The True Food Kitchen Castlehaven in Isle of Wight

We popped in for a coffee and wow the view is lovely, it's tucked away down a track but well worth finding 👍

Bizarre place. Calls itself a "cafe", but only serves expensive restaurant food. We ordered drinks and asked for a menu. They brought drinks, we expected them to come back to take our food order. We were sat there for half an hour and no one came. They were hardly busy, there were two other couples apart from us. We saw 4 members of staff, who were either chatting or on their phones, basically doing anything apart from attending to customers. We decided that if they are going to charge £28 for a burger, then the service should match. We paid for our drinks, left and got lunch elsewhere. They also lost other custom, as we overheard other people had come wanting tea and cake (the misleading "cafe" signs) and then only bought drinks as they don't serve cake. Bizarre place!

Lovely little place to have a bite to eat. We only had a little snack - firecracker cauliflower and fries which was delicious and nutritious!

Not often I feel the need to write a review but signed up for this one. The odd arm waving rather manic owner/manger was very rude to my group. We were in walking gear and got the impression we were not good enough for this pretentious shouty Basil Fawlty type individual. Do yourself a favour and try the pub up the road for a really warm welcome.

We had the Wagyu and Chicken burger, both outstanding. The Asian slaw delicious and plenty of chips. Totally recommend eating here, the chefs clearly know their stuff. Young waitress very attentive. Views sublime

Delicious food that didn’t disappoint at all! Would be nice to have more of an inside area but is still fabulous when not to hot as it is by the channel.

Amazing location, food and staff. We found this place by accident and stopped for a coffee. The lovely lady working there got out a couple of deck chairs for us and brought over lovely coffee. We asked about the food and she brought us a menu, told us about the specials and offered us a choice of tables still available. She suggested a lovely walk to the small harbour for the dog and at low tide this was fantastic. We came back for a fantastic lunch of monk fish. I am GF and had it pan fried with fries and asian slaw and my husband had it tempura. Fantastic views, friendly staff, great local gin and amazing food. What more can you ask for. Definitely recommend for a hot sunny day. Dog friendly and GF friendly. Thanks for a fantastic lunch, hope to visit again.

We came for a meal today, we hadn’t booked but were able to be accommodated. I ordered catch of the day with boiled potatoes & capers with a slaw. The Seabass skin was over cooked, which made it very crunchy. The meal cost £29 & I was given only one fillet of seabass. The boiled potatoes had been shallow fried which was unexpected & were topped with alioli, the potatoes were fried past over cooked & the oil was too over powering. The various flavours in my meal were not working in harmony, however the coleslaw alone was lovely. There were at least 3 members of waiting staff & there was only 1 other table occupied(they had to call the staff over after a long wait) They wondered if they could have some bread which the restaurant did not offer. We were waiting over 15 mins for the staff to take an order, one of the waiting staff was busier using her phone. At no point during the meal were we asked if our meal was ok. The cost for lunch was over £61 which we both thought was overpriced. Food portions small. A small latte is £3.50, A side order of coleslaw is £6 (as are all the other side dishes including the fries) Deserts are over £10 which we decided not to have due to the price. There was an option to leave a tip but felt our bill was already over priced for our experience. For any smokers I would not recommend as there are signs up in their beer garden stating no smoking, on questioning the staff we were told “to smoke in the car park!” There is no access to the beach which we found disappointing. Over all I would recommend this place for a drink with a nice view but would not rate highly on service or food quality/food price. Me & my friend have both had many years working in hospitality including the kitchen & we feel there should be some management overseeing this. It did not seem that the staff had a leader. I never really leave a review online but I felt that for such a remote location that people shouldn’t have too high expectations especially if you arrive & you’re hungry.

Amazing meal on a lovely evening. Burger sauces and flavours were excellent with some new for me and as I love a good burger I would rank this one highly. Kids had a great time which is another indication of good food and atmosphere.

Perfect evening. Sublime food in an incredible setting. The team were very busy as had a large hen party group but they handled it really well and service was still great. Best lobster I have ever had!

The Food was absolutely delicious!!

A fabulous, cliff-top location and some of the best food on the island, this is a MUST-go place on a sunny day. Great cocktails, even better food, with an Asian twist. You have to make an effort to get here but it is well worth the walk down to the cliffs from the road. The views are stunning and the deck is a fantastic place to while away a couple of hours with a glass (and the dog). Love it.

Be aware that there are two different sign posts by the main road which say ‘no motor vehicles’… however they have since laid tarmac on the single lane down to the beach cafe and there’s a small car park at the bottom. The food was great but we would have enjoyed it more as a couple, there were no cheaper lunch options for kids.

Absolute hidden gem. Breathtaking views. Diamond service. World class, delicious, fresh food clearly made by chefs with high standards. The question is not “if” we will be back, it is simply, when. What did we have? The specials of the day — Tuna and Softshell crab burger, and the Surf & Turf Burger. The team who waited on us were also so kind and attentive to helping me with continuously topping up ice for my finger, which I smashed under a massive rock while doing a beach clean nearby. (Thank you ladies!) Anyway; if you’re reading this review and you’re after somewhere memorable that won’t disappoint you, trust us - don’t miss this! Thanks all. We’ll you soon. Donna & Heath 👍👍

Extraordinarily delicious food...the freshest seafood (and burgers) cooked to perfection with Japanese/Korean/southeast Asian influences. Wonderful staff and coastal setting to die for. Mainly outdoor seating so choose a warm day.

To get the flavours, the views, the setting and the service, you'd have to travel great distances, and spend a pretty penny to get even remotely close to what you can experience here. And it's right on our doorstep. Perfect.

Delicious, the vibe, the cooking the ingredients and the philosophy of the place. Full marks. Thankyou you really know what you are doing 🙂 simply perfect

Well we visited this place today. Have to say fantastic view over the sea. If ya have a big posh car walk the last bit ! (IT'S WELL WORTH THE WALK) ANOTHER THING BELIEVE ME !! It's a must try excellent food really pleasant place extremely good food !!!

This place is brilliant. We actually went on a rainy evening (trust the English summer weather!) but the staff were so good the experience was still great. Blankets and hot chocolates all round! The food was delicious, service super, and views were stunning. Would love to come back on a sunny day!

This place knocks me over every time. The food is amazing. The location is stunning. The staff are Tip Top! Just love it!

Delicious food but my husband did not get the dish he wanted! We didn’t realise until we were leaving and saw the Specials board dish was not the one he was served! He had asked for the monkfish without realising there was a basic monkfish on the standard menu. Very disappointing as although it was very nice it was simply posh fish and chips! No chilli bacon or crispy onions and brioche sub….

Friendly staff and really amazing food, combine that with a lovely scenic setting and you have hidden gem.

The rain ruined our experience but I'm still awarding 5 stars! We were met with a very warm welcome and every effort to keep us dry & warm was made by the staff. The food was served quickly and was excellent. On a sunny day this location would be stunning and worth the walk or slightly nerve wracking drive down & up the dirt track (worse in wet weather!)

Food was amazing, view was incredible but above all the staff were second to none, they went above and beyond to make our experience special. You have a gem in Kelly. Superb. Will without a doubt be back. Thank you so much 😊

Food was brilliant, delicious and fresh, cocktails on point. Service friendly & warm atmosphere- recommend

We only stopped for a drink on our way through to castlehaven but when we saw the food coming out we decided to enquire about eating here. I have to eat gluten free and was happy to hear they had plenty of options for me. They were fully booked but had a no show booking so they managed to get us a table. I hadn't realised that all the items on the menu were Asian of sorts and unfortunately this type of food isn't for me. Luckily the owner was there to help me. I chose the save steak and I was incredibly impressed, what a stunning meal they had prepared. Its even given me the chance to realise I need to try more food instead of assuming I won't like it. This little gem of a restaurant is well worth a visit for the food and views. I would reccomend booking in advance to avoid being turned away. The food isn't cheap but it is good value for money, you should pay more when you're getting excellent food, service and venue.

A little Hiden gem. Stopped for a coffee after a walk. Friendly staff, beautiful view.

A fantastic experience, the food is truly amazing and the service was friendly and fast. There is a children's menu which isn't shown on the website and the driveway down to the restaurant is quite intimidating as it's a single track that winds down a long hill, BUT it's worth the journey for an unforgettable experience.

Visited on the off chance it was open as the weather was not great. Its a trek down the hill but the view makes it worthwhile. The food was superb and well priced, worth the visit!

Lovely spot, great food and staff 🙏

Wow! Such a beautiful location…if you have the weather of course! When I came it was warm and sunny with a mild wind. Beautiful views of the sea. Food was superb - I had the monkdog which is tempura monkfish with chilli bacon in a brioche bun. Food of the Gods for sure! Take a brilliant just in case though! Lovely, friendly and quick service too. If I owned this place, I might be tempted to stay open longer into the evening during the summer - last dinner orders at 5.30pm felt a bit early.

Beautiful view over the sea. Mostly seafood on the menu. Good for a drink after walking down to it.

Didn't eat, just had 2 drinks in a beautiful location. However, shocked to be charged £14 for orange juice and lemonade and glass of elderflower cordial which anywhere else would cost £7 or £8

Perfect location. Wonderfully fresh fish. Crunchy tempura with delicious tangy coleslaw. Charming and incredibly hardworking staff who really want you to have a great experience. Probably one of the best restaurant views in the South. Not to be missed.

Had a great time. Food was absolutely brilliant, service was great and the setting+view was fantastic. Definitely a must visit if you’re in the area

Amazing amazing. Had a fully veg meal and enjoyed the unique and tasty options. View, people, vibes 😎

Fabulous views great service. Bit of a walk down so wear sensible footwear. Can drive but small difficult road best walk down twenty minutes. We'll worth it. Food is amazing.

Worth the trip from anywhere on the Island. Views and flavours to take your time over.

This place is AMAZING! EXPENSIVE but we had a great time... The views are literally incredible!!! You can't beat it... Super friendly staff Make sure you book!! Loads of people try and get in but no chance without a booking We shared 2 starters, prawns on toast and the duck gyozas!! Flipping mega, albeit the toast comes with tempura prawns...Good job they are delightful as I had ordered a tempura prawn poke bowl Husband had the tempura sword fish red Thai curry which was spicy and delicious Everything tasted so fresh! Proper vibes here, Bill was 90 quid so on the hefty side but worth it! If you want to book do it online as they don't really do it there, they did however telephone to confirm which was good

Absolutely excellent, unique location, amazing food.

One of the best places to go for seafood on the IOW. Staff are friendly and service is excellent. It is a bit of a walk to get to as it is at the end of a no drive road. Recommend you book, it is so good that you need to be lucky to get a table. Only ruined by a trio of rude MAML visitors (when are MAML not ignorant?)

A great location with fantastic food, the staff were friendly and attentive. We could have eaten everything on the menu!

Would happily give the place a full 5 stars if it wasn't for the access , we had to drive down there to take my mum to lunch ( she's 92 ) which is an unmade road with very limited parking near the restaurant , however it is worth it

Excellent food parking is a problem but the view make's up for that can definitely recommend this place pity it is seasonal due to outside seating.

A true little gem 💎 we found this last time we visited the island 2 years ago and loved it so much we made it our 1st stop this visit! Great food and drink, amazing views & the staff really do go above and beyond & were fantastic with our son who has adhd and autisum. . . will definitely be back every time we visit!

Outdoor restaurant with sea view. Food is homemade and service is quick, nice and polite. Nice place to go with friends. It can get windy so take a jumper/ jacket! They have some blankets available for guests as well.

Delicious fresh meals and good service in a great setting. It's far down a windy offroad approx 8 parking spaces available.. Booking recommended.

This place is the ture meaning of hidden gem 💎 from the glorious view to wot can only be described as foodgasmic really just one bite and I was hooked so much so that I went there 3 times in the 5 days I spent on the Isle of White, the staff where the best ruby and jade are amazing couldn't be more helpful and welcoming all while working in hot temperatures, this place is the best I've ever been too thank you all for all your wonderful ture food......

Amazing food, great views and lovely friendly staff.

If I could give it more stars I would! What a gem of a place about .5 of a mile down a costal track, well worth the visit / always check out the specials - Monkfish for me, cooked to perfection & tasted delicious. Highly recommended.

Stunning views! Absolutely fantastic food and drinks.. Well worth the trek.. Highly recommended...

This might be my favourite restaurant ever! Last time we were here, it was a kiosk, now a beautiful restaurant with lovely staff, fantastic food and scenery to die for. Amazing. We’ll be back.

Had Aa absolutely delicious lunch here. Castlehaven is well hidden away and a gem to find

This place is incredible. Stumbled into it by accident and stayed for a three course meal. In my opinion location and views are unbeatable. Family run business, with friendly and chatty staff that was very attentive and helpful. And the food - truly incredible. The ideas and the way it was served, the flavours and combinations - fantastic. Honestly one top top if not the best food on IoW.

Lunch in the sun with best views on the IOW for starters, not to mention the professional attentive service and exquisite flavours combined with fresh fish catches.

On a sunny day best place to visit and eat although parking can sometimes be a nightmare.

Fantastic place and incredible food. Made fresh to order, tasting delicious! Hidden gem, must try who enjoys beautiful views and excellent service. me and my husband will be coming back next time we visit.

Fabulous setting for outdoor eating. Tempura fish was excellent.

Fantastic food, fantastic views, fantastic service

Incredible food, impeccable service. One of the best places to eat on the island!!!

Absolutely wonderful a pleasant surprise.

What a view! Had a great meal too.

Fabulous food and great ambience and atmosphere. Staff were really friendly and helpful. A great find!

Great lunch there,what an amazing location!

Incredible food, beautiful view and brilliant service. The staff were so friendly, can't recommend enough.

In August this year we visited a very wet and rainy Isle of Wight. On one of the days of respite we came here. Best thing we did in regards to restaurant choices, a place for the kids to play and scrumptious food and great rose. Very laid back so please go easy when there - relax into the vibe and you’ll be fine.

Not cheap, but excellent food, friendly service and delightful location. Well worth a visit - but choose a fine day!

Great food, efficient friendly staff in a beautiful location.

Very unusual location reached by a pretty walk across the headland past St Catherine's Lighthouse. Very unusual menu for seaside bar. Excellent food and service.

such a magic experience, food, setting, service above and beyond!

Incredible food! Sort of Japanese/Seafood fusion. Can’t praise the chefs enough. Spectacular setting! Lovely staff.

Great food, friendly service, fabulous views. Only reason it isn't 5 stars is that there was a very long wait for food over 45 minutes and they didn't tell us there would be a delay. Would definitely return. Portions were generous with an interesting menu, we didn't have space for pudding which was a shame as it looked great. Very busy at 1.30 but fairly quiet by 2.30

Amazing food and great location with really friendly and welcoming staff.

The most delicious fresh fish I've tasted in a long time. The chef really knows how to mix the flavours and what works well together. Love the Japanese influence in the dishes. Then there is the best view ever to enjoy. What a great evening we had.

What a great find. Heard of it from friends, which was lucky, because we wouldn’t have found out about it otherwise - they seem to rely on word of mouth - and it is way off the beaten track. It’s at the end of an in-maintained track, right on the beach overlooking the sea just to the east of T Catherine’s Point lighthouse. All out door seating, so bring coats - it can be very cool down there. But it is so worth the trip. The menu majors on seafood, with an Asian leaning - think excellent crisp tempura on giant prawns - but the teriyaki steaks were massive and tasty too. Really recommend it!

Amazing food plus an amazing view, the staff were very polite and although the prices were a bit on the steep side- the quality outshone it.

Second day here for lunch and just as amazing second time round, still didn't see any dolphins or seals though

Similar to all previous reviews. Food, service and location all fantastic! Ingredients were all very fresh and menu is creative and inviting.

Delightful surroundings with delicious food with excellent service

We visited with my parents who had seen this little well hidden gem. It was rather busy and we had a short wait for the food which was well worth the wait !! Food was excellent and although the menu is not massive it’s perfect. The fish (I had sea bream) was very fresh and tasted lovely. Although prices seemed high, the quality of the meals outshone the cost !! All staff the were very friendly and happy to help. Nicola (professional golf buggy driver) helped give us a ride back up to the main road. I would definitely recommend a visit but phone to book a table first !! Would happily visit again and will do on my next visit. Thanks True Food Kitchen 👍

Great location matched with wonderful food and very friendly pleasant staff.....will return

Great views and nice food. Fresh fish and a definite emphasis on Thai food. Only outdoor seating so not one for a rainy day!

What a find! Discovered this place by accident and it was a real treat. Food was absolutely delicious - wonderful flavours and perfectly cooked. Poke bowl was excellent and perfect for lunch. Staff were friendly and accommodating, and the view was terrific even though the weather was misty when we visited. Would definitely visit again - so many other menu options to try.

Amazing food in an equally amazing location. Probably the best prawn tempura I've ever eaten. Top marks to the chef & the campsite for coming together to make such a unique place ❤️

Fantastic food and and outstanding view

Spectacular views, superb food and such great service 😀 Defo return

Out on a local walk to see the light house and happend to stumble across this place. The staff were very friendly and happy to accommodate us for lunch. Service was swift and the food came out quickly with great presentation. The food was tasted very fresh. Great outdoors seating with amazing views!! Unfortunately no indoor seating for rainy days.

Gorgeous setting but service was slow (table near us seemed to wait for ages before getting their food). Food was good but they'd run out of crab. Buggy back to car nice touch.

Fantastic menu fresh fish. Lots of Asian fusion food. Great service, good views of the sea.

Incredibly tasty food and cocktails. Great location and views. Top service. I think that covers everything!

Excellent food and service here again, 2nd visit will definitely return before winter.

This place is AMAZING! On the cliff side, so beautiful views. If it’s windy (which is always is by the beach) bring a coat because the food is worth it! Amazing Asian inspired menu and everything we had was delicious. The staff are also really friendly and the cafe is dog friendly. Would recommend 👍👍👍

Stumbled across this place after looking online for a lunch spot. We were lucky to get a table so definitely book. The service was fantastic and the food was genuinely delicious. I had the prawn poke bowl and loved every part of it - especially the ginger!! My boyfriend had the burger which came with a delicious slaw - " best slaw I've ever had". Couldn't recommend enough! Real hidden gem.

Excellent food, accommodating staff

We had walked down to this beach cafe/restaurant, i can say the food was fantastic, a real foodies favourite, i had the 72hour slow cooked beef short ribs with pressed rice and stir fry vegetables, and my wife had the catch of the day, sea bream with a noddle salad, then just add some banging cocktails, five star plus, i will be returning very soon.

Food was really good, out door with very relaxed setting fabulous view. We are taking some friends there next week.

Un-be-lievable. Cocktails 👌, setting 🤩, food 🤌 The two chefs who cooked for us are unreal. Amazing fusion of spices, all with a pan Asian feel. Weird to have bao buns, poke bowls and crispy teriyaki chicken (which by the way was better than fried chicken at Jubo in Liverpool Street) on a quaint IOW hillside overlooking the English Channel whilst sitting next to a caravan park (with vintage, duck egg striped caravans) but all that said, it was unreal!! They need to have more parasols for hot days, high chairs for babies and have fewer things ‘unavailable’ on the menu but all of that is forgiven for this amazing lunch. Thanks Chef (Adam Fendyke)!! 👏 Note to anyone driving - park on the main road and get the golf buggy down. It all adds to the experience and the road is definitely not one you’ll want to drive down 🤣 We will definitely return…

Fabulous food, friendly and attentive staff and a location with fantastic views! The food has a definite Japanese influence and tastes divine - we had the poke bowl, one with crab and the other with pork belly! What more could you ask for? Only one negative is that it could be better signposted as it is very much off the beaten track! A must visit if you’re near and want a first class meal at reasonable prices!

Absolutely fantastic food lovely staff and great golf buggy experience. Thank you

We went to the true food kitchen today for the first time, the food was great, good service from friendly staff,a proper hidden jem and will definetly be going back again, especially being delivered to our car by a golf caddy