Month: April 2024

More in Hampshire than it is in West Sussex. Yet despite the anomaly of being half in and half out, Emsworth is definitely Chichester Harbour. A quaint South Coast village that has retained its charm and home to one of the few independent wine shops in West Sussex.

Vin Wine Merchants offer wine courses, free in-store tastings, corporate and private events as well as vineyard tours in the UK and throughout Europe

They can be found around the corner and are just hard enough to find to be unusual and interesting.

Housed in a listed building dating back to the seventeen hundreds, they stock a range of wines from all over the world along with our tasting room where we hold all our courses and tasting events. With original wooden floors throughout and old fruit crates for the shelving it’s like stepping back in time to the wine merchants of yesteryear, adding to the whole experience.

Not much gets going in the UK before 9am in the morning. So an early breakfast can be a problem in Chichester.

But if you know where to find Good News they open at five in the morning and carry handmade sandwiches and snacks provided by The Lunch Box.

They also close at six, so if you miss your lunch time snack at the Lunch Box, it is well worth turning the corner and wandering down the Lane to Chichesters Newsagents.

Both the bus depot and railway station are conveniently situated at the bottom of South Road. From where it is a short uphill walk to Chichesters Market Cross and the city centre.

Offering one the opportunity to sit and relax whilst deciding whether to explore the shops, cafes and restaurants on North, East or West Roads.

It couldn’t be simpler.

If you appreciate fresh eggs, with your full English, Crispins in East St serve a good breakfast.

There are two if not three different rooms giving one the choice of finding a table in a quiet corner.

Comfortably informal, it is an independent family run cafe serving fresh home-cooked meals and one of the best traditional English breakfasts in the Chichester Harbour area.

Well cooked, well presented and if you choose the big breakfast you won’t be disappointed. Unpretentious, down to earth, often a very busy cafe serving good food and the sort of service which keeps one going back for more.

[Edit] 23/03/22
More changes unfortunately. Billy’s is no longer the Surfers Cafe it was. It had a lick of paint during the Covid lockdown and it is now a looking a lot sleeker. Another chic seafood cafe. No longer that different and no Surfers Breakfast.

Different is something I have been looking for ever since Charlie Harper’s changed their menu, doing away with their Brunch Hash special.

A search which took me down to East Wittering for a breakfast at  Billys on the Beach.  I can’t remember when I last ordered kippers for an early morning breakfast and soon discovered that I have forgotten how to peel it away from the bones .

But I managed.

Keeping to different was the Surfers Breakfast which was a tomato, pepper base with cheese and I seem to remember chourizo. This topped with two fried eggs with chunks of bread.

It was different and Billy’s on the Beach is just one of a number of interesting restaurants and cafes to be found in East Wittering. Suspect it has got everything to do with there is a surfing community making it worth another look.

Found a new  cafe and coffee shop at the bottom of South St. They actually opened early in March but then, things got complicated.

It’s a family run cafe serving good coffee,

an all day breakfast and a light lunch menu.

All homemade with that little bit extra. The fish pie was great and I would have liked to try the ginger sponge. But having started with the soup of the day I will wait for the next time.

If I remember it was courgette and something else I will have to ask about when I go back for the pudding.

With a few exceptions most of the stalls at the local markets I have found have been dull and uninteresting.

Unique, handmade, sustainable sterling silver jewellery. Crafted by hand in the UK Silver Hollow Jewellery provides high-quality pieces including sterling silver rings, chains, pendants, bracelets and earrings. We also make a range of recycled jewellery including coin rings, spoon rings, and more eco-friendly pieces

Environmentally sustainable handmade jewellery Chichester

 

Which was why I stopped to talk to Jib Hagan. No ways he is going to earn any awards for the design and presentation of his stall.

But what he lacked in the way of shelter from the elements he made up for with enthusiasm and passion.

It’s a little ironical when you stop to think how recycled plastic waste ends up back on the street, in a stall being sold into the market and the journey taken to get here.

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