The Best Cafes in Lyndhurst, 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!

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

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.

Amazing pastries (particularly pistachio brioche, greek filo pastry and chocolate and pecan pie), lovely staff. Would definitely go again if in the area. Would highly recommend to anyone wanting a local cafe with great coffee and food

The best coffee I have had, simply incredible coffee !! The different types they have on offer already beats the big corporations and puts their boring coffee to shame. Amazing staff, great atmosphere/setting and dog friendly ! So, why would you go anywhere else.

First time visiting this lil place. Great food and coffee, chilled setting, quiet and relaxed. Dog friendly. Great price. Happier for my money to go to a small independent business rather than Costa or Starbucks etc. You get better service and prices. Highly recommended ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Amazing coffee freshly roasted to perfection. If you like good coffee this is a must on your list of things to visit in Lyndhurst

Helen was impeccable - service was fantastic, everything spotless and the coffee? Honestly the best have tasted in the UK. It took me right back to sipping a flat white back home in Australia...thank you for such a lovely experience 💗

The service was excellent! We rented three bikes, and everything went smoothly. The bikes were in perfect condition, and the staff was amazing—offering assistance and providing all the necessary accessories.

The staff are what make this place the best spot to rent bikes in the New Forest. I wasn't sure which size bikes we'd need so I called up and they were really kind and helpful over the phone. They also gave me tips on local trails and where to park in town. At the shop, Joe was great getting us all set up and ready to ride. Thanks again!

Very happy with the bike I hired for a cruise around the forest trails with my son. The online booking, pick up and return was easy, hassle free and the staff were friendly. I’ll be back!

Hired an E-mountain bike for the wife for the day. Bike was great and good value. While getting my bike out of the car without the front wheel on, I managed to pull the brake lever and squeeze my pads out causing rubbing and binding. The guys sorted it out for me and also re aligned my caliper for me. Great service, will be going there again.

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.

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.

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.

Charming place with a friendly staff and a relaxed atmosphere- it reminded me of a typical neighbourhood cafe somewhere in mainland Europe. Food came in generous portions and at a reasonable price. My Croque Monsieur was cheesy and was absolutely filling. My partner's chicken strips were crispy and fresh and not at all greasy. I particularly love how strong the coffee is. Also, dogs are allowed in the garden which is a bonus as my partner and I usually go to Lyndhurst after walking the dog in the New Forest. This place is totally recommended and we will surely be back!

Wonderful service, very friendly staff, and delicious food. Lovely shaded outdoor seating. Pricing was a pleasant surprise, cheaper than expected considering the food quality. Got two lunches for just over £13. Also tried the ice cream, which was very tasty and also pleasantly cheaper than expected.

We had a late lunch here, the food and coffee is pretty good, portions are big, the staff is friendly, overall a good experience

Just love this place 😍. The food is always delicious, and reasonable priced. Staff are so friendly and helpful. They will even do slight changes to the menu to fit in with your dietary needs. Highly recommended, the best coffee in Lyndhurst

Stopped for lunch on Wednesday, Michelle and one of her daughters served us - very polite & friendly. The food was delish, loads of options and a great price. The best cafe on the high street.. I’ll be back very soon

What a find, the food is all truly home cooked and excellent. We've just had the best sausage roll ever, just the perfect meatiness. Lovely staff, well worth walking just past the traffic lights 👍

The best footlong sausage rolls!! So many different flavours to choose from, ive eaten every flavour, the cheesecake and coffee are the best ive had! good hospitality, good value for money

We drove past and saw the most amazing cakes from the window that we had to stop and go in for a coffee and a snack. Ended up buying a cheese, onion and bacon quiche and it was incredible. Best quiche I’ve ever had! The selection of cakes and snacks is amazing and really nice coffee. Would highly recommend!

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!

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!

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.

Wonderful place to visit. Great little gift shop and cafe. The staff were wonderful and helpful also. The museum was particularly enjoyable, our 8,6 &4 year old loved it. You have to try and slow them down a bit so they don’t plough through it in 5 mins but if you stop to read everything then it takes a while. Definitely worth popping in.

Great museum, donations welcome. Set within the carpark. Cafe is relaxing with music in the background. Plenty of cakes for Gluten free diets and something for vegans. Both cakes In photos are gluten and dairy free. Top marks for the caramel one. Lots of choices for food and drinks. Prices are average for the area.

A good museum, it’s really well done out. Very informative. Also has a nice café. Really recommend it!

Really nice centre/mini museum, showing the history of the New Forest. the gift shop has plenty of cool gifts and such.

Visited today with our dogs, lovely cafe with nice food and in great location after a walk. Friendly staff would recommend

I visited some weeks ago and was surprised that my first visit was some 10/11 years ago when it had recently been taken on by its current owner. Not changed much and still provides decent food at a decent price and the owner always seems welcoming. It would be unfair to describe it as a quaint country tea room but it is pleasant and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone.

A serene café offering organic meals and fresh, locally grown ingredients.