La Regata

You're sitting right on the edge of Southampton Water, watching the Cowes ferry chug past while twirling properly made cacio e pepe. La Regata has claimed one of the best spots along Town Quay, and they've earned it with cooking that takes Italian food seriously rather than churning out generic pizza-pasta fodder. The seafood here makes sense given the location – their sea bass arrives simply grilled with nothing to hide behind, and the risotto ai frutti di mare tastes like they actually care about the provenance of their shellfish. Staff know their wines and won't steer you wrong, whether you want something easy-drinking or fancy splashing out. Book ahead for weekend evenings; half of Southampton seems to have cottoned on.