Verveine Fishmarket Restaurant in New Forest

We booked for lunch here, well in advance, when we knew that we would be staying in the area at Lymington. I liked the look and sound of its blind tasting menus from previous TA reviews and its website. And, boy, we were not disappointed!!Diners were well socially distanced, which made us feel comfortable although, as with many other restaurants, we would have felt even more so if staff had been wearing masks or visors. The staff were, however, delightful and efficient.We both opted for the lunchtime 6 course tasting menu. I had a very nice glass of white wine but because, sadly, driving was involved, my wife had an elderflower presse , which was very nice as it was actually handmade at the restaurant.The food was excellent. There were a couple of amuse bouches before we set into 4 fishy courses and then two sweet courses to end. Everything about them was first class, with wonderful presentation and a flair for flavour combinations. The whole experience is excellent, from the way that the cutlery is presented, the novel dishes on which the courses were served, the explanations of each course, as well as the actual food itself.We were so impressed that, before we left, we booked for dinner on my wife's birthday in a few weeks time, so that we can have the full experience with wine pairings next time; and have booked to stay overnight locally, especially to facilitate this. We are really looking forward to it!!

We were recommended this restaurant by friends who hadn’t been but had heard of its reputation. The place is small with only 9 tables so they ask for a deposit when you book as they have had many instances of people not bothering to turn up. Well, those people have missed a treat. It is a tasting menu of 4+ courses that is a delight to the palate. You don’t know what you’re getting but they check for allergies, dislikes etc. A couple of mouth watering amuse bouche followed by interesting, different and beautiful cooked courses. We opted for the 4 course without matching wines. The hake was cooked to perfection and the pistachio sponge dessert was a revelation. The service was friendly and efficient. We will be back to enjoy a gastronomic delight.