Dosa World

It's a distinctly no-frills deal, this. The chair I was sitting on needed repairing and Dosa's vivid green colour scheme may well give you a migraine. But, blimey, the food was good and cheap (cash only, of course). South Indian and Sri Lankan dishes are the speciality, not least the eponymous dosa, which, with its crepe-like consistency and lacy edges, they've got off pat. The masala potato filling, with nutty lentils, had been properly spiced for depth of flavour not heat, and the mint-green coconut chutney was good, too. The accompanying sambar, however, was fantastic. It had the heft, both literally and flavour-wise, of a chunky winter soup, but one as spiced as it is warmly savoury, a little tamarind sourness giving each mouthful a twist.
• Starters £1.75-£4.95, dosas and mains, £3.75-£7.50. 280 Old Christchurch Road, 01202 318535, dosaworld.net

Chez Fred

No, not a French bistro, but a quaint fish-and-chip restaurant whose lunchtime queues speak for themselves. Located in Westbourne, a short bus ride or an appetite-sharpening walk of a mile or two from Bournemouth centre, Chez Fred is clearly something of a pilgrimage for fish-loving locals. Line-caught haddock, MSC-approved cod and an emphasis on frying the fish to order, are good indications that this is a quality operation. In most respects, it delivers. The bronzed, rustling, fluffy chips were excellent, and the crisp batter had a real richness and savoury depth to it. Homemade mushy peas were, likewise, fresh and velvety. The tartar sauce, however, lacked that rugged texture of chopped gherkins and capers. It was more like a thick, sharp mayonnaise.
• Takeaway fish and chips from £5.15; eat in special from £7.25, including bread roll, mushy peas and a drink. 10 Seamoor Road, Westbourne, 01202 761023, chezfred.co.uk

Genève

You wouldn't guess from looking at it, but sedate Westbourne is also home to arguably Bournemouth's coolest restaurant. "Dirty" burgers and slow'n'low US barbecue are the hip order of the day at this small diner. Ingredients are free-range and local: they have their own smoker out the back – using cherry and apple wood to bring a tang to pastrami or Jamaican jerk wings. A notice announces proudly: "Everything we serve is from-scratch and homemade."

Genève's classic burger certainly lives up to that billing. So loosely packed it's almost spilling out of the sides of the brilliant ciabatta bun (firm and durable; able to soak up all the juices), it's a sweet, juicy beef bomb, expertly seasoned and laced with a little onion. Luxurious mayo and watercress are the simple and effective garnish. The fries – long triple-cooked skin-on fingers – were less successful. A significant minority were almost limp with grease. This wasn't what Heston Blumenthal intended when he got scientific on the spud.
• Lunch soup/sandwiches from £4.45, burgers and mains £6.95-£10.95. 128 Poole Road, Westbourne, 01202 768864, on Twitter

South Coast Roast

Isn't Bournemouth supposed to be God's waiting room? What's the deal, then, with all these trendy venues? A spin-off from Boscombe veteran Cafe Boscanova, South Coast Roast is part third-wave coffee shop, part bright-eyed cult (everything's "awesome"; the beef sandwich will, apparently, change your life). It certainly justifies its self-confidence on the coffee front. A flat white (£2.50) was superb. The milk was silky; it was served at the correct, drinkable, not madly hot, temperature; and the properly dosed espresso shot shone through, as it should, a little liquorice flickering at its edges.

The food is good, too. Beyond brownies and Anzac biscuits, it includes posh sandwiches and salads (marinated chickpea and preserved lemon; green bean, lemon and almond salad), sourdough toast topped with, for instance, avocado, chilli and lime, and a few hot dishes, such as aubergine parmigiana. I could pick tiny holes in the Vietnamese bánh mì (the pickled veg lacked serious poke; the bread was light, fine, but inauthentic). However, it fizzed with flavour, the chicken and pork filling was alive with herbs, lime and a smooth chilli heat.
• Sandwiches and meals £2.40-£8. 24 Richmond Hill, facebook.com/SouthCoastRoast

Bournemouth Pizza Co

Bournemouth is blessed with two wood-fired oven pizzerias, both of which locals rave about. Da Mario is on the way out of town towards Westbourne (12 Queen's Road, 01202 766988), but I tried Bournemouth Pizza Co, near the train station. The young buck of the two, it's a minimalist space with big communal tables, quirky art on the walls and Blondie on the stereo. The dough for its 14in bases is made daily, of course, and has that tell-tale bounce and chew.

There are a few exotic toppings on the menu, such as wild boar and venison, but the better testament to BPC's greatness is that its margherita hit the mark. The tomato sauce was clear and fresh in its flavour and the mozzarella delivered a heavenly hit of sweet creaminess. That base could have done with a little more char, perhaps, but overall this was first-rate pizza. It's BYO (£1pp), and two of you could share a pizza and a couple of salads here for under £20. In fact, if you're walking back into town, spend the money you've saved at Giggi Gelateria (from £1.80). It's tucked away in a dull little shopping arcade, but its traditional Italian gelato is very good.
• Pizzas £8-£11. 44 St Swithuns Road, 01202 555125, bournemouthpizza.co.uk

Flirt Café Bar

This is a big, busy space, with kitsch walls decorated with everything from vintage lamps to disembodied dolls' heads smoking cigarettes. Its massive menu is a little bewildering but essentially breaks down into a canteen-style counter of hot and cold dishes, and the usual cafe fare of soups, jacket spuds, sandwiches and, a Flirt speciality, topped waffles. My samples from the hot food were, like Flirt itself, a bit odd. I've certainly never seen kidney beans and sweetcorn in chicken curry before – it's the kind of thing a housewife might have come up with in the 1970s. Nonetheless, Flirt's food is tasty. A vegetable salad dressed in lime, chilli and ginger was interesting, if a little worthy. The jambalaya certainly wouldn't worry any Creole chef, but it was carried by a nice, lightly tangy tomato sauce. On a sunny day, the terrace seating outside is clearly in hot demand.
• Snacks and light meals £1.75-£4.80, counter food, small/big plates £4.95/£6.95. 21 The Triangle, 01202 553999, flirtcafebar.com

Kino Lounge

There is an arthouse cinema downstairs, hence the name. But this bleached wood space is perhaps better-known for its menus of soups, salads, meze and hot tapas, popular square 11" pizza and pasta dishes. My tabbouleh could have done more lemon juice, but it had enough clean flavour to pass muster and, as it was my first visit, the owner threw in one of the great Kino flatbreads, that puff up like footballs. Sharing a salad and a couple of meze or a pizza, would make this an affordable light lunch for two.
• Nibbles, salads and tapas £2-£4.50, mains £4.80-£9.80. 39 Bourne Avenue, 01202 552588, kinolougebournemouth.tumblr.com

Deli Rocks

Stupidly, I walked to Southbourne from the town centre, in light rain that turned into a monsoon (hop on the bus if you're not staying locally). I was soaked to the skin and grumpy, but within minutes of arriving I'd stopped caring. I had one of this Italian deli-cafe's stuffed rustic loaf sandwiches in my mitt, a double espresso (£1.90) on the go, and the world suddenly seemed a far better place. Olive bread had been hollowed out and filled with numerous items – preserved artichoke, pesto, blue cheese, aubergine, rocket – every one absolutely hollering its flavour at me. From gourmet sandwiches and bagels to pizza slices and frittata, everything else on display looked brilliant, too. The space itself was large and relaxed, the bare brick walls lined with packing cases stacked with deli products, old gramophones and the odd pair of cowboy boots.
• Sandwiches £3.90-£4.90, meals £6.50-£7.90. 23 Southbourne Grove, Southbourne, delirocks.com

Little Pickle Deli Cafe

From something as simple as tea (a pot served with a miniature bottle of milk, for £1.30), to its energetic emphasis on seasonal Dorset produce and scratch cooking, Little Pickle is one of those rare places that does everything properly. Others might cut corners on a breakfast sandwich, but here the buttered bread is Dorset Bakehouse and the excellent sausages, from a nearby Boscombe butcher, had been patiently fried and caramelised. Such details make a huge difference. Later in the day, LP dispenses burgers, pies, rarebits, deli boards and sandwiches – from Blue Vinney cheese and chutney to gussied-up steak ciabatta and fish finger sarnies. Such is the place's popularity I overheard one customer ordering her crab sandwiches up front, for the weekend.
• Takeaway sandwiches and pies from £3; eat-in breakfast £1.60-£6.50, sandwiches and meals £5-£7.50. 737 Christchurch Road, Boscombe, 01202 900899, littlepickledelicafe.co.uk

Goat & Tricycle

If you're looking for highly satisfactory pub grub, this polished old boozer is the place. They do a sunny egg and chips with home-cooked ham, wintry dishes such as homemade chilli, and liver and bacon casserole, as well as cut-above baguettes and burgers. Cash-strapped travellers should keep an eye on the specials board, where smaller versions of pub favourites like fish and chips (£6.50) pop up. On the beer-front, however, despite its 10 pumps, the Goat & Tricycle was a disappointment.

It's a matter of personal taste but this being a Wadworth pub (whose traditional beers are fairly dull), I'd expected the guest pumps to provide a bit of spice and excitement. This is clearly a house that keeps its beer in good order but, in a country undergoing a craft beer revolution, are guest beers from big regional brewers, like Thwaites and Everards, going to set anyone's pulse racing? No. The prices on the other hand - £3.70 for a pint of Adnam's Ghost Ship – nearly gave this northerner a heart attack.
• Baguettes and baked potatoes £4.95-£5.95, mains £7.75-£10.95. 27-29 Westhill Road, 01202 314220, goatandtricycle.co.uk

Travel between Manchester and Bournemouth was provided by Cross Country Trains (crosscountrytrains.co.uk). Accommodation was provided by the Norfolk Hotel (01202 551521, thenorfolkhotel.co.uk). Until 21 September 2013, its double rooms start at £83 a night B&B, or £113 a night half-board. For more visitor information on Bournemouth, see bournemouth.co.uk