The Plump Duck in East Hampshire

This café is at Petersfield Lake and is an ideal place to stop after a walk. There is a variety of food and drinks, which are reasonably priced. There are limited tables inside and out.

Horrible service and horrible staff, would rate this place a ZERO if I could, STAY AWAY from this place especially if you have young children who bring home made food as the manager doesn’t let you eat them in his cafe even if you have purchased, over priced and the food is definitely nothing special. AVOID

While visiting here, I was witness to some absolutely appalling management skills and a lack of compassion for paying customers. A group had sat down after ordering food and drinks and while waiting took out a bottle of water and a packet of crisps from a child’s back pack. The worker shouted at them that they could not eat “picnic” food here. It was just a child snacking on some crisps while they waited for their order. The man in the line defended these customers too which lead to them also refusing to serve him. Disgraceful and does not deserve any custom. I can see this is becoming a regular occurrence looking at other reviews.

I am a support worker for 3 clients that we took for an outing to Petersfield Heath We stopped at the Plump Duck for drinks and snacks which equated to £28 We found seating area outside the cafe for our clients whilst we purchased their drinks Whilst in the queue I could ls see a man conversing with them and after being served returned to my clients whom have learning disabilities and were upset to be told that they couldn’t sit there because they had their own food which was a sandwich I informed the manager we had just spent £28 on drinks and snacks which definitely warrant a us to sit there The boss said it was their policy and wasn’t allowed The guy came over 4 times as I would not move with my clients as u felt they had every right to be there I was appalled by the managers rudeness and how abrupt he was with clients who didn’t understand and were clearly distressed by his manner and approach They we’re not causing anyone any harm and I will never bring the guys back there again

If no star was an option that’s what they’d be getting… attitude is disgraceful man that works there is rude. Asked for a “pup-cup” for my dog, was told we don’t do them anymore… my options were homemade dog treats or icecream… the treats looked horrific and ice cream in January he must me stupid and have no common sense as I’m more than sure he wouldn’t be eating an icecream in the middle of January. I then turned around to the board and it said 70p for cream and marshmallows on a hot chocolate… I asked to pay that for a little pot of cream for my dog and he continued to snigger and say that’s only if you buy a hot chocolate aswell as this point I just thought he was a horrible greedy man all he wants is money. I proceed to order a hot chocolate and ask for the cream on the side so my pup could have it… he laughed and said “you must really love your dog” at this point I was done with his pathetic and rude behaviour and said yes I do… he seemed taken back by the fact I was paying £5 for a hot chocolate for my dog which I didn’t even drink… Disgusting attitude, rude staff and money grabbing cafe… will not be returning.

We are Petersfield locals who visit the Plump Duck regularly for coffee, paninis, ice-cream and their excellent oat cookies. Amazingly it's open every day of the year and has sheltered seating with headlamps when it is cold. It's hard to figure all the negative recent reviews, which perhaps say more about the over demanding nature of some of the Karens who've visited.

Great small cafe. You can watch the kids play while you get a coffee. Kids sandwiches are a good size and huge sausage rolls.

Panini and flat white both excellent 👌. Was fairly busy, but still quick service. Four legged friends welcome and we got doggie treats as well!

I come for the Dog Treats (the dogs love them and pull all the way from the carpark until we get here) and stay for the Coffee with Oat Milk and Vegan Cakes

Have been here regularly but won't go again. I purchased two drinks and duck food for myself and my sons and sat down at an inside bench. I had made my son a small jam sandwich and took it out of his bag to give to him. However, I was informed it was 'policy' that only food and drink bought at the cafe can be consumed there and that I would have to leave. I was a paying customer and was giving my two and a half year old son a small jam sandwich. Utterly ridiculous policy. I understand why it's there, to stop people taking the seating away from paying customers. But the cafe was almost empty and I'd just spent the best part of £10. A real shame that people like this run what is ostensibly a nice little cafe.

Lovely cafe and walk, nice park! Bring a bucket and spade for the sand. You can see the big fish on the bridge, and lots of different birds to feed/ watch

A lovely waterside snack bar selling a range of quick bites Coffee Tea, soft drinks and ice cream. A very well thought out design incorporates a covered queue area with coverd seating area and outdoor seating. Great following those slightly damp walks with the Family and dogs. Food is v good but basic snack menu. Sit down/take away. It's one of those places that draws you in even if you were not expecting to stop for a drink or snack. Separate public Toilets close by.

Don't allow use of re-usable cups, ridiculous in this day and age.

Nice cafe, been coming here for several years. Had an ok panini and coffee, usually have a cake.

Me and a couple of friends came with our children ( two babies under 1, 2 two year olds) after having a lovely walk round the pond and park. We visited the Plump Duck as I had been there before inside with my dog and toddler. Once we had sat the babies in their high chairs near the outside area my friends went to order all the hot food - paninis, cakes, coffees and even drinks for the toddlers. Whilst I was sat trying to keep 4 very young children entertained whilst heavily pregnant a middle aged man who was working there said “excuse me you’re not letting them eat their own pack lunch/picnic are you” at this point one of our toddler was eating a healthy snack of cucumber. I replied with we’re not having a picnic here we are buying food from you but they are having a quick snack whilst they wait. (This man clearly did not have or like children as he would have known that young children cannot wait ages for their food and often need a snack whilst they wait) after my friends paid for their food and drinks he came over again and said we need to leave a second time!!! baring in mind there were many tables still available for other customers! I said we have just bought food and drinks from you to which he replied “well you can’t sit here you need to leave - those children are not babies and they’re not allowed to eat their own food” so once our food came we got up and left and sat more outside in a different area. Then we were approached a 3rd time but a woman (whilst eating all the food we bought from the cafe) tried to remove us from the property even though no other food was being consumed! She said if the babies want to eat they have to eat the bought ‘packed lunch’ at the cafe. We have a variety of food intolerances and allergies within the children and explained that our children cannot eat one of these packed lunches anyway. The staff were so rude and spoke with awful attitude. As a group of mums with young children we were treated appallingly! We were in complete shock as we have never been to a cafe or restaurant where we have paid for the goods and been repeatedly told borderline harassed to leave because a child was eating a cucumber stick bought from home, which we then took away from them!!! What made it worse was that the table across from us had about 5 packed lunches from home with their children happily eating their food, yet they were not told to leave once. We were completely targeted from the onset and clearly seen as an easy target for them. The food was bland and hardly any filling in the paninis either. Coffee not great and generally place has gone downhill. Will NOT ever be returning as much better child and parent-friendly non-discriminating cafes are available a short walk into Petersfield town which offer much tastier food. Avoid this place at all costs!!!

Friendly happy staff very fattening icecreams⁴

Great place to take the children and to have something to eat

Suggest buying your coffee in town before visiting the lake, the cup I was served was awful and devoid of any flavour. Not sure if this was an off day or the usual offering.

Smashing rest stop in the middle of a day of inspecting bridges! Nice coffee, many varieties of flapjack of which the cinnamon and raisin was awesome. Surrounded by ducks and geese on the lakeside, with plenty to see. Many young couples with babies and young children but they were all far too interested in the ducks and the swings and slide to be a problem to child free customers!

Great place for a coffee and a snack whilst on a bike ride. Public toilets were very welcome.

Overpriced coffee. Ice cream was ok. Nothing to write home about.

Very friendly staff and very nice coffee

Had a lovely bit to eat here today.

Lovely hot chocolate and dog ice cream

A great place to have a coffee and snack.

Food ok - staff v.helpful and friendly- the place itself is falling to bits and looks like a converted seaside shelter.

A nice place to end a walk in the park A nice place to end a walk in the park

Lovely out door setting, good food and service

It's a nice little café in the park, but was really busy with a long queue and felt the cost of food was a little on the high side for what it was.

Nice food in an outdoor orientated café. Lovely lake setting perfect for dog walkers.

Lovely little café, situated right on the edge of Petersfield lake. They sell a range of snacks. I had an excellent Brie and bacon toastie

Always busy but if you’re a keen bird watcher there’s quite a variety so that’s good .

Nice food and good service. Was open Xmas day for visitors to the lake for a coffee and mince pie!

Very nice, right by the pond. Limited seating, mostly under cover. Sells duck food.

Lovely cafe overlooking the park and ducks. Great coffee, dogs can sit inside.

What's not to like, great coffee, happy staff, nice snacks and treats in a lovely setting.

Convenient coffee shop, with basic chairs and tables in a rather draughty sheltered porch surrounding the kitchen. Good coffee, and great cakes/brownies/shortcake. Reasonably priced. Not a dining destination, but a welcome, friendly, coffee stop when out for a walk. Much better experience in warmer weather, when one can buy from the kiosk and then sit looking over the lake.

Brilliant z must to visit if your going to heath Lake a beautiful place

Great ice creams for the rest of the family; I asked for a takeaway coffee - white americano. It was dire, way too weak, as if they had forgotten to put the coffee in, or reused the coffee grounds - near to undrinkable; maybe the worst one ever!

Nice lakeside coffee shop. Card only. Quick service. Not the most aesthetic on the inside.

We only had Whippy ice creams but they were lovely. Friendly staff and some seating available.

Always a nice site when walking round the lake, and a nice ice cream as a treat yum yum xxxxx

Very disappointed with today experience. Only really ever had drinks and ice cream from here before, and although like many other reviewers I disagree with their card only policy (even when paying only £1 for duck food - don’t you realise the banks are making more profit than you on charges???!!!) as it’s the only place near the park, I purchase things anyway. So today is first experience of meals. And my last as won’t be going back. £4.75 for kids “meal deal” which was either a cheese or ham sandwich plus one treat and a drink. The “sandwich” was in fact a very dry roll with 2 thin slices of cheese. No butter, no mayo nothing. My 1 year old could barely chew it. So we asked for butter. What we got was clearly baking margarine. So then my 4 year old hated the taste and wouldn’t eat it. So we left with two very unhappy and hungry children and needed to spend more money elsewhere buying them proper food. Both adults had panini’s and they were at least edible altho rather bland. So in conclusion, if you want a Pepsi or a ice cream, this place is fine. If you want more, save your cash and go pretty much anywhere else in petersfield.

Bit expensive will only take card payment.

Ordered a flat white. Dreadful, more like a latte that they had forgotten to put the coffee shot in. Ended up in the bin. Indifferent staff, more interested in chatting to each other than taking orders.

Ice Creams to fuel a walk around the lake

Nice, well run cafe. Have coffee there quite often after a walk round the ponds.

What a pathetic venue, to not accept the queens cash for payment. This card payment only policy, which is tantamount to buying on hire purchase is quite ridiculous and should be stopped. I visited on a hot day with my granddaughter, and sent her across with some cash for an ice cream for herself. She returned in tears as they would not accept her money, and I did not have any bank card. A very disappointed and upset small child. It is time this "card only" policy was outlawed. I shall never visit this venue again.

Grrat stop off point whilst visiting the lake with a friendly and welcoming team.

Adult food is nice although they forgot 1 out of 4 toasties and had to go back, kids meals are rubbish, bit of cheese in a burger roll, no butter or anything in there. They don't take cash!!! (Apparently they like paying transaction charges)

Food overpriced and of average quality

Nice coffee. Get their paper card and on due course get a free coffee.

Ian Shelley Ryan and their lovely staff are welcoming and friendly and look after me - the flat white is great accompanied with a bacon bap 👌😎

Coffee is ok. Strange approach to the environment - they won’t take reusable cups, even though that stopped being a Covid precaution about 2 years ago. Nothing special really.

Always busy and always somewhere for a snack and warm coffee. Can’t rate it enough.

Lovely hot chocolate, would visit again

nice little coffee shop, lovely views and the heath is a nice short walk around with the dog.

Excellent coffee, hot chocolate Sausage roll (not hot though)

It's a nice place to get a coffee/ice cream. They also sell food for the ducks! I took 1 star off as it only takes card and this is not obvious from outside (kiddos queued up for some time with cash to have to come get me and queue again with a card) It is (sort of understandably) expensive, but for the location and convince it can be justified!

Very good we queued to be served but the hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows was very good and the price excellent.

Friendly staff Good quality products

Great place to grab a take away hot or cold drink or snack. Super speedy and efficient service even on a Busy day the queue flowed quickly.

Well situated for walkers, parents always friendly

Normally very busy but queue moves quite quickly. We go for a walk then pick up a hot drink and a cookie

At tte Plump Duck, we had a Luke warm Latte each and a Tuna and Cheese panini between us, which was very nice. The Pond/Lake was lovely, and there were lots of different birds. There were two types of Geese Canadian and Egyptian, Moorhens, Coots etc., etc., and the walk too was very nice 🙂 we'll worth a visit.

If you like wildlife and a decent coffee this is the place

Not bad prices nice panini but latte not hot.

This coffee shop is situated right on the shour of the lake, with a kids park right next door to the shop. So have a coffee while you watch the kids play in the park and site back and enjoy the view.

Glad there’s a place here for coffee but would be nicer if it were a proper cafe where you could go inside, this is little more than a kiosk with picnic benches

Nice cuppa and bacon bap, warmed me up on a chilly day!

Good place to meet up for a coffee and hot sandwich or cake

Good cafe in a nice place. They only take card payments though.

Staff always cheerful and the hot chocolate is lovely

Great hot chocolate, lovely area to walk the dog too.

Friendly staff, great location, fair pricing and a welcome break from the heat

It was the only place to get a coffee and it was realy busy, the coffee was nice x

A refreshment just when you need one

Well overpriced, bland, boring and uncared for food.

Nice food and nice and hot coffee

Fabulous cookies and great coffee at a reasonable price and friendly staff.

Really lovely coffee, cappuccino was great! Lovely staff!!

Asked for butter on my bacon bap and was told that they do not put butter on it!! I asked if they had butter or marg and was told no we dont use it here bearing in mind this place is a cafe selling sandwiches etc, £4.25 for the bap but sadly i declined, i mean come on guys sharpen up just have a tub of margarine so if the customer asks for butter then you can cater to their needs at the end of the day without your customers there is no Plump Duck! 😔😔

Really nice food, coffee was good too.

Quick service. Lovely food on a sunny day by the Heath.

Great location with speedy service and good coffee at a reasonable price.

Great little place for ice-cream ☺️.

Only had a ice cream but friendly staff

I asked for tissues i was given the kitchen roll🦧

Nice coffee and then nice icecream

Outdoor cafe serving sandwiches and snacks. Limited seating, but right on the heath lake. Just the job after your stroll around the lake.

Lovely coffee with great service

Normally decent coffee but last visit delivered a half filled latte... The paninis could do with livening up tbh, maybe a different supplier who puts more than the minimum amount of filling in.

Bought drinks and duck food. Staff brilliant, competitively priced. Lovely coffee and range.

Always a lovely place to visit. Cup of Coffee , great toasted Panini, good choices and find a bench by the Pond .

Good coffee and cookie conveniently placed while taking granddaughter for a swing and a walk by the pond.

Ok but limited menu bit pricey but if you want it you'd pay it toilet block needs updating

Fantastic Location. Reasonable prices. The white chocolate and cranberry cookie was very delicious

I Was There Yesterday Could Buy Anything Because I had £2 on Me But There Accept Contactless I Highly Not Recommend Coming Here Go Somewhere Else

Drinks, ice ceams and food for the birds!

Always great food and drinks. 😊👍🏼 The kids ice lollies are particularly good.