THE ULTIMATE FOODIE GUIDE TO SALISBURY

Saturday

Disclaimer: Some of the restaurants I have tried have been from a PR invite, but all opinions are my own. I have a put an asterisk* next to the ones that were a PR invite.

So a few years ago, I did actually write a blog post about where my favourite places to eat in and around Salisbury were, but I thought I could do it even bigger and better now. A lot of new places have opened since then, and I have also tried a lot of new places since then.


Also, I wrote that at a time when I didn't like Salisbury as much as I do now. When I was at uni I was so anti-Salisbury because I much preferred Bournemouth (where I went to uni) I still do prefer Bournemouth because I love the beach, but I have learned to appreciate my home city more.


If you didn't know, I live kind of near Salisbury but not really that close. I am about a 25-minute drive but because it is my closest city and I live in the middle of the countryside, I just say I'm from Salisbury.


I am making it my mission to try as many new things while I'm in my 20s as possible, that's why I have also written a list of restaurants I want to try in and around Salisbury, as well as showing you my favourite ones.


Anyway, enough about me - let's get onto the foodie info you really want to know! I have split them into categories of chains and independent restaurants in Salisbury. Then I have included some other faves that are worth driving to from Salisbury if you can.


Restaurants in Salisbury


Independent restaurants


Tinga*


tacos and quesadillas at tinga salisbury

passionfruit margharita cocktail at tinga salisbury

I have only been to Tinga once so far but had such an amazing experience at one of their bottomless brunch events. They have these events every few months and usually post these on their Instagram @tingasalisbury. 

I was a bit scared to try Tinga as I don't like spicy food but there were a lot of amazing non-spicy options. The cocktails were amazing, especially the passionfruit margarita, and my favourite thing on the menu was the steak and cheese quesadilla.

The portions at Tinga are small so you can try a lot of different plates, however, this can add up in £££. I would still say the plates are reasonably priced though. AND they have a lunch and early evening set menu if you want to try Tinga and save the cash.

Maul's 


cheese board at mauls cheese and wine bar salisbury

Maul's is Salisbury's one and only cheese and wine bar AKA one of my favourite places to go. They have a great selection of cheeses and wines and the staff are so friendly and knowledgeable about it all.

Maul's is great for date night with your friends or partner. If you are in Salisbury and haven't been to Maul's yet, what are you doing? (I will let you off if you can't eat cheese).

Reeve The Baker


Reeve's is a childhood classic for me. There are 2 in Salisbury, a small one with just takeaway, and a bigger one on Butcher Row with takeaway and sit in upstairs. They also have Reeve's in Amesbury, Wilton, Warminster, Ringwood (and probably a few more places).

I am not sure if it's because I grew up with Reeve's but it genuinely is my favourite bakery and if you're in Salisbury - you MUST try it.

Pizza Venti*


salisbury foodie pizza at pizza venti salisbury

Pizza Venti is the best pizza in Salisbury (sorry Nole I love you too). When I was first invited to Pizza Venti, I was able to see straight away that the owners really care about the quality of the pizza they're making.

Not only that, but they are always helping the local community and giving to charity. I would go as far as saying Pizza Venti is up there with the best pizza this side of Naples. 

If you are lucky enough to live in the centre of Salisbury, you can get Pizza Venti delivered. But, sitting in the restaurant gives it that homely family feel. I am already thinking about my next pizza!

Nole Pizza


Nole pizza

I do love Nole Pizza too, I feel like I need to try their pizza again to make a fair judgement on which is the best pizza in Salisbury as the pizza I got from Nole last time had blue cheese on it which I didn't like. This is my fault I should have asked for it without.

Nole has one restaurant in the centre of Salisbury, but they also do their pizza at a couple of pubs around Salisbury such as the Dog and Gun in Netheravon and The Pembroke Arms in Wilton.

If you get the chance please try Pizza Venti and Nole and make your own mind up which is the best pizza in Salisbury because it is a huge debate.

The Salisbury Orangery


full english breakfast and avocado on toast at the salisbury orangery

I was wanting to try The Salisbury Orangery for ages and I finally managed to recently! I had a lovely Full English Breakfast, however, I am really fussy on fry ups, they have to be perfect for me. Basically, I have such great ones at home that I need them to match that when I go out and my breakfast didn't quite but I'd still recommend The Orangery.

I feel like I need to try something else next time. The building it's in is really nice and it's in a lovely part of Salisbury. Definitely worth a try for brunch.

Naked Bagel


Naked Bagel is a great place for breakfast or lunch and it's fairly central. If you are shopping around Salisbury and want to get a bite to eat for lunch and want to go somewhere independent (i.e not Pret or McDonald's) then Naked Bagel is worth a try.

I definitely prefer trying out new and independent places when going somewhere, although I do love Pret and McDonalds.

Chain restaurants


There are quite a lot of chain restaurants in Salisbury, some that I don't like as much, but I have included the below list as ones that you just can't go wrong with.

Cosy Club


cosy club burger

There are so many restaurants in Salisbury that I haven't tried yet and need to try, and somehow I always seem to go back to Cosy Club. I think it's just because it's so easy and it suits most people if you are going out with friends. Also if you are wanting cocktails and food then it's a winner, especially at happy hour.

They do a great brunch, good cocktails, tapas and good mains so you can't really go wrong.

Zizzi


carbonara at zizzi salisbury

Again, a classic Italian that you can't really go wrong with. I have never had a bad meal at any Zizzi, it is pretty safe and at a pretty good price too.

Cote Brasserie


beef bourginion cote brasserie salisbury

Now I have only recently tried the Cote in Salisbury, but I think Cote is my new favourite chain restaurant. I had the most amazing Beef Bourginion there a few weeks ago and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since.

I am torn between wanting to try new restaurants and wanting to go back to Cote for every single meal I have out now.

Wagamama*


Wagamama is a classic for a lot of cities and the one in Salisbury is no exception.

The Giggling Squid*


pad thai the giggling squid

The Giggling Squid is a firm favourite for a lot of people who live around Salisbury, especially in my family. If you want good quality Thai food and brilliant service you definitely need to visit.

Restaurants a short drive from Salisbury


If you like good pub food, there are lots of great pubs hidden around south Wiltshire that you probably wouldn't hear of unless you are local.

Piazza - Amesbury, 17 min drive from Salisbury


pasta from piazza amesbury

When I used to live in Amesbury we used to walk there a lot, sadly we don't live within walking distance anymore but it is still our closest Italian.

You just can't go wrong they have great pizza and pasta and their staff are really friendly too. It is probably the one and only 'nice' restaurant in Amesbury so it is definitely one to visit if you are there.

Rosebourne - Weyhill, 28 min drive from Salisbury


Rosebourne afternoon tea weyhill

Rosebourne is a big garden centre with a cafe near Weyhill, just off the A303 on the way to Andover. I love the whole experience of Rosebourne, having a look around the shop and getting something to eat too.

I have only had lunch and afternoon tea at Rosebourne, both are really nice. I would like to try their breakfast too, but it finishes at 11am and I am not normally up early enough.

The Crown Inn - Cholderton, 22 min drive from Salisbury


Roast dinner at the crown inn cholderton

The Crown is another out-of-the-way pub in the village of Cholderton that you probably wouldn't know about if you weren't local. It has recently been taken over by new management and has been super busy and of great quality ever since. Definitely worth booking if you go here.

My favourite thing I have had so far at The Crown is their beef roast dinner. Such a generous portion for a good price and everything was amazing! Also, their seafood cocktail starter is another highlight - it's huge.

They also host a pub quiz once a month (I think it's on a Wednesday evening) where you have a curry and a quiz. The quiz questions are really hard, but luckily I went with intelligent people so we ended up coming third place and winning a bottle of rose.

The Pembroke Arms - Wilton, 13 min drive from Salisbury


The Pembroke Arms host a pub quiz every Monday that I have started going to and it has a great atmosphere. Not only that, their food is stunning. It is a little on the pricier side, but they use such delicious ingredients and would be a great place to go for a special occasion meal.

I am dying to try a roast dinner at The Pembroke Arms, but I have already tried their burger and steak pie, both of which are my favourite burgers and pies in the whole of Salisbury.

Cholderton Farm Shop - Cholderton, 22 min drive from Salisbury


chickens at cholderton farm shop

Another hidden gem not too far from Salisbury is Cholderton Farm Shop. This food is breakfast and lunch stuff so mainly toasties, jacket potatoes and they have a full English too.

The actual farm shop itself is quite small, but they have a sheltered outdoor seating area. I love having brunch at the farm shop because you can sit there and watch chickens walking around while you eat.

I have heard of some other farm shops around Salisbury but haven't tried any others as of yet.

The Malet Arms - Newton Tony, 22 min drive from Salisbury


If you are looking for an old-school pub in the middle of the countryside then The Malet has you covered. They have great local produce and they don't actually have a set menu. 

Their menu changes each day depending on what produce they have that day so you can tell it is fresh. Not great if you are fussy or have had your heart set on something you had the last time, but it is pretty much along the lines of typical pub food.

Places I want to try


The Chapter House - Salisbury

Boston Tea Party - Salisbury

Lalahan - Salisbury

Grillado - Salisbury

Allium - Salisbury

Haunch of Venison - Salisbury

The Wig and Quill - Salisbury

Southern Quarter - Amesbury, 19 min drive from Salisbury

The Greyhound Inn - Stockbridge, 25 min drive from Salisbury

The Hawk Inn - Amport, 33 min drive from Salisbury

Marco Pierre White Steakhouse - High Post, 12 min drive from Salisbury


And there we have my ultimate foodie guide to Salisbury. Once I have tried restaurants from the list above, I will add them to my recommendations if they are worthy.


There are a lot more restaurants in Salisbury that I have heard good things about but I am still quite fussy with food even though I am trying to be better. There are some Indian and Thai restaurants that I have heard good things about if that is your thing!

Related: Greyhound at Corfe Castle review

Have you tried any of these restaurants? Let me know which ones you like the sound of, or if you have some Salisbury recommendations I haven't put on this list.

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ALPACA WALK EXPERIENCE WITH HENSTING ALPACAS

So for my mum's birthday in February, I got her two tickets for an alpaca walking experience with Hensting Alpacas near Eastleigh and luckily she chose me to go with her!


We went for the 2 people 1 alpaca experience which was probably better for photo-taking opportunities than one each. I did try to take some selfies with our alpaca but he flinched every time I got my phone out.


Our walk started at 10am, but we had to be there around 9:35 to be ready for the walk. The drive from our house took about 35 minutes which is quite good considering we are in the middle of nowhere so days out for us are usually an hour's drive.


The alpaca walk


Alpaca walk

The 'walk' lasted 2 hours but I say that in quotation marks as it wasn't a full-on walk for 2 hours, there was a lot of stopping.


First of all, we had a talk to learn a bit about the alpacas, then we all lined up and were introduced to our alpacas. You got the opportunity to walk an adult or a baby but because of the time of year, the babies seemed to be almost as big as the adults. They had both males and females but I believe they only offer walks with the males as they are much calmer, whereas the ladies seem to be a bit more feisty.


Our alpaca was called Ironwood and he was around 10-12 years old (their lifespan is around 15-20 years old so he was a bit of an oldie). As soon as we started walking with him, I was attached! I wanted to take him home, but did you know you are only allowed to keep 3 alpacas or more or they might die of loneliness?


Hensting alpacas


We then did a walk, stop, walk stop kind of walk. The first stop was for a feed which was great. Although Ironwood was a little more hungry than that, he kept stopping to eat the grass the whole way around.


Because we were sharing him, mum walked him halfway round and when it was time to turn back, I walked him for the second half.


When we first saw the alpacas I was a little nervous, just because I am used to walking with a tiny shih tzu and they were almost the same height as us so I didn't know what they'd be like. But they were all so calm and well-behaved - it was amazing


I would definitely recommend this experience to anyone. It was actually the first thing I have ticked off my 30 things to do before I'm 30 list.


After the walk, they gave us some more food and we were able to go into the alpaca pen and feed the girls. It was only fair as we fed the boys while we were out walking with them. 


I'm glad we walked the alpacas before going into the pen as it could have been a little scary with all these alpacas running at us for food, but because we were used to one by that point, we knew they were harmless. And once our food had gone, they left us alone.


Selfie with alpaca


Hensting Alpacas


All opinions on Hensting Alpacas are my own, and this was not a gifted experience - I just wanted to let you know about the great time I had!

An alpaca walk for 2 people with 1 alpaca shared between us was £39 which I think is quite reasonable. For 1 alpaca each, it was a little more.

They seemed to look after the alpacas really well and they give very clear instructions about how to handle them and walk them which I was really glad about. We knew exactly what we were doing with them so felt confident walking them.

Brown alpaca hampshire

They also give the opportunity to walk adults or babies. There were only a few people who had the babies and they were so cute! I'm not sure they can walk for as long though.

They have a little shop at the farm, and one portaloo but not really anything else. The shop mainly sold items made from alpaca wool.

At the shop, they have a leaflet that gets you 10% off at the garden centre which is close by, so mum and I had our lunch there afterward and a walk around.

Would I recommend this experience? 100%! I want to walk alpacas every weekend now.
Have you done an alpaca walking experience?
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48 HOURS IN CARDIFF

Wednesday

I have recently turned 23 and it was my first birthday out of lockdown where I could actually go away and do something since my 20th birthday. I spent both my 21st and 22nd birthdays at home so I really wanted to go away somewhere this year and I chose Cardiff!

Getting to Cardiff


One of the reasons I chose Cardiff was that it is only a 2-hour drive from me, and I had to travel back on my actual birthday so I didn't want to be driving for too long. Also, I had been before very briefly for some work experience so got to see a bit of Cardiff, but obviously, I was working so not as much as I'd like.

The drive from mine was so easy, it was just through to the other side of Wiltshire then the M4 straight to Cardiff. There was no traffic and it did only take 2 hours like it said on the sat nav.

We got there at around 1pm on the Friday and left at around 10am on the Sunday (ok not sure if that equates to 48 hours but it makes a good blog title). 

I also got a little too excited driving over the bridge into Wales - made my Gavin and Stacy-loving brain happy.

Activities in Cardiff


So first of all, we did some shopping. If you have been to Cardiff, you will know that the St David's shopping centre is absolutely huge so I thought we could have a look around some shops. Especially because they had a lot of shops that I don't have anywhere near me living in the countryside of Wiltshire. Sadly, I didn't really like anything though.

A lot of what we did was go for food which I will write about separately because it deserves its own section in this post. 

After checking into the hotel, we went back out and had some cocktails in Be at One before dinner.

Cardiff castle

The next day, we went to Cardiff Market and had a look around. We also went to Cardiff Castle, then walked around Bute Park which is absolutely huge and lovely for a nice walk. There were loads of cute dogs there out for walks so I was happy.

We then got on a boat from Bute Park to Cardiff Bay and learned about some history.

Later on, we met my friend Siobhan who lives in Newport, and had a catch up which was lovely! Then we went for some food and drinks. I went to Cardiff with my boyfriend Joe, I forgot to mention that part.

Cardiff food


If you are a foodie, then this is the part of the blog you will be most interested in. Before going anywhere, I like to look at foodie bloggers in the area and look for the best places to try. It was difficult to choose because I'd seen so many recommendations I would love to try.

Day 1 food


On day one for lunch, we tried Shake Shack in the St David's Centre. We wanted something quick and easy and neither of us had tried it before. I got a cheeseburger with caramelised shallots, cheese fries and a strawberry and lime lemonade. The drink and fries were amazing, the fries did get sickly for me after a while though and the burger was good but I have had better.

Shake shack cardiff meal

For dinner, we went to Viva Brazil, an all-you-can-eat Brazillian Rodizio. Basically loads of different types of meat come round and you have a card that you can either put on green for go or red for stop. It's safe to say me and Joe were so full and had to go back to the hotel after this to lie down. It was so good though, just don't make any plans after.

Day 2 food


On day 2 we got pizza for lunch at Cardiff Market from Ffwrnes Pizza which was incredible. I had seen this recommended on Instagram and I just had to try it as I love pizza so much. I would definitely recommend this place, it is upstairs in Cardiff Market.

Ffwrnes pizza cardiff

For dinner, we went to The Corner House pub which is in the centre of Cardiff by all the shops and it was posh pub food, one of my faves! I had a bacon chicken and brie pie and mash and Joe has seafood linguine.

Pie and mash the corner house cardiff


Day 3 food


Day 3 was actually my birthday as well as our going home day so we booked in for breakfast at The Ivy. It was my first time visiting The Ivy and I absolutely loved it. The breakfast and service were fab and even the toilets were impressive!

The ivy breakfast cardiff

Thoughts on Cardiff


I did really enjoy our time in Cardiff and I like how they have got great shopping, bars, and restaurants. If you go to the strip of bars in Cardiff, it is hen and stag do central so I feel like next time I go should be for a full-on night out.
It is definitely worth a visit, especially if you are not too far from Cardiff like me.

Have you visited Cardiff?
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30 THINGS TO DO BEFORE I'M 30

Saturday

This blog was written the day before my 23rd birthday in April 2022 and is up to date with what I have completed from the list so far.


I usually like to write blog posts about my birthdays, I think I wrote one in 2020 about having a lockdown birthday, then in 2021, I don't think I wrote one because I already had one lockdown birthday before that one, and didn't really have anything to say.


This year, I thought why not make a list of 30 things to do before I turn 30. Seems like a good time to start it as I have 7 years to complete it. I feel weird writing this as I started my blog when I was 17 and I do not feel as old as 23 but there we are. Factually, I am 23 but in my head, I am about 19.


After having 2 lockdown birthdays and spending the first couple of years in my 20s stuck in and being very restricted, it made me think that the rest of my 20s is not for wasting. However, it has also taught me to not be too hard on myself if I don't do everything on this list because there are so many things that could affect it.


Anyway, in my 30 before 30 list, I have included lots of things I have always wanted to do, some things I am a bit scared to try, and some things I feel like everyone has to do at some point.


It's only really fun things as I didn't want to include anything serious like getting married or buying a house because sometimes life goes in weird directions and I don't want to put pressure on myself for serious things like that - that can be for later maybe, well after I'm 30.


I did struggle to come up with 30 things at first, so I turned to Instagram and asked people what they thought. A lot of people said to add skydive which I have not added. I know that is a bucket list item for many people but I just feel like I won't do that so why set myself up for failure?


There are a few ambitious things on this list, but mostly I wanted to include stuff I actually will do so when I do turn 30, I can look back and hopefully have done most, if not all of the list. 


I also remembered that I can do lots of additional bucket list-worthy stuff if I eventually do decide I want to, I am not just limited to the things on the list.


So here we go! I will be updating this page accordingly, ticking off each thing that I do so keep up to date and bookmark it if you are interested.


30 things to do before turning 30


1. Travel to Asia


I have always wanted to go but couldn't decide on a country so I just picked the whole of Asia to be safe. My top choices at the moment would be Thailand, Bali, or Japan.


2. Cook a roast dinner


I have managed to go 23 years (including 3 at uni) without ever making a roast dinner. This is definitely something I need to do to get my imaginary certificate for adult life. Stay tuned for a pic of the most banging roast you have ever seen - it will probably be chicken.


3. Watch a Liverpool game at Anfield✔️





I went to Anfield for the first time in May 2023 to watch Liverpool vs Brentford. Liverpool won 1-0!


4. Get a tattoo ✔️


 

I was brave and got my first tattoo in November 2023 and then another in March 2024!


5. Try a new cuisine✔️


I tried Thai food! Turns out I’m a big fan of Pad Thai.


Pad thai giggling squid


6. Go to Disney World


This is probably my most unrealistic and ambitious goal but I really want to go to Disney World in Florida. Is it embarrassing to go to Disney World in your mid-late 20s? NO. I would just love to go and do the whole shabam with Universal as well. My only issue is I need to find someone to come with me!


7. Move out


Let's hope I move out before I'm 30 although in this economy, who knows?


8. Eat at a Michelin Star restaurant


Even though I am a fussy eater, I love food, and going out for meals and eating at a Michelin Star restaurant is just something I have to do.


9. Buy a designer handbag ✔️



Say hello to my very first designer handbag from Coach. It’s a vintage bag from Vinted (I did some haggling with the price so I could afford it). This definitely won’t be my last designer bag, next stop - a brand new one that’s not second hand hehe.


10. Make new friends✔️


I have made some new friends so far in my 20s but I am hoping to make some more too!


11. Visit Lisbon ✔️





I visited Lisbon in March 2023 and had an amazing time filled with sun, sangria and pastel de natas!


12. Try sushi ✔️



13. Night out in Manchester ✔️


I went to Manchester with my girls in March 2024 for early 25th birthday celebrations! I had such a good time and already want to go again.





14. Winter sea dip ✔️




I was very brave and got in the sea in February 2024. It was seriously cold but felt great after doing it.


15. Visit Scotland


I have been to Wales and Ireland, and obviously I live in England so need to go to Scotland to complete it.


16. Watch Pulp Fiction


Yes, I still haven't seen it. At least if there are more pandemics between now and when I'm 30 I should get at least one of these.


17. Go on a solo trip


I am looking for Eat Pray Love vibes. I keep seeing people go on solo trips and having an amazing time. I just think this would be sooo good for my confidence. Don't get me wrong, I will be absolutely petrified to do this because I get anxious just going on a shopping trip by myself but once I have done that, I will feel so good, like I can do anything.


I will probably just go on a solo trip in the UK though, I am too scared to go abroad.


18. Read 100 books✔️


This was too easy as I actually read over 100 books in 2023 alone. Who knew I would read so much? I may up this one.


19. Visit Harry Potter Studios✔️






Completed with a tasty butter beer in hand. I had such an amazing time at Harry Potter studios in May 2023 and already want to go again!


20. Watch a musical on the West End ✔️


I saw Wicked in September 2023 and it was amazing! Definitely not my last west end show.


Wicked

21. Go to RuPaul’s Drag Con✔️


I had the time of my life in January 2024 at RuPaul’s Drag Con in London. What a way to begin the year!





22. Visit Barcelona✔️


Park guell gaudi house


I went to Barcelona in September 2022 and absolutely loved it!


23. Go to Bombay Sapphire Distillery ✔️


The Bombay Sapphire Gin Distillery is actually so close to where I live and I’d wanted to go for so long!


I went with my mum in April 2024 for a birthday present and it was so much fun. We did a tour of the distillery and cocktail making.






24. Go to Notting Hill Carnival


Again, Notting Hill Carnival looks so much fun. (I am running out of reasoning as to why I want to do things this far down the list - can you tell?)


25. Go on an Alpaca Walk ✔️


Alpaca walk

26. Take Joe to Longleat


I live about half an hour from Longleat and I went loads as a kid and I really want to take joe because we love animal things like the zoo and aquariums but we haven't got round to it yet. We will go!


27. Progress in my career✔️


Since writing this list, I have been promoted and have also started an exciting new job which I love.


28. Buy a new car✔️


Grey volkswagen polo

I bought my new car in June 2022, my second car. She's called Paris the Polo. The car I had before this was my first car since passing my driving test so this is a big flex for me.


29. Go on a skiing trip


I have actually been skiing but I went with school so it would be great to go as an adult and be able to stop at the pubs on the way down. Not too many though don't drink and ski!


30. Visit Brighton ✔️


I went to Brighton in April 2024 to see Declan McKenna live which was so much fun. I also spent the day wandering round Brighton and it’s safe to say I will be going again!



And there we have it. Feel free to use any of these items to build your own list of things to do. It doesn't end there, there are loads more things I want to do than this but I suppose I can add them to the list of things to do before I die - don't have to do everything before I'm 30.


Have you done anything on my list?




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