Where to shop, eat, and play at Portsmouth and Southsea’s beach this summer
Cake and golf? Tea and tennis? Fish and chips and, well, fishing?! Whether you’re looking for breakfast in street art cafés, lunch in museums, or beer in Tudor castles, Portsmouth and Southsea’s beach and seafront have it all, and then some. Here are nine of our top picks for places to shop, eat, and play at Southsea Beach this summer.
Open throughout the year, Southsea Beach Café is the ideal place to enjoy everything from a relaxing cup of tea or coffee with a homemade cake to a tasty lunchtime treat or evening meal. During the summer months, from May to September, things get pretty exciting at Southsea Beach Café: expect live music nights, surf ‘n’ turf, shellfish extravaganzas, barbecues, and plenty more!
Canoe Lake Leisure is a philanthropic venture with community at its heart, offering four high-performance floodlit all-weather tennis courts, two hard tennis courts, basketball and netball courts, and Greens Café, serving fresh and locally-sourced food all year round. Canoe Lake Leisure’s tennis courts are open to all, whether or not you’re a member. Crack out those pristine Stan Smiths!
The Tea Tray is a Southsea gem — tucked away at the Common end of Osborne Road, just opposite the historic Queens Hotel. The artisan tearooms offer a superb menu of freshly prepared breakfast, lunch, and daily cakes. The Tea Tray also cater for vegetarians. As well as being a top Southsea eatery, The Tea Tray doubles as a vintage store and gallery — specialising in the street art scene!
Deep Blue Restaurant, South Parade Pier
📍 South Parade Pier, PO4 0SW
🔗 Facebook
How incredible it is to have South Parade Pier back during the summer months! And you’ll find a restaurant on the decks named Deep Blue, known for serving everything from fish and chips and gourmet burgers to veggie-friendly dishes. All accompanied by breathtakingly beautiful seaward views. South Parade Pier also have a small shop, plus a fishing area!
Housed within an old castle casement in the courtyard of Henry VIII’s fortress, Southsea Brewing Co.’s brewing shop is open to the public from 12pm noon ‘til 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays during the summer — some of the best and freshest local brews around! Take bottles and growlers home with you
As if the core museum part of the new D-Day Story wasn’t reason enough to pay the renovated D-Day Museum a visit, the café is fully stocked with coffees, teas, and all manner of food, including paninis, pastries, homemade cakes, and snacks. Plus, the museum shop is packed to bursting with souvenirs, gifts, and memorabilia for all ages and interests.
Parade Tearooms
📍 7 — 8 Western Parade, PO5 3JF
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Sited in a masterfully-renovated substation building on the greenery of Western Parade, Parade Tearooms serve breakfast, lunch, and high teas every day, with a vast and tempting menu. Floor-to-ceiling windows make for beautiful year-round views and a naturally lit interior.
A local family business, Watkins & Faux are situated beside Southsea Tennis Club, just a minute’s walk from the beach and two minutes from Palmerston Road’s plethora of shopping options. This pavilion eatery specialises in savoury treats with an international twist, prepped with locally-sourced ingredients.
Rocksbys & Tenth Hole
📍 Both along the seafront
🔗 Rocksbys site and Tenth Hole site
Forming one half of a quartet of Portsmouth eateries, Rocksbys and Tenth Hole are true Southsea classics, with the former serving eat-in or takeaway fish and chips or ice cream, and the latter boasting a full-length golf course and a stellar reputation for the city’s best cakes.