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.

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!

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.

I recently booked this venue for my partner’s 30th birthday, and it was amazing! This is one of our favourite spots to enjoy coffee together, so it felt like the perfect place to celebrate the occasion. From the moment we arrived, the staff were absolutely incredible. Frankie and the team went above and beyond to ensure everything ran seamlessly. We had an outside caterer for the food, but the staff took charge of organising and presenting it perfectly, making sure everything was on time, and making sure all of our guests, including those with allergies, were well taken care of. The atmosphere was fantastic- full of energy, warm, welcoming and it didn’t feel rushed or stressful. I kept checking in throughout the evening, but Frankie was absolutely wonderful in reassuring me that everything was under control and telling me that I should enjoy the celebration without a worry, which is what I did. Our guests had a wonderful time, and I’ve received nothing but positive feedback about the venue, the staff and the overall experience. I would highly recommend this place for any event - you won’t be disappointed. A huge thank you to Frankie and the team for making my partner’s birthday so special!

Lovely Coffee Shop one of the guys in our cycle club guided us to, after seeing good things about, so we gave it a go........it's in a very remote location but has lovely decor and a very bijoux feel about it. Staff were very upbeat and were serving quickly and efficiently. There is a large selection of coffee, cake and hot food on offer with the coffee beans baked on site called Moon Coffee which is also sold here. The "yard" area is very spacious with lovely seating around as well as outdoor heaters for the colder mornings or evenings. They are doggie friendly as saw a few on our visit and welcomed cyclists to with two very large bike racks to use.........will definitely visit again if we are out this way again!!

We booked the Yard for a private party on Saturday evening. The location is fantastic, the staff were efficient, attentive, and friendly, and we had a great evening. Thoroughly recommend it!

Having booked to stay nearby we thought we would explore a different Pig, as our local one is in Coombe. We just wanted to let you know what exceptional and friendly service we received from Jack, our waiter. It really was refreshing to be served by someone who clearly enjoys his job so thank you very much. The restaurant is beautiful and we had a wonderful lunch, by far the best gnocchi we have ever had. It was so utterly delicious we ordered another one to share!

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!

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!

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.

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

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!

Visited this lovely tea room today with family and we were all very happy with the food, the service and drinks. We had afternoon tea and it was plentiful and delicious. Tasty scones, the sandwiches were freshly made and a scrumptious selection of cakes and puddings. And all presented in a very beautiful way. Really good value! I saw other people having ploughman's and other treats and it all looked amazing. The service was great too. The two waitresses were both very helpful and friendly. I would highly recommend this place and we will be back next time we are in the New Forest. (They also cater for vegetarians and I had lovely alternatives in my sandwiches.)

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!

A lively spot right in the middle of Lyndhurst high street; a very random find and I walked in simply because it was almost packed during lunch hours which is a good sign! And I wasn’t disappointed, great vibe inside mostly locals I guess, food options were simple but plenty and I tried my first Welsh/ Lyndhurst rarebit.. didn’t know what to expect so what I ate was good. Enjoyed a nice cuppa after alongside a lovely warm scone with clotted cream and strawberry preserve. Service was all right. Overall a very good experience.

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)

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!!!

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 🫖🍰🍳🥓☕️

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’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*

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!

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.

Easy place, perfect for families. Super fast and friendly service. Nothing to wrong about their food other they it needed more salt for us, but I suppose that s the healthy way forward. Clean spacious and close to the main car park.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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!