I was fortunate enough to visit this contemporary gem during a recent press trip to the Isle of Wight. I must admit, while familiar with the quality of island ingredients such as the garlic and tomatoes, it was my first fine dining experience in situ. Robert Thompson was one of the first to put the Isle of Wight on the foodie map. He was the youngest chef in the UK to be awarded a Michelin Star and went on to launch his own restaurant on the Island in 2015, serving contemporary British cuisine. The restaurant, located right in the middle of the busy town of Newport, offers an open kitchen concept meaning you get satisfy your curiosity without any of the hard work. However, if you’d like to get more involved, the restaurant has just launched a range of Cook Schools where you can learn a whole lot more about Robert’s techniques. The kitchen team provided excellent theatre between blogger conversations about weird English trends, where we would visit next on the island and what we should name a Pomeranian puppy (Pepita, as it turns out). With a changing seasonal menu, I can’t wait to visit again and try something new. www.robertthompson.co.uk