11 Places to Visit in Emsworth
Emsworth is a lovely little market town perched on the coast of West Sussex, in between the cities of Chichester and Portsmouth. There’s loads to see and it’s the perfect place to spend a Saturday afternoon wandering around the independent shops and cafes.
Once a humble Saxon village, Emsworth later grew into a port, which it still functions as today (but for leisure instead of flour transportation). Here are 11 places that you should stop by during a visit to historic Emsworth.
Driftwood Cafe
This lovely cafe can be found at the bottom of the town centre, and has a large garden out the back where you can enjoy a coffee and piece of cake on a sunny day.
Peruse the independent shops
As you wander around the town you will come across loads of independent shops. It’s really an eclectic collection, and there’s a beautiful florist, record shop, antiques shop, jewellery shop, gift shop, delicatessen and more. Just make sure you visit on either a Saturday or a weekday if you want to do some shopping as many of these shops don’t open on Sundays.
Including Bookends of Emsworth
I love a town that has its own bookshop! Bookends has been selling secondhand books in Emsworth since the nineties, but bear in mind that, like many of the local shops, it isn’t open on Sundays.
Ice cream at Flintstones Tea Room
This little tea room is perfectly located for you to grab an ice cream before a walk by the harbour. I’ve also heard that they serve a great afternoon tea!
The Greenhouse Cafe
Right in the centre of town, this colourful cafe is based in an old clock tower. There’s plenty of outdoor seating in the courtyard where you can soak up some vitamin D.
Heidi’s Swiss Patisserie
One branch of a local patisserie chain, Heidi’s is a family run business that was started by Heidi’s father in 1969. Fresh patisseries are delivered daily from their bakery in Hayling Island, and there’s space to sit down with a coffee too.
Waterside pub garden at the Lord Raglan pub
Proudly self-proclaimed as Emsworth’s only waterside pub garden, this is a great spot for a pint in the sunshine.
Fat Olives
This popular local restaurant is nestled in an old fisherman’s cottage that dates back to the 17th century. Smugglers are actually said to have used tunnels in the cellar that connected to the rest of the village!
Their food is freshly prepared using local ingredients and sustainable suppliers.
JJ’s
Newly renovated for 2021, this is a spot for breakfast, lunch, dinner and cocktails. You can also visit ‘Jonny’s Tap Room’, which is a retro tavern where you can sample a variety of specialist lagers, craft beers and ciders.
It’s worth a visit purely for the interiors which are absolutely stunning!
Vin Wine Merchants
Wine and cheese fans, this one’s for you. Vin Wine Merchants offer cheese and wine tasting sessions for the very reasonable price of £15. They also run wine tastings and courses, and sell a wide variety for all budgets.
Loretta Coffee Bar
The final coffee shop on today’s list, Loretta Coffee Bar is a tiny little Italian establishment serving both hot and cold food. It’s also a card shop and a newspaper shop rolled into one, and sells lots of different Italian treats.
I hope that you have a lovely trip to Emsworth, and do let me know if you spot any more gems that I should add to this list!