If there's one thing I love, it's a charcuterie board. My dream evening includes good wine with friends while we pick over a board of succulent meats and cheeses so when Porters opened - I was booked in quicker than you can say charcuterie. Tucked away from Oxford Street, Porters offers a place to unwind, eat and drink in the company of friends and family.
Situated on Queen's Terrace, Southampton and overlooking the historic Queen's Park, Porters name originates from the history of its surroundings 'Porters Meadow' where licensed porters would frequent. The park didn't become a formal park until 1885 when it was taken over from Queens College by the Borough Council where it was then renamed, Queen's Park.
Porters has been designed to create a welcoming environment to relax and socialise in the heart of Southampton. Similar to the well-loved enotecas of Italy, it's has a Mediterranean feel right on our doorstep.
I first visited in January and had the most wonderful experience so when we discovered they were taking part in the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, my best friend and I made it the first restaurant we visited to catch up after Lockdown. We bagged an outside table on one of the hottest evenings of the year and spent our time drinking chilled Aperol Spritz and the yummiest food.
The menu features a selection of starters known as Porters Picky Bits which comprises of bread and dipping oils, Caprese salad, bruschetta and baked camembert.
The baked camembert was incredible and totally more than we were expecting, we assumed it would be a little personal one so we were pleasantly surprised. The camembert is served with garlic and thyme and warm bread with gluten-free bread available upon request too.
The main show, of course, is the charcuterie boards and boy do they have a selection!
There are four boards available as well as a vegan board plus you have the gluten-free option on bread. They really have thought of everything when it comes to catering for everyone which is great to see.
The Taster is great, it serves one as a guideline and it's what you can see in the photos - you get such a good amount of food from gherkins to salad, bread and olives as well as your choice of two types of meat, two kinds of cheese and your chosen chutney for £15.95.
The choice of meats and cheeses are mostly if not all from the UK. The Irish Porter is my favourite from the cheese menu - marbled with Guinness, it has a sweet and mild taste. I've chosen it on both visits now, I just need a big ol' block of it.
The entire experience at Porters is just above and beyond - from the staff to the drinks and of course the food, it's just a really fabulous experience and somewhere I've been recommending again and again to people looking for something different in Southampton.
One thing, make sure you book to avoid disappointment! It's not a huge place which I think adds to its charm and makes for a more intimate experience - it's somewhere I'll be visiting a lot.
