Urban Reef Boscombe Joins the Boathouse Group

As the coast heads into its busiest stretch of the year, one of Bournemouth's best-loved seafront hotspots is starting the summer with a new chapter of its own. Urban Reef has joined the Boathouse Group, taking its place alongside The Boathouse, SOBO Beach and Beach House Cafe as the latest addition to the family of coastal venues.

For the people who know Urban Reef and hold it close to their hearts, the news lands somewhere familiar. Regulars know the rhythm well: early risers in for a coffee before the beach wakes up, families settling in over a plate of freshly baked pastries, swimmers wandering up from the water still a little damp, in no rush to dry off before ordering.

The terrace, looking straight out over the sand, hasn't changed. What's changing is what's behind it.

"Urban Reef has always had one of the best spots on this coastline, and with it a loyal community," said Kim Slater, founder and owner of the Boathouse Group. "That's exactly why we wanted it in the family. It’s fun, full of life and that’s exactly what we’re all about. We're not here to change what makes it special. We're here to back it and help it become everything the locals already know it can be."

None of that happens without the people behind it. The Boathouse Group has always believed its venues are only as good as the teams who run them, and taking on such a talented, dedicated crew at Urban Reef has been a real privilege.

It's only been a month since Urban Reef joined the family, and there's still plenty to learn about what makes the place tick. While it won't all happen overnight, the Boathouse Group has big plans and are grateful for the patience the local community shares as they work through some exciting, positive changes over the coming year.

The menu has had a refresh, with a focus on local, fresh produce from local suppliers, shaped with the kind of care that comes from years of getting to know exactly what regulars love most.

Small plates set the tone with dishes like Garlic King Prawns, chilli, parsley and grilled sourdough, or Whipped Burrata, Isle of Wight tomatoes, basil and aged balsamic.

From land and sea, the Santa Maria Half Chicken, California-style grilled half chicken with garlic, black pepper, oregano and parsley, sits alongside the Lobster Roll that's already got people talking, and a whole roasted IOW Lobster with picked fennel and orange salad for those wanting to make a proper occasion of it.

Wood-fired pizzas cooked in Urban Reef’s famous wood-fired pizza oven round things out, from a classic Margherita to the Diavola, spicy salami, nduja, peppers and red onion, while dessert closes on a high with Blueberry Cheesecake or a House Affogato, coffee ice-cream, espresso and Baileys liqueur. All of it can be enjoyed at a table looking out over the water, or wrapped up to take down onto the sand. 

Weekends have their own gravity. Sunday afternoons bring live acoustic music to the terrace from 3.30pm to 6.30pm, the kind of low-key soundtrack that makes a two-hour lunch stretch into four without anyone quite noticing. Every other Saturday evening, from 6.30pm to 9.30pm, a DJ takes over as the sun drops and the crowd shifts gear, still barefoot, still sandy, just a little livelier.

It's shaping up to be a big summer for the coast, with more people choosing to stay local and chase exactly the kind of long, sun-soaked afternoon a seafront terrace was built for. Urban Reef has always had the view. With the Boathouse Group now behind it, the aim is simple: make sure the food, the service and the atmosphere live up to it, every time someone walks through the door.

"We want people to leave here already planning their next visit," added a spokesperson for Urban Reef. "Whether they've been coming for years or they're down for a long weekend and finding us for the first time, we want everyone to feel like they've found their spot. Good food, great service, and an atmosphere that's buzzing but still feels like home."

Urban Reef is now open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with takeaway from 8am and the restaurant from 9am, closing around 11pm, with live acoustic music every Sunday afternoon and DJ sets on alternating Saturday evenings throughout the summer. Same faces behind the bar, same view from the terrace, just more reasons to stay a little longer.