Come and enjoy breakfast, lunch or even just a cuppa in one of the cafes and tearooms in the New Forest. You will find our cafes and tearooms dotted around the New Forest, in our towns and villages, at many of our attractions as well as in rural locations within the New Forest National Park.
Take a look below as we give you some more information on where you can make the perfect stop for a spot of tea and cake or some refreshments here in the New Forest.
Cafes in The New Forest
Watch the world go by in one of our cosy cafes. You’ll find a selection of cafes in some of our larger towns and villages including Lymington, New Milton and Lyndhurst.
Whether you fancy a spot of breakfast, a coffee and a chat with friends or a leisurely lunch, there are lots of options available. Many of our cafés are children and dog-friendly too so there’s no reason not to bring the whole family with you.
Warm scones, freshly made soup and home cooked food are all on offer at Steff’s Kitchen in the pretty village of Beaulieu. What’s more, the café is located alongside the Fairweather’s Garden Centre, perfect for picking up some plants or a souvenir of your trip to the New Forest! There’s also an outdoor seating area for use if the sun is shining.
Enjoy a tasty breakfast, lunch or snack at the Farmyard Cafe after you've met the wonderful animals at Hockey's Farm. They offer an amazing selection of local drinks and use local produce in most of their food too. Sit cosy inside, or if it's nice outside then enjoy the sun in their woodland seating, where you can sit and watch the birds that they have at Hockey's.
On Lyndhurst’s High Street you will find Tasty Pastries, offering a wide selection of freshly baked cakes and pastries as well as pasties, sandwiches and filled baguettes. There are options to either eat in or takeaway food and drink here.
If you are visiting some of our many attractions then you will find that a lot of these offer a café or restaurant as part of their facilities. At Hurst Castle for example the café is open seven days a week from April to October offering light lunches and homemade cakes. There is a coffee shop and restaurant at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu and Mr Eddy’s Restaurant and Café at Exbury Gardens.
Stop off for a drink or some food at one of the seaside cafés such as The Café at Calshot, the Beachcomber Café at Barton on Sea,The Needles Eye Café at Milford-on-Sea or the Boathouse Café in Lymington. Many of these cafes offer a takeaway service so you can enjoy a tempting treat or perhaps an ice cream as you stroll around our coastline.
If you are out and about exploring our woodland and forest then Avon Heath Café at St Leonard’s or Pallets Tea and Coffee House in Beaulieu.
There are many independent cafes to be found around the New Forest however if you fancy going to a familiar haunt then Lymington and Ringwood offer some of the chain coffee shops including Costa, Café Nero and Boston Tea Party.
New Forest Tea Rooms
Often offering locally-sourced, seasonal produce giving you the opportunity not only can you enjoy the visual wonders of the New Forest but you can taste them too.
The Old Station Tearooms is, as its name suggests, a former railway station. Located near Burley, you can enjoy a scenic walk or cycle along the disused railway line to work up an appetite before stopping at the tearooms for breakfast, lunch or a cream tea.
Enjoy a delicious brunch, lunch, cream tea or just coffee & cake at The Cider Pantry in Burley. All food is freshly made and they use fantastic local ingredients where possible! And while you're there you could pop into New Forest Cider and pick up some amazing local cider.
Take your tea back in time to the historic Bucker’s Hard, or visit the Bashley Manor Tearooms at the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum. Onsite at the lovely Furzey Gardens is a gorgeous thatched tearoom. Cosy up inside, or enjoy your food and drink on their stunning patio outside, overlooking the gardens.
You will find tea rooms alongside some of the garden centres in the area including the Potting Shed Tea Rooms, near New Milton and in the popular towns and villages of Brockenhurst, Lymington and Lyndhurst.
Perfect for the active visitor
Our cafes and tea rooms make an ideal stopping point for anyone walking or cycling in The New Forest. You will find friendly staff on hand to serve you a refreshing drink, quick lunch or even a spot of cake. What a great way to begin or end a day’s adventure here in the New Forest?
The Old Station Tearooms, near Burley even has suggested local cycling and walking routes which encompasses its tearoom. Plus, if you don’t have your own bike, you can hire them from Forest Leisure Cycling in Burley.
Stop at Downton, Fordingbridge or Ringwood for some refreshments if you are walking the Avon Valley Path, a long-distance walking route between Salisbury and Christchurch or at Milford-on-Sea, Beaulieu or Hythe if you are taking on all (or even sections of) the sixty-mile Solent Way walk. There are also plenty of cafes and tearooms on or near cycling routes that criss-cross the forest.
Dog-friendly cafes and tea rooms
Dogs are also welcome in many of our cafes and tea rooms so why not pop in with your furry friend after a fun day’s exploring all that The New Forest has to offer? Simply check the entries below or give the café a call before your visit to double check that they are allowed, alternatively you can check out our dog-friendly places to eat page.
Save money at our cafes and tea rooms
Get hold of one of our Go New Forest Cards and receive discounts off some of our cafes and tea rooms within The New Forest, as well as a host of other things to do. Discover more about this card here and save money throughout your trip to the New Forest.