The Paddle in Christchurch

Our favourite cafe. The service is friendly. Great drinks, fantastic cakes & bakes etc. Theo's American pankakes are perfect. If you free there in summer, take your food and drink onto the green.

We had a great breakfast with a great coffee! We will certainly be back again! Would highly recommend a visit and would highly recommend the breakfast even more!

Great food and service. few things in life as nice as a full English a pot of tea and a stroll afterwards. The menu has lots to choose from and it’s pretty cosy.

Excellent food and lovely staff

Fabulous, caught a review raving about breakfasts here, not wanting to miss out I visited. From the moment I stepped in, the greeting was genuinely warm. The breakfast menu was extensive and every plate brought out looked delicious. I settled on a couple of poached eggs on gluten free toast, avocado and some sort of tasty beetroot sauce. Lovely place with a mix of locals and tourists like me. It was divine, can't recommend this place highly enough!

Had a late brunch and catch up with friends. Food was served promptly and was incredibly tasty. Good quality, fresh ingredients. Loved that we were able to catch up without feeling rushed at all. I’m so sorry we didn’t catch the name of the lady who served us but she was very friendly and attentive. Good value for money too!

Great food and service as per usual

Friendly staff, relaxed atmosphere and delicious food. The savoury mackerel french toast was amazing. Highly recommend visiting.

Great Buzzy Brunch type Cafe. Really enjoyed the Savoury French toast + Hashbrown.

Very cool hangout, perfect place for brunch or coffee + cake. It's quite cosy inside and gets busy quickly so definitely recommend booking ahead. Great coffee and food, plus only a short walk to the beach. Kids and dogs welcome, definitely recommend a visit if you're in the area!

If you want the best choice of breakfasts and fantastic coffee, then this is where to come! The service is always very good and the ambiance really welcoming.

A lush coffee shop/ brunch venue. Well worth it due to the cozy vibe. Perfect for a beach stroll and chill. Went back to have more breakfast and again it was amazing. Get the creamy mushrooms and add bacon! Careful as the toilet may not flush as efficiently as required. A poo-flush-poo approach may be needed.

The food and drinks I had were lovely, however I was disappointed by how the staff handled the food of my vegan friend. They didn't have the item she requested and swapped this for a non-vegan option, without fully informing us of the ingredients first (turns out there was eggs and butter in it). Then they asked if she was actually vegan!! This let down what was otherwise a very lovely experience!

First time for us at one of the ‘pop up’ supper nights . This was the best burger I have had ( and I’ve eaten a lot of burgers 😂) so tasty - well presented. Can’t wait to visit again.

What an amazing place. Best coffee in the area, food was delicious and staff were super nice. We came here every day while we are in our holiday. We tried their mocha and flat white which was so good, the brownies were delicious. We had breakfast as well, french toast, pancakes and shakshuka all were tasty.

Food was dry and rubbery took 20 mins for coffees, service was good though! Not impressed overall

Popped in for breakfast having had The Paddle recommended by friends. Was very impressed with the interior, the decor and the cleanliness. The lady who served me was pleasant and accommodating. I ordered a bacon sandwich - just wish they had said in advance that the bacon is smoked… All in all it was a very good experience and I would recommend. Prices in line with other eateries in the area.

Well worth it, everything is great quality and fresh, lovely atmosphere aswell.

Excellent coffee. Great food. Top notch local cafe. Traveling around the area looking at property and eating in a different cafes. This place is excellent

A lovely cosy cafe with delicious coffee. The large range of cakes made it hard to choose, they were all very tempting!

Lovely coffee and great service however £5 for a chocolate milkshake which didn't taste of chocolate is a bit excessive!

Lovely food and coffee. Good service and pleasant waitress. The bacon bap was cooked to perfection and the Bad Hand coffee brand is one of the best.

Lovely breakfast and staff really helpful and friendly. Will be back again to try the French toast.

Great food and service , the girls are warm and friendly. Always made Bella 'our Boxer x' and myself welcome for 18 months 2-3 times a week. Highly recommend.

By far the BEST brunch I've ever had! So happy I've found this place. We couldnt believe how original, creative the food was and yet with all the basics of being so tasty 😋. They are so acomidating even while being so busy. Everything was perfect! This is a need to go. Thank you so much ❤️

The foods always spot on here and the staff are friendly! 🍳

Very tasty breakfast, staff were friendly and service was reasonable (as it was very busy). Would come here again.

Uncomfortable seats, hard back and fairy lights in your hair if you sit back. Chose soup at £6, husband chose the soup and toastie deal at £12.95. Listed individually soup and toastie would be £14.95 so good saving. However the soup bowls we received were very different - see photo. Very misleading at best. Also, with two separate rooms why not have one dog free?

The staff and coffee were excellent, real highlight as is the decor. The food, atmosphere, time waiting was all a bit disappointing. Really extensive menu, too extensive but underwhelming and not well executed, especially for the price.

Lovely venue with a relaxed atmosphere. Staff friendly knowledgeable and efficient. Everyone's food was hot, tasty and good value

I really love the smoked salmon and scrambled eggs and the beautiful Cappuccino !

Oh my word, what a treat! One of the nicest breakfasts I’ve ever had, such a different thoughtful menu that appeals to every taste. Wonderful coffee! Diet starts tomorrow!

It’s all about the food which was excellent. Superb vegetarian lunch which was faultless! However the service was slow (not the food preparation), we waited for our order to be taken, we waited for our drinks we waited for our table to be cleared and waited for our bill. Service needs a boost of energy.

Took my mother there yesterday with my wife and daughter for brunch. Lovely atmosphere, food was really good quality, but the service from the young lady servicing us was what made it. Really wish I caught her name so I can praise her directly but she made the experience. She picked up on it being my mother's birthday the next day, and came out with a brownie and lit candle wishing her happy birthday but pitched it perfectly knowing my mum didn't want a fuss. Will definitely come again when visiting Highcliffe.

Place was absolutely packed which is a testament to popularity. Very cool inside and nicely appointed (far cosier round the back Vs the very cramped front which feels more like a tea room). Menu full of great choices and food/coffee all (mostly) was great. Few issues - “no swaps” on the cooked breakfast always feels a little unreasonable and doesn’t exactly scream a welcoming impression when you read the menu. And, if you’re going to have “dippy eggs” on the menu, make sure they’re dippy (they weren’t). Service was so laid back it was vertical, even though the place was rammed, and needed to chase a few things including 2 out of 4 of our food. Would be far better (and more likely to return) with a cultural rocket up the service!

Breakfast pancakes were not that great with a few blueberries and 2 strawberries cut in half. Bacon and maple syrup were ok. Coffee nice but I had finished it before my breakfast arrived.

Low food score because poached eggs were cold not even tepid.if the eggs are going to be re heated in water then make them hot.

Lovely little place, love the homemade and locally sourced food. The only issue was the decision of what to have as it all sounded lovely!

Do not pass on visiting this cafe. I genuinely visit from Guildford. The food is always incredible and the monthly specials/drinks are always creative and delicious. Honestly the best cafe I've ever been to. All the staff who work there are lovely and provide an excellent, efficient service without anything feeling rushed. The Paddle will not dissapoint

Great place for lunch. I had Supergreens from the specials menu and it was fantastic. Busy place, cosy, nice atmosphere.

OK let's be honest a bit pricey but the food was worth it, my breakfast was gorgeous, outstanding fried eggs, lovely bacon, sausage mushrooms toast etc. My wife said her mushroom medley was the best she has ever tasted.

We are so lucky to have such a fantastic Cafe/Restaurant on our doorstep. A family run business who clearly have very high food quality standards. We love their monthly food pop ups - we joined their Burger Night a few days ago and it was one of the best burgers we’ve ever had. The coffee is superb. The breakfasts always hit the spot. The owners work so hard, staff turnover is low (which says a lot in this day and age) We love the Paddle!

Underwhelmed, the food was very average and took far too long to arrive. The service was polite but slow, coffee was good but the breakfast was barely warm when it arrived and not worth the price. Looks like the other food reviews here are really inconsistent, wouldn’t return.

A good stop off for coffee and cake. There was also an interesting brunch menu. Booking is advisable as popular with locals, which is always a recommendation.

We really like this spot and the food here is good. However the coffee is just not good at all. It puts us off going there as we can't enjoy brunch without a coffee.

One of the best places for breakfast. You will need to book that’s how good it is.

Freshly cooked local produce. Great place for brunch.

Fab place, always great food and friendly staff

Our first visit to The Paddle in Highcliffe and it didn’t disappoint we booked to guarantee seats, on arrival we were greeted by charming staff and shown to our table, the decor is very nice fitting in with the location 5 minutes walk from the beach. As I was hungry I chose The Ultimate Veggie Paddle, it’s a big plate of food and it is delicious, highlight for me was the homemade Hash Brown wow great texture and great flavour cooked to perfection. My wife had the Full Paddle which she really enjoyed so we both left full and happy, ready to walk it off along the beach The staff are really friendly and attentive so what’s not to like. Don’t expect your food in an instant this is a place to relax a chat whilst you wait for your breakfast masterpiece… believe me it is worth it

Superb food and service. Can't recommend highly enough. Great staff. Good value.

Super cafe, ideal for lunch as we worked-up an appetite after walking from Lymington (8 miles across the marshes). Open on Mondays which was great as most cafes seem to be closed on Mondays. We ate ciabattas filled with really tasty veggie fillings. Plus point: my husband said his flat white coffee was one of the best he’s tasted.

Really accommodating of our large group with several babies. Excellent service even though they were busy. Would recommend!

Went with the family (2 adults, 2 kids), based on recommendations, whilst on holiday nearby. The front of house staff were pleasant and accommodating. The place was very busy, which is always a good sign in my opinion…. I had the ultimate paddle, and the mrs had scrambled eggs and salmon, and the kids; Nutella pancakes and dippy eggs with soldiers. Clean plates all round. I especially liked the sausages and bacon, which were decent quality. The kitchen staff clearly have pride in their work as all of the plates were very well presented. We will definitely return next time we’re in the area.

Food really nice. Waiting staff rude, which spoiled the experience. I'm always polite, so don't appreciate being talked to sharply. Will avoid in future.

Great food, lovely people and a menu that's updated regularly and is always spot on with vegan and vegetarian options

Food really nice. One of the waiting staff was disappointingly rude, which spoiled an otherwise nice experience. Myself and my friends are always polite, so don't appreciate being talked to that sharply when asking a simple question. Will avoid in future.

Went to eat there off the strength of reviews whilst on a short break in the area with my partner , found the service to be faultless but the quality of the breakfast itself and the price charged to be very average . The home made hash brown was certainly an unusual taste but not particularly pleasant to me , the same could be said of the home made baked beans , the sourdough toast was more like sourdough bread and the bacon whilst flavoursome could have been cooked longer for a crispy texture I think , poached eggs good , sausages lovely , mushrooms served cold . Not quite sure why so many reviewers have gone overboard with their ratings , it’s definitely nothing special in my view . Sorry guys , your staff were however, fabulous , friendly , polite and as I said faultless. Maybe it was an off day for the kitchen staff .

Great food locally sourced, but expect to pay for the privilege.

Lovely spot for a spot of lunch. Very friendly welcome. Veggie paddle delicious. Get’s busy so best to book if you want to make sure of a table.

Went yesterday lunch time with friends, found it to be poky and the breakfast was over cooked and tasteless, never go again

Seems like the only decent coffee shop in Highcliffe with good reviews. I ordered a large latte. The milk was burn and coffee to be quite honest really wasn't enjoyable. I wish I went across the road to bigwigs

Beautiful place to have breakfast or coffe or anything else. The food was delicious, the staff very nice and friendly.

Lovely venue, friendly helpful staff, pleasant atmosphere... but the breakfast? Sadly I'd have to say that the food served at this place is the worst that I have ever experienced. It was also one of the most expensive breakfasts I've bought, I got poached eggs instead of the fried I asked for but couldn't be bothered to complain as I was too hungry to wait longer. The home made baked beans they rave about just don't even taste like baked beans, there were so many herbs in them that it just felt like eating a load of herbs, they were also quite dry. Maybe their other food is nice but if you're looking for a decent full English breakfast, don't come here.

Breakfast is perfect. I had the weekend special with pulled pork served on bread with 2 poached eggs. The taste was really good. Service was friendly and attendful. A perfect spot to have a breakfast when in High Cliff.

Interesting old building. Good food.

Have been a couple of times now. The first time was excellent service. The second time, we had quite a few hiccups. Wrong order arrived, then one order arrived 8 minutes after the rest of the table arrived. However; food was really good. I really didn't like the sourdough however; very dry and hard. Everything else good. I think I was maybe unlucky the second time.

A essential place to rest and recuperate

Just had a lovely Sunday morning breakfast with my husband. He had the full cooked paddle breakfast and I had the overnight coconut oats. All delicious. Very good customer service. We really enjoyed it.

Great place for breakfast by the beach

Popped into the paddle for breakfast this morning as it had been highly recommended what a great place and atmosphere the quality of the food was fabulous so to are the staff being friendly and attentive will definitely be going back. Andy

Went with friends for a Pizza evening. Excellent choices on the menu which were all very tasty. Service and overall atmosphere were very good.

Tasty breakfast & very good coffee

Delightful visit for breakfast, would highly recommend 👌

Great little place to eat, would highly recommend it, staff very friendly, local food cooked. 👌

Uninspiring cold food.Wont recommend and definitely won't be back.

We loved The Paddle so much we went there for breakfast on both mornings we were in the area. The choice was great, especially for kids! The food was amazing… I’m a big fan of black pudding and this was one of the nicest I’ve had. And the staff were really, really friendly. Thank you

Lovely, friendly little place in the heart of Highcliffe delicious selection of food cakes and drinks a "must visit" venue if in Highcliffe prices for such quality were surprisingly fair, Will be back again soon 🌞

Food took about 45 minutes to arrive and about 10 minutes to just to get the menus, though, staff were friendly.

So so so good! Its like a bit of Newquay on the south coast.

Every time I'm over from Australia, I stop in at Paddle. The friendly service, perfect coffee and relaxed setting make it a great place to wind down. I love my coffee, so big thx to the Paddle Baristas for an awesome shot every time! See you again next time :)

Really good selection of interesting veggie options. The breakfasts looked good too.

Went here with 2 kids and 2 dogs. Very dog friendly including blanket for them to lie on. Staff were super friendly, great service and tasty food for both veggies and meat eaters. Lovely atmosphere and cosy on a cold wet day.

I probably had big expectations but ended up a bit disappointed with the coffee, I had a coconut flat white and the taste of the coconut milk wasn’t great.. the food as OK. Not really happy with the availability of table for only 1h… I feel like I was in the rush…

Lovely cosy cafe doing all day brunch, lots of variety. Great ambience and delicious food

We where recommended this cafe for breakfast and wasn't disappointed fantastic food good service definitely recommend if you are in Highclif.10/10

Nice place with good service, but is not a destination for food or atmosphere

All the girls really know customer service! Spot on! Welcoming, not many places know what good customer service is anymore. Breakfast delicious & place has good vibes. Remember to leave the girls a little tip if you visit - they deserve it!

The food here was insanely good, well priced and excellent service. Highly recommend.

Beautiful spot for breakfast or lunch, staff are friendly and service is quick and flexible. Dog friendly which is great. Often very busy during breakfast on weekends so best to book!

Best wood oven cooked breakfast ever. Nice atmosphere and friendly people.

This is one of my all time favourite spots for brunch. Not to mention it’s the best scrambled egg I’ve ever had hands down! Menu is really different and quirky but you can still get your usual favourites if you’re not a fancy kinda person! The vibe here is really rustic, cosy and laid back, the service is great and staff are really friendly.

Very friendly staff and didn't mind waiting 25 minutes for brunch as everything was cooked to order. Gorgeous sausages from a local Butchers I presume. Wasn't impressed with the homemade hash brown as it lacked onion and seasoning and wasn't crispy enough, if you make your own hash brown, it should really be one of the main additions to the plate. Slightly disappointed for paying over 15 pounds for brunch but will return for a lighter option like eggs benedict or the crushed avocado on toast. It is a very busy establishment and very friendly so would recommend, just a shame it's not straight 5s from me.

Great food, chilled space, good vibe.

A nice serene beach themed cafe. Seating in the back of cafe which is nice and quiet. A nice retreat on this occasion from the blustery wet weather. Good choice of food on the menu with6a specials board too. Good friendly service.

Really good quality food, staff welcoming and helpful. Quite a small area that was a bit crammed in

Fantastic food and service. Definitely return.

Great place for coffee & breakfast. Would highly recommend!

Lovely staff, very accommodating and friendly environment. Great coffee and exceptional food. Would highly recommend.

Since being back in the UK this is probably the best coffee I’ve had. Breakfast was very good and the portion sizes are large!

Went into The Paddle this morning to pick up an extra bag of Bad Hand coffee beans, having just picked up the last bag that the Gourmet Grocer had just down the street for £7.99. Spotted the bag I wanted on the display shelf priced at £8.50 and took it to the till to pay. The cashier asked me if I would mind waiting for her to bag up an extra bag, rather than having one from the shelf and I happily agreed. The cashier came back to the till with the coffee and said “that will be £9.00 please”. Somewhat aghast at now being asked to pay £1.01more, for the same coffee that I had purchased five minutes earlier at the gourmet grocer, I politely pointed out that the sign on the shelf said the coffee was £8.50. I thought this would give the cashier the opportunity to charge me the price shown on the shelf, but sadly the cashier just informed me that the price must have gone up and called the manager over. The manager arrived, looked at the shelf and said, whilst quickly removing the pricetag of £8.50, “Yes, Bad Hand have just put their prices up” !!! Aside from this probably being contrary to trading standards regulations and only £0.50, it’s pretty poor from a customer relations perspective. Needless to say I won’t be going back anytime soon, either for coffee beens or for a cup of their otherwise excellent coffee.