more”. This & other local business along this Cove clearly make the most of what space & supply allows.

A little gem, this is a must visit destination for foodies visiting IOW. The crab pasties & salmon pastors are to die for!

Lovely little rustic outdoor restaurant at Steephill Cove. We arrived by chance at noon just as it opened. Delicious crab pastie, albeit quite small - I could have eaten two! My partner found the mackerel ciabatta very tasty also.

Quaint place in the cove. Got there at 12 to ensure we got a crab pasty which was delicious. Good selection of drinks. Took a while to find but made it a bit of an adventure.

Amazing little spot in a very cosy bay. Feels almost original in its concept and very hidden away. Had a crab and sweet potato pasty, both great (huge recommendations for the sweet potato one). Well worth stopping for lunch although not sure kids are as well accommodated with the food.

Freshly made crab and seafood pasties. Delicious.

Well, not cheap, this plate for 2 was £150, but good quality. Good service, despite I tried to book over the phone and couldn’t. Just popped in and managed to secure a table.

Lovely staff, beautiful location, wonderful food!

Fantastic location, Steep Hill Cove. Wonderful, piping hot Crab Pasty, I was so jealous! I can’t eat crab anymore. My cooked to order Mackerel ciabatta, with zesty lime mayo was amazingly delicious. Washed down with a local rather strong but refreshing bottled cider, grazed knee. Lovely staff, lovely experience. Magical memory made.😍

The best result after a fairly lengthy walk on a hot summer's day! I'd googled this place and wanted to see for myself how good the reviews were claiming it to be. Yup! this is a find that you want to keep to yourself. I was lucky to be first in the queue and opted for one crab and one mackerel pastie. Words fail me to describe how delicious both pasties were. Awesome flavours and served piping hot! Definitely worth a visit but get there quick as this is a popular place and within seconds a massive queue was forming behind me. Very friendl staff too.

Great mackerel. Nice food good service.

Brought my family here for a treat crab pasty but was a bit disappointed in the quality. Not as they were. Smaller and less crab filling and no salad on the side as previously. Just presented in a bag! Don’t recommend Ventnor cider either… very sharp. Still to the cans. Beautiful setting however as usual . Hope we were there on an off day and former size and quality returns.

Crab pasties were amazing lovely place . Very pretty

Excellent crab pasty, fresh out of the oven. Lots of filling and lovely pastry. However, they are extremely hot so impossible to eat straight away. We took ours back to our holiday apartment and they were still warm and extremely tasty over an hour later. Well worth the steep descent and ascent back to the road!

Just the best crab sandwich xXxXx

I cannot stress enough how absolutely marvellous The Crab Shed is. We live in Ventnor and literally run there as soon as the summer season opens up to have our first crab pasty. Today did not disappoint. The pasty was so tasty. Freshly made the delicious crab filling is encased in crisp puff pastry. The staff are really friendly and happy to help with any dietary questions. If you don't fancy crab then there's the mackerel chiabata or a vegan option. We washed the pasty down with a crisp sauvignon blanc and sat looking out to sea. Pure bliss. If you visit the island over the summer, it's a must.

Delicious crab pasty! What a treat - they do a mackerel one too - we will return next year for one of those! Fabulous location, couldn't have got much nearer to the sea, the waves were spectacular. Bit of a trek down to the beach for us old 'uns, but via a stepped path, so we managed fine. So worth a visit!

Having read about them before our trip I had been hankering to try a crab pasty for months. For me it was worth braving the steep steps to get down to the cove - delicious! Just be aware that out of season the other food place down there was closed at the time and if you have anybody in your group like my partner that doesn’t like fish / seafood (crazy I know) they may go hungry as there weren’t any other options available.

There was only 2 items on offer, Crab Pasties or Smoked Mackerel . The seating area is a bit hit and miss but the pasties and chilled wine compensated.

Please update your website and google opening times as we went here on a Thursday at 1pm to see a sign saying only open weekends and holidays. Walked all the way there.

What a lovely view. We stopped for drink midwalk and didn't speak. Absolutely stunning. They do crab or mackerel pasties that smelt delicious. Wine and beer also available. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this place. Just beautiful 🥰

Crab pasty was superb, as was the setting.

What a disappointment. This place used to be wonderful and we really looked forward to their crab sandwiches. But these are now gone, replaced by small crab pasties that were mostly leeks. You wouldn't have known they had any crab in the filling. The only other item on the menu was mackerel pasty, which we didn't try. The location is still good and the place is fine if all you want is a drink.

Two Crab Pasties, a bottle of Holy Joe and a glass of white wine. You can't beat simple things done really well. Really enjoyed and will look forward to returning when we are in the area again. Steep Hill Cove was one of the highlights of our holiday on the Isle of Wight.

Fab quirky place. Pasties delicious but don't do anything else 😋. Only open 12-3 I think but well worth it. Steep hill cove is beautiful and accessible through botanic gardens.

Whilst walking the coast path with my wife and friends we decided to stop in Ventnor for lunch. When we reached Steephill Cove we were struck by the picturesque nature of the bay and then we found the Crab Shed. The crab and mackeral pasties were really tasty and there was a good range of drinks to wash it down. All with a super view of the sea.

After a fantastic morning on a boat we stopped at the famous crab shed for lunch. A couple of delicious crab plates, pasta plates and bottles of Rose later we were in heaven. Friendly staff, fresh food and beautiful views what more could you want… Thank you to everyone there! A must visit if you are in Salcombe.

Having read the reviews, particularly of the crab pasties, perhaps our expectations were a bit high. The pastry was flaky and the pasties were piping hot from the oven, but there were more leeks and sauce than crab.

We had a crab pastie each and a local cider for our lunch today - Sunday 14th Aug. The most delicious pastry filled with delicious crab and leek. Fantastic value for money too st just £6.50 each, we thoroughly enjoyed it and we had service...

Unreal crab pasties!! You have to try them. Really beautiful location too - the Santorini of the Isle of Wight!

As a family of 5 we have visited the Crab Shed for the last 10 years, literally rain or shine over the summer, for the amazing food. This year however, we were disappointed to find there was only pasties on the menu and not the...

Pasties, whilst nice, are very small especially for the price. They are also on the flimsy greasy side of things which if I'd been offered a plate wouldn't have been as much of a problem. If you're already there and hungry then maybe ok but I wouldn't go out of your way.

Great little place serving drinks and delicious pasties in the pretty Steephill cove area. Worth going off the beaten track for.

Went ahead of my husband and arrived just in time to discover that the last batch of crab pasties for the day were in the oven. Am veggie so didn’t want one for myself, and was pondering about whether to get one for my husband....

Our first trip to Steep Hill Cove and first taste of these delicious pasties … I had the crab and my husband had the mackerel … Not had hot crab before but it was very tasty … took a while to eat but we weren’t...

Excellent service lovely food and drinks

Delicious freshly cooked crab pasties which my whole family enjoyed. Perfect for a light lunch or snack whilst walking the coastal path. The pasties aren't the biggest but they are full of crab meat and so tasty. We visited over the Jubilee weekend and could...

What a fabulous little gem to find at Steeplehill Cove. Warm and friendly staff and the essence of the sea encapsulated in the most delicious Crab Pasty.

Fabulous, worth a walk along the coastal path

Delish, don’t be disappointed if they have ran out crab. The mackerel was excellent

We were delighted to find the Crab Shed open again this year in the beautiful Steep Hill Cove. All four of us again enjoyed the superb flavoursome speciality Crab Pasties and the friendly, service despite the rather windy and slightly wet weather. If you want...

An absolute gem at Steep hill cove. Tiny beach shack with outside seating only. Went because of reviews of their crab pasties. They did not disappoint but the mackerel pasties were even better. Went a second time and had a crab and a salmon pastie...

An absolute highlight whenever we are on the island: the Crab Shed is absolutely wonderful. We're back in Bonchurch on Wednesday so see you again very soon !!!!!

A rare spot that pairs great local produce with a stunning location. Amanda and her team even did a dairy free option that our daughter could have. All the best for this year.

This place is phenomenal. It has everything you could ask for Location, Location, Location. Amazing food and fantastic customer service. It was so good we went twice in two days. The crab pasty is delicious, full of crab meat and fabulous flaky golden pastry. The...

The view, stunning! The crab pasties equally so! Worth the hike down to Steephill Cove to hunt out... only gripe would be they are pretty small for the price, but absolutely delicious! You will want another, believe us! Just perfect!

Worth a visit, accessed via a walk from Ventnor along the coast path or through the Botanic Gardens. The menu is very limited - when we visited it was a choice of crab pasty or salmon pasty. Plenty of liquid refreshment though. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Stopped here for lunch and didn’t want to leave. Sheltered from the wind. Hot tasty pasties and a drink. Highly recommend stopping here then walking over to Ventnor for an ice cream! Not suitable for buggies/wheelchairs as steep step access

It was a beautiful sunny day and we had walked from Ventnor on the coastal path. Steephill Cove is so pretty and the hot crab pasties for lunch were sensational! (wish we'd had room for the salmon pasties too!). So glad we went on a...

Extremely tasty pasties in Steephill cove. We tried both the crab and mackerel, it was all very well prepared, fresh and delicious. Thanks!

Beautiful place with beautiful pasties and a nice cold beer ...lovely

This place is a total gem in a mini-paradise. BUT there is no road - you have to walk there. I walked and then waited 1.5 hrs by the "Open 1200-3" sign hanging at the entrance. An internet search showed it would be open if...

Amazing pasty … crab and salmon both available and the best we’ve had. Cold drinks too and a very chilled couple of tables to sit and look out across the bay. Can’t fault it !

Went out of our way to visit here and they had no crab. We were extremely disappointed.

Visited on recommendation from a friend and wasn't disappointed. The pasties are sensational and washed down with Isle of Wight brewed beer. The view was also beautiful and the staff are very friendly.

We made our way down to the Crab Shed and Steep Hill Cove on the back of a couple of reviews from friends and were not disappointed. The only issue was that they had run out of the much anticipated Crab Pasty, (not sure they...

Would be 5 Stars but they ran out Crab Pasties...We made our way down to the Crab Shed and Steep Hill Cove on the back of a couple of reviews from friends and were not disappointed. The only issue was that they had run out of the much anticipated Crab Pasty, (not sure they should ever be doing that!) but this was mitigated by the absolute joy of the salmon pasty that were available. The location is a delight as is the Crab Shed. Both well worth the journey from Ryde.

One of the top spots on the Isle of Wight

Sad that they don’t have their normal menu anymore as everything on there was amazing. However, the crab pasties are to die for and you can’t visit Ventnor without going to the Crab Shed - it is a must!

Absolutely beautiful pasties, a hidden treasure of the island!

This restaurant is in a lovely part of Ventnor just outside the centre. We dined early and the place was nearly full within an hour of us sitting down. Super friendly and very efficient service, and the food was excellent with very good portions

Crab, Mackeral and Salmon Pasties. Best place to go to get them, get there when it opens or there won't be any left 🤣. Can buy them frozen to take home too. Crab pasty is my favourite bit the others are definitely worth a try. Amazing as always. And Great Friendly Staff too 👍🏻I would've taken a picture but I ate it too quickly 😁

Open from noon till 3pm, not every day. I am not a crab eater so deferring to my other half she adored the crab pasty (she will not eat ordinary pasties) but of course I joined with a glass of wine.

Lovely crab pasties, worth the trip to get here. Either walk on the coast path from Ventnor or park in the Botanic gardens.

Definitely worth the walk down the steep hill to this delightful cove and the excellent Crab Shed. The crab pasty is in the lightest puff pastry imaginable. Absolutely fabulous. Think about this on the climb back up the hill.

Had a lovely crab pasty, and a mackerel pasty, wish I'd had two :-)

A lovely local place for a snack and a coffee. Definitely would recommend to try the crab pasties, they are delicious! Very friendly staff as well and it’s located on the beach, which is always a plus!

Hidden away in the most picturesque cove you would be sorry to miss this.

Theres no doubting this cove is picturesque, but getting back is a good climb and not for those with health issues. I wouldn’t have minded if the food had been worth it. There was a choice between crab and salmon pasties. We had one of...

Gorgeous location at Steephill Cove. Fantastic little business with great crab pasties served hot to serve. Can't beat it after a nice walk from Ventnor. Make sure to ask for your pasty to go and sit over on the rocks for the ultimate seaside experience!

Fantastic food in a stunning location. Make the effort to walk along the coastal path from Ventnor, enjoy a crab pasty and a local beer in a beautiful coastal cove where the Famous Five would be right at home. Don't forget to have an ice...

Great place On the beach. Pasties very nice.

After a beautiful walk along the coastal from Ventnor the view down to the cove is simply stunning. The Crab Shed is only serving crab pasties and sandwiches. On the day we visited the also had salmon pasties - we had the crab which were...

A tasty lunch with option of salmon or crab pasties. A lovely walk from Ventnor across the coastline to reach this Small beach . Tasty lunch cost £5.50 very covid aware tables cleaned after each visit, only 2 at a time.

Small shack on tiny cove (accessible by steepish steps) serving brilliant crab pasties and decent beer. Sit and eat on outside benches or perch on the sea wall. What's not to like?

The specialty crab pasties are strongly recommended and the salmon pasty was excellent too. Very limited menu, as made absolutely clear, but really excellent and unusual. All our party of four enjoyed our visit greatly. Service is through kiosk window due to covid but exceptionally...