The Golden Lion at Southwick in Winchester

A lovely meal beautifully presented.

Excellent home made fare headed up by talented chef Sonny. Tasty and reasonably priced!

Such an enjoyable pub: great beer, great food, great staff, great hosts. Thoroughly recommend!

Enjoyed a wonderfully relaxed Saturday afternoon here. Very quiet after the lunchtime rush, but had some great conversation with the bar manager, while sampling some excellent ales and gins. Will definitely return.

Went in for a spot of lunch and was told that they could not feed us as they were really busy there was only 2 other tables with people on hardly busy won't be going back shame to see such a lovely looking pub going down hill

Went here for our once a month date night for a bite to eat, it was a really nice meal food was great service was perfect, the pub itself was lovely very comfortable and warm BUT THEN the music started one table behind us, saxophone and keyboard and singing! way way too loud and spoilt our night out couldn’t here each other speak I was literally shouting at my wife so she could here me! I’m not a posed to music but it was too close and loud to people eating. Spoilt the night couldn’t wait to pay the bill and go unfortunately. If the music was not so loud or we was in a different room and away from it I would have easily spent another £25-30 on deserts and coffees.

Came in today for lunch and everyone is so lovely and welcoming, food lovely aswell

Beautiful historic pub full of character. Great menu with brilliant food and a good selection of gluten free options.

Great food, lovely staff and live jazz band on Tuesday nights

Booked a table for 4 with friends for 31st October. We were cheerfully welcomed by the owner (Landlord) on arrival and ordered drinks before moving through to the restaurant area. Excellent selection of food on offer and as my wife is a coeliac we were pleasantly surprised that most dishes could be made gluten free as everything is prepared and cooked from scratch. I opted for Crab and chilli linguine and my wife had the stuffed duck breast (gluten free). Our friends ordered identically to us and I must credit the kitchen staff as both dishes were first class. Our waitress was also very friendly and accommodating to our requests. It’s a true pleasure to find such a great pub offering quality food and a great selection of ales. Well done guys and looking forward to our next visit. You truly deserve all the success you get.

Lovely setting and decor inside. Good atmosphere on a Sunday afternoon.

It is always a great time at the Golden Lion. The staff are simply wonderful, the food is always served hot and tasty and there is a great selection of ales and drinks to be had. The pub is steeped in history, and the landlord and his staff are very friendly, happy, and welcoming.

We stopped off for one drink and then thought we should have eaten as well. But my son told me you need to book in advance as it is very a very popular place. All the beers were great, (we had a tester of each one), the staff were really friendly.

Quiet village , very nice , pub has a wwll connection, friendly staff , and if you are in a camper van you can stop over for free if you have a meal or a couple of drinks , check before you go , but we were welcome in our camper .

Delicious lunch of steak and chips today in their lovely garden surroundings. Polite and friendly service. Would highly recommend. Thank you

Great local beers. Fantastic food. Customer service is second to none. Set in the historic location of Southwick. Ample parking.

An excellent Sunday roast- the hostess who greeted and the staff who attended were a delight - happy and helpful - a return is a definite despite …..a wasp ( without asking ) decided to sample my glass of Malbec and declined to share so stung me on my lip - I am now an OAP with a trout pout - note to self - check for intruders !

One of two pubs in the Village, the Golden Lion is more of a Wet pub with a wonderful, rotating range of locally sourced ales that are very well kept. The food is also very good but it's the quality of the beer and the friendly, knowledgeable service from people who care about the local community and the asset the pub is, that is to recommend.

This is a hidden gem in what is a beautiful village. The staff are welcoming and friendly. The food (oh my goodness) is amazing and would not be out of place in a quality restaurant in London. The chef understands how food, spices etc blend together to create a magical, taste bud tingling experience even for a simple dish. I had the King Prawn tagliatelle and the different tastes coming though were A M A Z I N G. The desert followed by a nice cup of tea completed this delightful lunch time meal with friends. The staff take orders from your table which I prefer and are friendly. Well behaved dogs are welcome . The whole lunch time experience was wonderful and I would not hesitate to recommend this independent gem . I will certainly be returning and bringing my food loving partner next time

Free overnight camp site with point to empty the loo and a swimming pool right next to the free pitchs

I met up with a friend at the GL for a catch up and bite to eat. Food was amazing and great value for money. Table service by Kera was the best I have seen in years, Kera was polite, friendly, attentjve but not intrusive, extremely accomodating, efficient and everything you would want in a young person working in a village pub. The freshly cooked bread and welcome treat (salmon) was a great touch and tasted lovely. Would definitely recommend and will be returning. Well done Kera and the GL, great pub x

My sister-in-law had a 70th birthday party there, the food was lovely, and the staff were very attentive, which made a great ambience. Great fun, had by all thankyou the Golden Lion 100% will be back

What a fantastic visit! Heard good reviews and thought I would give it a go, so glad I did because the food was great, drinks were lovely and the staff were very very helpful! Thankyou 🙂

I took my girlfriend here for a special birthday experience and meal. The food was outstanding and plenty at a reasonable price. It did not disappoint. I booked a few weeks in advance saying it's for a special birthday, table for 2. The service was brilliant like always but it was nice the extra lengths they went to that made it a special romantic individual meal. Needles to say my girlfriend felt so special so thank U to all the staff at the Golden Lion.

Had a great time, made welcome from the start,the beer is fantastic and well kept,the food was delicious and the service very good and friendly,this place is a diamond well worth a visit.

Great range if beers and one of the best pub meals in the area ... certainly loved the moules mariniere ... quite possibly the best this side of the English Channel. Well done ... we'll be back.

Brilliant beer. Brilliant food. Brilliant staff. What more could you ask for?

It's a lovely pub with an amazing history. The officers used the pub as a mess during the planning of the D-Day Landings in WWII.

Went here for my partners birthday and it exceeding all expectations as it was our first visit but definitely won’t be our last

Went in on a random find while exploring. Full of military memorabilia to keep you occupied. An excellent choice of Real ales, cider and lager on tap. Staff couldn't be more helpful and to top it all off there was a live jazz band playing, seemingly this happens every Tuesday. Definitely worth a visit.

Excellent Britstop camper place. Lovely Pub. Nice beer!

What a place to visit and enjoy a drink.. like going back In time...if only..

Delicious Sunday roast served by lovely waitress, highly recommend.

The first time here only went in for drinks. The barman was friendly, and when asked what sort of rums they had, he started to list. We all sat down, and then the landlord came out and explained about the history of Southwick village. Very interesting. Definitely retuning

Fantastic restaurant. Lovely and friendly people. Food very good. We will be back.

Lovely atmosphere, food and staff.

A fabulous family Sunday lunch out at the Golden Lion. Food and service were excellent as usual. If you want a tasty roast this is the place to go. Friendly staff and nothing is ever too much for them to make your experience perfect. Compliments to the chef and all the staff members. Hope to see you again soon.

Loving the Wednesday Local Food Evenings - fantastic quality food & value for money. Staff as usual efficient & friendly A* Fully recommended

This little gem never fails to disappoint. Walkers, locals, those from farther afield, a genuine warm and hospitable welcome awaits. A cheeky swift one after a walk in the lounge bar, or a delicious meal, there’s a lot on offer. The food quality is always fantastic, the ale even better. Greg and his team do wonders to make all feel welcome, and go out of their way to assist. I simply cannot recommend this place enough. By far my favourite pub / restaurant. Very much looking forward to some delicious burgers on the revival weekend. Thank you for making this fantastic place what it is, and continuing to vary the evenings and annual events.

Lovely food beautiful old pub excellent service but you must book

Great experience Greg the landlord was super friendly and went out of his way to spend time with us to tell us the pub's history and in particular it's links with D-Day planning. The food was plentiful and very tasty We stayed in our MoHo overnight and had a peaceful night. We will be back for sure. Thank you Greg for a great experience

Good food, very welcoming, abit busy so service was a bit slow otherwise definitely recommend

Landlord and his son(chef) are absolutely wonderful. Food as good as it gets spot on. Ambience and service is first class.

Very good roast and great service.

Has been consistently good whenever visiting for a work pub lunch!

Top notch food and top notch people

This pub is by far one of the greatest places to eat and drink the south coast. The staff are both friendly and knowledgeable and there is no pretence when you wander in. The range of ales, cider, wine and spirits is amazing and you’ll find a drink you’ve never experienced in their selection. Fabulous place 😀

Lovely Lunch in a good old traditional pub.

Jam packed with history and pictures. A smashing family run pub. Great chat from the bar staff. Lovely grub from the kitchen. Great beers in a great place.

Excellent pub, Great food, Superp service, visit this pub!! Call and book a table, just had a amazing Sunday lunch with our family

Lovely village pub with all War memorabilia

Food fabulous, staff fabulous and pub fabulous. Stayed the night in the car park in our camper and already making plans to return. Had a really lovely time in the warm and cosy atmosphere, haven’t visited such a nice pub in a long time. 5 stars from us 👍

A lovely pub, went here after a family members funeral and the pub provided lots of food and refreshments including vegan platters. It was an unfortunate time to visit the pub but the owner and staff were very kind and understanding - even provided everyone with a small sherry (my great grandmas favourite drink) to raise a toast to her. I would recommend this place to anyone local or visiting.

Group of us booked roast lunch for 1.15. Service was excellent at the beginning. Roast was either sirloin beef or roast pork. For those who choose beef, we were warned that the beef maybe a bit red, yummy as I love my beef that way. Beef came and was one thick slice and was tough as old boots and overdone! We passed on some feedback and the answer we got was we got there early, really 1.15 and they started a new joint, first few servings are well cooked. 5 of us had the beef and it was all same. I left the beef, just couldn’t eat it, was so dry and tough. We finished and waited a while for someone to take dessert and coffee orders, we gave up in end. Was a shame because rest of the lunch was lovely, vegetables and potatoes were cooked to perfection and had lots flavour. But £17.50 for a plate veg was tad expensive! First roast dinner with the GL but won’t be back.

There are lots of things a pub needs to get right to be a really exceptional place to visit. Quality and range of drinks, excellent food, friendly and courteous staff, history, atmosphere, cleanliness. The Golden Lion gets all of these right. There is also parking for camper vans if you eat at the pub. we had a wonderful evening being liked after by a family based team. We will return. Thank you for a lovely time.

Inside the pub was delightful and full of character with a good selection of beers available. The staff engagement was first class. 5/5. However, the food was disappointing, although tasty, the venison was over-salted and there was excessive veg and not as much meat in the stew as I would have expected. 3/5. Balancing the venue, staff attentiveness and character against the food leaves us with a 4/5 overall for a pub that would be good to visit for a drink and chat.

Great welcome and friendly atmosphere. Bar man was great with knowledge of beer! Only one tiny thing, sausage and mash tasty but only served with frozen peas. Would have appreciated fresh vegetables.

Had a buffet lunch for group of retired midwives and maternity support workers at the Golden Lion. Excellent experience in every way. Can highly recommend this atmospheric pub and superb food and service provided.

This is a fabulous pub. We got a warm welcome from the landlord, the range of beers is extensive and the food is absolutely delicious and all home cooked. We picked the pub for a stopover in our campervan knowing nothing about it or the village and were delighted to learn about its D Day history - really fascinating. We will definitely return

Spectacular Pub, a friend took us and the truth is that it was a great evening, the food was especially delicious and well presented. Very good service and a Pub full of tradition and charm. I will definitely return and recommend it 😊 Thank you Spectacular Pub, a friend took us and the truth is that it was a great evening, the food was especially delicious and well presented. Very good service and a Pub full of tradition and charm. I will definitely return and recommend it 😊 Thank you

Superb welcome, delicious food and drinks. Looking forward to visiting again on our next trip over from Brittany. Thanks for all the times we've been with you. Julian and Enid

Last minute dinner food was good, choice of bitter was wide and they served New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc by the glass. Good value I had the special (chicken, leak and pancetta bake), Mrs H had fish and chips followed by cheese to share which had been brought to room temp so nice and ripe. Good value and service well worth a visit.

Arrived late so food not available but warm welcome and lovely atmosphere.

Stopped over in our motorhome after ringing ahead and booking a parking space. Lovely pub with a great landlord and staff. The food was top notch and we will definitely be back. Many thanks

We popped in for a couple of pints after a very muddy walk around Southwick. We were given a warm welcome and were delighted to find an excellent selection of real ales. We were lucky that there was space for us to have some lunch (I would recommend booking as other people who arrived after us weren't so lucky) The food was delicious and all freshly cooked. I liked it so much I would love to pop back again for Sunday lunch.

A classic pub. Bring back more like this. This is what pubs are supposed to be like. Highly recommended.

Great atmosphere, friendly staff and landlord, wonderful food and very good range of beers

A fabulous family Sunday lunch out at the Golden Lion. Food and service were excellent as usual. If you want a tasty roast this is the place to go. Friendly staff and nothing is ever too much for them to make your experience perfect. Compliments to the chef and all the staff members. Hope to see you again soon.

The staff and food were amazing , I would definitely recommend this pub. The food was freshly cooked and good quality. The staff were very friendly and let my husband taste a few beers before he ordered.

If you enjoy traditional British pubs that aren't part of a chain but do serve great food and drink, you should pay a visit to The Golden Lion in Southwick, near Portsmouth, Hampshire. This pub oozes history, especially from World War 2 and D-Day. Nearby Southwick House was the base for the Allied forces planning Operation Overlord, and the pub itself was known as the unofficial Officer's Mess. Even Generals Montgomery and Eisenhower had a drink in here, 'though probably not one of the ales currently served. Talking of which... I've never had a bad pint in The Golden Lion. The pub has an excellent range of real ales, often with five pumps on the go. A nice selection from dark, winter warmers to light, hoppy beers are usually available and all expertly kept. The pub has a traditional bar but also a more formal restaurant section. In addition, there is a lovely snug area with an open fire. Just perfect on a winter's day after a walk. The food served is wonderful. It usually features pub favourites such as fish and chips, pie, burgers (the best I've had!) and steaks but also features seasonal dishes, using locally sourced ingredients. BTW, if you do like to cook yourself, take home a jar of the Head Chef's own mixed herbs. Just delicious! All in all, if you like a pub where great food and drink is served by a lovely team of people, get along to The Golden Lion; just not on a Monday when it's closed! :-)

Absolutely amazing stop over. Stayed 2 nights EHU in our motorhome in the carpark. From the moment of walking into the pub to going this morning, the staff, owner & sons made it the best stop over in all our years of travelling. The greeting we got was warm, fun, charming & very knowledgeable of the village .. It was a fun history lesson whilst having a pint 😉 We met with family in the evening and had a wonderful meal 😋 😊, tasty, clean, fresh foods. The service was relaxed with smiling attentive staff. The owner takes a donation for EHU when in a motorhome, but he very generously puts that straight into the 3 charity pots he has. Hospice, animal charity & the older veterans He is a true gentleman We look forward to staying with you all again soon

Booked for the NHS out of hours district nurse team & their drivers. From the start of enquiring to the end (paying the bills) everything was outstanding. I really cant fault anything at all, pre-meal, drinks, the food itself and afterwards when there was no hurry for us to leave despite the pub actually closing, everything was a plus plus from me. Thank you all

Great food and service and very welcoming from all. Will definitely return. Thank you

Awesome evening first time there made to fell very welcome

Fabulous fish, beautifully cooked and fresh vegetables

Nice and friendly pub and very well priced.

Great beer, great food and a good atmosphere. Perfect for those damp winter afternoons.

Brilliant pub great food excellent service. A historical gem.

Follow Mr & Mrs R on TikTok. One of the best village pubs to be found in the area. Run by a landlord who has an incredible passion in providing a traditional pub, dining experience. The pub runs events and live music nights. The building is steeped in history, particularly it’s role in D-day in 1944.

Historic pub the WW2 Allied commanders used for relaxation.

Nice pub, great food and service in a beautiful village.

We had a delicious meal in a lovely setting! Staff friendly and attentive. The food was fresh and cooked to perfection! Thank you chef! Dessert was well presented and just enough not too much not too little !! We will be back, along with our well behaved dog x

We received an enthusiastic and warm welcome at the Golden Lion. We arrived after food service had closed but the landlord could not have been more helpful. Will definitely be back.

What a find. We arranged to meet friends at the Golden Lion as it was half way between our homes in the New Forest and West Sussex. Amazing Sunday roast. Fantastic gravy. Rather nice cheese board to follow. Good Service. Just wish we lived closer.

Excellent pub, excellent beer, excellent service, excellent food.

A decent Sunday lunch. Nice table and good service.

Had the BEST pub roast I've ever had today ! The service was friendly & efficient , nothing was too much trouble. Such a lovely experience will definitely come back , highly recommend this friendly, charming pub ..well done to everyone involved!!

Had a cracking 3 course meal, really good quality ingredients full of great flavours. Service was spot on & good banter later on with the old farmers having their night caps. Already planning our next visit.

This Pub certainly delivered on its great reputation. The staff were really helpful and clearly proud of the great food they serve. The soup was delicious and the homemade breads were very tasty. All at reasonable prices. We all loved it - Thank you

Lovely place, excellent food. And some interesting history too.

We stopped off after visiting Southwick house as I was based here when it was hms dryad and used to drink in the pub. Took my family and the pub and staff were amazing , really made you feel welcome and showed genuine interest when I told them I used to drink there. Gluten options were good and the steak pie was amazing as were the puddings. Always worth dropping is you won’t want to leave.

.....thank you that was a very well run lunch ..staff friendly and efficient..,my little dog found it pub friendly and welcoming..she was at 'ease'.. hhhmmm caught a glimpse of 'chef'...and said thank you to him...i had just pan fried bream...{with several glasses of wine...so the potatoes were good to have...'soak the wine up!!}...with samphire...creamy sauce..and plenty of small boiled potatoes with parsley..all delicious and very well cooked indeed..however one or two of the stalks of the samphire a trifle hard..and a few small bones left in the fish {could be a danger to some diners..with consequence for the business??}...the owner...publican is a charm..and lovely to exchange few words..

Really enjoyed out first night as new locals Stumbled into the jazz night which was good. Great choice of beers, well served by friendly staff. Not tried food yet but surely will

Best Sunday roast I've ever had in any restaurant. Great quality beef, crispy roast potatoes and gravy to die for.

If we could give more than five stars we would. What a great place! Lovely, friendly staff, great food and beers. Will definitely be back.

Our first visit here as a convenient midway meting point. An historicaly interesting venue, but in essence a fine country pub. Busy, even on a wet weekday evening, so make sure that you book. Excellent food at reasonable cost and very friendly staff.

Popped in on the off chance for a meal. Staff very accommodating and found us a table. Food amazing and service 1st class. Throughly recommend. 😀👏

Visited the Golden Lion Sunday 10th September with friends for a Roast dinner. Super pub. Really good tasty food. Not quite perfect though for my friends and I. We all thought the portion on beef on the plate was well short of what was expected or received in other places that serve first class food. The choice of white wine was slightly disappointing. No Chardonnay. None of us had a desert. Missing a trick here. Home made apple pie, crumble with custard is a nailed on must after a Sunday roast. Would we go back. Absolutely! Regardless of my minor criticism you can't take away how tasty the dinner was.

This little Gem of a pub is just out of this world! So much History in the pub all to do with the DDay landings. Your host Greg, is such a ‘Colourful’ character and nothing was too much trouble. Now the food, well the food here was Michelin star without a doubt!! The service was also first class! Thank you Greg.

Stopped here on the way home, very tasty and well presented dinner, choice of four real ales, we had Landlord Dark which was excellent. Attentive and friendly service, nice atmosphere. Just what a pub should be. Not our first visit and won’t be our last!