The Parade Tea Rooms in Portsmouth

Why is this the second time I’m writing this review ?? And it’s not being shown the food was substandard for the price I paid ! The service was lots of young people staring into the air! Really saddened I came here when Ii first opened few years ago. Was visiting the area! The owner Mark is great but need to sort the food out…

Have been many times to the popular Parade in the past but this was our first visit for a while. The decor remains very stylish. The cakes are still eye-catching but the prices have gone up and portion sizes have gone down. The Jayne Salad at £16.95 was over-priced, small in comparison and lack-lustre. The cod fish finger sandwiches with crisps were not those lovely chunky 'proper' battered cod. Gone are the lovely bowls of side salad with coleslaw and a strawberry or blackberry, replaced instead with a few leaves. Lots of those little extras are missing. The staff were indifferent and a lot of 'service' is self-service ie collection of cutlery, glasses of water, carrying of loaded trays to table. Rick Stein is offering a 3 course lunch for under £18 pp and The Ivy, a 2 course for £19.10. For the price of our light lunch, we could have eaten 2 main courses with vegetables etc elsewhere which, sadly, in future we will.

Well disappointed is the word. My wife is a vegetarian and well we should checked the menu before hand as veggie choices are Al but nothing. Lunch is a salad that they remove the bacon from and baked potato with cheese and all food is made of site so you can’t request anything and weirdly the sweetener reacts with the milk so not pleasant to look at. Don’t think we will be going back. Oh if you’re a vegan forget it.

First time eating here and was looking forward to trying somewhere new.. Didn't really feel that welcoming. Nobody asked if everything was satisfactory. Didnt even get acknowledged when I left. It's overpriced and very cramped. Given the plethora of eateries locally, I won't be returning. Disappointed.

Omg the cake here is so good, vegan Salted caramel cake was fantastic loved soo much

Cakes to die for! Perfect spot for a break while walking strolling on Southsea Common.

My daughter took me for Mother’s Day breakfast this morning. I love this place and will be back again. We got there about 8.20am and had the full breakfast, it was only warm so quite disappointing. We will be back to give it another try. But bit of a let down. Jacqueline

My daughter treated us to a breakfast snack, and my husband had a club sandwich, both very tasty, perfection. Beautiful view, comfy and clean. Friendly, and fabulous service. Definitely recommend.

Had some American pancakes here. The food was quite good, but nothing spectacular (a bit overpriced for what it is) with tasteless bacon and golden syrup instead of actual maple syrup. The service is nice but a bit dry, would be nice to experience a bit more energy and warmth. Really beautiful location. Very nice on a sunny day.

I had Eggs Benedict & the wife went for a Full English. They were ok, nothing special really. If this tea room was a flavour - it would be vanilla. Fine for a lazy day out. Location is nice looking out over the recreation ground.

Good pancakes 🥞 Good ☕️ Chilled place!!

Always excellent food and service

Well worth a visit excellent food couldn't fault the place

We had a lovely time, we had delicious cheesecake, and a lovely coffee and tea. I put 4 stars due to the lack of vegetarian and gf options. My friend is veggie and she didn't have many options for lunch which was a shame, but the cakes were amazing.

Very nice restaurant but super busy during the weekend. The food is good and not expensive at all. It’s also very cosy! Would definitely come back again someday.

Yummy!!! As always food was really good. Service with swift. And I left with cake

Great cake selection. Options recommended are banoffee pie, cajun fries

Lovely place, really good food, was pricey and didn't accept card however it really was worth the money 👍

We visited the Parade Tea Rooms for breakfast, very pleasant surroundings, the staff were helpful and polite, always a smile. The breakfast was delicious. Highly recommended.

The food was ok but they should have in menu level of spice, for example chicken flatbread that my mum and sister had was very spicy and the menu didn’t have any indications of the spiciness of the dish. All will be good but we were disgusted of lady at the front door, she was rude, constantly on the phone and at the end she didn’t say bye or thank you even though we did say it to her. I think someone working on the front should at least smile so it makes you want to come back!!

Definitely will go back again. This place is perfectly cosy for a cold winter day.

We’ve been going here for ages and the food and atmosphere has always been good however recently the food quality is getting worse and the staff particularly those on the till are so utterly rude it ruins the whole experience.

Bit over priced especially when food was cold and then had to get our own cutlery and not offered condiments

Lovely food, location and atmosphere! Slightly disappointed by the lack of service, there were (at least) 5 different staff members behind the counter and yet we had to bring our own drinks and cutlery to the table.

What a lovely place to enjoy breakfast..lunch or dinner with a fantastic array of cakes.

Be aware of the incorrect calculation of the total amount of the bill. I have been to this Tea Room for two years but recently I have come across very unpleasant experiences twice at the till when processing the payment. A young lady staff (the same staff at my twice experiences) at the till charged me more than my actual bill expenses. When I questioned the exact amount of the bill, she reacted very impolitely and ruthlessly. Without saying a word of apology and finally correcting the amount of the payment machine. Hope the manager could see this review and make some responses.

What's gone wrong? The food is bad and the staff can't be bothered with customers. I ordered two breakfasts when served the food was cold the two lattes come only half a cup when I complained all I got was a huff and a bad look on the waitress face. This place used to be so nice and friendly but now I certainly won't come back. I would advise people to keep away and don't waste your money

Staff friendly , large group of us and staff were very helpful.

Superb food , well presented , very clean

Nice cafe lounge with good service

Loveley food very busy as so near to christmas. I had tiramasui cake , s.i.l who was treatind had breakfast which looked really delicious

Very beautifully an lovely staff......food is always excellent

Such a lovely breakfast!😍 Was still hot even after delivery and everything was cooked beautifully🩷. 10/10

Always friendly and excellent service. Good choice for gluten free diet

Visited at the weekend served by a young man who looked if he wished he was elsewhere some of the food was cold which they heated up for me egg was over cooked and presentation was poor . Another of our group had poached eggs that were solid ! I used to have vegetarian breakfast here but last time I had it the sausages were disgusting when at one time they were lovely and tasty. Used to be a place for special times out sadly it has changed to overpriced poorly presented and lesser quality

Went down Sunday for a family breakfast. We ordered 3 full English, and an eggs Benny. What a disappointment! We've been coming for birthdays and special occasions for years, and there really has been a nosedive in food quality. Beans were cold n sent back, eggs were fried to beyond dry. And the eggs Benny... When I went to crack the poached eggs they were so dry, the yolks crumbled!! Will not be going back, which is a pity, this place was always so good. Wish the quality would come back visit was Sunday Dec 3rd approx 0930. Do not bother ordering breakfast, stick to tea and cakes they looked alright! (Trying to throw a positive in here!)

It was ok, I wish that the food was served on hot plates and not luke warm plates. The fried egg was over cooked and hard 😕

Dropped in for coffee, had to have a piece of cake.Wow!Huge and delicious. What a find.

Beautiful little place quite expensive for what you get staff are quite rude and feels like they rush things which causes bad service. We ordered some cake which was £5 to take away for a small slice and the guy dropped it looked at us then proceeded to put it in the bag which now means the cake i was going to take home for a family member looks like someone stood on it ! Not very happy at all, wouldn’t recommend avoid for 3 people standard breakfasts and 2 hot drinks cost us more than 40 which very expensive considering the service

Lovely food, staff and atmosphere. Totally recommended

I used to think this place was good until today. I went in to check if they were busy and reserved a table so that I could pay for parking and then bring in my disabled Uncle and elderly mother. I told the waiter to hold the table for a few minutes whilst I brought them in. They have mobility problems so cannot walk without assistance and they cannot walk quickly. When we returned the table had been given to another family. We decided to leave because of this, as it seemed incredibly rude to allow someone else to get that table which I had agreed with the waiter to hold for just five minutes, as I had to assist my disabled Uncle and Mum to get out of the car and into the cafe.

Nice to treat the children and ourselves, wife's cake she loved, mine was a bit lack lustre, a jaffa cake that didnt taste of orange. Children had a smarties cake, didn't eat it, I tried and it was too bitter. Staff were fluttery and rushed, pleasant and smiles but you sort of felt guilty asking for assistance. Gents toilet looked to be refurbished not too long ago but was actually pretty dire. Nice setting and the tables were clean.

Food is amazing. Staff are friendly. Always very clean when I've gone in. Lovely little place

It’s cramped, expensive and I’m not sure I saw anyone working there smile.

Food was lovely, friendly staff.

Really wish they could more than just fry an egg, surely you could get some more pans! I don't like fried eggs and it is on so many of the meal /breakfast options rules out a lot of meals for me as can't be changed. Another couple of visits since, just wow food is fantastic cakes delicious so much to choose from again no trouble getting a table for myself and 2 friends all with prams service and staff excellent facilities nice and clean will keep coming back ....... Pleasant surroundings and a delicious lunch. No issues getting a table considering the place doesn't take reservations. Cake cabinet looked amazing unfortunately didn't get time for cake this visit but I'll be back another time to sample.

Really nice place on the side of the common. Sold out of the Corned Beef the day I visited but the full English was a good alternative

Great vibes in a beautiful location. Staff up to date on allergens and the best Oat Milk Hot Chocolate in the area

Fast, efficient service and tasty food. Had the Corned Beef Bubble, could have done with a bit more corned beef but still very tasty and the accompanying eggs and bacon were delicious. Would recommend.

A lovely welcome greets you here. Great staff, great food and great portions!

Always a lovely atmosphere here! Went for my lunch with my friends and their babies! A good selection of food and drinks available and great service.

The hollandaise sauce wasn’t the best, and the poached egg on the Eggs Benedict was a bit overcooked. However, due to the amazing ambiance, I’ll cut the tea room some slack. Instead of a 3.5, I’ll give it a 4 for the overall food quality!

A great place for afternoon teas

Plenty of nicer cafes in the area. Four of the tables around us were served burned toast with the breakfasts. They should never give people blackened toast and expect them to pay for it. My baked potato was obviously reheated from yesterday, tepid, and not even the cheese would melt. No butter of any type. Very disappointed.

Reasonable priced . Cakes are amazing . Lovely atmosphere

Delicious cake and the hugest of slices! Great for gluten free options. The salads are also huge and really good, as are the jacket potatoes. Lovely place to go for lunch or coffee and cake. Definitely recommend. Unfortunately you can't book a table and as they are popular there is often a bit of a wait to get seated but it's worth it. There is paid parking just outside but sometimes that gets quite busy too.

Great food. The all day breakfast stack was really filling.

Wonderfully helpful staff.. Shame the cake was too sweet.

Great place for a cozy afternoon or morning. Great food and of course amazing desserts.

Great food and service, clean and spacious. Cheerful, helpful staff. Friendly relaxed atmosphere. Will definitely go again. Highly recommend x

Fantastic food with a great choice of cakes too! Been here several times now and always fantastic!

A nice place for a spot of brunch close to the seafront. Easy paid parking options outside (cash or app payment) and only a few minutes walk away from central Southsea and the Clarence Pier seafront. With lots of options on the menu and a broad offer of cakes/sweet treats, you will likely not leave hungry.

Excellent food & good, clean feel to the place. Service good as well, just surprised that post-Covid it's counter service with no signage that I saw - but there may have been some? It would have helped if we had been told it's counter ordering when we were seated by a member of staff then the menus brought to us? We waited & waited for our order to be taken & were only told to order at the till when we tried to flag a waitress down!

Beautiful tea rooms, lovely food and fantastic location

Excellent Eggs Benedict. The "Full Stack" all-day breakfast is served in a bowl (weird) so using a knife to cut anything is almost impossible - might be worth asking for this on a plate if you're not too dexterous.

I love the menu overpriced. I think

Lovely first visit here. Good atmosphere and food was lovely. And the size of the cheesecake!! Would definitely come back

I always love the cakes from here. But to be very honest, sometimes I feel like the cake has been eaten already when it literally just freshly cut by the staff 😂 Taste still good though just can’t really take an Instagramable pic

Always good food and wonderful cakes.

First time I have ever come down here. I'm really impressed with the service and the layout. the food is to a high standard good value for money. Lovely views out the window. I will be coming back here again

Lovely place. Advise to stop of visiting Portsmouth. Large selection of cakes and other foods. Prices are usual for the service you get. Expect a cue when visiting as the place is always busy. Brilliant spot.

I love this little spot. Staff are lovely and friendly, very accommodating if you come with a little human, and the toilets are spotlessly clean. I’m very much of the opinion that you can tell the cleanliness of a kithen from the cleanliness off the toilets. Food is always excellent- big portions, very tasty. It’s quite dear, but given the portion sizes it makes sense. There are plenty of sad, depressing places to eat along the seafront. I’d give them all a miss and take the short walk here.

Good place for refreshments, not a great welcome, but food and counter staff helpful

Food was very good but seems strange to go to the counter to order your food and bring your own drinks and cutlery !

We have just returned to nottingham from a holiday last week in Portsmouth, unfortunately we only found this place at the end of our holiday, we give it a 5 star rating across the board, beautiful setting, interior clean & welcoming, friendly staff, the food was excellent, we were both full after our lunch so could only share cake, huge portion anyway 😆 we loved this place, shame we only made one visit, well done to all concerned, best wishes for the future, we’ll be back when in area again 👍🏻

Nice staff, the environment very nice.

Lovely food and friendly staff, great location on Southsea Common. Definitely recommend. Not open in the evenings.

Food was great. Very quick service. Cake selection was too good to pass up!

Great tea room overlooking green. Conservatory bright but warm, should have had windows to allow air flow Cakes & pastries are gorgeous

Cheesecake is heavenly. This place has the best cheesecake in Portsmouth! I make sure to pop in for a visit every time I’m in town.

Overly priced but food was nice and big portions

Truly scrumptious...there are no other words to describe the breakfast eaten here.

It was fantastic food excellent and location

Lovely people. Lovely food - but too much on your plate and too much queueing.

Lovely brunch and the best cakes in Portsmouth

Visited for the first time today and will definitely return. Fab find. The staff were so helpful and friendly. Thank you for a great lunch.

Very polite excellent service amazing food.

Delighted to find this cafe in Southsea. Close to the hovercraft, accessible and great views of the common. Nothing was too much trouble, even when asked for a dairy free and onion free meal. Service and welcome is really good and we will be going back.

Lovely atmosphere in here. Quite busy and ordering can be quite slow but the vibes make up for it.

It’s a very cozy place to have your breakfast at. It’s always crowded so it’s not really optional to take your laptop and do work however. The food here is really good and affordable. The options provided are plenty when it comes to different types of breakfast , wine , tea and lunch. It’s also got a good view of the park to enjoy when it’s sunny outside.

Favourite place for breakfast in Portsmouth.

Amazing food as usual. I go there every time I'm around.

What a little gem , never knew this was here ! First class service, excellent staff, food is amazing , great value and spotless inside .

This is the best tearoom we've ever been to. Definitely will return again when we come on holiday. Everything about this place is not just good, it's outstanding! Gigantic pieces of homemade cake (very delicious) available, speciality hot chocolates, homemade quiche, some main meals plus breakfast and lunch items on menu. Very popular to the locals.

Es uno de los lugares en Portsmouth dónde puedes disfrutar de un buen postre, comida y un buen chocolate.

Always nice for full Meals or just T for 2

Amazing food, great service, lovely place. Gets incredibly busy as its very popular so it gets crowded as its a small premises.

Too much hollandaise on the eggs benidict

My partner went earlier in the day around lunchtime and got cake to take away as I've heard great things about this place. Portions were great and didn't mind paying £4 for each. We got the chocolate fudge and the caramel one. Chocolate fudge cake was so dry. Did not live up to expectations. Just crumbled away and the only enjoyable part was when you had some with the icing. Maybe we got an older piece but didn't not enjoy it. Caramel umm was interesting, icing was nice. Cake was just very grainy and again not worth it. So two cakes both didn't live up to the expectations. My partner highly recommended going for food he really enjoyed his club sandwich as portions were so good.

Great food and cakes. Get there early as it gets busy, but there’s a reason. Best food on the south coast!