17 gift ideas from Portsmouth & Southsea

Still need to shop for for Christmas? I’ve rounded up some of my favourite local gifts from Portsmouth shops & businesses.

Board games & game cafe membership

Dice Board Game Lounge has an entire shop with a multitude of board games for sale for every age and difficulty! Pop into their shop on Albert Road to have a browse. You could also gift a yearly membership for only £25 which comes with multiple benefits for the avid gamer.

Locally distilled spirits & a tour experience

Set in the beautiful grounds of Fort Cumberland, the Distillery tour (£22 per person) will give you an educational look at gin & rum making, as well as tastings of their delicious drinks throughout and a full sized drink at their bar in the end. You can also buy bottles of their locally made spirits, which make perfect gifts. Shop items range from £9-48.

Alternative gifts for goths and witchs

If you’ve got a friend or relative who’s into the alternative scene, check out Witchin – goth & witchy appearal. They sell everything from jewelry & clothing, to prints and accessories, perfect stocking fillers! For an extra special gift, check out the custom designed tarot cards (£49.99) by local artist Charlotte Simonsen. Did you know – your first set of tarot cards should be given as a gift? It it said the deck will have better karma if it comes from someone you love!

Mystery Guides

I completed the Portsmouth mystery guide last month and had a fantastic time! It’s a great gift for someone whether they are familiar with their local area or not. I’ve lived in Portsmouth 14 years and I found myself learning so many new things about my city! There’s also a Southsea mystery guide, and guides for other cities too. Each booklet is £14.99.

Beer & whiskey masterclasses

There are 2 Brewhouse & Kitchen’s in Portsmouth, one in Guildhall and the other in Southsea. Did you know Guildhall B&K (formally White Swan) was their first ever brewpub opened in 2013? At either of these pubs there are experiences you can purchase as gift cards, whether that’s for a full day brewing (£95pp) or a beer masterclass (£30pp) or a whiskey & beer pairing (£40pp), a great gift for any beer or whiskey lover! More information on their website.

Coffee from a local roasters

As a bit of a coffee fiend, these are 3 of my favourite local coffee roasters. Why? First of all they’re deliciously tasty, they really know their stuff and select the finest beans. But second of all, all three have amazing decaffienated coffee which can be difficult to find. Lowtide Coffee Co and Sunday Coffee Roasters both deliver around Portsmouth. Broadway Coffee you can pop into their cafe on Highland road and select how you want your beans grinded (if at all).

Gift a ceramic painting workshop

Artypotz are based in Castle Road and have a few different workshops that peope can sign up for, including ceramic painting, paw print workshop and paint at home sessions. One of their gift vouchers will allow to recipient to book onto any of these!

Beautiful scented candles

Who doesn’t love a scented candle? I’ve picked a few of my favourites that are made locally here in Portsmouth. Solent Wick make beautiful hand crafted, coastal inspired candles (£8-£18) and wax melts. Southsea Bathing Hut, alongside their gorgeous skincare products also have a candle range that are beautifully presented. Bustle & Bertie sell luxurious, heavenly scented candles, reed diffusers and wax melts and are made by the lovely chaps at Creatiques on Albert Road.

Home spa stocking fillers

We can all do with a bit of self care – so why not pop into Pebble Health & Beauty on Fawcett Road and pick up one of their lovely home spa products? There’s luxury face masks (£4 each), bath bombs, cuticle oil, and bath bomb greeting cards. Pebble also have fantastic deals on massages and other treatments throughout December – spa vouchers make perfect gifts!

Cooking classes & supper clubs

South Coast Cookery is THE place to be for learning all about world cuisine here in Portsmouth. Operating out of Southsea Deli, they have an abundance of classes where you can learn to make things like pasta, desserts, Indian street food, Greek cookery and much more. They also have a supper club which is an exclusive dinner evening with a 3 course meal and welcome drink. Vouchers can be redeemed for any of these events.

Strong Island clothing & artwork

The Strong Island calendar is such a Portsmouth institution. Collated by Strong Island, they take photographs submitted by local photographers ( whether professional or just snapped on their phone) and put them all in this amazing calendar every year. It’s a real page turner and each month has a beautiful locally snapped photo. As well as the calender, Strong Island also have some excellent clothing items, accessories and artwork in their shop (on Marmion Road) and online store.

Artisinal wines

Wines by the Sea only opened last year – their shop may be small but they have made a huge impact on their local community. Based on Albert Road, owner Lucy really knows her stuff and will be happy to help you find the perfect pairing for a Christmas dinner, or a gift for someone you love. They also do regular wine tasting evenings in conjunction with By the Beach Cafe which are fabulous so keep an eye on their Facebook!

Learn a new craft!

Know someone crafty who might want to learn a new skill? Makers Guild (situated in Portsmouth Guildhall) are always running fantastic workshops in lots of different disciplines. From wood engraving to pottery throwing classes, it’s worth keeping an eye on their event page as they’re always adding new classes. Why not buy a gift voucher for someone so they can choose a class at their leisure?

Something spicy!

I’m a huge fan of Spice Island’s chilli sauce collection. If you have a friend or family member who loves a bit of heat, this is a perfect gift. They’re great for dipping, but you can also use them in recipes – they have a few listed on their website! They’re often at local markets, but you can also buy through their shop. You can build your own box for £13 which includes 3 bottles, or a single bottle is £4.75.

Learn how to paint!

This is an excellent class for anyone who wants to pick up a paintbrush having never created art before. Jessa & the team will talk you through creating a piece of artwork bit by bit, and it all happens in a lovely Portsmouth based pub or restaurant. It’s also a lovely chance to socialise with new friends! Gift vouchers are available in any demonination and are a great gift for a creative type.

Craft beers

Know a craft beer lover? Pop into Beer Muskateer on Albert Road and grab some craft beers or natural wines. Great stocking fillers or to add to a hamper. You can also pick up Spice Island Chilli Sauce or some Beer Muskateer merch from their shop too.

Locally made jewelry for someone special

Pop down to the Hot Walls studios to check out stunning jewelry made by Laura Bennett, such as this silver band with gold plate (£85). Available to purchase through the online shop are rings, earrings, cufflinks, bangles and necklaces. Laura also does bespoke jewellry making.