Dinner at Cosy Club, Gunwharf Quays

AD – This meal was complimentary in return for a review.

There’s nothing better than discovering a good new foodie spot – and that’s precisely what I have to share with you today! Last week I headed into Portsmouth for dinner at the newest restaurant to open up at Gunwharf Quays, Cosy Club. Cosy Club offers excellent food, tasty cocktails and cosy, relaxed dining – all with views over Portsmouth Harbour. What more could you ask for?

Welcome to Cosy Club. Shall we head inside?

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The decor inside Cosy Club is precisely what the name promises – cosy armchairs, mood lighting, candles and mismatched, comfortable chairs. It’s spacious and beautifully laid out, with views of the Spinnaker Tower and Portsmouth Harbour.

We settled in straight away and ordered a couple of mocktails (it was a school night, after all!). Cosy Club has an impressive choice of mocktails, with a few more unusual options compared to a lot of other restaurants. I opted for a Rosehip, Raspberry and Kombucha Tea Cooler – lightly fizzy and refreshing – and Tom chose a classic Pink Lemonade – perfect for the sunny weather we’re experiencing at the moment!

Sipping mocktails with a view over the water and boats gently passing by made us feel like we were on a little staycation – on a Tuesday evening after a day at work!

Cosy Club has an extensive menu, with a range of tapas and sharers for starters (or for your main if you like nibbly bits) and a huge choice of British classics, burgers, vegan options and more across the main menu.

To start, we chose three tapas dishes to share – coming in at £13.95 for the three. We opted for Crispy Sesame Chicken, Tempura King Prawns and Popcorn Bacon – I was, of course, beyond excited to find out what popcorn bacon is. Doesn’t that sound absolutely incredible?

The tapas arrived promptly, delivered with a smile from our lovely waitress, and each dish was generously portioned. I love ordering lots of little dishes and sharing, so tapas were a perfect choice for us!

Crispy Sesame Chicken. Juicy, crispy strips of chicken with a tasty soy & ginger dipping sauce. Delicious.

Tempura King Prawns. One of our favourite dishes at any restaurant, and Cosy Club’s did not disappoint. Big prawns, crispy batter and the same delicious soy & ginger dipping sauce as the chicken.

Last but not least, the Popcorn Bacon. Oh wow, this was incredible – and such a genius idea! Chunks of pancetta, coated in panko breadcrumbs and served with chipotle mayo. Delicious, and I could have eaten a bucket of the stuff! This is a recipe I’m definitely going to try recreating at home.

Shortly after our plates were whisked away, our mains arrived – again, delivered quickly and with a smile (which was perfect as we were hungry!). After much deliberation, we both chose chicken burgers – served up with fries and slaw, and of course an extra portion of onion rings to share.

I opted for The Colonel. A panko coated chicken breast topped with a macaroni cheese fritter, smoked streaky bacon, melted cheese, onions, lettuce, tomato and gherkin. Absolutely delicious – and why has it taken me so long to try mac & cheese in a burger? It’s a game changer. Succulent chicken, crispy mac & cheese, perfectly cooked bacon and bursting with flavour, The Colonel was an absolutely delightful burger and something I’ll definitely be ordering again the next time we visit. You must try it.

Tom chose the Chicken, Bacon and Avocado burger – a classic combination of flavours, served up in a brioche bun with perfectly crispy fries. Very tasty. Need I say more?

When it came to dessert, we simply couldn’t resist ordering the Melting Chocolate Bombe to share. It was my first time ordering this style of dessert (I know, where have I been?) and it was just as decadent as it sounds. A chocolate shell hiding a scoop of vanilla ice cream, with honeycomb, chocolate sauce and caramel cream. Served with a jug of hot caramel sauce for pouring, the shell melts to reveal the ice cream within – an excellent combination of warm and cold, and perfect for sharing.

We had a brilliant time at Cosy Club, and I’ve already recommended it to all of my family and friends as we were just so impressed! From decor to service, drinks to food, Cosy Club offers high quality across the board at a reasonable price and it really was a delight to have such a fantastic meal – and to discover a new favourite restaurant.

The cosy candlelit atmosphere makes Cosy Club the perfect choice for a date night, sharing tapas and a bottle of wine in the comfortable armchairs – or, take a group of family or friends along and spend a few hours enjoying the relaxed setting and excellent food. The choice is yours!

Visit the Cosy Club website here to have a browse of their menus and make a booking. Next time you’re in Gunwharf Quays for a day of outlet shopping, make sure to stop by for a bite to eat! If you aren’t local to Portsmouth, there are a few other Cosy Clubs open across the country.

DISCLAIMER: This meal was complimentary in return for a review. All opinions are my own, and I’ll always be honest!

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