One of the things my husband and I enjoyed most about our visit to Jersey was the food. There are so many wonderful restaurants in Jersey, and most take full advantage of the abundance of local produce. There are lots of fresh vegetables grown on the island, including of course, the famous Jersey Royal potatoes. While I have eaten these delicious potatoes here in England, they taste even better freshly dug from the fields on the island. Jersey cows are famous for their milk, which is used to produce some of the best butter, yogurt and ice creams I have ever tasted.
Not surprisingly for an island, there is also an abundance of fresh fish and seafood. Restaurants in Jersey generally offer a number of seafood dishes. Meat eaters will be pleased to hear that most Jersey beef is grass fed, giving it a lovely texture and flavour. I had set my mind to eating only seafood while we were on the island, but I did try the beef and I am very glad I did!
There are also a number of vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Jersey. Although we did not try any of them, I had a wonderful beetroot and butternut squash risotto at the Trinity Arms Pub in Trinity. I also noticed vegetarian and vegan options on most of the menus I saw.
With all this wonderful local produce, it is no surprise that my husband and I really liked eating in restaurants in Jersey. There are many things that would bring me back to this wonderful island, and the food is definitely one of them!
Our Favourite Restaurants In Jersey So Far
The Dining Room at The Longueville Manor
Our first dinner in Jersey was in the dining room at The Longueville Manor, feasting on seafood and freshly dug Jersey Royal potatoes with lots of fresh, local vegetables. The hotel has its own vegetable gardens and a glass house where they grown most of the vegetables they serve. They even have lemon trees.
I started with a crab salad, which was incredibly fresh and hand picked, and my husband had some beautiful scallops. I stuck with seafood for my main course as well, choosing an excellent dish made with wild halibut. My husband had the duck. All this was accompanied by a lovely bottle of Sancerre. The Longueville Manor has an extensive wine cellar, and a very good wine list with selections at all price points.
The extensive, two-layer cheese trolley was like something out of a cheese lover’s dream, with a selection of almost every type of cheese imaginable. I saw it pass by our table before we had dessert, and found myself in a conundrum as to whether to have dessert or cheese.
The waiter suggested my husband and I share a dessert and then share a cheese plate. We thought this was an inspired idea and chose an Apple and Blackberry Crumble Soufflé with Blackberry Ripple Ice Cream followed by six cheeses (three each), accompanied by a glass of red wine for me, and port for my husband. Of all the restaurants in Jersey, I have the fondest memories of this one!
La Capannina, St Helier
When it comes to Italian restaurants in Jersey, this traditional Italian restaurant is one of the best. The service was warm and friendly and the food was outstanding. I had the Crab Salad to start which consisted of a generous serving of hand-picked fresh white crab meat with cocktail sauce, followed by Turbot in a Champagne Sauce. We also had Jersey Royals and vegetables alongside. La Capannina had a traditional dessert trolley full of treats, from tiramisu to cheesecake, but we could not find room even for the very tempting bright red strawberries. The servings are generous here. We were impressed with the wine list as well, which included wines from France, Spain and Portugal as well as Italy.
Mark Jordan at The Beach, St Peter
If you are looking for relaxed yet elegant restaurants in Jersey with fabulous views as well as great food, Mark Jordan at The Beach is one of the places to go. The views of the harbour are exceptional, even at night when it is all just sparkly lights lining the coast.
I started with the Scallops with Pulled Pork, Celeriac and a Truffle and Apple Salad. What a uniquely delicious combination of flavours and textures! I have never had anything like it before. My husband chose the Pressing of Duck and Foie Gras and said it was very good. We both had meat for our main course, the lamb for my husband and braised short rib for me. We really liked the convivial atmosphere here; it was a great evening.
Other Restaurants in Jersey We Enjoyed
Sorrento, St Aubin
This casual Italian restaurant serves pizza, pastas and other Italian classics. We ate here on our last evening in Jersey so just had one course – but we can testify that their Cotoletta alla Milanese is excellent. We would be happy to come back to try more of their extensive menu. Service was super friendly, and we were given a complementary digestif after the meal despite only ordering one course.
The Old Smugglers Inn
Approached by a very narrow road, this inn has nestled in Ouaisne Bay for centuries. We popped in for a fish and chip lunch on one of our sightseeing excursions. The atmosphere was friendly and the pub was bustling when we arrived, although it did quiet down as we finished our meal. The fish and chips were not the very best I have ever had, but they were good and we felt well looked after.
The Old Court House, St Aubin
This pub with rooms dates back to the 1500’s. We wandered in mid-morning for a coffee. The service was friendly, the coffee excellent and they even brought us complementary shortbread. The Old Court House offers drinks, pub snacks, breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.
Trinity Arms Pub, Trinity
This warm and welcoming pub has a lot to offer. We could have done with a reservation it was so busy, but they went out of their way to find us a table. My husband had the Pie of the Week (chicken) and I had a vegan main course, Roasted Beetroot and Barley Risotto with Heritage Squash.
I was impressed by how well presented and flavourful it was. The service was quick too which was great as we were sightseeing and wanted to get back on the road!
Restaurants in Jersey for a Light Bite or Snack
Midbay Café
We stumbled on this rustic café overlooking the sea when we stopped in St Brelade to visit Winston Churchill Park. The Midway Café was a great place for a light lunch with a view. I ordered a cheese and onion toastie (grilled sandwich) which was good, but I was seriously jealous of my husband’s prawn baguette. It was so loaded with fresh, sweet prawns (tiny shrimp) he had to eat it with a knife and fork.
The Breakwater Café, St Catherine’s Harbour
We stopped here for a coffee whilst driving round the island. The lattes were excellent. We were not ready to eat as we had a big breakfast, but the food coming out to other tables looked excellent, and diners were clearly relishing their meals.
Visiting Restaurants in Jersey
You really are spoiled for choice when it comes to dining in Jersey. There is a wonderful foodie culture, and most places have an elegant yet unpretentious atmosphere. Restaurants do get very busy even in the off-season so I recommend reserving tables in advance. If you do visit, I hope you enjoy the food and atmosphere of this wonderful island as much as my husband and I did.
This article contains my honest opinions and the advice I give to friends. None of our experiences were gifted and we paid all our own expenses. Information is correct to the best of my knowledge at the time of writing and I accept no responsibility for, nor can I be held liable for, your experience at any of these venues. Most of the restaurants mentioned will need to be booked in advance. To avoid disappointment, be sure to visit restaurant websites for opening times, their full terms and conditions, and to check prices, availability and payment terms.
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