The Red Duster in Isle of Wight

Long established. Great food. Very quiet on the night we went. Use it or Cowes will lose it.

the food was amazing , Lovely place. Would recommend

This is a lovely, cosy restaurant in a quirky, character building. The service was excellent, everybody in the restaurant friendly, and the food very good. We would definitely go back for the experience.

Lovely meal. More imaginative than your usual offering and bursting with flavour. All cooked to order and steaming hot. Highly recommend this little bistro.

The food is sublime. We had pea soup which sounds boring but was so tasty, liver and bacon (starter and only to be had if you have an enormous appetite), belly pork and honey and chocolate duck. There is a real quality to the ingredients and such care with preparation. We followed this up with cherry crepes which had exactly the right amount or tart and sweet, and a crème brûlée which gave the promised cold custard under a cracking sugar top. The decor does not encourage anyone to go in but you need to see beyond. There was no background music and as we were the only ones in there it felt very quiet. The loos need an update. The waiter is keen and attentive, with a good sense of humour. Ignore the decor and savour the food.

Simply wonderful food - creative, refined but without compromising portion size. Good selection for vegans which one of our party was most grateful for. Super friendly staff and clearly an excellent chef and kitchen staff preparing such wonderful food.

We ate early so the restaurant was quiet. The waiter was efficient, friendly and knowledgeable. The menu was diverse and we over ordered as we couldn't narrow down from the great selection - took home a 'doggy bag'. The quality of the food was excellent and the variety of dishes very enticing.

My wife and I stayed in Cowes for a Fri-Fri week. We walked past this quaint little restaurant a couple of times whilst exploring the town. Noting the “open at 6pm” sign, we thought we’d chance our luck one September Tuesday evening. We were quickly accommodated with no booking and sat in the quaint downstairs restaurant area. We shared olives and bread to start, with a haddock pasty and Roquefort ‘mac-n-cheese’ to follow. For mains, we opted for the sea bass on mussel and spinach linguine, together with the king prawn and monkfish skewers, with Mediterranean salad. Everything was wonderful, washed down with a bottle of perfectly chilled Côtes De Provence. The highlight of the evening was the personal, attentive service of our waiter, Leon. I believe he was a university student, serving out a summer stint before returning to studies on the mainland. I do hope he returns next year, as he is a credit to the restaurant and an ambassador for great service. I’m sad for the one star reviews - everything is subjective. My wife and I had an absolutely wonderful experience and I’d highly recommend seeking the Red Duster out for yourself and not being put-off by the small number of poor reviews.

Went there for a romantic meal on a Saturday night before heading back to the mainland. The service was amazing even though they had unexpected guest that evening. They kept us fully informed of any issues and went out of their way to facilitate my wife’s allergies. The food was outstanding and the chef deserves massive praise to cope with everything thrown at him that night. Very good value and we will definitely visit again next time we are in the area. If I could give six stars I would

So good had to go back for the AMAZING Stilton and Marmite melt potatoes. Well worth the trip to the IoW.

Wonderful food, and great service. Food fresh, cooked very well, and nicely presented.

I have visited the Red Duster a few times with my wife and always had a great meal. This time we were with friends, and we all agreed that the food was excellent, so much so, that I had 3 courses (which is unusual for me). And to top it all, the prices are very reasonable. We will be back.

Must go and visit The Red Duster , cod was fabulous

This restaurant is reasonably priced for a gastronomic restaurant. The decor is a little faded but the food very good. I find the furniture a little uncomfortable as I have a bad back but there is one table with different chairs and I always 'order' that one. The menu caters well for different requirements and is equally good for vegans as it is for meat or fish lovers.

We'd walked past this restaurant a few times and thought the menu looked good. This was the best meal I had whilst in the isle of wight. The chicken dish was amazing. My husband had duck and said it was the best he'd had in many years. Definitely give this restaurant a try if you are in cowes. The best bit was for 2 meals and 2 glasses of wine it was £55, one of the cheapest meals we had out whilst away.

Lovely meal. Great portion sizes, had no room for dessert, as had a starter Good service

The food was superb, great service with friendly helpful staff. Very reasonably priced. Well worth the visit, we can't wait to go back.

Nice friendly, chatty welcome and service. Menu looked good with plenty of variety but we felt the food didn't really live up to the promise. It was 'ok' but didn't really justify the overall cost of our meal out. I can see the bench seats being an issue for some.

The food was delicious and well cooked. Staff were friendly and helpful and reasonable prices. Could have done with a few more cushions for those bench seats.

Great host everyone really enjoyed there food looking forward to going again

Noticed the outside of this place first, looked a bit quirky. Food here was fabulous, honestly one of the best meals we’ve had in a while. Would thoroughly recommend! The waitress looked after us very well, very friendly snd knowledgeable about the island. Great find 👍🏻

What a great find. This lovely bistro serves excellent food which is made to order. The waitress that served us was really friendly and helpful and is a real asset to the restaurant.

Nice surroundings, excellent service and and imaginative selection of interesting dishes. The food was well prepared and tasty.

Saw a menu for this restaurant in holiday home and thought it sounded good. Came across it when we were in Cowes looking for somewhere to eat and decided to try it. It lived up to expectations. We only had a main course and it was very tasty with good service and atmosphere.

Tasteless food and empty restaurant. Menu looks Interesting but the food is disappointing

Impeccable service and generous portions of creative food. Chap welcoming us and taking the order etc was incredibly nice and efficient. Enjoyed the beetroot and pear starter especially. Highly recommend.

Always good food, been coming to Red Duster for a few years and never disappoint.

A unique and interesting menu! Well recommended - the food was great

From the moment we stepped in the door we felt extremely welcome. We had chosen to go to the Red Duster on our holiday in the Isle of Wight as their menu looked interesting and different and it did not disappoint. The food in particular could not be faulted and the service was top notch.

A delicious and inventive menu combined with attentive and personable service. Overall a very enjoyable experience, we will be back.

We were instantly drawn to the frontage of this restaurant and the menu looked delicious. Once inside the waiter looked after us and nothing was too much trouble. We choose the Boursin chicken and the Gaelic cod. Both dishes did not disapoint and it was one of the best meals we have had. Yes you do have a little wait for food, but it does say on the menu meals are cooked to order and the wait is worth it and to be honest it wasn't really a wait, you are looked after and it is a place where you can relax and enjoy the food. The restaurant is small and intimate. Which is perfect to enjoy your meal. We will definitely visit again.

The atmosphere was lovely. Very relaxed with friendly attentive staff. Then the food came, good on the eye but underwhelming on the palate. I’ve both had the fish soup starter, rich in fish but devoid of flavour until we cracked salt and pepper until it, then it became a slightly acquired taste but pleasant enough. Main courses were smoked duck and rib-eye steak. The duck was tough and again devoid of flavour for done reason, best part of the plate were the carrots The steak was cooked as requested but the fries were hard. Some mustard helped with overall flavour. Dessert was crème brûlée and an orange/chocolate torte. Easily the best course of the evening, flavoursome, well presented if very sour fruit on crème brûlée. No wine was taken with the meal, but excellent water was served.

Very good food and excellent service. When next on holiday will definitely visit again.

It’s a lovely restaurant with fabulous food and great service. It’s nice to be able to enjoy an evening meal without being asked to vacate the table by a certain time, so we enjoyed all 3 courses. Must go there more often.

First visit here for this summer season and what a great visit it was. The menu is superb. Really tasty, robust food. Or starters were the chowder, liver and bacon and the smoked salmon profiteroles. Mains were the Gaelic cod, Thai monkfish and the duck. Generous portions, tasty food. Good bottle of wine. Super service - a very friendly team. £50/head. Great value.

Had an evening in West Cowes from Southampton. I have been to the Red Duster a few years ago with work and really enjoyed it therefore I thought I would take my wife for our anniversary. What a great decision. Food was amazing at a reasonable price considering the quality. Service was really good. Menu has a variety of fish dishes which is fantastic. Really could not fault the whole experience.

Great friendly service. Very good selection of different types of dishes, not a burger to be seen! Impressive portion sizes with the option to order two starters with a pudding. Will definitely return when the opportunity arises. Somewhere not to be missed.

The service and quality of food was outstanding. It was nice to have a starter and main course that tasted as expected from reading the menu. Kay was excellent in looking after us and is an admirable ambassador for the restaurant. Very, very well done.

Good visit to end our day out on the island… nice ambiance, good food, filling portions, very attentive service.

The Red Duster situated in Cowes offers a great food, good portions and a cosy atmosphere. The place was very quiet, understated but well worth a visit . Prices very good ..

What a gem. Delicious food, cooked with care and served by helpful, friendly staff

First time in the Isle of Wight and it was a great experience, topped off by great food here! My partners pregnant and the staff there were very accommodating to her needs regarding food. One of the best places I’ve ever eaten, and will definitely be back!

Very welcoming staff! Food freshly cooked and the dessert was to die for! When visiting Cowes again we’d definitely eat there! Thank you for a most enjoyable evening!

Beautiful food, cute little place and really lovely staff.

A real small gem of a place, you wouldn’t leave here hungry!

Family run business; the food was absolutely amazing; front of house was very friendly providing a perfect and efficient service.

Ignore the 1970s decor and menu. The food exceeded expectations when we read spam spaghetti was offered. The food was super. Service excellent, polite and attentive. The bread would benefit from not being sliced white toast bread if offered with balsamic and olive oil.

Really enjoyable meal of good quality with excellent service.

Really nice food and great service. There was something for everyone on the menu. It was a welcoming atmosphere and good that they were open midweek in November. We'll definitely be back.

Great menu, lots of choice. Food was really good. Charming service.

A really enjoyable time at the Red Duster. A diverse modern menu, so many great choices and really good value.can’t wait to go again.

A diverse menu with lots to choose from, great food and good value. We will be going back to try more of the menu!

Food was fantastic, service was brilliant. Will be returning.

great food and beautiful ambiance ……………………………………..,.

Great food, really good evening for our group of 6. Helpful waiting staff. Feels homely given the décor has not changed in the 20 years I have been there.

Great little find, service was speedy and friendly. Will definitely return.

The service was excellent from the moment we walked in and the food superb.

An amazing restaurant. Very friendly and attentive service. Excellent food and a great menu too. I'd certainly come here again next time I'm in Cowes. Would certainly recommend.

An amazing restaurant. Very friendly and attentive service. Excellent food and a great menu too. I'd certainly come here again next time I'm in Cowes. Would certainly recommend.

It was so lovely to eat in the restaurant where I used to waitress as a teenager! Would love to say the good review is down to nostalgia but it was genuinely great food and the staff were amazing.

The quaint frontage and intimate dining area drew our attention to this lovely restaurant. Greeted by happy and helpful staff who made the experience just as lovely as the food did. Starter portion size quite large so unless your really hungry I would share. Food was really tasty! Definitely would visit again.

The waitresses were excellent and attentive . Food was excellent

The fish was very overcooked but the staff took that off the bill,

The Red Duster is a small family run restaurant in the heart of West Cowes. The service was brilliant, one happy, smiling young lady made sure everyone was content. The food was very good, with large portions, so two starters would satisfy. Will definitely visit again

A lovely little restaurant with a fabulously different menu. A must for fish lovers! The service was perfect, very professional, efficient and friendly. We were a party of 6 and every plate was empty! Only one minor criticism from a real foodie - I would have liked a choice of breads with olive oil otherwise just perfect!

Not impressed. Had better seafood pasta ready meals. Starters were mediocre. The restaurant was boiling hot on an August summer evening and there was only one fan pointing at the ceiling. The staff were very good though even if food delivery was slow from the kitchen.

Food was lovely, very good variety to choose from, service was excellent Very good value for money

Food exceptional and unusual BUT the inside lets it all down. Smell of damp when walked in - decor awful considering the type of food that is being served and the seats very uncomfortable . Ate our food and left as the ambience was not conducive to an evening out. Sorry guys you need to give everywhere a lick of paint and put hanging wires away safely and change seating.

Excellent food. Nice ambience. Great and friendly staff. Asparagus a little overdone/fibrous for my mum’s taste, and crème brûlée a little on the small side. Delicious nonetheless.

The duck was excellent - maybe the best duck we have ever eaten. Highly recommended.

Family restaurant served by the daughter, cooked by Dad. Enjoyed the food, the service, and the ambiance - thank you.

Lovely meal, friendly and efficient service. Only complaint was the seating was not very comfortable needed some padding on the backs of the seats.

Very nice tasty food. Service was friendly, cost reasonable

Excellent as ever! A great supper post round the island race. Thanks

I visited a Thursday evening and it was very slow when I arrived. The staff was really friendly and the food was excellent. I will definitely visit again next time I’m am in Cowes

Four of us had an excellent meal at The Red Duster in Cowes, the most interesting menue we have seen for a long time. Smoked salmon profiteroles, liver and bacon, Sea bass tagliatelle, duck. The star of the meal was the Martine and Stilton potatoes!...

Quiet Sunday evening. Menu choices were imaginative, with good choice of excellent salmon profiteroles, a bit bland fish soup, unusual limoncelli chicken and a very good lemon sole with orange hollandaise sauce. Reasonable value. A very pleasant evening.

Great food, good service and nice atmosphere. Would recommend.

We booked dinner at the Ref Duster and were not disappointed. The food was lovely and the service excellent. Staff were very friendly and we were made to feel welcome. I was even given a piece of their home made honeycomb to take away and...

Me and my partner had a great time here. The staff were very friendly and every dish we ordered was super tasty and was fresh to order. Would highly recommend coming here.

Small restaurant, Looks like it used to be an old cafe out of the 60’s and nothing done since so decor needs a complete overhaul, though it was nice to have your own booth type dining table. Background music was 70’s Motown if you like...

lovely friendly place, good food, nice staff, worth a visit.

We had the jumbalalya and seabass linguine and would recommend this place - the food was amazing and service was great

Great interesting menu, lovely service and excellent food

Very surprised by the menu, definitely different in a really good way. Food was excellent and the service was superb. Could not fault this place. We had a great time!

Smoked salmon profiteroles followed by liver and bacon and stuffed fennel on a bed of mash and hollandaise sauce - loved the food! Service was a little hectic because of short staffing but very friendly and helpful.

Lovely food. The sea bass was excellent. Crepes very tasty.

This was our third visit here, the menu had changed admittedly this was the first time since early 2020 and the food was really a disappointment. The lamb tagine was a sloppy stew with little lamb and mostly apricots. The service was good but the...

Easy to book, friendly staff, good size portions and recommend the saute marmite potatoes

An eclectic menu with some new and different dishes that work well. It is a small atmospheric restaurant although understandably a little quiet mid week in November. Really friendly attentive service and good food with very generous portions. Good value and well worth a visit.

Incredible food and service. After asking my partner to marry me we were given a bottle of prosecco which was a really nice thing to do. We will be returning many times

The menu looked great but the meal we received was surprising. My dish was meant to have Thai flavouring and I couldn't taste anything and then my partner's dish was meant to be Tagine and he couldn't taste any of the usual spices there either. The waitress was fine. I was a little irritated that the guests who came in after us were served first. (They had starters and we only had mains.) The restaurant got quite noisy. I'm not sure what they thought of their meal but they left before we did and neither of us stayed for desserts. Was the usual chef off for the night?

fish brûlée starters were really tasty and a sensible portion. We’d read other reviews that said portions were too big. Not so. Main courses were disappointing though. Lamb tagine was really fatty and flavours weren’t well balanced. Sea bass cooked well and the potato bed...

We loved our night at the Red Duster. The recommendations from the friendly staff were excellent, the flavours in the food were among the very best we've had ever, the portion sizes were good and the chef was very thoughtful when presented with obscure dietary...

Great food and with so many dishes I wanted to eat, I will have to go back.

A very odd restaurant, the menu seemed all over the place with not much coherence or theme. The starters were nearly the size of main courses. wine was low quality and over priced. Gordon Ramsey could do well to visit the place, if he did it would make a great TV programme.

Friendly, efficinet service. Delicious food. Imaginative menu. If I lived in Cowes I'd go every week. This was the final meal out on our holiday and we loved it.

Cosy looking restaurant, helpful and friendly service from the owner but the food was nothing special. Disappointing

The staff were very attentive and friendly. I even asked for help choosing a dish. The food was amazing. Really tasty and generous portions. It was our first wedding anniversary and we were seated in the window. It was a really wonderful exp. it’s a very busy restaurant- lots of people were calling for a table so I would highly recommend booking but really worth it. Very reasonably priced too. A wonderful evening and experience. Thanks to all the team.

Very cosy and not noisy. Great music in background but quiet enough so you could talk. Food was made fresh and very tasty.