Brunch has become something close to a competitive sport in Portsmouth, and Southsea is where most of the contenders set up shop. From polished independents to seafront cafes, here is where to start the day, ranked.
1. Baffled Coffee
Baffled started as a small Fawcett Road independent and has grown into the city’s benchmark brunch, now with a second site in the Cascades centre in town. It is five-star rated and known for a proper full English and a salt-beef eggs Benedict, all at genuinely friendly prices.
What we love
- the city’s most consistently loved brunch;
- a standout salt-beef eggs Benedict;
- excellent value for the quality;
- now two handy locations.
A few watch-outs
- the original is small and gets a queue;
- weekend mornings are its busiest.
Our overall pick, and the first place we send anyone hungry on a Saturday.
2. Southsea Coffee Co
A long-running favourite on Osborne Road, Southsea Coffee Co pairs serious coffee with a strong brunch menu built around things on toast and its famous frangipane-filled “Southsea Roll.” It is relaxed, dog-friendly and the kind of place you settle into for an hour.
What we love
- a reliable, long-established brunch;
- the cult “Southsea Roll”;
- great coffee to go with the food;
- a relaxed, welcoming room.
A few watch-outs
- its popularity means a wait at peak times;
- tables are limited on weekends.
A dependable Osborne Road institution that rarely puts a foot wrong.
3. Hunter Gatherer
On Albert Road, Hunter Gatherer is a fully plant-based cafe that has won over committed carnivores, chiefly on the strength of its breakfast burrito. It is modern and casual, and proof that a vegan brunch can be the main event rather than a compromise.
What we love
- the best plant-based brunch in the city;
- a genuinely excellent breakfast burrito;
- bright, modern and casual;
- a central Albert Road spot.
A few watch-outs
- fully vegan, so not for everyone’s taste;
- a smaller space that fills quickly.
The one to book whether or not you usually eat plant-based.
4. Southsea Beach Café
Out on the Southsea seafront, the Beach Café serves hot brunch, cake and coffee with the Solent right in front of you, plus a takeaway hatch for walkers. The location is the selling point, and it is worth paying a little more for breakfast with a sea view.
What we love
- brunch with an unbeatable beach view;
- a handy takeaway hatch;
- a proper seafront setting;
- great to pair with a promenade walk.
A few watch-outs
- one of the pricier options;
- very weather-dependent.
Choose it on a bright morning and let the sea do the work.
5. Beckett’s
On Bellevue Terrace by Southsea Common, Beckett’s is the bottomless-brunch specialist, pairing good food with music and a sociable buzz. It is the pick for a celebration or a big group that wants its brunch to roll on into the afternoon.
What we love
- a lively bottomless brunch;
- good food and a fun atmosphere;
- handles big groups well;
- right by Southsea Common.
A few watch-outs
- it gets loud at peak brunch times;
- bottomless slots need booking ahead.
The go-to for a brunch that is really a party.
6. Andre’s Food Bar
Another Osborne Road favourite, Andre’s is a small, five-star-rated cafe doing savoury pastries, good coffee and a warm welcome at cheap-and-cheerful prices. It is less a sit-down brunch destination and more a brilliant quick stop.
What we love
- excellent value;
- great pastries and coffee;
- friendly, personal service;
- perfect for a grab-and-go morning.
A few watch-outs
- it is small, with limited seating;
- more a quick bite than a long brunch.
The best budget option when you want quality without the full sit-down.
7. The Tenth Hole Tea Rooms
By the Canoe Lake on the Southsea seafront, the Tenth Hole is a traditional seaside tea room doing hot breakfasts, enormous slices of cake and doorstep sandwiches. It is family-friendly, good value and refreshingly old-fashioned.
What we love
- a proper traditional tea-room feel;
- generous portions and good value;
- very family-friendly;
- a lovely seafront position.
A few watch-outs
- it is classic rather than trendy;
- busy on sunny seafront days.
The one for a nostalgic, cake-heavy breakfast by the sea.
The scores side by side
The ratings at a glance (out of 10)
| Position | Name | Score (out of 10) | % (out of 100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baffled Coffee | 8.6 / 10 | 86% out of 100 |
| 2 | Southsea Coffee Co | 8.2 / 10 | 82% out of 100 |
| 3 | Hunter Gatherer | 7.9 / 10 | 79% out of 100 |
| 4 | Southsea Beach Café | 7.6 / 10 | 76% out of 100 |
| 5 | Beckett’s | 7.3 / 10 | 73% out of 100 |
| 6 | Andre’s Food Bar | 7.0 / 10 | 70% out of 100 |
| 7 | The Tenth Hole Tea Rooms | 6.7 / 10 | 67% out of 100 |
What the comparison shows
The independents cluster at the top because they simply do brunch best, with Baffled, Southsea Coffee Co and Hunter Gatherer setting the standard for food and value. Lower down it is about the occasion: the seafront settings of the Beach Café and the Tenth Hole, a bottomless session at Beckett’s, or a quick, cheap stop at Andre’s.
“The sign of a good brunch city is that you argue about the best one,” said a member of our team. “In Southsea you can have that argument for weeks and never run out of contenders.”
How we ranked them
We scored each place out of ten on food, value and setting, weighting the food and value most heavily, and stuck to venues we could confirm are currently open. Prices move with the menu, so treat our notes as a guide rather than a quote.
Picking your morning
To make the choice easy, here is the short version:
- for the best all-round brunch, book Baffled;
- for a sea view, head to the Southsea Beach Café;
- for a plant-based feast, go to Hunter Gatherer;
- for a celebration, make it bottomless at Beckett’s.
Whichever you pick, a Southsea brunch is one of the simplest pleasures this city has to offer.
