The Greenwich Brew Pub, Southsea | Food review

Now don’t get me wrong, sometimes you need an eatery with a bit of variety but it doesn’t quite sit right with me if you are perusing the menu and see a pizza next to a curry.

The Greenwich Brew Pub in Southsea keeps it simple and does it well. Pizza, fried chicken and fries. That is it. 

But quite frankly, that is all you need and while you have your classic margherita and pepperoni on the menu, the chefs at the Osborne Road establishment, which opened this summer, have brought some new flavours to the table.

There is Garden Jam for lovers of artichoke hearts and beetroot. And for those wanting a more meatier affair, there is The Ramone topped with smoked chicken, candied bacon, olives, chipotle mayo and green pesto.

Dish Detective and her dining pal make a visit to the pub, which used to be The Belle Isle before its shock closure, on a cold and rainy Monday night. 

The people behind the venue are Ben Miles, Andy Marsh and Stuart Ainsworth – who have been involved with other Southsea bars. 

Despite its name, we skip drinks because we're off the booze in preparation for the Great South Run just a few days later.

When we first glance at the menu we are surprised at the £20 price tag on the pizzas, but after being shown the size of the monster takeaway boxes we feel it is probably value for money.

We choose to do a half-and-half-pizza of margherita and The Big Handsome – wagyu beef, candied bacon, smoked chicken, red onion, rocket and barbecue drizzle.

On the fried chicken front we keep it simple and go for nuggets (£6.50) but there is something for the wings fans – Kansas, buffalo and vegan.

For fries we take a trip to New York and punt for the Brooklyn fries with garlic butter and pecorino cheese (£6.50).

The menu on the whole seems to lend itself to sharing between friends, but if you want to enjoy a plate of food on your own without someone double dipping their fries in your sauce, then there are a range of burgers. 

If I was feeling in a less share-y mood then a Mallory burger, (£7.50) with smoked garlic mayo, fried chicken thigh and candied bacon, would have taken my fancy. 

The wait for food, given that only a few tables were occupied, feels like an age but any feelings of food angst dissipate when the waiter struggles over to us with a pizza the size of the table. 

A single slice is bigger than my face. 

On the adjoining table two baskets filled with nuggets and fries are placed down along with a wad of napkins. 

It feels like a bit of a challenge so we ready ourselves and tuck in.

The Big Handsome punches big flavour and, although I could have done with more smoked chicken and less rocket, I enjoy it all the same.

My companion notes that this is a good margherita, not the best, but good. 

The chicken nuggets are chunky, crispy and moist – everything a great chicken nugget should be.

There is a good balance of cheese-to-chip ratio with the Brooklyn fries and a nice kick of garlic. Although we smash the sides, the main beast has beats us. 

But, no worries, for there is an aforementioned monster-sized takeaway box given to us so we can enjoy the remaining slices for lunch the following day.  

So if one finds oneself on Osborne Road with a group of pals,  then pop in to one of the newest restaurants on the block and enjoy a simple meal done well.