Southsea has a new reason to linger by the water this summer. The Southsea Beach Cafe has grown into a second site, and its newest venue, on Clarence Esplanade, has been trading since it officially opened on Wednesday 3 June. It takes over the building that used to be the Beach Club, and the owners have turned it into something that feels more like a European beach bar than a typical English seaside cafe, with Dutch interiors as the loose inspiration.
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The place is run by Ian Clarke, Toby Woodfine and Adam Glyde, who opened their first site over in Eastney back in 2014. They bought the Clarence Esplanade building in 2021, when it was still trading as Mozzarella Joes, and the plan is to run both sites side by side until early 2027. The new spot is right on the refurbished esplanade, not far from Canoe Lake and South Parade Pier, in an area reshaped by the Southsea Coastal Scheme.
Inside, the look is all natural rattan and cream tones, with parasols and a veranda that gives you a proper view across the water towards the Isle of Wight. There is a retractable roof for when the sun is out, and the layout has been described as having a Tardis effect, with a restaurant on the left, one on the right and a private dining space in the middle that you can rent. It also doubles as an events space, taking weddings, birthdays and corporate bookings for 100 guests or more, with its own private grill, bar and lounge areas.
The menu runs from breakfast right through to evening. Mornings cover the usual bases, savoury and sweet, with poached eggs and avocado, avocado on toast, a butcher-quality English breakfast, fresh juices, homemade treats, locally roasted coffee and healthy yoghurt bowls. Lunch leans on local baker's bread sandwiches, fresh salads and beach classics, while the evening shifts to tacos, ceviche, seasonal bowls, decent cuts of meat, craft beers and signature cocktails. A couple of the standouts are the loaded croissant with bacon, cheese and Cajun béchamel at £12, the fish and chips and the mussels with chorizo. There is also a takeaway counter with Broadway Coffee, Baboo Gelato and Astles sausage rolls.
If you are bringing a dog, it is genuinely set up for it. There is a dine-a-woof menu, treats and toys, and the indoor bar area and outdoor side terrace are both canine-friendly. The takeaway counter even does a Doggy Doggy Yum Yum for the four-legged visitors.
Opening times are worth a quick check before you head down, as they shift across the week. At Clarence Esplanade, it is 9am to 7pm Monday to Thursday, 9am to 8pm Friday and Saturday and 9am to 5pm on Sunday, with the full menu served until 4pm and cold cuts and drinks going until closing. The Eastney site runs 9am to 5pm Sunday to Thursday, with food until 4pm, and 9am to 6pm on Friday and Saturday, with food until 5pm. Hours can change with the weather or special events, so it is worth a phone call to confirm. The slogan, Life is Better by the Beach, is a bit on the nose, but on a sunny afternoon on the veranda, it is hard to argue with.
