Tripadvisor’s 2026 Travellers’ Choice awards have put Portsmouth’s restaurant scene in the spotlight, with 35 local winners named in the city’s list. The awards were announced on 15 September 2026 and are based on reviews posted between July 2025 and June 2026. They recognise restaurants that sit among the top-rated places on the platform, giving diners a useful starting point when choosing somewhere new to eat.
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The list covers a broad mix of styles and neighbourhoods. In Southsea, Zaytoona Moroccan Restaurant on Marmion Road serves Moroccan dishes including tagines, couscous, hummus and spicy potatoes, with vegetarian choices available. Its hours vary through the week, and it is closed on Mondays; booking ahead is sensible at busy times. Nearby, Desi Old India Cafe on Elm Grove focuses on Indian and Asian-fusion food, with biryanis, curries, grilled dishes, Bombay Bread and Desi Dust Fries among the menu options. It offers vegetarian and vegan-friendly choices, as well as collection and delivery through Uber Eats.
Portuguese food is represented by Algarve’s on Osborne Road, where the menu includes seafood, meat dishes, tapas, traditional stews and vegetarian options. The restaurant is open from midday on Mondays to Saturdays and until 8pm on Sundays. For a more formal meal, Smoke and Mirrors in Old Portsmouth has built its reputation around a small, seasonal menu and an intimate dining room. However, its status needs checking before making plans: the information supplied says it is closed for renovation, with a reopening date of Friday 31 January mentioned in earlier material. It should therefore be treated as background to the awards rather than a current recommendation until its present opening arrangements are confirmed.
The remaining names add further variety to the city’s award list. The Sovereigns in North End is a family-friendly pub and restaurant near the ferry terminal, offering burgers, grills, chicken dishes, breakfast and a children’s menu, alongside a play area and outdoor seating. It also has accessible facilities and accepts bookings. The Rocka Restaurant and The Old Ship are included among the other Portsmouth winners, although the supplied information gives fewer current details about their menus and opening times. One name, Giuseppe’s, appears in the material but is described as being in Williamsburg, Virginia, rather than Portsmouth, so it should not be treated as a local entry without further verification.
The awards are based on customer feedback rather than a single critic’s judgement, so the list is best used as a guide rather than a fixed ranking. For a Southsea evening, the choices range from Moroccan and Indian cooking to Portuguese dishes; in Old Portsmouth, the award list includes a small fine-dining venue; and around North End, there is a pub option suited to families. With 35 restaurants recognised overall, the full Tripadvisor list offers plenty of scope for comparing menus, locations and current opening details before booking.
Published Date
26 September 2026
