The Paddle in Christchurch

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 !

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.

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!

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

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

Great place for coffee & breakfast. Would highly recommend!

Fantastic food and service. Definitely return.

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.

Only had a cuppa, so cannot comment on food, was hot and reasonably priced. We just dropped in, I get the impression they would prefer it if you booked. It is tiny inside so probably best that you do. Very warm and cosy inside. The waitresses are very friendly and helpful. A little oasis on a busy street.

First time Trying this Place after passing and saying many times we would. Lovely Set up, Service was decent. Food-We had a mixture off pancakes eggs and solders and Full English. Food was nice, Pancakes Bacon and Syrup not sure the Yogurt is needed. As for the Full English fried eggs and Sausages could be done with cooking a little longer!! But that might be my preference, Sausages brown one side and pale the other doesn't look great. Eggs little undercooked on Top. Overall not bad but not sure we'd go back. Upped the stars because of venue and Service..

Consistently great food at this little cafe. This time we went for a lamb flatbread & Mac n cheese. The pumpkin spice latte was delicious too.

A fabulous place to eat. Always a warm welcome with friendly efficient service. Lovely atmosphere with excellent food and coffee.

Went at 1405 and was told the kitchen was shut, so had a coffee. Surprised at this as the cafe closed at 1500 so only coffee and cake was on offer. Very clear the staff were turning punters away as over 3/4 of the eating area had been put out of action. A number of individuals came to eat to be told the kitchen was closed and they turned away, surprising as I was under the impression small business were struggling. To top it off the staff were having hot food before the cafe had even closed. Very poor!!!

Exciting & varied menu. Friendly and attentive service. We had a delicious brunch, full of flavour!

Really lovely food and drinks. Very busy place. Dog friendly.

Popped in for brunch, and what a great experience! I went for the smashed peas, which was fantastic, and everything that came out looked and smelled amazing. Also highly recommend the Nutella latte drink (had a fancy make but can't remember what!) Looking forward to coming back and trying something else!

Food is good, staff polite and efficient but, why do people bring dogs into an eateries? It would be nice to go out without being sniffed and without a cacophony of barking and yapping every time a dog enters the room.

Lovely place friendly staff, very good food

We do love going to the paddle especially for a later breakfast, the staff are always friendly and the food is to a high standard.

The bacon and sausages were absolutely brilliant. Wasn't keen on the own baked beans.

Cosy, Clean, and excellent food, they also have very friendly staff..

Great place with an extensive menu, service excellent would highly recommend..

Probably one of the best breakfast sandwiches i have ever had, it was scrummy! Will definitely visit again, has a real cosy and inviting feel to it! Staff were attentive and it was dog friendly! Great little gem

Fantastic place for breakfast! One of the best in Highcliffe, highly recommend

Quality food service and Atmosphere not open Monday and Tuesday

Had to wait almost an hour for just two pancakes too take away which ment our coffees where cold by the time we got our food. They did offer us complimentery drinks however, they were not up to quality. Extremely watered down and bitter. Asked for well done bacon, it was definitely not, paid for extra fruit and didn't receive and was ridiculously over priced.

Perhaps we were unlucky but the food was poorly prepared and they had the audacity to charge for extra sauce. Owner is also very aloof to non locals and far from friendly.

Best coffee in Highcliffe. Fact.

Had a fabulous breakfast of pancakes - Yummy! Very friendly and helpful staff. Will definitely go back when I'm in the area again.

Best place in Highcliffe for Breakfast and Brunch! Great coffee, friendly staff.

What a find! Searched for breakfast options in Mudeford and found this total gem! The menu looked amazing so we walked 3 miles along the beach to Highcliffe to this spectacular spot! I’m so fussy with breakfast options and there was so much to choose from AND three specials too! Great coffee, fab service and delicious food! The kids had American pancakes which they demolished, hubby had the one pan…fabulous homemade beans and yummy sausage and I had smashed avo with added smoked salmon. Everything was thoroughly enjoyed. All food is homemade and I just wish that this was our local!

We probably had big expectations but ended up a bit disappointed with the coffee and the food. Beautifully presented but not very good taste.