The Best Restaurants in Exbury, Hampshire, United Kingdom (2025)

If you're searching for a hidden gem in the heart of our community, look no further than Cherry Wood Cafe! This delightful spot has quickly become my go-to destination for an exceptional dining experience. From the moment you step inside, you're greeted by a warm and inviting atmosphere, complete with charming decor that makes you feel right at home. The staff at Cherry Wood truly stand out with their impeccable service. Each member of the team is friendly, attentive, and genuinely passionate about making your visit memorable. They take the time to explain the menu and offer recommendations, ensuring you feel valued and well taken care of. Now, let's talk about the food and coffee – absolutely outstanding! The menu boasts a variety of delicious options, from hearty breakfast dishes to mouthwatering lunch selections all locally sourced produce. Every bite is a testament to the cafe's commitment to quality ingredients and culinary excellence. The coffee is nothing short of perfection; expertly brewed and bursting with flavor, it’s the ideal complement to any meal. Whether you're in the mood for a cozy brunch with friends or a quick coffee break, Cherry Wood Cafe never disappoints. I can't recommend this delightful cafe enough – it's a true treasure that elevates our local dining scene!

Been here a couple of times already, such a cute little spot to grab a coffee. Amazing veggie breakfast, the best homemade hashbrowns!! Service is always so lovely and warm.

The passion that goes towards cooking food here is incredible! Warm Welcoming staff and Friendly chef, i highly recommend this restaurant.

Lovely!! Coffee is always delicious! Had food (scrambled egg on sourdough) which was yummy!! Service was great and staff very friendly

Brilliant views from the cafe, with fantastic food. The cafe is clean, the staff were lovely, and all fairly affordable. The beach itself and surrounding walks could do with some love, with old wooden sea walls fallen over, and a fair amount of litter dotted around. Overall, lovely beach, with some lovely walks.

Lovely place which is part of Lepe country park. Accessed via a paid carpark. The beach areas are not particularly good for sitting on although there are small areas of soft sand. However, there are lots of picnic tables and the very good Cafe at the Carpark. The beach extends round the point towards Southampton water where the beach is broken by the remains of the D Day Embarkation hard and Mulberry Harbour Construction Site. A fantastic area for exploring the history, but not suitable for sitting on the beach. Hear the currents are also strong. This is an excellent area for walking with lots to see on land and on the water. The main Lepe country park has extensive walking trails and dog walking areas.

A good place for a gentle there-and-back-again walk along the coast, with nice views of the Isle of Wight. Famous for its role in the preparations for D-Day with some of the old structures still present, though slowly being eaten away by the sea in places. If you are interested in geology, there are some good exposures of Late Quaternary river gravels which show the area had an arctic-type climate at times in the past. Good cafe with seats indoors and out. Nice cake!

We arrived at Lepe around 7pm in time for the sunset. Plenty of parking, you pay at the meter before you leave which is much easier than guessing how long you’ll be. The views over to the Isle of White are amazing on a clear day. Would be nice if the cafe was open later during the summer, they’d make a fortune if they did food in the evenings. Dogs need to be kept on lead. All in all worth an early evening visit for the views and amazing light!

We love this pub. Even at Xmas when really busy they fitted us in. We were a club of 5/6 people and hungry. The staff are friendly and efficient. Meals arrive hot and delicious. Bar Drinks good. Coffee really good.

We have eaten here before and the food has always been amazing. This time we decided to stay. The accommodation is just as good as the food. We stayed in the squirrel, which was lovely and cosy plus it accommodated everything we needed. The only issue we had was no hot water, but Simon very quickly came sorted the problem. I would say some minor tlc needed in the bathroom but otherwise we could not fault our room. Dinner and breakfast again were very tasteful and full of flavour. Simon and Diane are really attentive as well as the bar and kitchen staff being polite and helpful. Thank you all for making us feel welcome and for giving us such a pleasant experience. We will definitely be back. What a lovely countryside pub you have and the location is simply beautiful. Credit to all of you :)

Great food. Served a group of 20 of us on a Sunday. Fast service. Delicious roast dinner. Quaint pub. Will definitely return.

We turned up on our bikes, looking for beer and food. The Turfcutters did not disappoint. Staff were lovely, and the food was awesome. Thank you guys,you're all amazing.

Lovely evening in the sun on the marina. Good food and very reasonable value. Thanks

Great view, great quality food, young but very professional staff. Limited car park time but plenty for lunch. Highly recommended if you are in the area.

Best roast dinner I have had out in ages. Excellent service, and amazing food. Very well priced. Never waiting long for your meal and always well placed between meals. Can’t recommend highly enough

Just tasted some of the new tapas offered on a Friday and Saturday. Absolutely amazing!!

It was just perfect, have been here on Fridays which had a great vibe but very busy. Tonight, (Thursday) chilled atmosphere, very tasty food and lovely company with just the youngest out with me tonight. Staff always attentive.

Had the calzone pizza, which was fantastic. The staff are very friendly and attentive without being intruding. The interior creates a mature atmosphere. They have a good drinks selection and are reasonably priced.

We got married at the montagu on 17.10 24 & it was absolutely phenomenal. From the start of the planning process they have been incredible. Thank you so much to clara & paige who guided us planning our big day! Everything was absolutely perfect. Every single member of staff was wonderful, we felt so at ease the whole time. Huge shout out to everyone who was there from reception, our meal, the chefs, head of events & Jonathan behind the bar! If we had to do it all again we wouldn't change a thing. If you are contemplating getting married here you will not regret it! All of our guests complimented all of the staff & how beautiful they made everything. The rooms are also incredible. Thank you so SO so much! Hannah & Owen Webb xx

We recently had our wedding here and it was perfect for a Christmas wedding. The venue, food and service was amazing! Clara and the staff made our day the best! Highly recommend.

Lovely, friendly atmosphere. A really great place for a little get away. The staff are excellent. Wonderful accommodation. Definitely recommend!

Has to be in the top five gardens in Britain. Immaculately kept. Very large area but easily accessed, mobility scooters are available for hire; £5 for a half day I think; booking advised. Two cafés, one prior to the entrance, the other, smaller, halfway into the acreage. I was a little too early for much of the Spring displays. Some daffodils in their named meadow overlooking the River Beaulieu. Shop is of the style of a National Trust shop. Treat myself to jigsaws and a porcelain mug for my niece. An ideal car park for EV chargers, as are some NT parks. Low power would be sufficient perhaps, you'll be staying a while anyway, surely? Train journey was longer than I expected and the draught seized my duff hip. Called for another hot cuppa! You get a free map and there is frequent signage to assist. Couldn't make it to the Solent shore. An absolute must visit.

Visited the wrong time of year. I'd love to see more colour although it was still a very pleasant walk. I'd love to revisit when it's a riot of colour. Our satnav tired to get us to enter via the exit, but parking was good, lots of spaces. Toilets were available at the entrance and the admission cost wasn't overly expensive. The lady at the entrance was polite and friendly. We did stop for a cup of tea near the sundial. A cup of tea was really expensive, so were the snacks. £1.50 for a mars bar, and £1.40 for a packet of crisps. We spent around 4 hours in the gardens.

I had a lovely time at Exbury Garden, I found it so beautiful that me and my wife made it our post-wedding family photo album! Everyone who works here is wholesome and friendly, the scenes are gorgeous and relaxing, pet friendly and a great place to take the kids to explore, play and have fun! I cannot wait to come back here next year during the flower blooming season! I wish I had come earlier to see the field full of dandelions. Biggest thank you to Jane and the Operational team that was so kind to us, and everyone at the reception, and also a big thanks to Dave and the steam rail crew for being a joyful company to be around! Matt & Kiyomi

Tonight was my second visit here and it was absolutely wonderful. We travelled far and its 100% worth the drive. The food was freshly made and the servings were very good, the atmosphere was pleasant with the staff so cheerful. We left with full tummy's and a smile on our face and looking forward to going back again, Well worth every single penny 🥰

Came here the other day with a few friends. First walked into the restaurant and was greeted nicely by the waiters. We started with cheesy garlic bread which was delicious and melted in our mouths. We then followed up with mains which was firstly Gnocchi pesto & muscles and then spaghetti bolognaise. Both pasta was to die for and a great size portions. The desserts came out shortly after due to great service and we were all pleased with the pana cotta and cheesecake. The pana cotta was delightful and we all enjoyed our desserts. The atmosphere was great and brilliant music playing in the background. The best authentic italian restaurant 😄 !

This restaurant has such a cozy and charming atmosphere! From the moment we walked in, you feel like you’re in Italy. The food was absolutely delicious! Me and my girlfriend requested to have a bigger size whole Sea bass each, which we totally recommend :-) Thank you so much to everyone at Amalfi, for an amazing evening and unforgettable experience.

My favourite Italian in Southampton by far !!! Our latest visit was Amazing , Food is always fantastic and the staff go above and beyond to accomodate. My son is in a powerchair, they basically rearranged the restaurant so we could navigate through the doorway 😁 Thanks once again for the delicous food and superb service. The wine was great too 😋

Got coffees to take away last night but have had a delicious lunch here and am always tempted by the treats on offer!! I’ve had the ‘chocolate brick’ which is just like the ‘chocolate crunch’ we had at junior school! So delicious! Not your average menu options on offer here. And I must say the staff are always lovely here too! 😁

Cosy and comfortable for a lovely Sunday breakfast with friends. Staff were really friendly and went that extra mile to make us feel welcome. We weren't rushed at all. The food was delicious and very obviously freshly prepared. The fresh apple juice was incredible!! Amazing to see proper fresh apple juice!!! Bagel was exceptionally prepared and bacon was delicious. Halloumi was soft, but well cooked. Ingredients were of high quality. The mex hash side was a lot more than we expected for a side, I reckon this could be a small breakfast by itself rather than hiding away on the sides menu. We did find it quite expensive, especially with the additional service charge that is automatically included. (We were happy to pay though because of the service)

I found this gem by chance looking for a coffee shop, as I don’t live in the area and was giving a friend a lift. It looked inviting from the outside with easy parking and then the staff were very friendly and welcoming inside. I sat in a cosy corner to people-watch and looked at the menu. There were two sides to the menu, a vegetarian/vegan side and a regular side. It was a lovely surprise to find so many vegetarian options and also to find that all the options were available all day. The staff were attentive and my order was taken quickly. I ordered a large latte and the Wild Mushrooms Eggs Benedict with greens and truffle oil. My latte was perfect and large - so many large options are not very large in my experience! My food came quickly, was piping hot and totally delicious. It was all beautifully cooked and full of flavour and I enjoyed every mouthful. There were also some amazing looking and sounding cakes and pastries available, but I managed to resist - just! The whole experience was a joy - and even the toilets were good! I only wish it was closer to where I live, as I would definitely be a regular visitor.

Found this place after a bit of an Internet trawl for bunch and ended up really happy with our choices. Really lovely food with good provenance and friendly service. Can't believe it's so close and we have never been, we'll be back to sample the rest of the menu.

AMAZING! If you have an allergy please come eat here! They don’t have those silly allergy menus but instead their own separate dairy, gluten exc menus so you feel included in the meal instead of being that one person scanning through each item in that silly flip book! Food is also super fresh and tastes 10/10. Constantly changing their menus and have beautiful views if you can grab a window seat!

We love seashells wonderful staff attentive and always smiling. Our food tonight was simply delicious, perfectly cooked and presented. The chocolate brownie is heaven on a plate. Love the new decor bright and fresh with lovely firmiliar views over the river. We have never been unhappy with the food or service at Seashells. We went to a Michelin star restaurant for our anniversary a total disaster and said we should of gone to seashells....enough said

Seashells is a real favourite. We booked view of the pier and shore for 6 adults. The specials were impressive. Great staff, well trained and attentive. The steak pie was excellent and my friend loved his fish pie. All served with chips if you want. Their coffee is great. The Baguettes are yummy.

My friend and I had a lovely meal tonight, the atmosphere was relaxed and the food tasty. The staff were friendly and attended to us quickly throughout our meal. Highly recommend!