My husband and I stumbled across this darling little place while out "rambling" in the New Forest…read morelast weekend. It's an old railway station and the walls are filled with old vintage railway paraphernalia; everything that accounts for it being "cute" and "quaint". The food is very good. We only got some baguettes and chips so nothing ground breaking (hence the 4 stars) but it certainly hit the spot after wandering around in the fresh air of the forest. I highly recommend the Twice-Cooked Sleeper Chips. They're fantastic! My husband had a cappuccino and he gave it a thumbs up (I don't drink coffee so you'll have to take his word for it). We also got some carrot cake and a piece of Millionaire's Shortbread to-go. We ate them later that afternoon and again: delicious! I suggest going and maybe trying something more interesting than the egg mayo baguette I ordered. While very tasty, they've got loads of other delicious sounding dishes on the menu such as gourmet burgers, free range omelettes and full English breakfasts. My whole family is coming over next year to visit the UK and my husband and I soundly decided that we will be bringing them out to the Station House so they can enjoy a truly English dining experience out in the very picturesque New Forest.

I'm surprised no one else has written a review for this place yet! An adorable, very British style…read moretea room with a cute, kitsch vintage aesthetic. My boyfriend and I were looking for a real British tea time experience so after the last place we visited refused to serve us as they were closing at 4 (!) we decided to come here! I'd only walked past before and never been inside, so I didn't know what to expect. We arrived on a Wednesday afternoon around 4:30 and there were a couple of tables free to sit down - this place is really small, I believe there were only 4 or 5 little tables in there! The staff are so sweet and friendly, happy to customise the food depending on your diet and preferences. For less than £10, we both shared thick delicious egg mayonnaise sandwiches on soft (possibly homemade) white bread, a couple of good sized scones with proper clotted cream and jam, an enormous slice of homemade chocolate button cake and two cups of tea! All beautifully served on a vintage style cake stand. It was the perfect amount of food to share and I feel it was good value for both the quantity and quality. The environment was very cosy and friendly, definitely somewhere I'd like to visit regularly, especially since the food was perfect! My boyfriend agreed it was a great pick and that he'd love to visit again - the sandwiches were his favourite, with the scones a close second. The menu changes depending on what's available fresh that day, so a good excuse to drop by again! I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this tea shop! It's very quaint and ideal for young or old, especially those who love the cutesy vintage style (but not a requirement). I'm sure everyone could find something on the menu for them!

As mentioned elsewhere the room is impressive and well decorated with art-deco touches…read more Nice informal bar area with tea, coffee and cakes available, coffee and a cake for £2.50 is the current value offer. The bar food is the usual salad, burgers, sandwich and wrap selection typically under £10, but there are some interesting sharing platters for around £10. Recommended

Spectacular conversion of the former printing hall of the Bournemouth Echo, to create an ambitious…read morecombination of bar, brasserie and patisserie. This is another venture by serial restaurateur Andy Price, who already has Aruba and West Beach. A recent 'Business lunch' was good value at £15.50 for three courses. Starters included an excellent pork terinne with shallot jam. For mains, we enjoyed fish & chips, lasagne, and bangers and mash. The lasagne was very generous, coming in big oval cast iron lidded dish. The bangers and mash could have done with a green vegetable. Puds of berry compote and ice cream; and American style pancakes with maple syrup and vanilla ice cream were both done well. The overall verdict, though, was competent but pedestrian brasserie fare, rather than anything special. Will have to try dinner, or go a la carte, next time. And may have to hurry, because they were practically empty, so this may not be venture that is sustainable. UPDATE (Nov 2010) This place folded in the summer, and has been bought out of administration (sans the debts) by the same owners. It reopened this month. A recent visit for lunch found it much improved. There is a large area of upholstered seating for teas, coffees, etc, which also improves the formerly clattery acoustics. There's also a counter selling the marvellous homemade chocs from Chococo in Swanage. The food was also a big improvement our eggs Benedict and pumpkin & sage risotto were both spot on. Desserts were imaginitive like the deconstructed Mai Tai, and fig tart with licorice parfait. Pretty good for thirty quid, incl coffee. Let's hope it doesn't go downhill again, as Bournemouth needs a place of this ambition. The Maitre d' doesn't auger well, as he has no idea how to do greet and seat, and neglects new arrivals to such an extent that several gave up and left!! Here's hoping for the best UPDATE (July '13) The restaurant now seems to have stabilised as one of the best dining options in Bournemouth. A couple of recent lunches have been spot on, and service is good now as well. Still imaginative cooking. Fig, blue cheese and parma ham salad excellent, and the fishcake, wilted spinach and poached egg consistently tasty. Lunches about £30-40 for two with drinks, incl. coffee ain't bad for this quality. Do go, and support a venture that deserves continued success.

I love this place!! During my trip to England we had the pleasure of driving through the town of…read moreBurley, where the animals roam wild (primarily horses). This place was snuggled in the middle on town - and it was here that I had some of the BEST clotted cream tea ever! The service was excellent, this place was very quaint and clean, and there's an outside patio too. Before arriving here we had sampled clotted cream tea at a few other places, but when we tried it here it was excellent - a cut above the rest. The quality was superb. Definitely one of the most memorable and enjoyable places I visited during my tour of England, I highly recommend taking the time to visit this town and their lovely tea room and restaurant.

This is something of a hidden gem in Poole town centre. It is located about equidistant between the…read moremain shopping area on the high street and the quayside. It has a narrow front between two other shops, which meant that I missed it for several years despite walking past it every day! The Courtyard has an impressive selection of teas, including some specialist teas which are blended by the proprietors themselves. The interior offers a small seating area with four tables in what appears to be a converted house. It is very cosy, and the kitchen opens onto the seating area, adding to the homely vibe. I ordered some of the House special Russian Caravan plus the creamed mushrooms. As the inside was rather busy, I was offered a seat in the snug, which is a separate outhouse reached through the lovely quiet courtyard. The staff were very hospitable and even nipped across to the supermarket to fetch ingredients which they did not have on the premises to make my order! Inevitably, this meant that the speed of service was rather relaxed. But I would happily have stayed there all afternoon, it was so peaceful. A real hidden gem, as I said before, with a calm atmosphere and really polite friendly staff. Enjoy a tasty, home-cooked cake or meal and a nice pot of tea (served in cast-iron Asian pots) when you are in no rush to be anywhere else. Children and dogs are more than welcome - I asked on behalf of my sister and niece who were visiting!

Popped in for afternoon tea, a fantastic place with excellent food. We are local so this won't be a…read moreone off visit!!

As you go in there's a dresser laden with cakes from which you choose what to have with your tea…read more(or coffee if you must). Or you can order a cream tea to get scones, jam & cream. There is a gluten free choice too. If the weather permits, then of course the gardens are fabulous, with pretty flower beds, parasols, and a great view of the castle. (You choose a table, then order inside, giving your table number, and it's brought to you). We sat in the sun, watching the goats 'mow' the slopes of the castle, serenaded by blackbirds begging for crumbs. Tea and cakes for three was £8.70 - pretty good. And there are loos. Shuts at 5.30pm.

After a visit to the castle nursing a hangover needed hydration!…read more This is a lovely little tea room and in the summer it was wonderful views of the castle out in the garden (if you can get a seat). Nice selection of teas and great Scones and cream too! Reasonable prices and friendly service just what you need after exploring the castle or village.

This sweet and quaint little tea room is nestled in the heart of Christchurch, in the shadow of the…read morecastle and near to the scenic harbour and priory. The tea room itself has a slightly shabby interior, but the well worn carpets and 70s decor shouldn't be cause to worry. The staff are nice and friendly, each time I've been there I've been really warmly greeted and looked after. They're attentive too, but not in a TGI Fridays "How you doing? Better than when I asked 3 minutes ago?" kind of way. Just available and courteous. The drink selection is broad, but most importantly the tea is tasty and cheap. The food selection is a pretty standard fare but it's all of a high quality. The Mac & Cheese is especially great; cheesy and more-ish! The last note is a special shout out to the desert menu; beautiful cakes and superb, locally made ice creams. On very hot days it's good to supplement the hot tea with a cool milkshake. If you can look past the worn setting, this tea room will surely impress.

Came here for a 'proper English' tea-and-cake experience outside of Bournemouth - definitely worth…read morethe drive despite the lack of parking nearby, even on a Sunday afternoon. A quaint, old-fashioned building with low ceiling beams and quaint old furniture and decor, very reminiscent of a traditional old British tea room. Plenty of teas and coffees to choose from, but as we came later in the afternoon the best cakes appeared to have all gone early. I had a green tea and a delicious, generously large slice of carrot cake. Cream teas with scones and jam are available but be warned, the scones we had were unbelieveably huge so you may want to share! We each paid less than £5 each so it wasn't too expensive and felt we had more than enough cake and scones to eat between us. Staff were very friendly, with quick service, always making the experience that much better. I'll be sure to come back next time I'm in the Christchurch area, hopefully earlier in the day so I can catch the red velvet cake and brownies before they disappear!