Toast Winchester Review - Cocktails, Cozy Vibes and a Great Date Night Spot
We’d heard about Toast from a few different people before we ever made it there. It’s one of those places that seems to come up quietly but consistently, usually followed by some version of “it’s really good” or “you should try it.” In particular, someone had messaged me on TikTok telling me to give Toast in Winchester a go, so when we ended up booking a little mini break in Winchester for a date night, it felt like the right excuse to finally see what it was all about.
Toast describes itself as an independent cocktail brunch bar, and that feels pretty accurate, although going in the evening gave it a slightly different feel. Rather than the busier brunch atmosphere you might imagine during the day, it felt softer and more relaxed when we visited. We were there around six or seven in the evening, just before heading off on one of Winchester's famous ghost tours, and it worked really well as that kind of early evening stop. Somewhere you can settle into for good drinks, a few plates, and a bit of atmosphere without it feeling too formal.
Upon walking in, the first thing that stood out was how cosy it felt. There was a dog at one of the tables, which immediately gives away the kind of place it is. Candles on the tables, flowers, all the small touches that make somewhere feel considered without looking overly styled. It’s not trying too hard to manufacture an aesthetic, it just genuinely feels like a nice place to sit and spend time in. For a date night, it hit that sweet spot really well. Relaxed, intimate, and comfortable.
One of the nicer details was the open bar setup. You could see the drinks being made in front of you, which always adds something to the experience. It sounds minor, but it does make a difference when you can actually watch the care that goes into it. Nothing felt rushed or thrown together. You got the impression straight away that cocktails are a real point of pride for them, not just something thrown in last minute because people expect cocktails at a brunch spot.
For the drinks, we had four cocktails between us and every one of them was excellent. Their menu seems to rotate fairly regularly, so what we had may not all still be on there by the time you read this, but that almost adds to the appeal. It feels like a place that keeps things moving rather than relying on the same safe list forever. One of the standouts was a cocktail called "Oh Fuck, That’s Delicious," a cheeky name but it delivered. Dark rum, pineapple rum, lime and demerara sugar a nice tropical feeling drink! Another one I had was the Pink Pony Club, a short serve made with Campari, gin, lemon, strawberry, grapefruit and bitters. A nice sweet and sharp gin drink!
More broadly, Toast came across as the sort of place where, if you weren’t sure what you wanted, you could probably just have a conversation with them and end up with something that suited you. It feels quite personal in that way. Not stiff, not overly scripted, just people who clearly know their drinks and enjoy making them properly.
Food-wise, we kept it on the lighter side because we were heading elsewhere afterwards, but what we had was delicious. We started with mushroom arancini and ham and cheese croquettes, which worked well as little savoury bites alongside the cocktails. The mushroom arancini were probably the more interesting of the two. We said at the time they almost tasted like stuffing, and I mean that in a good way. Warm, savoury, comforting, with that slightly herby, rich flavour that makes them feel a bit more substantial than just a standard starter. The croquettes were good too, properly hammy and cheesy, the kind of thing that’s hard not to enjoy when done well.
For the mains, my partner went for the brunch toastie, while I chose the Philly cheesesteak. I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for Philly cheesesteak after going to Philadelphia a few years bacl, so I was always going to be interested in that. What arrived wasn’t quite what I’d pictured, as it came as more of an open toastie than a traditional closed one, but honestly that worked in its favour. It still had everything I wanted from it. The beef was really tasty, ever so lightly battered and moist. The cheese sauce gave it a rich savoury hit, without being too 'fake cheese' tasting and the sweet peppers brought a bit of balance and texture to it all. It felt indulgent without becoming too heavy, which is probably exactly what you want from a dish like that.
Sadly, we didn’t get to stay for dessert, I definitely want to visit again as I had my eye on the "Sticky Biscoffee", a sticky toffee pudding with Biscoff spread, biscuit crumb, ice cream and toffee sauce, which sounds right up my street.
Price-wise, Toast felt pretty fair for what it is. Starters around the £6-9 mark, mains around the £10-15 and cocktails being about £14.
Overall, Toast feels like somewhere that understands its own appeal. It’s cosy, stylish and clearly very confident in its cocktail offering. The open bar, the rotating drinks menu, the little details around the room, it all comes together to create a place that feels thoughtful and easy to enjoy.
It’s the sort of place that works especially well when you want somewhere a bit romantic but still relaxed. Not a big dramatic date-night venue, not somewhere overly polished or formal, just somewhere that feels warm and inviting and quietly gets things right.
If you’re in Winchester and looking for a spot for cocktails and a light bite, especially somewhere with a genuinely nice atmosphere, Toast is well worth having on your list.
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