The Old Customs House, Pub and Restaurant, Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth, Hampshire

The Old Customs House, pub and restaurant, Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth, Hampshire, as the name suggests, is a pub in a former customs house. With marble topped bar, sofas, parquet floors, waterside terrace and garden, this is a beautiful pub in the heart of Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth, Hampshire that’s definitely worth a visit!

As one of Portsmouth’s original naval buildings, The Old Customs House is always ready to serve! Whether you fancy catching a bite or sinking some ales… rest assured, The Old Customs House won’t let you down.

The Old Customs House pub in Portsmouth boasts a selection of six cask ales, a varied wine list and a comprehensive selection of spirits and soft drinks. The menu offers a variety of freshly cooked, locally sourced, traditional pub classics, with an ever-changing daily specials board, an excellent Sunday roast and a number of seasonal favourites to enjoy a long lunch or a quiet evening meal.

After being greeted with the grand frontage to the pub, inside was even more spectacular! With two staircases either side of the small bar / reception area through the front entrance, the main bar through to the left of the pub, charming rooms to retire to with period features and heritage trimmings, The Old Customs House continued to impress me and couldn’t resist exploring further.

The upstairs first floor offered a number of chilled, large dining rooms, each one different to the other, in keeping with the stately English manor, steeped in tradition and kept immaculately.

With walls adorned with period paintings and brass fittings, Chesterfield armchairs and sofas, nautical ornaments throughout and perfectly lit rooms, this struck me as a fantastic pub to relax, entertain or simply grab a pint. Did I mention the views over the quay? Wow!

This elegant pub situated on Gunwharf Quay in Portsmouth, oozed charm and sophistication, offering a chilled escape from the town center and perfect environment to relax after a day at Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard or a shopping trip to the Gunwharf Quays Designer Outlet (which is exactly what I did before my visit).

With friendly, attentive staff and a selection of quality real ales, I ordered a pint of Fuller’s ESB (5.5% ABV) and found a seat.

Part of the Fuller’s chain, this particular pub stood out from many other Fuller’s pubs I have visited for both decor and produce. With seasonal, local produce delivered every day and Fuller’s Head Chef Martyn Tod’s signature on the menu, this one’s most certainly worth a butchers!

On my last visit I ordered a pint of Fuller’s ESB, a twice named World Champion Beer. This deep chestnut coloured bitter is both well rounded and a pleasure to drink. It was also the first time I have seen this on draft in all of the Fuller’s pubs I have been to, so was happy to find it on the taps here. A winner born and brewed, it’s a strong, full-bodied ale that has delighted drinkers for decades with its smooth, mellow bitterness and superbly satisfying finish.

The gins were also well stocked and had all your household names, including a variety of gins that have recently worked their way into bars up and down the country, from the UK and further afield. Some of which included bottles from Hoxton Gin (Hoxton, London), Bathtub Gin (Tunbridge Wells, Kent) and one of my personal favourites, a spiced gin with prominent juniper and cardamon notes, including spicy Cubeb berries from Indonesia, Black Pepper from India and Coriander from Morocco, Opihr (pronounced o-peer) was also behind the bar on my last visit.

The pub has a welcoming, friendly environment while retaining private drawing and dining rooms to relax and enjoy some food and drink in. Great ambience in regards to decor and lighting throughout, with ornate nautical references and features through the pub and upstairs restaurant. An absolute pleasure to find and am already looking forward to my next visit when i’m next in Portsmouth.

I’d definitely recommend checking this place out if you haven’t already done so. A stunning pub, with quality produce, in a gorgeous setting. You can also head over to their website for more information, book a reservation or simply check our their menu by clicking on the relevant link. Enjoy!

Been here already? We’d love to hear what you thought about the pub, the food and / or the drink at The Old Customs House. Feel free to post using the comments section below…