Hub Box Gunwharf Quays is the epicentre of shopping in Portsmouth. People come from far and wide to browse its iconic designer outlets. But now, there is a new reason to visit this waterfront shopping haven. Tucked around the corner of the hubbub of shops and eateries, sitting just under the Spinnaker Tower, is Hub Box: a Cornish inspired burger and cocktail restaurant serving up delicious, conscious food and laidback vibes.
With multiple locations across the South of England, each Hub Box focuses on the best the local area has to offer. We were welcomed into a nautical-themed dining area and bar, awash with wooden features and low lighting. The theme hits the brief: Cornish comfort meets sailor-chic. A local artist’s mural adorns the wall illustrating the essence of Portsmouth and the kind, genuine, friendly vibes you associate with the Cornish coast.
Our lovely waitress showed us to our table, and we settled in for the evening. We began browsing their unique cocktail menu. With so many mouth-watering concoctions to choose from, picking our poison was no easy feat! We opted for a Hibiscus Margarita and an ‘R&R’ – a delightfully fresh rhubarb & raspberry gin cocktail. The drinks were outrageously lovely and dangerously drinkable. Sipping away, we tried to narrow down our food order. There’s an extensive veggie and vegan menu, an indulgent selection of loaded fries, and of course, beef, chicken, and barbequed burgers. We concluded pretty quickly that the best move was to share all our dishes, as choosing one burger was going to be near impossible!
With the sun setting over the harbour, we ordered our food: a Kim Yum Chick burger, the Notorious Rib burger (upon recommendation by our waitress), a side of skin-on-fries, Mother Clucker loaded fries, and burnt end beans. All the ingredients have been carefully considered, local sourced and consciously selected and boy, the food tastes all the better for it. Their BBQ sauce is by far the best I have ever had. And the fried chicken was melt-in-your-mouth-amazing. The star of our meal was the rib burger, sharing that one with my dinner guest was a little harder than I would care to admit. Hub Box is the place to go if you are after a decadent, fill-you-to-the-brim, feel-good meal. I can honestly say I have never eaten such yummy comfort food and felt so good afterwards.
Whether you need to refuel after a shopping trip, or to catch up with friends as the sun sets over the dock, Hub Box is serving laid back vibes, wholesome food and fun cocktails. I would recommend a visit to anyone!
