Southbourne has a few places that lean on the rustic look, but The Larder House at 4 Southbourne Grove takes it seriously. Inside, it is all wooden floors, wooden furniture, exposed ceiling beams and dim lighting, with a well-stocked rustic bar and a sheltered courtyard garden that comes with a wood-burning stove for colder nights. The kitchen is built around a wood-fired oven, with a charcoal BBQ grill added more recently, and everything is prepared on the premises.
Every week we pick 🏆 the 5 best 🏆 things to do in Bournemouth and send them to your inbox. Just one weekly email, no spam.
By submitting your email, you accept our Privacy Policy
The place is owned and run by James Fowler, 29, who is the founder and creative force behind it. He is known for ingredient-led cooking and working with local producers, and he mentors young chefs and front-of-house staff. His path here was not a straight one: he studied marine biology in Bangor and has worked a string of Bournemouth jobs, from running cocktail bars to selling fresh fruit smoothies and kebabs on the beach. He was named UK World Class Bartender of the Year in 2014. The kitchen team includes Executive Chef Paul Reed, 38, Sous Chef Martin Taylor, 27, and Chef de Partie Virgil Verbret, and they specialise in European charcuterie and cheeses.
On the menu, the wood-fired oven does a lot of the work. There is crispy bread with dip at £2.50, marinated salmon tartare with beetroot and an air-dried herb cake at £5.50, and a daily pea and bacon soup for £4. The pizzas are where the twist comes in: the Edible Suzanne carries cured meats, piccalilli and mozzarella for £12, while the Ham and Pineapple swaps the usual for smoked serrano ham, pine and caramelised Bramley apple with spices at £10. Cocktails are a speciality here, built with a Heston Blumenthal-style twist and served in The Library, a seasonal speak-easy cocktail club tucked into a hidden corner with fine spirits. Library Calling, Split the C, Plum Luck, Pepino del Minto and Ruby Fizz are all £13, Rum Punch is £14, and the Placebo Effect is a £7 alcohol-free option. A meal tends to land somewhere between £30 and £70.
Opening hours are worth a quick check before you head down. It runs Wednesday to Sunday, closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, with Wednesday and Thursday open from 17:00 to 23:00 and last food orders at 21:00. Friday and Saturday it opens at 12:00 and closes at midnight, with last food orders at 22:00, and Sunday it runs 12:00 to 20:00, with last orders at closing. Card is preferred, and while cash is accepted, the restaurant does not carry change. If you have specific dietary requirements, you will be given an alternative coloured napkin so the staff know. The venue also does private hire for weddings, parties, conferences and social gatherings, with The Library as one of the themed spaces. For bookings, it is 01202 424687 or reservations@thelarderhouse.co.uk.
There is a bit of a food-loving neighbourhood going on here, too. A few doors down at 7 Southbourne Grove sits Parlourmentary, a cheese shop that sources from independent producers and hosts its own cheese tasting events, so it is an easy add-on if you are already in the area.
