Vospers Woolston

Known as the cruise capital of the world, Southampton has been booming with new restaurants since the opening of the new extension of Westquay Watermark. The city centre is alive with the hustle and bustle of this new complex. But, theres a new development in the city that is on the rise - Centenary Plaza at the Woolston Waterside. First saw the arrival of the beloved Mettricks which has now opened its fifth location in the City and has come a long way since it first opened in 2013. Vospers* was the next to arrive and saw the introduction of a new venture for the Mettricks family. Offering a simple burger menu inspired by local produce and complimented with a delicious selection of cocktails and craft beers. On a late rainy afternoon, myself and several other bloggers headed down to the waterside to check out the new space and sample the menu and a cocktail masterclass firsthand.

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Offering a streamlined menu of around eight different burgers with a variety of different sides including sweet potato fries, slaw, wings and mac'n'cheese, the burgers are priced at a modest £8 with sides extra. For a decent burger I think this is quite fairly priced. I opted for the 1966 burger which included maple cured bacon, oak smoked cheese, beer soaked onions and smokey bbq ketchup! Burgers are something you'll find in pretty much every restaurant you go to, although this doesn't mean that they will be done well. With a focus on offering a unique dining experience, you can tell how much thought and attention has gone into every single item on the menu. There are two vegetarian options, a buttermilk chicken option and the choice of adding on additional toppings to any burger from the menu. All the beef burgers are served pink which just adds to the flavour but if you prefer yours more on the well done side, all you need do is ask.

I was pleasantly surprised with the decor - often you find burger joints are based on American diners but this place has a real unique character not dissimilar to its successful brother Mettricks. With a strong nautical theme, the menu and decor are steeped in maritime history. There is a clear attention to detail in every single aspect and I especially love the porthole style window on the bathroom door.

Our mixologist Roger was on hand to answer any questions we had whilst guiding us through the process and making of three different cocktails. We had a real variety of drinks to sample starting with a gin based cocktail, followed by a rum filled delight and finished with a classic Margarita. These were most definitely not for the faint hearted, packing a punch and a whole load of alcohol. Roger's passion and talent really shone through during the class and his enthusiasm really carried through the entire evening. All in all it was such a lovely evening full of friendly staff, tasty cocktails and even tastier food. If you find yourself in this neck of the woods be sure to check out Vospers and keep an eye out for Mettrick's next venture due to open early August... Submarine!

As always a big thank you to Alice at SotonBloggers and all the guys at Vospers for inviting me and organising such a wonderful evening!