The Lightship: Unique dining experience onboard meticulously renovated 1940s ship in Haslar Marina is a must

I had the pleasure of heading to Gosport for a quirky dining experience onboard a carefully renovated 1940s lightship which has been operating as a restaurant for the past two seasons. The Lightship sits in the perfect position, facing Portsmouth - and it offers a completely different perspective of the city. Old Dockyard, the Spinnaker Tower and Old Portsmouth all present themselves in front of the ship, creating incredible views which round off the experience.

The ship has been designed with rich and warm interior designs which creates a homely, yet luxurious, venue. As soon as I took my seat at the table, I was stunned at the view from the window. I took my mum with me for dinner and we started by tucking into courgette fritti which was absolutely sublime - and it was the perfect dish to try whilst we decided on our starters and mains.

Lara, the manager, was exceptional and her knowledge of the drinks was mind-blowing. She recommended that we try a white wine from west Sussex which had a tinge of elderflower - and it was the perfect drink to go with the fritti - it was fresh and light with a tang of fragrance.

I opted for the agnolotti with feta, mint and pesto and I was blown away with the quality of the dish. The combination of flavours was beautiful and it was clear that the team had worked hard to construct such an innovative menu that caters to everyone.

We then went for the beef rib-eye steak with a red wine juis and chips - and it was cooked to perfection. I can be quite fussy when it comes to steak, but the chef cooked it exactly how I like it. My mum was equally impressed.

Despite being a tad stuffed, we couldn’t pass up the chance to try a pudding. I have a sweet tooth so dessert was a must. I chose the dark chocolate delice which came with a white chocolate crémeux, honeycomb, orange gel and charred orange. It was a dessert of dreams - creamy, rich with a sublime balance of orange.

Everything about the experience was impressive. The venue itself is incredible and it has a great deal of character with quirky pieces of art which made it one-of-a-kind. I would also make a note that the staff are friendly and extremely polite - I was astonished by the level of service and how well-versed every member of the team are with the menu - they knew everything possible about what was being served and, to me, that makes a difference.

The Lightship isn’t just a dinner venue, you can head down to the marina for a few drinks on the deck and enjoy the stunning sea views and watch the world go by.

For more information about The Lightship, its menu and how to make a booking, click here.