The Dovecote Eatery in Fareham

Not great today. Feel something has changed. Placed order of hot food, baguette and cake. and still no drinks after half an hour. Hot food, well lukewarm food came out after half an hour, still no drinks or cake. As we were finishing our hot food waitor came and told us coffee machine broken so no coffee., told to go inside for refund.10 mins later my tea came out.then we had to ask for the cake as the person had been sat with nothing to eat. Very disappointed today as has been great in the past.

Looked up a place to stop for breakfast. Requirements were child friendly, veggie and gluten free and this place delivered on all aspects! Great food and a whole gluten free menu which is so rare, thank you!

Was so pleased when I was advised that Dovecote served a wide range of vegan foods. Unfortunately the vegan breakfast was awful as the scrambled tofu was inedible. I love scrambled tofu but there was so much seasoning it was impossible to taste the tofu and all the moisture was gone, I felt I was eating a packet of seasoning and they'd forgotten to add the tofu. The hash brown was overcooked and the toast was rock hard. Thank goodness there were beans, sausages and a lone mushroom., plus lots of free water. I had to mix the tofu into the beans to be able to swallow it and the bean juice softened the toast . Such a shame as it's a lovely location and close to where I live. The cook needs to get some training from an experienced vegan chef then it would be a great place to go. Wish I'd gone for the smashed avocado as theres not much that can go wrong with that.

Lovely place for breakfast after our dog walk , very dog friendly, finding a place that has gluten free options is difficult to find . We have had lunch here previously and have always found the food to our liking and lovely helpful staff. We will be back !Booking is a must!

My husband and I took our granddaughters for a birthday breakfast. Customer service was first class and food was delicious. Good idea to book in advance as we did as this delightful eatery gets very busy. We will definitely return.

Breakfast wrap my favourite , good value and consistently fresh and good. Good place to stop after or in the middle of our walks

First visit, Arrived for our booking at 1pm for a birthday celebration lunch, very busy on arrival, no-one about to ask about our booking, eventually we pinned down a server, he went and got a piece of paper and said "you're on table 11 round the corner", didn't show us to the table. Found our table, a clipboard at the end with my full name on, it was an uncomfortable picnic bench in the marquee, covered in crumbs and a drinks can. Loads of empty, dirty tables, not been cleared, Therefore I asked if there was a table with chairs that we could have, I was told 3 times, sorry we are fully booked, we have a party of 15 coming in. I explained my disappointment of the table cleanliness and the bench when I too had pre-booked. He went off to check again for tables and this time he said he had found one upstairs! We gratefully went up and sat down, one other table upstairs occupied, no one else. That table then left and we were the only ones up there for another hour and a half, a reservation sign was placed on the other tables for the following day! We left after our food at 2.30pm, still with no one upstairs other than the staff member eating his lunch!! I had to ask where we ordered from, I had to ask for cutlery and serviettes as the drawer was empty! Such a shame as the food was delicious. Really letting themselves down on cleanliness, and hospitality !!

Pretty disappointing visit. Went on my own to grab some breakfast and was a little busy. Staff weren’t interested in seeing if anything was free. Told me to just go look myself but some tables had reserved signs on them so wasn’t clear if I could sit there or not. So ended up leaving, pretty poor and very inviting.

The service was friendly and cheerful. However the food was really not up to their usual good standard sadly. Smashed avocado with chilli flakes on bread was awful. Bread rather stale tasting and beyond salty and just way too much chilli The chicken bacon sandwich tasted “fishy”…..my sons description They did apologise and promised to feed back to the “chef”. It’s a shame as I’ve enjoyed many good meals there over the years. Will leave it a while before I return

Lovely cafe. Rustic setting, quirky plates, lovely food. We went for lunch and had warm baguettes with loaded fries. This isn’t a restaurant it’s a cafe and the reasonable prices and menu reflect it. Good not fault a thing, Chorizo and Feta fries were amazing. We will be back. Takeaway cakes handy as were too full. Brookie pie recommended

Scrambled eggs so dry like they been microwaved for a day. Almost inedible. Fried eggs rubbery. £1.75 for one small rasher of bacon. £4 for a tiny kids milkshake. Many mistakes made on the order . Brought chocolate milkshake instead of hot chocolate. Brought fried eggs instead of scrambled eggs. No fruit shoot brought with kids meal. Coffee lukewarm. I was more than willing to discuss with staff but they are all youngsters and it was really busy - although not sure why. Where is the manager of this place checking on customers — doesn’t seem to be one.

Good breakfast reasonable price, served quick and very hot. Really enjoyed the food and atmosphere. Little difficult to find on the first visit but well organised with ability to book tables.

My wife and I popped in for a quick coffee after a dog walk, we ordered our drinks, which were brought out to us very quickly, with a lovely atmosphere at the order counter, we will be coming here again soon.

So breakfast was very good and enjoyable. Did have to point out a problem with the toast, this was replaced so no problem and our breakfast was taken away to kerp warm. Just felt might have been a jesture to offer free drink ?

I had a fruit scone and it's got to be one of the most fruit free tasteless scones I've ever been served. Friends tuna wrap looked good

First impressions of the place are good, it’s in a lovely setting. On entering the courtyard you’re greeted by plenty of picnic tables and a slightly drab white gazebo. Food itself was ok. We’d ordered some full English breakfasts. Sadly the food turned up on those awful metal plates with the chipped paint which cheapened the experience.

The wait for a take away coffee was 20 mins! complete waste of time just waiting around outside by the hatch. Not enough staff, poor communication too. Wasted my morning. Wont be back

We hired a private room for afternoon tea and the cakes, sandwiches and scones were great, my only negative was the tin tea cups, I totally understand the look the tea room where going for, but I doubt anyone enjoys their tea or coffee from chipped tin cups.

The full English was mediocre at best, my son (45) wanted scrambled egg not fried, nope, swap for a sausage? Nope, all came on enamel trays so food was cold, beans in enamel mug same effect. Bacon warmed up with slimy fat. Toast barely toasted. We won't be back.

Pre booked on a super easy online service, and table available on arrival and ours for 90 minutes. Ordered our brunch and whilst order called back to me at till the wrong meal arrived, fresh replacement meal arrived very quickly but arrived cold, as was my wife’s meal in part. Young waiter apologised and took both meals away. Supervisor arrived and asked what the issue was. I informed him our meal was cold, which he disagreed with and suggested it was our perception as all meals kept warm at the service area. Freshly cooked meals arrived,this time both piping hot and tasty as you would expect. We left feeling we were made to feel in the wrong for asking for a hot breakfast. Whilst a great location and venue the experience we received means we are unlikely to return.

We come here often for lunch because we know exactly what we’ll get. Friendly and fast service, delicious food and a nice calm atmosphere. Whenever we’ve been here the service and food have been absolutely perfect, no faults at all which is why we return here often :)

Visited the Dovecote yesterday for brunch at 11, perfect timing as this enabled the lunch menu too. We reserved a table online and probably just as well as this hidden gem was fairly busy! Although busy, the order was taken in good time and delivered soon after. Both vegetarian and meat options were delicious and the lovely coffee topped it off. The staff were friendly, efficient and a real credit to the thriving eatery. We'll definitely be back!

Went for an afternoon tea for two that was a birthday gift. Included was a bottle of Prosecco which was extra. The food was served on wooden boxes not very hygienic! Vegetarian sandwiches mixed with the chicken sandwiches back to back! Scones were hard & not fresh, shame as these were left not eaten. No tea of coffee with this voucher as it was extra charge! Disgusting as the tea for two was £19.95! Staff not able to help in any way. very disappointing experience of an afternoon tea for two😞

Visited for the first time with family for breakfast. Sat outside in gazebo as we had the dog. Seating bench type in there. Not too good for my parents in their 70's. Nice breakfast nothing fancy though or different. Positive, nice location. Downside, tin mugs for tea!!! . Not good. Didnt finish my cuppa as tea does not taste good in a tin mug. Would I go back. Not sure.

Went for a cream tea. This was a Xmas gift. Food good other than scones which were not fresh at all possibly frozen and defrosted. Mugs and teapot were very chipped enamel not impressed. Would of expected china cups for cream tea even if the normal theme was chipped enamel.

First time visit. My granddaughter told me about it. She loves their milkshakes. Strange decor with corrugated iron sheets for a bar front. Staff were pleasant, the rooms were clean and the coffee good. The only downside were the cups. Tin mugs might be ok for camping but not coffee indoors. We will not be rushing back.

Came here today for a brunch, ordered the bbq pulled pork baguette and was delicious, such a great little find, on the contrary to previous reviews from others we thought the food and milkshakes were very fairly priced and very tasty. Service was also very fast and just as great, I have no idea what the people complaining are on about! We will definitely be returning for a dovecote breakfast and Black Forest Gateau milkshake

Came here Christmas Eve for breakfast . Was told I could have table fifteen as the people who’d booked were 15 mins late . Orderd my food an coffee as soon as my food arrived they switched a reservation board on my table from table...

Arranged and paid ahead for afternoon tea; 9 for a small event. Orders were incorrect despite the pre ordering. Staff were unable to answer dietary requirement on a cake; one guest has an allergy. Had to ask for basic items such as spoons, sugar, plates....

We had a half way stop on our walk with our dog for some lunch. We had a dovecot breakfast, choccy milkshake, oat latte and a latte and pumpkin cake. All of the food was lovely. The service was very quick. The seating area was...

Popped in for some refreshments during a chilly autumn walk, found the place to be friendly and efficient. The loaded fries were perfect way to warm us up, plus the coffee in the metal mug reminded me of my dad on our camping trips as...

Rude staff and poor service and over priced Ordered baguette and cake for my daughter and a pot of tea (they don’t do tea for 2 so £5 for a pot of tea which I thought was an absolute rip off) Baguette came no sight...

Thought we would give this place a try mid walk around the golf course. We walked in and went up to counter to ask about ordering and was admonished like a naughty schoolchild in front of other customers for not having a table number before...

My bacon , brie and cranberry baguette was yum yum. Bacon cooked to perfection. Lovely staff too. Great atmosphere, Dog friendly. Cakes looked amazing .

I work near this eatery and consequently often find myself ordering a baguette when I’ve not brought lunch with me. Whilst generally the food is ok and has good flavour, most of the time it is cold and my requests (ie no jalepenos) are not...

Not a great experience. We visited lunchtime after a lovely walk. Service was slow, I witnessed the owner being rude to a customer that wanted to slightly change an order, poor woman looked mortified. Not very professional. We had coffee and cake, cake was dry....

Situated in a converted outbuildings of Cams Hall Estate and surrounded by businesses you would be forgiven if you had not known it was there; The Dovecote is tucked away in a corner. The food was essentially bar menu-food served on enamel metal plates and...

Tuck away on Cam’s industrial estate you will find this hidden gem. Actually they are the converted estate buildings. The staff are friendly and efficient and the food fresh and tasty. Will defo be back.

Overcooked sausages (and substituted for alternative cheaper than normal) and dishing out the cheapest margarine available on the toast when wanting strong money for a breakfast. You might wonder or even the owner might say “why didn’t you speak to us?” - having had previous...

Had a lovely breakfast here today. The smashed avocado was so yummy, I added chorizo and egg to it and it looked and tasted great. Quick and friendly service and reasonably priced. Easy to get a table as wasn’t busy at our time of visiting.

This cafe is quite a find. It's tucked away in the corner on the Cam's Estate. There is indoor seating, a marquee with seating & also some outdoor picnic tables. So something to suit everyone. The menu is good - a range of breakfast dishes...

Having tried to stop in here for a couple of weekends now and having to play table clipboard roulette decided the way forward was to book which we did and arrived super happy to see our names adorning a clipboard and sat. The good stopped...

We decided to visit the eatery as it was recommended by a friend. This was our first visit and on arrival we decided to eat in the marquee, in the marquee there were 3 vacant tables 2 with eaten food and 1 had a clipboard...

Arrived, sat upstairs. Quite a nice and quirky interior. The building is fabulous although the tent outside doesn’t look like a nice place to eat. You have to go to the till and order yourself so went downstairs to do so. Two things not in,...

I love this place! Had full English which was cooked perfectly and the best Black Forest mocha...Ed is a coffee genius!!

First time eating here and will definitely be visiting again! Ample seating without booking, very fresh food and dog friendly. Food came out quickly and the staff were very friendly. Very reasonably priced too. I had the pulled pork baguette and chips, both were very...

Great place! So pleased to have found it. Could not fault the Full English - perfectly cooked. Lovely big pot of tea. Tin cups were great on a cold day like today as we could warm our hands around them - we sat in the...

We had heard good things about The Dovecote eatery English breakfast on “Fareham Matters site” and decided to give it a try last week. It’s not necessarily an easy place to find, and unless you want to eat alfresco under canvas in the cold it’s...

We were made so welcome here! A young chap saw us looking around and kindly told us there were tables inside which we were unaware of as we thought the tables were only in the marquee. He then brought us some doggy sausages with our...

Quick visit today with the family and puppy for a drink after a walk around the golf course. Service good and the free sausage for the puppy was really nice and very much appreciated.

Came to the Dovecote for breakfast back in August with 3 of my friends, and it was amazing! We were greeted and served by Lorna, who provided first class customer service the entire time, and couldn’t do enough for us, any request we made was...

Booked for a family special celebration breakfast and was so glad I did. It is an excellent venue with friendly staff and super food. The menu covers breakfast, brunch and tea and we would recommend all of them. Above all, the staff attention and friendliness...

This was my second time visited the Dovecote. This is certainly a hidden gem within the Cams Hall Estate. I had the Dovecote Full English Breakfast which was great quality, and amazing value for money. Limited parking onsite, recommend parking near Down End and walking...

We used to love this place but I hate that they have changed all mugs and plates etc into camping style tin. They don't do scrambled eggs even when requested and won't do an extra poached egg, it's like the chef has problems cooking eggs!...

Had Afternoon Tea with my husband and we both agreed that it was so very good. There was lots of food and everything was so fresh and delicious, cant wait to go again. Lovely surroundings, friendly helpful staff,plenty of car parking space and we would...

Outstanding consistently great service & delicious food at very reasonable prices. Family and dog friendly. Wonderful! Quick and easy to book a table. Excellent Covid safety practices clear to see. Friendly & efficient staff. High quality food options for breakfast, brunch and afternoon tea. Also...

Nice location and outdoor gazebo is a very good idea although sitting on hard benches. Food is well presented but you have to like the camping experience to appreciate the tin plates and Billy cans. Even your drinks are served in tin Mugs! If they...

Cute hidden gem. Beautiful setting, wonderful food and drinks and more wonderful prices. Only fault was when indoor seating was allowed, they still sat us under the tent outdoors in the rain?? Weren’t even busy inside so not sure what that was about. Other than...

We had a selection of baguettes and Mexican loaded fries, all really good. Looked lovely, tasted fresh and generous portions. Food came before our drinks arrived though. The ordering system at the moment seems a bit awkward queue up to order then join another queue...

Just had our first visit to this wonderful eatery. The Dovecote breakfast was very good and very filling. Staff were extremely friendly and the decor is spot on. If you are looking for a unique venue with fabulous food then this is it. Looking forward...

Really lovely afternoon tea for my daughter’s birthday. Bottomless hot drinks and portions are huge! Highly recommend.

The high tea, for 4, that was delivered today was absolutely wonderful. There was a varied selection of sandwiches and loads of cakes, all of a high standard. Very good caterers and bakers! Thankyou very much

The breakfast wraps are great. Also, the cheesy chips have a great ‘oven melted’ cheese flavour. Will definitely visit again. Looking forward to eating inside so I can have a full English!

Popped in here on a long cycle ride for some fuel - only the takeaway option, so we had to stand to eat in the courtyard but thats understood given the current covid times. First time here after a recommendation Order at one window and...

We downloaded the app to order coffees ahead of the que. When we arrived we were told that our orders would be ready by 20 last 12- but we were already in the que (at 12) so they said they would start making the orders....

What a gem, set in the Cams Hall estate, peacefull setting overlooking part of the golf course, good well prepared food, can recommend the Sausage Baguette with a tasty portion of chips along with good quality coffee. Will certainly be returning

What a great place for food takeaway open reasonably priced,you may have to wait a few minutes if busy,but it’s Well worth it. The food was delicious.

Have just had our afternoon tea from the Dovecote, delivered as promised. Lovely fresh sandwiches, fresh scones, excellent cakes and Dorset tea. We really enjoyed this . I did have problems trying to order using the new app, (my old phone is to blame), but...

Popped into the Dovecote after a dog walk around Cams as its local. Ordered a couple of coffees and three bacon sandwiches, this order is or for take away due to COVID restrictions. No indication was given at the time of order that it would...

We enjoyed perfectly cooked hot breakfasts, scrummy loaded fries and a selection of coffees and cakes - all served swiftly and efficiently adhering to Covid regs in the outside marquee. Great place to start or end your walk . We will be back - thank...

Excellent visit. Food was hot and fresh, service was spot on and friendly. Value for money too. Will definitely be going back.

A very tasty breakfast at a reasonable price, friendly staff and quick service (25 mins or so) considering they were very busy.

Reassuring to see covid regs observed, one way system to avoid queues inside , staff clean tables thoroughly between users, toilet ( only one and upstairs) also cleaned regularly. Staff wore masks.Inside there is the attractive barn type decor. Breakfast is the full english type , also vegetarian version, or eggs cooked how you like. Slight disappointment as no croissants / pastries. Coffee excellent.You order and pay at the counter, food and drinks are served at your table. Service was swift.Parking OK - there are spaces in the courtyard or another car park off the main driveway.

Had a belated Mother’s Day treat for Prosecco afternoon tea. Lovely day so asked if we could sit outside. Told to find a table which we did. What a shame they have little tin buckets for ash trays which are glued to the table. It was full of cigarette butts and really smelt awful. Not very pleasant for non smokers. We asked for this to be cleaned out. The sandwiches were really nice, as were the scones. The cakes were a bit samey being millionaires choc slice, chocolate brownies and like a caramel slice. A bit of variation would have been nice. However I had a nice catch up with my daughter.

Had a nice lunch here today. Very reasonable prices with a good selection for lunch with gluten free options available. Will return

The food here was absolutely lovely and very good value for money good range of drink choices alcohol and sorry drinks and the staff are lovely. Brilliant quality brilliant staff and a lovely atmosphere

Booked very last minute for a Friend’s special Birthday. Were placed in a lovely room upstairs all to ourselves with Grace serving us. She couldn’t have done more, very attentive & making sure we had a constant supply of food & drink. Nothing was too much trouble. Food was excellent & unlimited Prosecco - they weren’t wrong about that! Would definitely book here again. Excellent value for money & outstanding service.

Me & my other half visited today for an afternoon tea. I've heard good things about it and glad I tried it. Plenty of food at a good price. Nothing was too much trouble - staff friendly. Will definitely be going back for another afternoon tea

I’ll keep this short as it doesn’t deserve too long a review.Ordered breakfast, one English one scrambled eggs on toast.It came in pizza boxes with wooden knife and fork which I had to ask for, the drinks came in cardboard cups.Bacon thoroughly undercooked, it was as if it had been boiled not fried.Upon leaving I asked if the boxes and all the other rubbish was recycled.No just throw it in that bin was the answer.I know we are operating under coved restrictions but the food and how it was served was just really poor.We won’t be back.

After visiting recently and enjoying a superb breakfast here, I arranged to meet up with a friend here for lunch, and I wasn't disappointed. Quality food and drink in a great setting. I like the mix of fresh, modern food all served with a smile in such a lovely old building. Perfect stop off at beginning or end of a walk around Cams, I definitely recommend the Dovecot.

First visit today with a friend who is a regular , started with delicious bacon bap and coffee , after sitting chatting for a while decided to have another coffee and cake , oh my god ! Cakes to die for . Biscoff millionaire shortbread and peanut butter shortbread . Def be back again when I have worked off these calories. Really friendly staff and lovely building plus I should imagine a nice place to walk round if weather was nice

Visited here with friends for breakfast. Lovely food and good prices. Cakes looked good, although we didn’t have them this time, I’m sure we’ll try them on another visit! Service was friendly

Hello I am a regular visitor to The Dovecote for a reason. I like the food, and the conversation. Everyone is very friendly and treats me with respect. The food is great and perfect for breakfast and lunch. Jonathan (JB)

Went for breakfast. Had time to sit down, order drinks, go to the toilet, decide what to eat, only to then be told we had 5 minutes as they were closed for a private function at 11. Basically to get out. No visable signs on the doors or boards. They saw us walk in and sit down while they served other customers who were still ordering and eating yet said nothing. Also, on a side note, the toilet although clean is essentially a box made from ply wood in the upstairs restaurant. Everyone can hear everything. Plop plop. Nice.

Cafe supporting local workforce on the Cams Hill Estate. Housed in a re-vamped out building which has been kept 'rustic' with bare brick walls, hessian sacking drapes, wooden tables but with industrial metal chairs that unfortunately clatter loudly when moved. We popped in for lunch and I had a tuna mayo, cheese and onion panini which was tasty. My companion chose a tuna melt roll. It came with grated cheese - no melt !! Table sauces are neatly lined up on the window sill in trendy long thin bottles but the mayo is too thick to get out - despite much slapping of the bottle. Unfortunately they were out of hot chocolate but the tea and coffee we had were good and served in very nice crockery. All the usual suspects on offer from breakfast to lunch and teatime goodies. |Very convenient for anyone working nearby and a reasonable diversion if you are down that way. No USP so far as we could determine.

Had the Dovecote breakfast, it was really tasty, superb quality sausages and plenty on the plate. The coffee was also really nice and strong just how we like it. All the staff were really friendly and welcoming.

Lovely cake and coffee just what is wanted on a were January day after a walk in the rain. First visit for a long time and will be quickly repeated.

Very tasty Christmas dinner, food well prepared and the staff are lovely. Couldn't recommend this enough, little gem of a place.

We went for lunch , and the food was really good.Hand made baguettes with tasty fillings and a huge portion of chips!Lunch for 2 £14.But the restaurant itself is going through some sort of refurbishment. The kitchen doesn't seem to have any ventilation, the smell of fried food hinges heavily in the air.So much so we came out into the fresh air, both, smelling like a fish and chip shop ! The toilet upstairs (no disabled toilet downstairs) is literally in the dining room and is made out of bare wood. Not very soundproof .Not pleasant when there are people literally are eating a couple of inches away.We wont go again until they have finished the refurb.

Lovely meal, the best ‘eat out’ Christmas meal I’ve had. Plenty of varied veg not over cooked. Turkey moist and tasty. Lots of flavours and well presented. Chocolate fudge cake for our. Delicious and plenty of cream to help it down. Good value too.

Lovely little cafe and sandwich shop, all homemade food, friendly staff will be back for the breakfasts!

My friend and I had a fabulous afternoon cream tea. The food was great. Choice of sandwich. Too many to list. Scone with jam and clotted cream. Plus a selection of delicious cakes.

Went today with my friend for lunch. First visit, she had been before. Well! Where to begin?! Lovely, lovely friendly and obliging staff. Had sandwiches and a never ending supply of cake and coffee. Food was amazing, freshly prepared and utterly delicious. Fab value for money, I was really impressed and have already told everyone I know that I will take them there for lunch! Well done and thank you Dovecote Eatery, I will see you again very soon. Xx

We went here on a Saturday morning. Plenty of seats inside and out. Really nice English breakfast, have a gluten free options also! Great coffee .

Found this little gem by accident. Out for a walk exploring the area, and a local lady told us about it. We both ordered one of the many breakfasts on offer, and our daughter had a sausage sandwich. The breakfast was spot on and the staff were very friendly and helpful. The breakfast was a bargain at £6 which included a big mug of tea. The cakes and other food looked equally delicious. Will definitely be back. Lovely to be able to sit outside and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere.

Just been to the dovecote eatery and had an impromptu afternoon tea... Wow what a treat!!! No need to book... Freshly made sandwiches with your choice of filling... More than ample cakes and scones... Unlimited tea and coffee great value for money... Thoroughly recommend!!

We decided to have our 25th Anniversary party at the Dovecote after another venue let us down. This turn out to be the best decision we could have made.

Called in with family of 7 sat outside as the weather was beautiful fantastic choice on the menu very very tasty food good service and reasonably priced friendly staff.

Very glad to have found this eatery. Lovely fresh food, great value and pleasant, helpful staff. Will certainly recommend it to others.

I was with a group of ten ladies from a local WI on a walk and we visited the Dovecote on a friends recommend. Great food, very friendly and patient staff and very reasonabley priced food