15 of the Best Cafes in Winchester, England

Updated On: December 12, 2023 by   Ciaran Connolly

Winchester, England is a small city known for its historic streets, village feel, and cafe culture. When visiting Winchester make sure to save time between visiting heritage sites and viewing the beautiful architecture to stop in at one of the lovely cafes in Winchester. Once you have heard about all the cafes in Winchester check out our article on pubs in Winchester, to plan your evening.

Best Cafes in Winchester

• The Bridge Patisserie
• Cabinet Rooms
• Cafe Bar at the Theatre Royal
• Joes Cafe
• Hoxton Bakehouse
• Josie’s
• Coffee Lab
• 4th Street Kitchen
• The Handlebar Cafe
• Open House Deli
• Frieda’s Tearoom
• Cafe Monde
•  The Dispensary Kitchen
• Rawberry
• The General Store

This beautiful French patisserie bakery and cafe on Bridge street will provide you with a beautiful selection of pastries and a warming cup of coffee. Their varied range of cakes and treats (including boxes of macaroons to take home) will be a perfect addition to your day out in Winchester. The staff at Bridge Patisserie are dedicated to helping their local community and supporting local businesses. If you drop by you may even spot some beautiful wares made by local producers and artists.

Enjoy a coffee made with the roast of the week or an excellent cocktail later in the day at The Cabinet Rooms. This local family run business was created and is run by Gary and Marcus, who also launched Winchester Cocktail Week as well as the Ginchester Festival. The staff at The Cabinet Rooms are passionate about Winchester’s local community and are working towards being a Dementia Friendly Venue. They also serve light meals including waffles and crumpets so make sure to stop by for some breakfast.

If you fancy a bit of entertainment with your coffee and cake then there’s no better place than the Cafe Bar at the Theatre Royal. Take a seat in this historic theatre and enjoy artisan tea, locally roasted coffee, and pop-up performances from Jazz nights to Ukulele bands. They serve up Canton artisan tea and Origin Coffee, from an independent roastery. This is the only one of the cafes in Winchester where you can experience brunch and a show.

Formerly known at Copper Joe’s Cafe, this cafe is held in the area of Winchester’s military museums. This part of the city is home to 6 museums about English military history, including history of the Royal Hampshire Regiment. The Winchester Military Quarter is great place for a day out for all the family or just yourself, alone and while you are there you should try out some of the lovely cakes, coffee, and lunch items served at Joe’s. Their menu includes breakfast and brunch classics such as omelettes and avocado on toast as well as fairtrade drinks from the company ChariTea.

Hoxton Bakehouse is an independant bakery with 8 locations around Southern England with the mission of giving highstreet bakeries a makeover. They were founded in 2015 and aim to provide high quality sourdough loves and great baked buns to highstreets in England, and maybe the rest of the UK one day. Their Winchester location is a great place to grab a coffee, roasted by Hoxton themselves, and a cinnamon bun or two.

Josie’s is a Hampshire family run group of independent coffee shops, and a great place to stop when in Winchester. This perfect brunch spot serves locally sourced food and serves fresh smoothies and speciality coffee every day. Their menu offers 7 different varieties of pancakes including classic fruit pancakes, sweet Oreo or Biscoff pancakes, or savoury fried chicken pancakes. If you aren’t in the mood for pancakes they have a whole brunch menu with offerings such as breakfast burritos and egg on toast that is served all day. It is a bustling hot spot with great atmostphere so pop in and let their friendly staff take your order.

The Coffee Lab is, unsurprisingly, a great place for coffee lovers. Their SCA certified barista’s will be happy to serve you up some coffee roasted in Hampshire. Relax in this little cafe or if the weather’s nice you can grab a seat outside. Recently they have gained an alcohol licence so you may also see the development of a cocktail menu or some craft beers in the future.

If you find yourself caught up in the variety of vintage and handmade wares at the Projects Store & Kitchen, you may need a break to get off your feet. 4th Street Kitchen is the perfect place to stop and admire all your purchases. Nestled within Projects Store & Kitchen you will find this lovely cafe. Their menu full of brunch classics is sure to have something thats perfect for you, and their brownies have a reputation for excellence.

One of WInchester’s quirkier cafe’s is The Handlebar Cafe with its cycling theme. This cafe was designed by young people as part of the SPUD programe (more information in the video below). It offers local food and drink as well as services for walkers and cyclists in the Winchester area. They even have a fix-it station with tools and bike pump available 24/7 and an onsite bike mechanic available Saturday (9am – 12pm). Their bike workshop on Saturdays offer tune-ups, puncture repair, and more.

This light and airy cafe is also a store where you can buy beautiful healthy local produce. Rebecca, the owner, was inspired to start this business as she didn’t want to continue eating pre-packaged sandwiches and meals when working. Open House Deli aims to be an environmentally friendly and healthy place to meet with friends and have some delicious food. So, take a seat and enjoy a salad, a side, and a cup of tea.

If you are looking for a great afternoon tea in Winchester, look not further than Frieda’s. This cozy cafe filled with beautiful tea cups and throw pillows is a great spot for some tea and cake. They also serve brunch foods including a fried breakfast to start you off right for a day of walking around Winchester. They even offer a gluten free, dairy free, and vegetarian afternoon tea option. So, no matter your dietary preference you can enjoy a comfortable afternoon of tea and cakes at Frieda’s Tearoom. One of the best cafes in Winchester for a slice of cake.

Just a one minute walk from the Winchester Cathedral lies Cafe Monde. Take a step through their slightly slanted door into Cafe Monde to experience one of Winchester’s best cafe’s. This modern cafe has a menu full of delicious offerings with both healthy and slightly less healthy options (their delicious greasy spoon breakfasts for example). The architecture of this cafe is made interesting by the age of the building it is housed in, including their downstairs seating in a cellar. Wherever you sit you will be served with a smile and find yourself in a comfy seat being served great local food.

This new and upcoming cafe and bar in Winchester sit is a great place to grab a coffee in the morning or a burger and a beer in the evening.

An Instagram worthy juice bar serving up fantastic vegetarian and vegan food. Sound like your thing? Then Rawberry is the perfect place for you. This cafe in Winchester is offering up a healthy option from their juices to their brunch menu. They aim to provide feel good food, and give you a great place to socialise with friends. If you are a Winchester resident you can even get Rawberry juices, fresh fruit and veg, and baked goods delivered to your home. One of the best cafes in Winchester for vegan food.

The General Store is not only a cute cafe but also a store for patry essentials, treat yourself extras, and fresh fruit, veg, and bread. When you stop by take a seat inside or below their blue stripey awning and enjoy coffee and cake or charcuterie and cocktails. The choice is up to you, either way you will get the best of local produce and great service. One of the best cafes in Winchester to grab some groceries and essentials.

The Best Cafe in Winchester?

What do you think is the best of the cafes in Winchester? Did your favourite make it on to the list? Let us know in the comments below! Planning a trip to Winchester? Check out pubs, asian restaurants, pizza, and the University in Winchester to help plan where to go.