
Terrace Cafe
Quick info
About Terrace Cafe
Terrace Cafe is a cafe in Bournemouth, set at the entrance to the Lower Gardens near the pavilion. Its elevated seating looks over the gardens, so a table here comes with a view of them. The menu includes a Tuscan pizza and haddock fish cakes, with scampi, burgers and a smoked salmon and prawn salad also listed. Coffee, tea and soft drinks are served, along with a pistachio iced coffee and cake. The bar adds bottled wines, draught beer and a few cocktails. Service is at the table: guests seat themselves and wait to be served. Gluten free options are available for those who need them.
Good to know
- AccessibilityWheelchair: entrance, parking lot, restroom, seating
- Good for kidsGood for kids · Kids' menu
- DietaryVegan options · Vegetarian options
Menu & Prices
20 dishes- Fish and Chips
- Scampi
- Charcuterie Board
- Salmon and Prawn Salad
- Iced Coffee
- Cappuccino
Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention garden views, tuscan pizza, haddock fish cakes and smoked salmon prawn salad.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention garden views, tuscan pizza, haddock fish cakes and smoked salmon prawn salad.
Customer Review Summary
Reviewers most often point to the elevated outdoor seating overlooking the gardens, describing a sun trap with a cool breeze and comfortable cushioned chairs, used for a break after a walk or before a show at the pavilion. Food comes close behind. One reviewer calls the Tuscan pizza, big enough to share, the best they have had, while others praise a smoked salmon and prawn salad, haddock fish cakes, a scampi meal and a southern fried burger. A pistachio iced coffee with cake also gets a mention, and one diner with a gluten allergy was told of a gluten free pizza. Staff are frequently described as friendly, welcoming and attentive. The complaints are specific. One reviewer found the coffee slightly over-extracted and the cocktail and beer choices limited. Another was told by a waiter to sit down, then sat unserved and felt the servers did not have their heart in the job. A parent likened the kids' chicken nuggets to McDonald's, though the child ate them without objection.
Customer Review Summary
Reviewers most often point to the elevated outdoor seating overlooking the gardens, describing a sun trap with a cool breeze and comfortable cushioned chairs, used for a break after a walk or before a show at the pavilion. Food comes close behind. One reviewer calls the Tuscan pizza, big enough to share, the best they have had, while others praise a smoked salmon and prawn salad, haddock fish cakes, a scampi meal and a southern fried burger. A pistachio iced coffee with cake also gets a mention, and one diner with a gluten allergy was told of a gluten free pizza. Staff are frequently described as friendly, welcoming and attentive. The complaints are specific. One reviewer found the coffee slightly over-extracted and the cocktail and beer choices limited. Another was told by a waiter to sit down, then sat unserved and felt the servers did not have their heart in the job. A parent likened the kids' chicken nuggets to McDonald's, though the child ate them without objection.
Featured reviews
- Google user
“Walked in,I spoke to a male waiter who said sit down,we are table service, I sat down and waited,about 10 minutes later a woman waitress asked have you ordered and I replied no,the waiter told me to sit down,which I did.thats the negative out the way,I ordered the haddock fish cakes and a Pepsi.fish cakes were nice,as was the rest of the meal..again I finished my meal and just sat there,eventually I cault the eye of the waiter who first told me to sit down, he came over and asked what I would like to order,I said the bill please..I asked him about a service charge but he said ,'we don't do that here',so I laughed and paid the bill.i was willing to give a tip but the waiter didn't seem interested..all in all,good food,good value but servers that don't seem to have their heart in there job.”
- Google user
“Found a little nutmeg of a place....The Terrace. Next to the gardens. Atmosphere is chilled and staff very welcoming. Nice place to grab a coffee or beer and food and just grab half an hour away from the sea front and the crowds. Not a pizza guy but had the Tuscan pizza with my girlfriend (big enough to share) and OMG it is the best pizza I've had (been twice over the weekend). Highly recommend especially sitting on the terrace and soaking up the sun. Next time in town we will be back.”
- Google user
“Everything good & fantastic! Good service & excellent Chef! Much recommended Southern fried Burger & pasta’s!”
- Google user
“Great place to eat, popped in before a show in the pavilion, lots of tables, really lovely staff, very attentive and helpful, clean ,well maintained and the food was delicious and good price! Fantastic views across the winter gardens and the beach.”
- Google user
“Nestled at the entrance to Bournemouth’s Lower Gardens, The Terrace Cafe enjoys a truly enviable location. With its elevated, sun-drenched outdoor seating and panoramic views over the gardens, it’s the kind of spot that practically invites you to pause and unwind. On a fine day, the setting alone can carry the entire experience. We stopped by for drinks, drawn in more by the view than anything else, and it’s fair to say the setting delivered exactly what we hoped for—a tranquil, scenic break from a long walk. The menu, however, leaned towards the modest side. Just a handful of cocktails and a rather limited beer selection made the drinks offering feel like something of an afterthought, particularly for a venue with such prime footfall. Coffee, too, missed the mark; slightly over-extracted, it lacked the smoothness and depth I tend to look for, even in a quick outdoor café stop. That said, there’s an undeniable charm here. The Terrace seems more geared towards light bites and casual lunches than a refined coffee or drinks experience. It’s not the place I’d return to for a standout espresso, but if you’re looking to bask in the sunshine with a cold drink and take in one of Bournemouth’s most picturesque corners, this is still a fine choice.”
Highlights
- Great coffee
- Great dessert
- Great tea selection
- Popular for breakfast
- Popular for lunch
- Popular for solo dining
Amenities
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Outdoor seating
- Dine-in
- Good for kids
- Vegan options
- Alcohol
Show more amenities
- Casual
- Beer
- Coffee
- Quick bite
- Dessert
- Solo dining
- Offerings· 4
- Cocktails
- Small plates
- Vegetarian options
- Wine
- Highlights· 1
- Great tea selection
- Facilities· 1
- Restroom
- Dining options· 4
- Breakfast
- Brunch
- Lunch
- Seating
- Popular for· 1
- Good for working on laptop
- Family-friendly· 1
- Kids' menu
- Crowd· 2
- Groups
- Tourists
- Accessibility· 3
- Wheelchair accessible parking lot
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
- Wheelchair accessible seating
Location
Cafes near Terrace Cafe
- Norwegian Wood Cafe4.73040.3 miOutdoor seatingVegetarian optionsVegan options
english breakfast, cheese and mushroom omelette, coffee and espresso drinks
- namu cafe 나무카페4.9990.5 miWi-Fi
custard bungeoppang, matcha bingsu, mango latte
- The Terrace4.11261.2 mi£15–30Outdoor seating
full english breakfast, mozzarella ham tomato toastie, coffee
| Place | Rating | Distance | Price | Mentioned in reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terrace CafeOutdoor seating · Vegetarian options · Vegan options | 4.4202 | — | £10–20 | garden views, tuscan pizza, haddock fish cakes |
| Norwegian Wood CafeOutdoor seating · Vegetarian options · Vegan options | 4.7304 | 0.3 mi | — | english breakfast, cheese and mushroom omelette, coffee and espresso drinks |
| namu cafe 나무카페Wi-Fi | 4.999 | 0.5 mi | — | custard bungeoppang, matcha bingsu, mango latte |
| The TerraceOutdoor seating | 4.1126 | 1.2 mi | £15–30 | full english breakfast, mozzarella ham tomato toastie, coffee |
The 3 nearest cafes by distance. Ratings, hours and review terms come from public business profiles.
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