Key West Restaurant

With stunning views of Bournemouth's sandy beaches, this is a simple restaurant with a basic menu that offers a place to view the beauty of the seaside without being knocked over by a hurricane-strength wind.

The Venue
In between the children’s funfair and the Pier Theatre sits Key West restaurant, a place that’s great for relaxing and enjoying the views after a long day at the beach.

Although Bournemouth Pier has a cheap and cheerful theme, on the whole this restaurant has opted for a more elegant feel.

A large, beautiful dome arches over the centre of the restaurant, with windows surrounding the edges bringing in plenty of light and creating what feels like a 270 degree view of the endless stretches of lush green cliffs and white sandy beaches.

The decor is slick, and dark wooden tables and dark wicker chairs contrast with white walls to emphasise the large amounts of light in the room.

The People
You can’t help but feel serene as you watch the steadily flowing waves, and the restaurant has an easy tranquil atmosphere.

The sleek decor adds a hint of sophistication to the place, but there is still an informal feeling as the customers are mostly friendly locals or tired tourists looking to relax.

There’s a mixed clientele with the elderly community regularly going to the nearby theatre and families traipsing in to get away from the busy funfair.

The polished appearance and the pretty views seem to calm all who enter, so there's a gentle hum of chatter rather than a raucous buzz.

The Food
The menu is mostly British-inspired classics such as wholetail scampi and steak, with lighter options such as baked potatoes and salads. The restaurant also has a decent selection of pizzas for £7.95 and locally produced Dorset pies to give you a true taste of the regional food.

For a stereotypical seaside dish, many opt for the deep-fried haddock and chips. The breadcrumbs are extremely crisp and tasty, however they are much heavier than the usual option of batter and unfortunately overshadow the haddock flavour and just add stodge to the dish.

The haddock is surprisingly lacking in fresh fish flavour and doesn’t taste as if it’s just come from the sea as you would expect. The chips are fluffy and thick-cut so are relatively tasty but they could do with a bit more crunch.

The Drink
A basic spirit selection and a limited wine list is on offer for affordable prices, but the draughts are the more common choice here. John Smiths, Fosters, Kronenberg, Bulmers and Guinness are all served at £2.90 to £3.50 a pint.

A hot drink to warm you up after battling the sea winds is also ideal, with a cup of tea at £1.50 and coffees from £1.50 to £2.75.

The Last Word
Though the food and drink is a bit formulaic and dull, Key West is a nice stop off on the pier to relax and enjoy the coastal views.

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