A hidden slice of Italy
In the sleepy village of Prestbury lives a hidden slice of Italy. The Coast is one of our new favourites (if you couldn’t tell by our double Instagram post. Soz. Not soz). Only just opening its doors three years ago and I’m so upset that we’ve only just discovered it. The Coast effortlessly combines the finest and freshest ingredients from land and sea to give an authentic Italian gastronomic experience like no other. They have a dish to suit all; Meat eaters, Fish fanatics, Veggies, Vegans and the elusive gluten free eaters too.
We made our reservation for 5pm on a Saturday night. We’re early birds (and love our soft lighting). We parked down the road and strolled over to the restaurant taking in the quaint little village. Pulling up to The Coast, you’re greeted with gorgeous rustic seating area out front of the restaurant. Big chunky wood tables and comfy seats. On our visit, the sun was beaming down on all of the guests enjoying a cocktail or a beer. It sounded like everyone was having a great night already, and it was only 5. The atmosphere inside matched outdoor. A relaxed, warm and friendly vibe. It’s clear that The Coast is THE spot to meet friends for drinks on the weekend.
Blair, the owner, could be found darting around the restaurant and bar area, welcoming guests, catching up with friends, clearing tables and a million other things. I’m sure other restaurant owners do that too, but here you know it’s Blair’s pride and joy. Regardless of how busy he was though, he still took the time to come over and introduce himself to us. It was so inspiring to speak to a local business owner that is performing so well and setting the bar so high for others in the area to take note. You could tell how proud Blair is of The Coast. He should be.. He may even have plans for future restaurants (Shhh that’s a secret) we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled!! While speaking to Blair we asked him to pick our food for us, so we could get a real understanding of the place. We were both blown away with choice. I think I’ll have to order like this always in future.
No sooner had we sat down our starters arrived Goats Cheese, Red Onion marmalade & Rocket flatbread. This alone with a nice glass of wine would of been a perfect lite bite... but true to form, we didn’t stop at the flatbread. Our flatbread came out with Polpette Speziate (Spicy nduja sausage & minced beef meatballs, tomato sauce and parmesan). Stunnnning. Could of eaten that, over and over and over.. mopping all of that glorious tomato sauce up with toasted garlic ciabatta.
Our night wasn’t done there though. The main arrived just as promptly! Spicy Pepperoni pizza - traditionally made. It stood so proud and tall on its majestic pizza stand! Each slice taking us back to our Tuscan holiday. The toppings were Pepperoni, spicy nduja sausage and calabrese sausage. An actual sausage fest. Blair wanted to show us how tasty his vegan options are too so we had the Crispy Gnocchi. Jamie and I like to call ourselves flexitarian. We eat a lot of vegetarian food at home so we can eat lots of meat when we go out and not feel so bad, a vegan option for us is a bonus. The crispy gnocchi is light, fresh and perfect for a summers night. Each of the veggies (spinach, tomato, peas, courgette, aubergine, grilled peppers and toasted pine nuts) were bursting with flavour... remember when people used to say vegan meals were tasteless? Times have changed, go order it won’t disappoint.
The absolute star of the show for me though, was the Blackened cod and mussels with linguine. Linguine is hands down my favourite type of pasta, so this dish was winning already. Imagine a plate of linguine dripping in the most indulgent butter and cream sauce, and resting on top like a crown jewel; a loin of roasted blackened cod. Superb! I’ve had blackened cod before, however, I was only served a slither. the portion size at The Coast was generous to say the least. The cod was not alone though. Oh no. The crown jewel was accompanied with plate the meatiest mussels too. Not those little ones that you think might actually be more of a limpet than a mussel. They were HUGE and not a grain of sand in sight. Thank the lord for the finger bowl though. I was a buttery mess afterwards. A shell of the man I used to be after what was a gargantuan meal. The meal was finished in true Italian style; with an espresso... and then we were crane lifted from the premises.
Did you know that sitting neatly above the restaurant is a private dining area? No? Neither did we! Perfect for weddings, birthdays, corporate dinners. I would trust The Coast and their team with any occasion. Our waitress, Sarah, fearlessly saved me from a wasp with a chip on it’s shoulder. It was practically the size of a pterodactyl, but Sarah swooped in even though she had an armful of plates and still managed to shoo the pesky pest away. With staff like that, I know my guests would walk away after having had a memorable experience.
Photo courtesy of The Coast
Thank you all so much for having us. We’re so excited to see what the future holds for Blair and the team. This won’t be the last you hear from us on this fantastic place. Bellissimo!
Book now @ THE COAST
For more amazing food spots and inspiration, make sure you sign up to our mailing list below! Get in touch if you want us to review your amazing space and feature on the website.