The Best Cafes in Ashurst And Colbury, Hampshire, United Kingdom (2025)

Really special coffee at this super friendly coffee lounge. Also, the food is top quality - I'm particularly partial to the bacon waffles - a very naughty treat! It's 5 stars from me ***** GREAT WALK AS WELL! - to compensate for the cakes there is a beautiful walk just up the road... turn left when leaving the lounge and keep going straight- you end up entering the beauty of the new forest!

Merritts Coffee Lounge is a friendly cafe in Ashurst. With its roaring fire and comfy seating, it’s a great place to have a coffee and warm up after a winter walk. The menu offers a range of homemade brunch items, as well as delicious cakes. Although it didn’t look exciting, the omelette I had for lunch was absolutely fantastic. My husband had the skillet crumpet with trout, and raved about it. The service was very friendly and welcoming, and it was a great place to start or end a range of lovely New Forest walks. Overall I had a great visit, and if in the area again I would 100% return.

Popped in after a walk around the new forest. Great coffee and hot chocolate, very friendly staff and good atmosphere.

It was a coincidence we dropped by and took a seat. I bookmarked it as my favourite cafe straight away! I just love the environment and how friendly the staff was. We had the best ever Egg Florentine and crunchy waffle with bacon. I would highly recommend this cafe to anyone :)

Great breakfast and great value , Half house breakfast (lovely sausage!) and nice cup of yorkshire tea £6.50 bargain!

First visit this morning. Very cheap prices here and the food looked very good! Only had a black coffee which was a cheap £2.50. Good to see it quite busy. I will try the food next time for sure

Bustling café hidden away in an industrial estate. Lovely big portions and cheap prices. This is a great place to grab a quick bite to eat before going to town or a takeaway meal. All freshly made

A terrific cafe tucked away on an industrial estate. Very nicely cooked breakfast at a great price. Staff very friendly and efficient. The seating is basic but good enough and the tables cleaned between guests. Well worth a visit if you're nearby.

This cafe is very popular - during the August bank holiday, staff were having to turn customers away as they were full. Thankfully, I arrived early enough to get a table without a reservation. The decor has a woodland theme and is tastefully done. This cafe has an excellent menu - large sections for vegan and gluten free items. In addition to the extensive menu, there's a large board of daily specials for hot and cold food. There's also a display case with freshly baked items. I had a vegan croissant with scrambled 'eggs' (chickpea flour) and avocado. The croissant was flaky and delicious, exactly like an all butter version! The filling was generous and tasty too. This was followed by a rhubarb bakewell slice. I love bakewell tarts but it's difficult to find vegan versions. This 1 hit the spot. Lastly, I was smitten with the possibility of flotted cream - a vegan alternative to clotted cream. I ordered a vegan cream tea to take away which had a large scone (choice of fruit or plain) a little pot of flotted cream and a small jar of strawberry jam. It was outstanding. If it hadn't been such a warm day (and with no access to a fridge) I would have bought a large pot of cream which they sell saparately. I had a strawberry milkshake with vegan ice cream and oat milk. I could have had 10 of these, it tasted so good. It was a little difficult to get the attention of staff towards the end of the meal because they were so busy, so patience is needed during the busy lunch time.

Very friendly and helpful staff, lovely atmosphere and perfect location for a spot of lunch. The food is outrageously amazing (try the cheese/tomato/pesto panini and the chicken ciabatta!). Love the dogs being around, all were completely relaxed and welcomed. Set up our afternoon walk perfectly!

Lovely, friendly family run cafe that caters for all sorts of dietary requirements. We stopped for breakfast and everything was cooked to perfection. Recommend the sweetcorn fritters, they were amazing.

I want to say a big thank you for our wonderful vegan cream tea we enjoyed today at The Greenwood Tree. We are staying in the New Forest for the weekend and we found this absolute gem of a cafe by chance. They serve a huge array of beautiful dishes and all the cakes look delicious. My husband and I are vegan so we were excited to see the vegan cream tea available. It did not disappoint. It was the best cream tea we've ever had. We spoke to the friendly owner and she told us she makes the vegan clotted cream herself. You can even buy it to take away. We highly recommend it to all vegans and non-vegans. It was absolutely delicious. There were lots of options available of vegan and gluten free foods and drinks. Even if you are not vegan, the cafe has lots of options and the environment is very warm and welcoming. The staff were all very friendly too. Thank you for making my husband's birthday lunch treat even more special.

Such a lovely place to come and eat good, clean and honest food. Had a really lovely Breakfast here, Avocado Smash with Sweet Tomatoes and a side of Bacon. The Service has been wonderful and they managed to cater for a tricky intolerance - Rapeseed Oil. Thank you for such a lovely start to the day and for being so friendly.

Very nice cafe in Brockenhurst. We went for a breakfast and they had a wide range of breakfast options available. I had the full English and my wife had smoked salmon and scrambled eggs. Both were very good quality and good portions too. Looks like they have some good lunch options too, so next time I'll try that. The homemade cakes and sweet treats look very good too, so definitely one to try in the future. Lovely service here and good baby changing facilities too. Definitely recommend if you're in the area.

Lovely little cafe. We sought refuge from the rain here and got a hot drink. The hot chocolates we ordered were lovely, and the service was also great. Very friendly bunch working here. Didn’t get a chance to try food here as we had already had lunch but the food menu looked good and the cakes also looked very appealing. Also bought some jars of locally made jams here as gifts.

The Retreat is a quaint, inviting cafe and definitely a must visit in Brockenhurst if you fancy a delicious breakfast! We opted for the large English breakfast which arrived on a warm plate, clearly cooked to order (a rarity) and was presented beautifully! Excellent produce, from the golden yolk eggs, to the sausages and bacon from their local butchers. The baked hash browns were fluffy and mourish, all washed down with a cuppa! Great selection of homemade cakes- unfortunately we didn’t get to try any as we were full but looking forward to next time! Fleur and Paul were incredibly welcoming and attentive, you can see how much effort and love they both have put into their lovely cafe! They make a great team 🫖🍰🍳🥓☕️

Absolutely love this place! Have gone twice now as just two or three adults with no children and had a fantastic time. Once you've paid entry you don't have to pay extra for any of the animal feeding or experience. Really well priced for a whole day of fun. Great layout and everything is easy to walk and get to. Lots of animal friends to make, we had fun fussing the goats, pigs and cows. Really great day out for everyone!

Nice little farm Took my 19 month old who enjoyed it. He loved being able to stroke and touch the animals. Tractor rides weren't running but everything else was

Excellent fun for young children - the farm is well run, brilliantly laid out, super friendly and so well set up for young explorers. Our little one loved being able to get hands on and up close with the animals, stroking cows, chicks, rabbits, and feeding goats throughout the day, all included in the entry price and well organised, safe and fun. There are also activities like ride-on tractors and a brilliant play park, including trampolines, and a tractor ride, again all included in the entry price. The cafe, shop and attached farm shop are also all excellent, would recommend very highly for a fantastic family day out!

A cute and cosy little coffee shop, with a good selection of vegan cakes and dairy free milks available. Wooden board games available to play at tables and very chilled vibes. I tried the popular coffee cake and it did not disappoint! Takeout options available and it's dog friendly too.

We got a cinnamon spiced latte and a cappuccino to go and both were incredible! Loved the real chocolate flakes on the cappuccino. The cinnamon spiced latte was absolutely delicious. Defo recommend and will come back here for our coffee when in Beaulieu!

Awesome coffee shop. Great cakes, lovely coffee and dog friendly !

A brilliant night out at Asha's. We were a party of 8 and were well looked after. Great service and great food. The Karai lamb was delicious, very tender lamb and the pishwari naan awesome. Lots of rice too.ust go back soon!

Absolutely 100% recommend this place. Everything was top notch. The food, the service, even the price was better than expected. Will definitely be going back. Well done guys, you do a real good job. Love everything about this place.

As always, never dissapointed. Worth a trip to experience the amazing food and service. The chefs special, mixed biryani is superb. A firm favourite.

We had a fabulous night out with friends. This is now our favourite restaurant having been many times this year. Always excellent.

We come to this wonderful cafe everytime we visit the New Forest. The food is delicious, the staff are very friendly and the owner, Mitat goes out of his way to make you feel welcome and to come and say hello. The All Day Breakfast is honestly the best we have ever had and we have eaten many over the years. The cafe has recently been refurbished and looks lovely. Highly recommend Peggy May's Lyndhurst.

This cafe is an absolute gem! The food and drinks are fantastic, with what might be the best hot chocolate we've ever had. However, what truly sets it apart is the outstanding service. The staff are incredibly friendly, go above and beyond for their customers, and always serve you with a warm smile. The owner also works alongside the team, and it’s clear that his professionalism and pride in the business shine through in every detail. We highly recommend this cafe, not just for the amazing food and drink, but for the hardworking, friendly staff and the top-notch atmosphere. It’s the kind of place that restores your faith in humanity!

Cosy little cafe on the high street. Warm and efficient service from the lovely staff there. Popped in for a quick lunch and had the best homemade leek and potato soup. Was exactly like my grandma used to make when I was little. Huge bowl, piping hot with a big chunk of fresh bread... heaven. Menu items all can be made gluten free and lots of vegan/veg options. Brilliant little place. Loved it. Homemade cakes looked gorgeous.

Really wonderful place! So many options, you’ll find familiar dishes as well as new twists on old classics. The food tastes great and the portions are a good size. There’s a friendly and inviting atmosphere and very clean. Can’t wait to come back!

Such a lovely place, in a stunning location, just moments from the train station and campsite. Really nice for campers to visit. Staff were really nice and friendly, service could have been a little quicker at times, but things happen. Atmosphere was always nice and relaxed and the quiz was fun (but difficult)

Stopped here after a dog walk through the Ashurst Stroll. Is a dog friendly pub and the garden is AMAZING. Has an amazing green area where you can chose a table and still play with your dog. We didn't have any food, just got a couple of drinks to refresh after the walk and the dog was still enjoying and playing, instead of needing to be on the lid (yes, is a safe area to let the dog out of the lid if your dog is used to it). I really recommend it for anyone who is considering coming with yours 4 paws friends 😍

Great place to stop off at, we had a great walk along the beach with our dogs then stopped off for some food. Quick service and lovely food, will be dropping by again. Amazing location on a lovely sunny late October day.

Outstanding views, service and food. Truly enjoyed it

We visited here today for lunch and it was so lovely. We used to have a caravan on a site close by and haven’t been back for serval years. Last time we were here it was an order at the bar, crab sandwich situation. It’s now a table service eating spot with super friendly and helpful staff with the perfect food for a beach walk pit stop. The interior is warm, pretty and comfortable and possibly the best loos around! My fussy eater 10 year old was in heaven with his bacon bap , so much bacon! and the bucket of chips is a perfect share for 4. Can’t wait to visit again to try some of the bigger dishes. It’s also dog friendly , which was a great bonus. Well done everyone in making our visit a great time .