The Best Cafes in Balmerlawn, Hampshire, United Kingdom (2025)

Lovely cafe. Kept clean and good selection, especially smoothies. Homemade cakes elevate the place from other cafes who buy in mass-produced options. Sandwiches breakfast opinion light lunch salads all on menus. They do close sharp at 5pm.

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!

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!

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.

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.

My friend and l having a day out, found this cafe by accident, thank goodness. It is wonderful, the food was lovely, l had pancakes with bacon and maple syrup, delicious. Staff were so helpful and friendly. We would recommend to anyone.

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!

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.

Great restaurant with food sourced from within 25 miles. Lots of wine available and also beer and cocktail menus. The staff are very attentive and service is excellent. It gets very busy and bookings are essential. The only drawback is the restaurant area gets very loud due to being in an old orangery, making it difficult to hear when it's busy with large groups. But there are quieter areas which could be requested.

Overall fantastic experience! The food was amazing, loved how they focus on sustainability and locally sourced ingredients. I particularly loved the gardens and decor. The staff made us feel very special as celebrated our engagement. Thank you for everything, I could not recommend the Pig in the forest enough!

Found this gem of a tearoom with a pretty exterior whilst on a short stay, so decided to try the breakfast a few days later. We arrived just before non-hotel residents were permitted, but were made to feel very welcome. There's a pretty garden, and the interior has quite a few tables and we were told to choose our own and order at the desk. Menus were available on the table. Food and drink were beautifully presented, and service was fantastic. Dishes were hot and delicious, as were the drinks. Would definitely recommend..There is also a lunch and afternoon tea menu available.

We had a fantastic experience at Esme’s Tea Rooms! The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and everything we ordered was absolutely delicious. Our server, Ella, was amazing—super friendly and incredibly helpful. She had excellent knowledge of the village and kindly gave us clear directions to our hotel, making our visit even smoother. On top of that, she made a perfect cappuccino and served us some truly delicious cake. Exceptional service and a lovely spot—we’ll definitely be back!

My friend and I had the most wonderful afternoon tea at Esme's Tea Rooms in Brockenhurst. Lovely location and beautiful decor. The sandwiches were freshly made and the cakes and scones homemade. Absolutely delicious. Very welcoming and helpful staff. We'll definitely come again. Hilary Martin.

What a find! We had a scrumptious cheese sourdough toastie with apple and honey chutney and home-made coleslaw. Followed by cream teas. Home made fruit scones were delicious. Staff were friendly and efficient. Lovely outdoor space in the gardens, too. I think my picture says it all !! Fabulous!

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 🫖🍰🍳🥓☕️

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.

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.

What a delicious experience! The lady from the Airbnb has recommended us this place for breakfast and obviously we had our doubts. I'm glad we believed her! It's a tiny place but its flavour is great. I didn't have enough stomach for eating the full menu, or the pastries bar. The people were so helpful and kind. Totally recommend by the lady and from now on by me as well.

We came to Lyndhurst for the weekend and found the forage on our first morning. It is very welcoming with lovely decor. The atmosphere is excellent The service is superb The food is amazing, I had an English breakfast the first morning and eggs blackstone the second. The eggs blackstone was the best breakfast I’ve ever had and will be trying this at home. There is plenty of choice and will struggle tomorrow to make a decision that will equal today’s.. All in all a great venue for breakfast.

Super lovely restaurant, good value especially as it tasted high quality. Lovely staff, my son 'William' loved the Italian waiter and made the difference to our brunch out! 5 Stars - Fantastic! We will be back!

The Forage is always an amazing choice for food. The staff are always attentive and the food is incredible! Would definitely recommend!

We’ve visited The Forage twice in our week stay in the new forest — once on a quiet day and again on a busy Saturday — and both experiences were excellent. We were greeted warmly as soon as we walked in and served quickly both times, regardless of how busy it was. The food was spot on — fresh, delicious, and arrived fast. It’s clear they maintain great service no matter the crowd. We’ll definitely be returning in the future! 5*

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 nice spot for a coffee in the beautiful village of Beaulieu. They’ve got a great selection of cakes, as well as indoor and outdoor seating. It’s definitely worth a stop if you’re looking for some caffeine!

The food was tasty, pretty good service, and the atmosphere was nice but busy. Got in just before lunch rush (I can see why this place has so many reviews, just based on how busy it got)

The service here was absolutely brilliant. People who run the place were incredibly warm and welcoming. Delicious sandwiches and cakes. Clean as a whistle. The biggest gluten free menu I've ever seen. Excellent. Definitely recommend.

Really wonderful cute cafe Amazing experience and brilliant staff As soon as we walked in we were greeted with a beaming smile from one the staff and got seated Me and my mum felt very comfy and well looked after Would highly recommend!!!

What a lovely little find !! Clearly very popular with the many reserved reviews on a Saturday lunchtime - but staff making sure tables could be used right up to reservation time. We were a little before lunchtime but chef popped his head out the door to confirm they could start early. Great hot sandwiches and the turkey club turned out to be way too large for my wife so boxed to go 😁

Fantastic experience at The Daisy Tea Garden. Visited on a Sunday for brunch. The atmosphere is amazing, very soothing and relaxing, we enjoyed our meal. Our group had the eggs benedict and eggs avocado, waffles with bacon, and the hipster breakfast. It was all excellent. We look forward to visiting again and trying more of what's on offer!

Visited on a Sunday afternoon and glad we made the visit. Full English breakfast along with the “hipster” option were both very tasty and well presented. Honest prices and quick service. Lovely outside seating and quirky items in garden centre next door. Great little spot to visit.

Cosy, friendly atmosphere and tasty food. Toasties, soups, etc. Delicious sourdough bread. Dog friendly with dog treats available. We ordered a sausage for our pup too.

Beautiful place. Walked from the station no problem, fairly nice walk but a deceptively busy road. Our room was lovely. I just found it a little dated. Understand you can’t just rip out a bathroom but the bedroom could be updated - dark, polished wood is just so dated. Service was lovely. The lady who checked us in was delightful, can’t fault, as was the lady who checked us out. Just wonderful. The lady on the spa desk was a little odd/difficult to read, less wonderfully helpful and delightful. But got the job done, I’m just being picky because elsewhere was exceptional. All around, loved our stay and will be back next year!

A thoroughly enjoyable stay in the Hotel, all the staff were most friendly and helpful, the rooms were warm, there was a lovely open fire in the reception area and lots of places to sit and relax. The bedroom was spacious and the bed was very comfortable. Breakfast was lovely and our meal in the Thai restaurant was delicious. We enjoyed the SenSpa very much and look forward to visiting again. Many thanks

We stayed early Jan 2025 for a night away for my birthday and our anniversary and it was a wonderful treat. Suzie on reception was fantastic, so helpful and polite and moved things around so we could check in early. We had lunch in the lounge with the fire while we waited, would recommend. The spa staff were also fabulous, Pan my masseuse gave the best massage I’ve ever had! Only point of feedback would be that breakfast could do with including some cooked items in the price, eg. eggs. Overall wonderful stay, always love coming to Carey’s manor.

We’ve just returned from an amazing long weekend at Careys Manor Hotel and SenSpa, and it was exactly what we needed! From the moment we arrived, the staff were incredibly warm and welcoming, making us feel right at home. The award-winning treatments at SenSpa were absolutely incredible, and the spa itself is easily the best we’ve ever experienced. We’ll definitely be coming back! The only small downside was the price of access to the hydrotherapy facilities, which felt a bit steep—hopefully, that might be adjusted in the future. Overall, a fantastic stay, and we can’t wait to return!