Restaurant Roots

My experience at Roots Restaurant surpassed that of Michelin Starred restaurants and currently sits amongst my top 5 most enjoyed tasting menus, all of which have at least 1 Michelin Star. I booked a tasting menu lunch on a Saturday afternoon for a group of 8 of us in the private dining room. This was away from the main restaurant with its own facilities. It was a comfortable room with a pleasant ambience. Our waiter Geza was informative, funny, and clearly enjoyed his job. His service was impeccable and one of the best waiters I've had at a high-end restaurant. Only surpassed by the service at 2* and 3* Michelin restaurants. His recommendations were excellent. The wine pairings enhanced every dish, and each wine was delightful. Geza's selection was outstanding, and I would recommend any of his homemade soft drinks, whether alcoholic or nonalcoholic. Our menu had the following courses; Quail's Egg, Celeriac, Countryside Supper, Hen of the Wood Mushroom, Seared Scallop, Beef Wellington, Guanaja Dark Chocolate, & Selection of 3 Artisan Cheeses. The food was divine, and each course was sublime. Jan and his staff are artists; it's clear the team here prides itself on quality of ingredients, excellent dishes, and an ever-evolving menu done to an incredibly high standard. Singling out specific dishes does a disservice to those not mentioned, as all were outstanding. Instead, I'll let the photos do the talking. One of the best restaurants I have ever had the privilege of dining at.

From the beginning to the end, I was totally satisfied. I especially love the halibut perfectly went well with Thai green curry sauce. The Cotswold beef was absolutely amazing as well. I enjoyed every bit of the dish. In the end, I was too full to finish my dessert. But it was also amazing, crème brûlée with shortbread. I also would like to thank Geza, he took great care of every guest. He was a very passionate storyteller. I enjoyed talking with him a lot. He made such a great cocktail as well, Yuzu Gin Tonic. Keep up the good work! 💚

Evening tasting menu was absolutely superb. A fantastic experience from start to finish. Each course was explained by the excellent waiter or by the chef. A flight of paired wines were available or individual recommendations by the glass. Probably the best food and taste experience I have ever had. Worth every penny, hopefully will return sometime soon.

What an absolute treat at Roots Restaurant in Southbourne last night! 🌿 We went for their midweek tasting menu, and from start to finish it was exceptional. Every course was beautifully presented, full of flavour and imagination, you can really tell how much passion and precision goes into each dish. The ingredients were fresh, seasonal and perfectly balanced, showcasing the team’s incredible attention to detail. The service was just as impressive, friendly, knowledgeable and perfectly timed, making the whole evening relaxed and enjoyable. The atmosphere was cosy and welcoming, with just the right mix of fine dining and comfort. A huge thank you to the Roots team for such a memorable experience. If you haven’t tried their tasting menu yet, I can’t recommend it enough, an absolute gem right here in Southbourne.

Great culinary exploration! And what makes a big difference to other fine dining experinces is people who create it for you and all the effort they put into food, stories, sourcing and knowledge sharing! If you go for the degustation dinner menu, skip lunch😁

A very intimate dining experience but plenty of atmosphere given how well the team operate. Everything is effortless, well coordinated and the staff are all entertaining and make a huge effort to create a memorable experience. The restaurant is also quite casual, which makes for a more comfortable evening whilst you’re there to enjoy delicious food! We went as a group of 4 to celebrate 2 birthdays and had every course and the wine flight. The optional cheese course is a must! Extremely enjoyable evening and super impressive food!

My girlfriend surprised me with this restaurant for my birthday and it didn't disappoint. Amazing food and lovely people serving it. The team here go above and beyond to make sure your smiling. Definitely would recommend!!! 😁

We visited Restaurant Roots for the first time last week to celebrate a birthday. To say it was incredible is an understatement. We're both veggie and had the mid-week vegetarian tasting menu. The food was so delicious and inventive, we'd recommend it to anyone - veggie or not. The wine-flight also paired really well. The service was excellent. Geza and Jan made us feel very welcome, and as we were the only diners that evening we were able to have some great conversations with them that made it feel even more special. We left feeling full, with a little gift bag containing panattone and coffee. Such a great experience, we can't wait to go back and share it with our friends and family.