Jane's Midlife Journey

The Bournemouth suburb of Southbourne is fast becoming a gastronomic hot spot. The main road, nicknamed The SoBo Mile, is lined with a wide selection of restaurants, cafes and bars. Augmenting that reputation is relative newcomer, Sobo:Sommelier – a wine bar complete with its own wine school. Here, not only can you enjoy a glass (or two) of good wine, but you can learn a whole lot more about your tipple from resident sommelier Mauro.

How to get to Sobo:Sommelier

Southbourne is 2.5 miles east of central Bournemouth along the A35. Sobo:Sommelier is on the main road running through Southbourne, which is called Seabourne Road from the A35 junction until it reaches the centre of town. Buses 1c/1b/m2 stop at Darracott Road, right outside or it is a 5 minute walk from Pokesdown Station.

Parking

Who drives to a wine bar? For designated drivers, there is some free roadside parking. Alternatively, there is a Pay & Display car park at Seabourne Road. Parking costs £1.20 for one hour. More details here.

Opening Times

Sobo:Sommelier is open from Wednesday until Sunday between 5 pm and 11 pm (10 pm on Sunday).

Wine

The wine bar offers a range of wines, as well as the usual selection of beer, spirits and soft drinks. However, many of the wines comes from sommelier Mauro’s family winery Guasti Clemente in Asti, Italy.

You can purchase individual wines and flights to drink in-house or buy by the bottle or case to take take home.

Wine Tasting

We attended a Wine Tasting event, where a selection of white, red and sparkling wines were served, each one paired with a plate of tapas selected to complement the wine. Our event focused on Italian wine, but they also offer an English Wine Tasting experience.

Italian Wine Tasting Experience

On the menu were:

• Guasti & Co Lignaggio Pinot Brut (sparkling white)
• Paired with a garlic glazed king prawn skewer with honey and lemon mayonnaise

• Guasti Clemente Roero Arneis (white)
• Paired with roast peppers in tomato and garlic topped with Manchego cheese

• Guasti Clemente Brachetto d’Acqui (sparkling red)
• Paired with venison sausages braised in Pinot Noir with cassoulet

• Guasti Clemente Barbera d’Asti (red)
• Paired with a selection of locally produced cheeses

Food

Bar snacks, oysters, tapas and sharing platters (cheese and charcuterie) are available to accompany your wine. Or you could really push the boat out and choose the Caviar Experience.

Sobo:Fish

If you fancy something a little more substantial, you can pop next door to sister restaurant Sobo:Fish. As the name suggests, the menu focuses on fish, with a daily changing menu featuring fresh locally sourced seafood. They do also have a few non fish options, including some suitable for vegans. You can even opt for a Culinary Symphony, which starts with wine tasting at Sobo:Sommelier, followed by a seafood feast at Sobo:Fish and rounded off with more wine back next door.

We visited Sobo:Fish at lunch time, when they offer a 2 course menu for £15 (or 3 courses for £20) on Fridays and Saturdays.

Other Events

Wednesday is Poker Night, Thursday is Open Mic and Ladies’ Night (book a table and get free nibbles) and Sunday is Jazz Night featuring local artists. In addition, the bar runs other events, such as Casino Nights, Rock ‘n’ Roll nights etc.

Sobo:Sommelier for Children

Sobo:Sommelier is strictly one for the grown-ups. They do offer a Kids’ Menu at Sobo:Fish, which consists of a main course, ice cream and a glass of squash for £10.

I hope you found this information useful. For more inspiration on things to do in and around Bournemouth, check out my 101 Things to do in Bournemouth here.

• Updated: October 2023