Hampshire &amp; Isle of Wight


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-local-restaurants-added-to-the-michelin-guide">Two local restaurants added to the Michelin Guide</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2025/02/Tom-Hamblet-Lainston-kitchen.jpg" alt="Chef Tom Hamblet The Avenue at Lainston House Winchester Masterchef Michelin guide" class="wp-image-36505" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2025/02/Tom-Hamblet-Lainston-kitchen.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2025/02/Tom-Hamblet-Lainston-kitchen-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2025/02/Tom-Hamblet-Lainston-kitchen-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2025/02/Tom-Hamblet-Lainston-kitchen-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image: Tom Hamblet, Head Chef at The Avenue Restaurant at Lainston House</figcaption></figure>



<p>Hampshire is officially on Michelin’s radar again, with two local restaurants landing spots in the Michelin Guide 2026 for the first time. Leading the way is <a href="https://www.exclusive.co.uk/the-avenue/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Avenue</a> at Lainston House, near Sparsholt, where country-house hotel glamour meets destination dining inside a 17th-century manor set in 60 acres of grounds. </p>



<p>The restaurant’s clever tasting menu offers choice alongside intricate, technically impressive plates, now overseen by <em>MasterChef: The Professionals</em> 2023 winner <a href="https://hants.muddystilettos.co.uk/life-2/people/chef-tom-hamblet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tom Hamblet</a>. Also newly listed is <a href="https://hambledonvineyard.co.uk/pages/restaurant" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hambledon Vineyard Restaurant</a>, where dining among the vines at England’s oldest commercial vineyard comes with sweeping South Downs views, estate fizz and beautifully fresh Modern British dishes.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sostrene-grene-opens-at-whiteley">Søstrene Grene opens at Whiteley</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1001" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2025/08/Sostrene-Grene-store.jpg" alt="Sostrene grene whiteley hampshire news" class="wp-image-38080" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2025/08/Sostrene-Grene-store.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2025/08/Sostrene-Grene-store-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2025/08/Sostrene-Grene-store-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2025/08/Sostrene-Grene-store-768x513.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Scandi interiors fans, rejoice – <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1407146478116184&amp;set=a.652313766932796&amp;id=100064625354226" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Søstrene Grene is heading to Whiteley Shopping Centre</a>, bringing its cult Danish homewares and calm-core vibes to a third Hampshire location. The official opening date is still under wraps (watch this space), expect the usual treasure trove of beautifully designed, purse-friendly homeware, craft bits and lifestyle treats as the Winchester and Basingstoke outposts, all served up with Søstrene Grene’s signature slow-shopping, zen-like experience. Fareham interiors lovers, your baskets are about to get very full.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smoking-lobster-to-open-on-ventnor-seafront">Smoking Lobster to open on Ventnor seafront</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="972" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/smoking-lobster-Ventnor.jpg" alt="Smoking Lobster Ventnor Isle of Wight" class="wp-image-39536" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/smoking-lobster-Ventnor.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/smoking-lobster-Ventnor-800x518.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/smoking-lobster-Ventnor-1000x648.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/smoking-lobster-Ventnor-768x498.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image: Smoking Lobster will open a new café and bar close to it&#8217;s Ventnor restaurant</figcaption></figure>



<p>Island foodies, take note: <a href="https://www.smoking-lobster.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Smoking Lobster</a> is expanding, with a brand-new venue set to open on Ventnor Esplanade this Easter. Taking over the former Golden Sands café – only a few doors down from its existing Ventnor restaurant – the new spot will serve up relaxed breakfasts and lunches by day (think Aussie-style plates, fresh ingredients and grilled lunch options), plus easy takeaway for beach days. As the sun dips, it’ll shift gears into a laid-back bar with a tiki vibe, making it one to linger at long after the sand’s been shaken out of your shoes.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-helch-market-incoming">Helch Market incoming</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1231" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/Wills-Meals-Helch-market.jpg" alt="Chicken soul food at Wills Meals opening at Helch Winchester news" class="wp-image-39538" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/Wills-Meals-Helch-market.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/Wills-Meals-Helch-market-800x657.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/Wills-Meals-Helch-market-1000x821.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/Wills-Meals-Helch-market-768x630.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image: Basingstoke-based Wills Meals is one of the street-food stars at the new Helch Market, Winchester. @willsmeals, <em>Facebook.</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Winchester – it’s happening. After nearly a year of behind-the-scenes renovations, <a href="https://helch.uk/pages/winchester" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Helch Market</a> is hopeful that it will open its doors at the end of February, bringing a seriously buzzy new food hall to Upper Brook Street. Already whipping up excitement on Instagram, the second Helch outpost (four times the size of the Bournemouth original) will host a handpicked line-up of street-food stars, including Wills Meals for soul food and fried chicken, Matcha Lab for wellness drinks and Woosabi serving modern Asian flavours. </p>



<p>And there’s more: tucked away in the basement will be a speakeasy-style bar called The Grow Room – a knowing nod to the building’s previous, rather unconventional chapter. With space for up to 500 people, late-night hours and a slick, industrial-style fit-out racing towards completion, it&#8217;s set to be Winchester’s coolest new go-to for eat, drink, linger (and repeat).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-festival-for-the-isle-of-wight">New festival for the Isle of Wight</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DUWYkqCihsX/?img_index=2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="878" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/Isle-of-Wight-dance-weekender.jpg" alt="Gok Wan Isle of Wight dance weekender robin hill country park festiva news" class="wp-image-39534" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/Isle-of-Wight-dance-weekender.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/Isle-of-Wight-dance-weekender-800x468.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/Isle-of-Wight-dance-weekender-1000x585.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/Isle-of-Wight-dance-weekender-768x450.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image: Gok Wan will headline the new Isle of Wight Weekender, <em>Instagram</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Festival season on the Isle of Wight will get an early kick-off as Robin Hill hosts the brand-new <a href="https://iowdanceweekender.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Isle of Wight Dance Weekender</a> near Newport on 9 and 10 May. Expect hands-in-the-air nostalgia and crowd-pleasing bangers as Professor Green and Gok Wan top the bill, joined by chart favourites East 17 and Phats &amp; Small, plus garage royalty Artful Dodger, So Solid Crew and MC DT (with more names still to drop). </p>



<p>Spanning multiple covered arenas at the much-loved adventure park – and with camping and glamping options for those going all in – the 10,000-capacity-a-day event is shaping up to fill the post-Bestival-shaped gap with something fun, feel-good and family-friendly. Bonus: a slice of ticket sales will go to Mountbatten, as the weekend coincides with Walk the Wight.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fresh-look-cafe-for-weyhill">Fresh look café for Weyhill</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/Hillier-Weyhill-cafe.jpg" alt="New-look cafe at Hillier Weyhill Andover Hampshire news" class="wp-image-39533" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/Hillier-Weyhill-cafe.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/Hillier-Weyhill-cafe-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/Hillier-Weyhill-cafe-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/Hillier-Weyhill-cafe-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>News just in that <a href="https://www.hillier.co.uk/garden-centres/weyhill/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hillier Garden Centre Weyhill, Andover,</a> is officially getting a glow-up, with refurbishment works underway on its much-loved restaurant and a shiny new reopening pencilled in for March 2026. </p>



<p>Expect a warmer, more stylish space with comfy new seating, slicker ordering, upgraded loos and even a dedicated dog-friendly area (because pups deserve brunch too). The café will stay open during the works with a slimmed-down menu of drinks and cakes, before returning with a fresh seasonal menu, all the old favourites (afternoon teas and hearty classics included) and a brand-new name inspired by Hillier’s heritage, revealed at the relaunch.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-butser-hill-s-highland-cows-trending-on-tik-tok">Butser Hill’s Highland Cows trending on Tik Tok</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1259" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/Highland-Cows-Insta-Scruff.jpg" alt="Instagram post about Highland Cows on Butser Hill Queen Elizabeth Country Park Petersfield Hampshire news" class="wp-image-39532" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/Highland-Cows-Insta-Scruff.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/Highland-Cows-Insta-Scruff-800x671.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/Highland-Cows-Insta-Scruff-1000x839.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2026/02/Highland-Cows-Insta-Scruff-768x645.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image: Highland Cows spotter, @life.of.scruff, <em>Instagram</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>If you’re not an avid scroller, you might have missed the fact that Highland cows have been trending on social media. With their gentle demeanor and slow-living vibes, they’re basically made for the algorithm. But you don’t need to trek to Scotland to see them. As TikTok and Instagram feeds fill up with #HighlandCow content, Hampshire’s Butser Hill, near Petersfield, has been drawing in devotees looking to see the shaggy-fringed beauties in real life. </p>



<p>But such has been the appeal with <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjrz972lg84o" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">made headlines for the wrong reasons</a> when a group of cow-spotters needed rescuing having underestimated the weather and the hill’s tricky terrain. With more rain in the forecast, we’ll give this particular ‘muddy’ adventure a swerve – for now.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-the-mood-for-more">In the mood for more?</h2>



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