The Tenth Hole Tea Room

The tenth hole is a great little gem in southsea, as previous posts mention it can be very busy especially at the weekends and the cakes they serve are amazing in size. But I would like to add that the rest of the menu is just as I great, have had the salads and the breakfast before and they are decently priced and just yummy!!!

Fabulous and quaint little place to enjoy a lunch time snack, situated on the edge of a putting green. Locally it is famous for and excels in it’s wide selection of cakes and teas to go with them. There are tables inside and out and even in winter you can sit outside as it is all undercover with a heater. Family run business and friendly service.

The cakes are to die for, I cannot describe their taste, they are so delicious.

The food was piping hot, the food was delicious, the service was efficient and friendly. Two full english breakfast with tea.
As soon as we left, the table was cleared within 2 minutes. We had come back for cake within minutes of walking. Finally did not go for the cake due to the volume of demand.
Great experience will come back soon

used to love this place but was VERY disappointed by the rudeness of the staff today.
A group of five of us thought we would have a pleasant lunch while the bigger kids where in school but where TURNED AWAY because we had 3 pushchairs with us! Supposedly there wasn’t enough room in the practically empty café (a misty, cold Tuesday about 11:30am) for 3 sleeping babies whom they expected us to wake up and put in highchairs. At 3 months old!
We used to go their all the time last year but they lost a large group of regular customers today.
10TH HOLE, GET A GRIP!!!

I came here over the festive period. I found the atmosphere great and the food was exceptional. The staff were very friendly and welcoming. This is a must for anyone! It puts the larger coffee chains to shame and proves that good manners and approachable staff are the key to success.

They have the most amazing cakes ever!
Me and my often friends love going here for an indulgent treat. It is a quaint tea room, with outdoor and indoor seating and is open all year round.
I would definitly recommend the fishfinger/​club sandwhich, and the works hot chocolate (with marshmellows, cream and choc flake) is a must! And best of all if you fill up on your lunch then the staff will happily provide you with a box and bag to take your cake home in =)
They are very reasonably priced, considering the quality of the food and quatity.
Although they can get very busy on the weekends. But even if you do have to sit outside, they now have blankets and hot water bottles to keep away the chill =D
Parking outside is pretty easy, and you can always finish your lunch with a game of golf!?!

Today was the last day I will set my foot inside The Tenth Hole. I have been going there for over 8 years, usually taking my mother there for a Sunday breakfast and the occasional week day treat if off from work. I’m affraid the ‘Diner’ mentality that they are using is going to be the undoing of this lovely little venue. I’m afraid there is more to life than Doorstep sandwiches and Baked potatos. The Ploughmans that I ordered was something you would expect your child to serve you when they were playing a game of resturaunt with you. I did complain to who I presumed was the manager and was given a story about the salmonella outbreak from a few years ago, which incidentally didn’t put me off from going back then, and how they now prefer to make fresh food.
Initially when they changed owners, I thought it would take a little time for things to improve, but unforunately the standards have continued to slip. The last Sunday breakfast I had there included a few sliced drowned mushrooms and two cheap, unpalatable sausages, but they did manage to send it out with half a slice of toast.
I am dismayed and saddened that it has come to this, but as the lady I spoke to said and I quote, ‘some people don’t like change’. Maybe it’s time they started listening to the paying public and realised that this used to be a piece of heaven to some of us.

I just wanted to add a bit of balance to the recent round of reviews which find fault with the Tenth Hole’s new owners.
As a patron before and after the switch it is actually quite refreshing to see a more straightforward menu, which focuses of doing fewer things better, rather than a mighty long list of reheated ‘classics’.
But obviously the main things which bring in the punters are the cakes and breakfasts, and neither has suffered at all from the change. There might not be as many, but there are still at least two dozen delicious varieties on offer, and I think the moaning about a slimmed down selection says more about the pickiness of some fat-​fingered regulars than any failing on the part of the new owners.
As for the atmosphere, it was buzzing and friendly, with polite service and speedy food. Obviously if you tell the new owners you preferred the way it used to be you’ll get their backs up, taking over a local favourite isn’t easy and it will take them a while to find their feet.
Anyone not willing to give them a chance should probably find somewhere else to eat, because their brand of ageism and snobbery is exactly what a decent place like this can do without.

I have been going to the 10^th Hole on and off for years and have taken various friends and family members there.
The food is always gorgeous and so many dishes to choose from that you don’t know where to start!
Whether you are a cake lover or not, you will find it extremely hard NOt to have a slice of cake… the choice is amazing as is the taste!
They do a take away service as well and you can also order a whole range of cakes to take away for that special party/​anniversary.
If you were to have the food served at a restaurant, you could easily expect to pay 2 – 3 times the amount.
I have read the comments regarding the young members of staff and all I can say is that they have always been very pleasant and polite to me and mine no matter the hour. I would also say that the amount of work they undertake due to its popularity, that ANY person young or old would find it difficult to keep a constant ‘smile’ on their faces if they ever had to work there. The sheer number of people going through its doors is awesome, it’s impossible to please everyone.
We all have ‘off days’ no matter where or what walk of life.
For anyone reading these reviews with a view to going, I would highly recommend it. Jean Wigmore, Fareham.

The Tenth Hole is a popular small Tea Room situated in Southsea, Its a little out of the way but most certainly worth the trip. Theres a great selection of food and snacks and the cakes are out of this world. A little on the pricey side but portion size makes up for that.
The best time to visit is during the summer season however, if this is not possible blankets and water bottles are offered for those sitting outdoors during the winter.
My only critisim would be the young staff who work there, Generally the Tenth Hole is very busy and i understand that sometimes this causes staff members to feel a little under pressure and stressed however, this does not excuse the bad manners i have now experienced on my last 3 visits. As there seems to be a high staff turnover at the Tenth Hole i am willing to ride this little hiccup out and will most definately be visiting again soon.

Just to say that no one should let themselves be put off by the reports of salmonella from last year. It did happen but no business is immune from misfortune and my experience of this café has been amazing.
My only criticism would be that it’s not the cheapest place but it is fairly good value when you consider the high quality of the food and the portions that you get for most of the menu (the sandwiches are perhaps a little small given their price — but so it goes anywhere usually). The real treat here though is for those with a sweet tooth; a massive pile of cakes behind glass that will literally leave you overwhelmed by choice and greed. I always fall for the crowded fudge and cheesecakes that are topped with pieces of mars bar or snickers or such things but one day — one day — I will resist and go for a classier, more delicate cake like the fine looking apple tarts.

It’s a great little restaurant and a bit sickening to see an Ambulance chasing solicitor touting for business. Disgusting. I for one will tell 10 people not to use Andrew & Andrew solicitors.
I’ve eaten here many times without the need to sue.

Amazing little tea rooms that offer so much more, you can eat great food, lovely cakes, drink lots of tea and then have a round of golf on the pitch and putt course. Its located right opposite the beach so you get fab views out to sea and if you have any more room after your pathetic round of amateur golf you can drown your sorrows in more tea and lovely cakes.

It’s kind of funny that so many of us consider this place a hidden gem when almost every time I’ve been it’s been packed to the rafters! Though I do know a lot of customers are regular visitors. That’s no surprise as when I was lucky enough to be living just a couple of blocks away I could often be found there enjoying a cuppa and working my way through their vast cake selection as there are few places like this around in the city where you can get great homemade food. As other people have said you need to be willing to queue and find a table, but it is well worth it as standards for food and service are always high.

This great little tea rooms has any cake you could want. It serves food all day long from breakfast to lunch and all in between.
The waiting time can be long at busy times but generally you know you are waiting because they are popular.
On cold days they do supply hot water bottles and blankets :)

The quality of the food here is excellent and their homemade cake selection is excellent. rarely do dedicated cake shops offer such variety and quality, and all so beautifully presented.
The hot food is always served quickly, portions are very generous and very well priced. The queues are often very long, but it is always worth the wait. The Staff are friendly and helpful, and the place has an extremely welcoming atmosphere. As this is near the eastney end of the beach it is also in the perfect location (and is a wonderful place) for those who prefer a more laid back pace to life. You will never feel rushed through your meal or drinks, even when the café is extremely busy.

Tenth Hole. Excellent café with added MASSIVE CAKE bonus! Great food, better cakes ;P Seriously, you won’t believe the size or selection until you get there!
Situated close to the seafront and closer to Canoe Lake, the Tenth Hole is easy to find.
Very well priced, HUGE potions of both cake and food! Friendly staff and a treat for everyone. Vegetarians and meat eaters both catered for well.
One of the thing that most sticks in my mind though, is their breakfasts. Go have one, you’ll fall in love!
The only downside to this wonderful place is the queue in the summer, but this just proves how popular this place is!

This is a lovely little tea room by the ‘pitch and putt’ golf course on Eastern Parade towards the Eastney end of Southsea seafront. It serves wonderful food and I have been there for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. It serves all sorts from baguettes and wraps (served with nachos or crisps) to traditional meals such as cottage pie or lasagne. Vegetarians are well catered for at all times.
The best bit of this place is the cakes! Every time I have been there, there has been a choice of at least 30 different cakes, scones and shortbread. Some of the ones I have tried include Honeycomb Cheesecake and Toffee Apple Crumble, and everything I have eaten there has been wonderful.
The only downside is the length of the queue at peak times — particularly on a sunny day — as it is a small place but very popular.
I have gone there with 6 different friends in the past few months and they all loved it!

This place is truly one of Portsmouth’s hidden gems. With an abundance of fuchsias in hanging baskets the tea rooms are a wonderful place to go for afternoon tea, a hearty meal or delicious breakfast. The food is all home made and their cakes taste as amazing as they look! In the summer I think there is no nicer place to go and eat outside, and in the winter it’s nice and cozy inside. I don’t think there is a better place to visit on a beautiful summers morning, either for a cup of tea or a full English breakfast. The memories of such times truly bring a smile to my face and make me yearn for next summer!