Local Produce on the Isle of Wight

Island-grown food and drink

The Isle of Wight has a strong tradition of local food production, and the island's farms, growers and producers supply a range of goods that give the island's food culture a distinctive local character. The combination of fertile soil, a mild climate and a community that values local sourcing has created a food economy that punches well above its weight for an island of 140,000 people.

The Garlic Farm at Newchurch is perhaps the island's best-known food producer, growing over forty varieties of garlic and producing garlic-based products from mayonnaise to beer. The annual Isle of Wight Garlic Festival, held in August, draws thousands of visitors and has become one of the island's signature events. The farm shop and cafe are open year-round.

Tomatoes from the Arreton Valley, grown in the island's long sunshine hours, are a local staple. The Tomato Stall at Arreton Barns sells varieties that are noticeably better than supermarket equivalents, and their heritage tomatoes are sought after by island restaurants. Local honey, produced by beekeepers across the island, varies in character depending on the flora in each area.

The island has a growing dairy and cheese sector. Isle of Wight Blue, a soft blue cheese, and other artisan cheeses are made from milk produced on island farms. Local ice cream producers use island milk and cream, and the ice cream parlours at the resort towns sell scoops that taste different from the industrial product.

Seafood is landed at Ventnor, Bembridge and other small harbours around the coast. Crab, lobster, sea bass, mackerel and other species are caught by the island's small fishing fleet and sold through local fishmongers, restaurants and the occasional quayside stall. The quality is excellent and the food miles are minimal.

Island breweries produce ales, lagers and craft beers, and there is a growing wine industry, with vineyards at Adgestone, Rosemary and other sites producing English wines that benefit from the island's sunshine and chalky soils. The island also has its own gin distillery and cider producers.

Farm shops, farmers' markets and box schemes make it straightforward for island residents to eat locally. The emphasis on provenance, quality and island identity gives the food culture here a character that is hard to replicate on the mainland.

The annual Garlic Festival and the farmers' markets that take place across the island provide regular platforms for local producers to sell directly to the public. These events are popular with both residents and visitors, and they reinforce the message that the Isle of Wight is a place where food is grown, made and valued. The island's restaurants increasingly feature local produce on their menus, and the connections between producers, chefs and customers are often personal and direct. The island's food economy is small enough that you can meet the person who grew your tomatoes, brewed your beer or caught your crab, and this connection between plate and place is one of the distinctive pleasures of island life. The Isle of Wight's status as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve adds a further dimension, positioning the island's food production within a framework of sustainability and environmental responsibility.