South Downs College Restaurant in Havant

Fantastic evening, 5 ✨from us presentation superb, flavours tastebuds tantalising. Service very attentive but not intrusive. Everyone is learning their profession to the highest level here , supported by their lecturers and staff. Thank you everyone, perfect evening out.

Creative menu from Jake and Sebastian. Must be among the top students this year. Perfectly balanced and creative menu. 5 courses beautifully turned out. Also the waiting staff on the hospitality course are very elegantly turned out and nothing is too much trouble. Booking again asap

Super food super ambience joyful atmosphere with the students excelling. A very enjoyable experience. Food was of the highest quality and standard. Wine flight was Hambledons best

An absolutely stunning evening at the college as they hosted their guest chef, Nick Edgar. Outstanding food, wonderful service, delightful ambience and amazing valve for money. We are regular clients for the colleges lunches and dinners and they are always brilliant but this was at the next level. Sincere thanks to everyone for an amazing evening. No doubt a lot of hard work but well worth it. Thank you.

Amazing place. We had never been before and were surprised to find a superbly appointed bar and restaurant within the college. Fantastic food, with the most amazing flavours using top notch ingredients. Very friendly and relaxed atmosphere, we will definitely be back😊

Today's Asian buffet was excellent well done to all the students and staff. The starters mains and sweet were amazing. Looking forward to our next visit to Hsd Restaurant

This restaurant is a gem, the surroundings, staff and students are a credit to the college. The whole experience is wonderful, the food is always great quality and very well priced, the students are polite and well mannered and always provide friendly efficient service. If you haven’t been try it, we are regulars and attend for lunch and dinner often, best place to eat in the area.

Superb evening, food and service was faultless. Service attentive but not intrusive and presentation and flavours of food were sublime.

We had a Christmas lunch and the food was outstanding. Our whole table thoroughly enjoyed the food. The waiting staff were very attentive and eager to please. However 2 issues. The music was very loud. We struggled to have a conversation with the people on our own table because of the volume. It was nice to hear Christmas music but please turn the volume down. The other issue was that it was very cold in the restaurant. We sat with our scarves on just to try and keep warm. It was a shame that these 2 issues marred what should have been a lovely experience.

A lovely experience. Top quality service and food at this training college restaurant at a very modest price. Faultless!

WOW, You should all be very proud, whatever your role was last night. Everything simply came together to produce a very well oiled wheel. From our welcome on arrival, to our service at the table , very attentive but never intrusive. 5* The menu was outstanding, every dish was executed to such a high standard in taste and presentation. Thank you everyone for an amazing evening in 74South.

We have eaten here on numerous occasions and can honestly say it is always worthwhile whether it is for lunch or dinner. As a training restaurant it is doing a brilliant job introducing and teaching future chefs and front of house staff. The surroundings are extremely pleasant, the food always tasty, and the service good. An added bonus is that the prices are extremely affordable for what is being delivered. Linked to various professional catering establishments, the guest chef dinners are always worth booking if you can get a place. I heartily recommend anyone to go there and give it a try.

We have had a meal here a few times . lunches , Christmas dinner, student dinners and guests chef nights , always amazing food and lovely to see the student learning at the same time. Thing the atmosphere is nice and with a fully stocked bar you can have all your favourite drinks to.

Went with a group of U3A members. Could have been in any top class restaurant. Food, atmosphere, students, all top notch.

Have been supporting Southdowns catering college students for years and each time we introduce new people to the restaurant. Went to the Fine dining taster menu on Wednesday 11th January and 8 of us thoroughly enjoyed the courses served to us. I'm gluten, wheat, and dairy intolerant and I was given slightly different food to some of the courses my guests were eating which were fantastic. The students bought my food out first to give to me to make sure I got the correct food if it was similar to make sure there was no mistakes. So pleasing that the younger generation of chefs is being trained properly about how important allergies are to be taken seriously.

First impression on walking into this restaurant within the college was a surprise at how smart, well furnished and decorated it is. Lovely comfortable chairs and well spaced tables. As good as any top class restaurant. The student staff were all smartly dressed with name tags and we were given a very warm welcome. There was a selection of fresh baked rolls waiting on the table for us. The menu, which changes regularly, had a choice of three dishes for each course and was very reasonably priced. A full wine list of wines by glass and bottle was also well priced. The food was excellent and very well presented. Altogether a great experience and we will definitely go again.

I attended for a two course lunch, and was extremely impressed by the standard of food, and professionalism of the waiters - it is was difficult to believe I was in a 'training' restaurant. There was a good selection of choices on the menu, and I decided to go for the Lamb Rogan Josh for my main, and Chocolate Tart with coffee sorbet for desert, both of which were delicious. The waiters were professional and ensured I was well looked after. I would definitely recommend visiting and I will definitely returning again to try out different dishes.

After a wonderful pamper session in the HSDC Synergy Salon, I enjoyed a lovely 2 course lunch in the HSDC Restaurant. All of the students/staff welcome you with smiles and the restaurant has a friendly atmosphere. I had a Butternut Squash Pasta dish which was piping hot, followed by a Chocolate Tart with Coffee Sorbet which was just as lovely. The students and staff were always on hand to keep your drinks topped up.You wouldn't know that the food and service is delivered by people in training, it's great! I will definitely come back here again :)

I went on the pamper day for the first time and was pleasantly surprised by the whole experience. We had 2 treatments followed by a 2 course meal in the restaurant which was amazing. Definitely going to come again!

Have been meaning to visit this restaurant for ages , and so glad we’ve eventually made it. Wow!! We went for Valentine’s Day set menu. It’s obvious from the start that the students are in there first year, BUT, Wesley ( our waiter) was great . Very attentive but not overbearing. The food from start to finish was very good to excellent . Silver service was fair to good, but hey, these are students in their first year. Nothing to fault. Nice atmosphere. Lovely loos. Fully stocked bar. Good selection in wines and spirits. Total bill £70 for 2. That’s 1 glass red wine, 1 beer, 3 courses each, bottle of sparking wine, 2 coffees and 2 amarettos. Looking forward to returning.

As always we had a lovely meal in a great environment. The students are always friendly and attentive and a credit to the college and the food was wonderful.

Always a very special treat to go to HSDC training restaurant. This is one of the finest catering colleges in the UK ~ with young chefs and sommeliers rising to the challenge to serve people in their fabulous training restaurant. If you’re fortunate enough to get a chance to come here, you’ll be perfectly treated to a real top class service and food. We came for the Christmas lunch, with 5 courses. Each and every item was superbly prepared, cooked and served - and truly delicious. We had the smoked salmon tart, which was light and delicious ~ followed by the spiced parsnip soup. Truly superb. The roast turkey main was again really well prepared and served, as was the dessert ~ traditional Christmas pudding with brandy sauce. This place never disappoints.

Lovely evening ....again....last week, celebrating my mum's 91st. The food was delicious....6 courses....and the staff were enthusiastic and welcoming. Nice ambiance ...comfortable seats....and did I mention the delicious food:) Highly recommended.

Mum and daughter date. Love it there

The restaurant was tastefully arranged with one wall being a mirror so that you could see what was going on if you were facing inwards. The staff were excellent even though some were obviously being trained. Whilst the menu was limited, the food was really good ( the soup was a bit cold and should of been put into a preheated bowl). Scores are: Appearance/ ambience 10/10 Staff 9/10 Food 9/10 Menu 7/10 Price 10/10 Overall 45/50 Would highly recommend

Today we had our first lunch in the training restaurant. Three courses competitively priced with some delicious wine by the glass. We were slightly unexpectedly greeted as “guys” by our waitress.The food was nicely presented but could have been hotter and the fish and chips crispier and without soggy chips, but all was forgiven with the trio of deserts! Interesting to see the students in action and be their guinea pigs!

Celebrated my birthday at The South Downs College Restaurant. We arrived to a warm friendly greeting. The three course lunch had a good selection of dishes to chose from and was delicious and beautifully presented. The waiting staff were attentive and friendly. Would highly recommend to all and can not wait to return very soon.

Booked a table having purchased a Groupon offer of a 3 course meal for 2 people. The venue is obviously popular as I couldn’t book my original choice of date.The restaurant is a lovely setting with the catering students, both waiting/waitressing and cooking the food - silver service. All our food was excellent and there is a licensed bar. The students are very friendly and attentive.Excellent value for money even without the Groupon offer. Would highly recommend and the big plus is the fact that it’s helping the students with their studies.

The restaurant is well laid out and has a good atmosphere. There is a good wine list and I like the availability of bin ends on the list. Bearing in mind you are being served by students you are initially welcomed well and then given good service at your table. If you haven’t been go and try it.

Lunch at the college restaurant yesterday was our first visit and we were not disappointed. The food was excellent with a good choice. It was beautifully presented and the service by the students was first class. They were most polite, well dressed and happy to converse with us.

Grand Christmas Fine Dining experience...and what a delight it was. This restaurant has a wonderful ambiance....linen tablecloths, nice glasses, china and cutlery....even individual hand towels in the loos!

The South Downs Catering Training College has earned itself a fabulous reputation because of its high quality cuisine.

Overall the food was excellent and delicious but the pork in pastry was quite dry, even overcooked.

Fantastic meal food was delicious, service was really friendly and attended to all our needs Really lovely experience for the boys that I brought along.

Our first visit, very impressed.Already booked another lunch. Nice atmosphere,no loud music or noisy children. Staff very helpful and charming,well supervised. Great food so definitely worth a visit.

We received a very polite and attentive welcome and the table decoration was sparkling and impressive. We all enjoyed the chef’s soup of the day. The main courses were disappointing, in that the cod was tasteless, and the chips were cold and undercooked. It appeared that the choice of potato was inferior. The chicken and ham pie was tasty but the ham was very chewy. There was a good choice of vegetables. The dessert was well-presented and delicious. The service overall was very prompt, competent and friendly. The relaxing ambience helped to make the occasion enjoyable for a girls’ day out.

We have been dining in this restaurant for many years and it has just got better and better. Our latest visit was for the 'Fine Dining Dinner' with Student Head Chefs Shannon and Stephen.

Four of us meet regularly to catch up, and in term time we always eat at the South Downs College. The food is excellent, the choices terrific. The youngsters serving are very polite. Our waiter this time was only in his first year, but already has a good show of confidence, along with our waitress. They were both very good at the job in-hand.

Always excellent - we have been many times! Tuesday's visit was a little "different" in that the fire alarm was triggered part-way through our meal. Fortunately, we had eaten the hot, main course and were just waiting for our desserts. Staff and students alike coped with the potentially difficult and awkward situation calmly and efficiently. It didn't detract from our enjoyment one little bit. Our serving staff were excellent, with just the right balance of participating in a friendly way with the conversation and giving us space when appropriate. The food was excellent. All in all, another very enjoyable experience! Thank you so much to college students and staff!

Very well presented lovely tasty food. Friendly helpful staff

This was the first time I had eaten at South Downs and it will not be the last. The service was friendly but discreet and professional. The food was fantastic - fresh, perfectly cooked and presented. Hats off to the new and old students. A fantastic experience! I'm already organising the next outing there.

Un amigo que visitó el colegio el trabajo nos invitó aquí y qué encontrar. El ambiente es encantador y la comida es excelente, desde el pan hasta el postre. Menú limitado pero los cuatro tuvimos tres platos diferentes. Eran todos deliciosos. Mi única queja es que, en mi opinión, las patatas y verduras de acompañamiento no ir con todos los platos. Vinos y bebidas están bien de precio. El frente de estudiantes de la casa están bien presentadas y discretamente supervisadas. Cena de tres platos con vino y café para cuatro personas era de £71. Este es sin duda el mejor de los restaurantes locales.

The overall experience was very pleasant and we were well looked after and the' birthday boy' had some candles on his sweet, provides by the kitchen. The food was well presented and for the most part ,good value I will go there again but my disappointment was that the vegetarian option was limited to one fairly ordinary omelette and with my son's problems of allergy to mushrooms and dislike of fish , there was little flexibility in the limited menu. I may have mistakenly read the website menu, which seemed to suggest that there were three menu's to choose from rather than the one we received on arrival. If booking ,it would be worth checking by phone what the menu provides for the day of your choice, if there are allergy issues etc.

Esta es una muy buena y bien dirigido. La comida y el nivel de servicio es de alto nivel y los estudiantes Hay que felicitarles por su profesionalidad. Es bueno ver a los nuevos estudiantes desarrollar sus habilidades más amplio bajo la mirada vigilante del personal. Comimos en el buffet menú degustación y fue una excelente relación calidad-precio. Hemos cenado aquí por muchos años y seguirá haciéndolo en el futuro.

This was a Guest Chef Event and a particularly excellent menu and tasting experience. We are never disappointed when coming to South Downs however - which is why we keep on going back! Well done to the students who prepare and serve - they have a bright future ahead of them!

A very good lunch with some very professional service. The buffet was very generous and overall excellent value for money.

This is a very good dining option bearing in mind that it is a learning environment . We were not keen on the background music, it was slightly intrusive

Reservé para un grupo de 16 para un almuerzo de cumpleaños para 2 de nuestro grupo. Nuestra reserva era bien organizado, me mandaron las opciones de menú antes del día así que podía elegir con antelación.

We have always been entirely satisfied with the food - always interesting and excellent. The staff are to be congratulated and the students do a splendid job. On this occasion it was a family lunch but also introducing a friend who had never had the pleasure of eating at South Downs and she was suitably impressed and will no doubt return.

The students are so polite especially on a Wednesday lunch time, the students in black shirts always perform especially well. The food is always incredible and very good value for money. i would recommended this establishment all year round.

Always enjoyable experience. High standard of food & service. Excellent value for money.

As always an excellent meal with equally good service albeit prepared and served by students ( under supervision). Highly recommended.

Un amigo y yo tuvimos el almuerzo de hoy en el Restaurante Southdowns College y la comida y el servicio fueron excelentes. La comida era deliciosa, tuvimos el menú degustación, así que tenía tres diferentes entrantes y tres postres diferentes y elegimos un plato principal. El personal era cortés y educado, y recomiendo encarecidamente y volveremos de nuevo.

Always a pleasant experience with good food and very willing enthusiastic students to serve. Highly recommended!

Friendly, good food at a very reasonable price. The young people here try so hard.

First time at Southdowns and all I can say is that it was just brilliant. Friendly students and delicious food.

A pesar de que son locales, no habíamos oído hablar de este restaurante realmente pero en premios un cupón para una comida, una mesa reservada la hora del almuerzo. ¡Qué hermosa cena tuvimos! La comida estaba preparada y tan bien presentada y caliente y se notaba un montón de atención han hecho en todos los campos. Fueron siempre atentos asegurarse de que teníamos bebidas y no esperar en todos entre los campos de. Una cosa que me pareció una idea brillante, que trajo a los desiertos para ver y elegir la que a uno lo quería. Si sólo pensamos que otros restaurantes de postres como orden en realidad nunca en otro lugar y sabes lo que vas a obtener. En general, un encantador almuerzo y no dudaría en regresar. Gracias el equipo de South Downs College!

Visited the restaurant at South downs College with friends for a lunch, the service was superb, the food excellent and it was an all round great experience, Will definitely be using their services again.

Un amigo y yo visitamos para el almuerzo y no me puedo quejar la comida y el servicio. Muy buena relación calidad-precio

We visited as part of a group of 50 people on Friday evening. We had the restaurant to ourselves and were treated to a really great fine dining experience. The tables were set out immaculately, the food was superb and the students couldn't do enough to make us feel welcome. We were treated to canapés with sparkling wine, then an 'amuse bouche' followed by a trio of starters. Next was a choice of 2 main courses, both were well presented and delicious. Finally a trio of deserts rounded off the evening, with delicious coffee and petit fours to complete our enjoyment. There was a good choice of wine and the Sauvignon Blanc was very drinkable. Our glasses were topped up regularly with both wine and water in such a way that we hardly noticed it happening. So well done to all who were involved in making our evening so pleasant; I can't wait to find an excuse to visit again.

Have been visiting here for dinner for last few years pros are fantastic food and excellent value for money Cons are really hard to get a table!Kerry and the team really know how to look after you and the students doing all the cooking and service are really great, makes you feel good knowing they appreciate your feedback. Bit worried as they now only do one night a week and it is getting harder to find enough students to help with service I hope this doesn't mean the begging for if the end!Tips are to book early, even for lunch (we booked in November for January) and be a bit of a foodie in the first place and encourage the students. In exchange you will get a fantastic meal, great service and be in on a very well kept secret of top Restuarant food at pub food prices.

Enjoyed afternoon tea at the SDC Restaurant this afternoon. It really was excellent. The sandwiches and cakes were delicious, and a very varied selection. As good as any afternoon tea I've had in an upmarket hotel - and better than some. Well done!

Very expensive, portions not great and very hard to get a good atmosphere. Do understand it is a training college but trainees need to talk to customers.

Shouldn't really tell you about this wonderful restaurant but keep it to ourselves.This restaurant is staffed by the catering students at South Downs College, Waterlooville and they produce something amazing that will leave you very impressed.The service is first class, the food is fantastic and price is very reasonable.Go, you will be pleasantly surprised but make sure you book in advance.

I've eaten at this restaurant many times and have always enjoyed the food. This time , the food was a little bland. The fish pie tasted better than it looked, while the curry was bland and I couldn't taste cocnut in the coconut rice. The 'Taster' starters were delicious. The students / staff worked well.

This was our first experience of the Buffet lunch, which was a most enjoyable all-round experience.

Very good meal. Better than some High Street Restaurants. Would rather have a meal here. Small critism is that the servers could have been a little more professional. And bar staff should have known what was the mock cocktail on offer. Other than those two things it was an excellent evening.

We all have to start somewhere but the Level 3 students (who were on assessment) at South Downs on Wednesday provided a showcase of the skills they now possess. Menu creation and execution were taken to a very high level by the chefs, who left the heat of kitchen after service to chat to diners. Front of house did not let them down, looking smart and focussing polite attention on each table. We look forward to seeing these young people working in top restaurants soon.

Visit South Downs College Restaurent frequently, at least once a month. Food and service is always excellent, and you can see how well the catering students are trained. In addition to going as a private individual, I attend for the Institution of Mechanical Engineers lunchtime lectures, which are preceded by an excellent lunch. My wife and I also attend lunches with the Hyden WI (Women's Institute), and never had a poor meal or unsatisfactory service. It is also a very pleasant environment. Highly recommended - why not give it a try?

We have eaten at SDC many times, including special events and fine dining evenings. This fine dining menu was prepared by a Student Head Chef and was by far the best meal we have eaten at SDC. The main course was beef Wellington and was cooked perfectly, rare, as requested by us. The quality of the food was exceptional, especially the fillet of beef. The service that evening was also excellent, swift, courteous and efficient.

Having visited during the previous academic year to try the restaurant out, we invited a couple of friends to join us at South Downs College for lunch. We often meet them at a similar venue in West Sussex. They were delighted with the ambience and the attention. The restaurant was short of students due to illness and the staff were helping out - being an assessment day, jokingly one of the lecturers was given a "distinction". Obviously the students have learned a great deal by now and were having a good day because the only fault that we could honestly find was that the hand made bread rolls were bland, lacking salt. Smoked salmon carved at the table, roasted red pepper soup, egg benedict - all smashing starters and the main courses and desserts were just as good. My pork loin wrapped in French toast was an experience - beautifully cooked meat and the savoury eggy wrap of toast was soft inside and crisp on the outside. Well done South Downs College! How much would you pay for a meal like that in a fine dining restaurant?

I have eaten in the he restaurant and the menus, service and food are great. Recently I have been using the cafe side of the restaurant for lunchtime snacks and chats with friends.The staff/students are all very happy and always do their best, there are obviously varied levels of competence and confidence but all are very polite and pleasant.Any one who writes complaining of service standards are very short sighted and need to be reminded that this is a training facility.I love it and have recommended to many people, it's great. If your are looking for five star service you will need to pay a huge amount more and only a handful of restaurants locally would fit the bill.Credit to the staff and students it's always immaculate and food is beautiful, well done to everyone.

Experienced a very relaxed lunch with a friend.The food was delicious and although the students are still far from perfect and really quite nervous they performed well.I wonder if they actually have a mock up restaurant to practice in before the main restaurant as I think they would benefit from that.

Small portions, little atmosphere and very expensive. I understand it's a teaching college but staff did not smile, we're clumsy and not able to be flexible. Toilet fir wheelchair was impossible to use.

This restaurant is certainly one of the best for its quality of food in Portsmouth. It's consistent and I am always very happy with the dishes I am served.It is a credit to the college.The students work very hard and the menus are beautifully put together.Would recommend to anyone.

We've been visiting a college restaurant in West Sussex, so we though we'd try out our local college.Our first impressions were good because the area is light and nicely decorated, with a lounge and cafe area as well as the carpeted restaurant part. We were greeted and had our coats taken by a very polite young man and shown to our table.The attention throughout was first class and the food could not be faulted. We were offered a complimentary glass of sparkling grape juice with elderflower and a delicious bread roll. Water appeared on the table promptly and then the starter - a taster assortment of four dishes which fully demontrated the students' skills. For main course I had beef canneloni and my husband had chicken in a tangy sauce on a bed of rice. The chicken, he said, was tender and moist - perfectly cooked. The dessert was again a taster assortment of three small portions - lovely!The whole experience was very good and we shall certainly be taking our friends there.

There is so much negativity written about young people, a meal at South Down College shows us why we should be proud of our youngsters. The skills shown by these young people both in the kitchen and front of house is a joy to behold, don't miss it. Mr Gove should go along and enjoy a meal, he may then realise education is not only about knowledge but developing important skills.

My wife and I visited this college for a second time and had forgotten how good it was and what good value it was. We both indulged in the three courses. Angela had the Duck with Orange and beetroot salad followed by the Sole Risotto and bread & Butter Pudding. I had Tempura battered Calamari with Lemon Mayonnaise followed by Steak Forestiere and the Plum Tart and sauce. There was a separate dish of seasonal vegetables more than enough for 2 people With the meal we both had a glass of the recommended Riesling. All in all an excellent meal served by attentive and charming students. At £12.50 a head with wine extra it was a very pleasant meal. Thoroughly recommendable!

Southdown college is my most favourite place to eat - either in the day time or evening.Here the pupils are honing their skills for a life in the professional world of catering, and we have the chance to help support their learning - whilst enjoying five ***** treatment, at everyday prices.If you have not been there - it is a must.If you have been there - then you will know what I mean.I have had birthday, anniversary and easy day treats - all to entire and total satisfaction.

the college is a lovely place, however i feel the standards are slipping. students need to be more attentive. good food. good price

Halliday's chef came to South Downs college restaurant and with a group of students cooked up a delicious meal. I particularly like the 'twice baked haddock souffle'.

when I visited the college I was greeted with a professional manor, staff were friendly, I had a good table that had a view. as for the food the starter was out of this world, it was the poached egg salad and it was lovely, the chicken chasseur was lovely complimented with nice vegetables, and as for the sacher torte. the college should be proud of their students, a real credit to them. overall a great experience

This was our first meal at this restaurant. The service was attentive. The food was excellent & the price was amazing! Looking forward to the taster menu in the evening for our next visit.

My wife and I are regular diners at the College restaurant where students learn their trade by serving under supervision as waiters, bar stewards and chefs. The restaurant has a homely ambience with silver service at a very reasonable price. We have yet to be disappointed with the standard and variety of the food and the presentation (especially the deserts) is superb. A recent innovation is discreet TV screens around the restaurant showing live preparation work by the students in the galley.It is always a dilemma in praising a restaurant too highly in case it becomes too popular.I would recommend the website < http://www.southdowns.ac.uk/restaurant.html> to view the latest offers, menus for lunch and dinner plus other information such as themed evenings and visiting chefs. There is also an adjacent café and shop selling the students creations and the college has an aircraft mock-up where in-flight afternoon teas are occasionally served by trainee flight crews.

South Downs College restaurant serves excellent meals, cooked and served by the students - under supervision. Ambience is also good. I particularly like their 'Taster Evenings' which specialise in trying foods from other countries.

We have eaten at the College restaurant several times and it has always been a great experience. White linen table cloths, excellent service and food as good as any over priced restaurant, but bear in mind these are all students under the supervision of their tutors. The young people are learning their trade, and building their confidence, but always provide a courteous and helpful service, and the food is good to excellent. A little oasis of fine dining in the Waterlooville area, lots of free parking and an ambient environment, you forget you are in such a huge college. Give it a try, the only thing to remember is that last orders are at 6.30/6.45 so it is early dinner, but that is not a problem.

I have been an infrequent visitor to Southdowns for more than 10 years (infrequent because it is not too close to my home!). Being part of a college the impression that one gains as you approach the premises is that it is just like any other education establishment which cannot be described as salubrious. I would urge any new visitors to put their fears to one side. Once you enter the restaurant the ambience is as good, if not better, than many 'competitors'. The food is excellent, as is the service. I cannot recommend Southdown's enough. Try it. You will not be disappointed.

We have been going to this restaurant for a number of years and always look forward to the evening, whether it be a taster menu or guest chef.Very relaxed atmosphere and the students are excellent,Kerry and Mary also add to the ambience of the evening.

Went twice (once with family, once with friends). Nice menu, beautifully cooked, well-served and presented. Excellent value for money. Regular user of the SDC REstaurant and can well recommend it. The adjoining food shop is excellent too!

The last meal we enjoyed at the Southdowns Restaurant was a Christmas dinner and there were a group of twelve of us. The food was excellent and the servide was very good. It's always interesting to talk to the students as well about their course and ambitions.

Wonderful food , well presented and served. The students are always very helpful and polite, managing to deal with several difficult food requirements. Excellent value in modern environment.

I love going to this restaurant, I always feel so spoilt and its lovely to try things that you wouldn't try in a more expensive restaurant. A great place for ladies to catch up with their friends

We have always enjoyed the very good food cooked by enthusiastic students. The evenings when a guest chef is cooking are amazing value for money and the meals the menu outstanding.One of the best restaurants in Portsmouth, the only downside is the latest time for booking is 6.45, pm.Kathleen of Portsmouth

Southdown College - 5 start treatment at 1 star prices.This is a learning college so by being a customer, you help the students hone their craft in catering - while at the same time savouring their many delights.Too many delights to mention, and hard to pick out those that shine above others..Just to say, get down there when you can & have a real treat..........

Visited South Downs for the first time this week, we were totally impressed with the quality of the food, the service and the whole experience. The food was delicious, beautifully presented, and the staff were very attentive. We felt like we were in a high class restaurant. It was a real fine-dining experience. We'll most definitely be back.

Another great meal at Southdowns College Restaurant. Lovely food, good service from the students (especially Laurie Howe) and a great atmosphere.

3 of us went for lunch. The food really was fantastic, delicious and what superb value! It was interesting to see what the students were learning and I think we even picked up a few tips ourselves! The vegetables were the best I've had in any restaurant and the salmon was 'melt in the mouth'. Will definitely be going back and I would recommend to anyone.

loved it , shame its only term time, the food, service and attention to detail were great, xx felt spoilt xx

Not fine dining but a clean well presented restaurant that adds something to the college environment. Probably not a first choice for a day out but if near or in the college it is worth going.

This was one of my first ever forays into "fine dining". I attended on one of the nights the students were cooking alongside a guest chef from a double-AA Rosette restaurant. The food that was delivered was truly outstanding and the service was second to none. Of course the students are a little nervous (they are constantly being assessed) but that is to be expected. I have never felt so looked after.I also fully appreciate that the money I pay (which is unbelievable) goes directly back and reinvested into the facilities and the students themselves, to further improve the College and its facilities.Strongly, strongly recommended.