AD – Our meal at Inn on the Beach was complimentary in exchange for a review.
Last week we headed over to Hayling Island for dinner at Inn on the Beach. We hadn’t visited Hayling for such a long time (probably since I worked on the island back in 2018) and it was nice to go back. I was invited to visit the Inn on the Beach for dinner and after seeing their fantastic views, cosy atmosphere and tasty-looking food online, my expectations were set high and I was excited to see what it was like. We always love visiting coastal restaurants – a lot of our favourites from Hampshire fall into this category – so Inn on the Beach was definitely set to impress. I’m pleased to say that it was just as excellent as we thought it would be – the only thing that could have made our evening better is if sunset had been a little later so that we could have enjoyed the views. I guess we’ll have to return soon!
When we arrived it was already dark – but to give you an idea of what glorious views to expect, below is a photograph from the team at Inn on the Beach. It really is right on the water, overlooking Hayling beach and with views stretching across the Solent in both directions. I’ve heard they’re always extremely busy in the summer, which isn’t really a surprise!
The Inn on the Beach is a little off the beaten track but easy to find, tucked away down a residential road along Hayling seafront. There’s free parking for restaurant guests right outside and there’s plenty of outdoor seating if the sun decides to come out.
The interior is warm and inviting, with coastal beach-hut style decor in each room and plenty of neutral colours. This is precisely the sort of restaurant we love to visit. This would be a fantastic place to bring a large group of family or friends to as it’s so spacious, and in the summer it’s the perfect lunch spot after a walk along the beach.
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We visited Inn on the Beach on a quiet Tuesday evening and there were a few Hayling locals dining when we arrived. The restaurant is normally fully booked on sunny weekends and Sunday lunches, but if you were to visit during the week (especially off-season) you wouldn’t need to book. We settled in at a corner table and perused the menu – I zeroed in on the seafood options which all sounded delicious.
Inn on the Beach are passionate about their food, and change up their menu regularly – ensuring that whatever is on the menu is fresh and tasty.
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To start I opted for the king dive scallop, served atop black pudding and carrot puree. I’m never normally one to order a dish with black pudding in – but I do love scallops, and these were excellent.
Big and juicy, the scallops tasted very fresh and were perfectly cooked – so delicious, and they paired well with the subtle meaty flavours from the black pudding. This was a delightful starter that I’d definitely order again.
Tom chose to have the tempura battered squid, served with an aioli dip. Whenever we visit a new restaurant we tend to order the calamari – it’s one of our favourite dishes and a good benchmark for us to judge a restaurant by. The squid from Inn on the Beach was excellent – the batter was extremely light and the squid was delicate.
It was clear from our starters (and my main to follow) that Inn on the Beach has absolutely nailed their seafood dishes. Everything we tried was incredibly fresh, very well cooked and delicious.
The food all arrived very promptly, with a short wait before our next course arrived. Our main courses were just as good as the starters, and were extremely generous portions!
Tom was in the mood for meat for his main, so he opted for the beach burger – and it was huge. Two beef patties topped with Monterey jack, bacon, burger sauce and all the trimmings, served with a generous portion of salted fries.
The beef was bursting with flavour, and we were pleasantly surprised by just how tasty it was – better than a lot of restaurant burgers. The fries were excellent, and Tom really enjoyed his meal. A great choice if you aren’t necessarily in the mood for fish!
I chose one of the newer dishes on the menu – pan fried seabass served on a crushed potato cake, with a tangy tomato relish and beurre blanc sauce.
It was delicious.
Normally when we eat out for dinner I’ll choose a seafood main course, and this one was excellent. The sea bass was, again, perfectly cooked with crispy skin and very fresh – it was beautiful. I enjoyed the combination of tangy tomato contrasting with the creamy, luxurious beurre blanc sauce – overall, this was a truly tasty dish executed really well. I’d order it again in a heartbeat!
After all of that food, we weren’t left with enough room for a dessert each – so we decided to share some scoops of sorbet. Refreshing mango, passionfruit and raspberry were the perfect way to end an excellent meal.
We were very impressed by all of the food at Inn on the Beach – I had set my expectations high, and they were exceeded. As I mentioned before, all of the seafood that we tried was excellent and has definitely left us eager to return for more food – and in the daytime so that we can make the most of the views. The staff were friendly and attentive, we loved the nautical decor and everything arrived very promptly.
I can see this becoming a favourite spot for us over the summer months (and the rest of the year!) – the laidback atmosphere and tasty food make Inn on the Beach very appealing.
If you’d like to visit Inn on the Beach, have a look at their website here and menu here – the food changes regularly to keep things fresh. We’re planning on heading back soon for one of their Sunday roasts as they look just so good, and I hope you enjoy your visit as much as we enjoyed ours.
Thank you to the team at Inn on the Beach for having us – it was a lovely evening!
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That looks a superb venue, and so close to the beach……can’t wait to sample it 👍