Winter food at The Needles Old Battery

Sausage rolls on a plate — Warming sausage rolls

After a brisk winter walk on a frosty morning, the cosy surroundings of the Needles Old Battery tea-room offer a welcome retreat. With the inviting aromas of freshly brewed coffee and hot soup, and the sounds of the 1940s, you can sit and look out over the iconic Needles lighthouse as you enjoy a warming bite. And with every dish you try, you're helping to look after special places like this.

Come into the warm

Open each Thursday to Sunday, as well as everyday from 26 December until 5 January (11am-3pm), you’ll find warming food that’s perfect for refuelling after a long walk over Tennyson Down on a crisp winter’s day. With dramatic views across the Solent, you can see the waves crash against the rocks and watch the ever changing winter light play across the waters as you tuck in to a hot and tasty lunch. Our downstairs seating area is dog friendly too, so no matter how many legs you have, everybody's welcome.

The Port War Signal Station with the Needles Rocks in the background — The tea-room is in the Port War Signal Station (left) that looks out over the Needles

Something for lunch

Our dishes are all freshly prepared and filled with seasonal goodness. Some of our light lunches and sandwiches reflect the coastal location of the Battery, or the produce available at the time of year, but we also have traditional favourites such as warming sausage rolls served with a side garnish, or warm chicken, bacon, stuffing and cranberry panini.

If you're feeling thirsty, we provide teas, including herbal, fairtrade coffee and hot chocolate, alongside a selection of cold drinks.

A bowl of squash soup — Warming winter soup

Just for winter

We change our menu seasonally and use local produce where possible. Whilst we always have a selection of cakes, bread pudding, cheese scones and fruit scones, during the winter months our chef introduces different recipes ready for the new season, which means there's always something different to try. This Christmas we've a zesty orange and lemon sponge filled with tasty lemon curd and buttercream, as well as festive favourites such as fruity Christmas cake and spicy gingerbread muffins.

A slice of christmas cake — Christmas cake awaits

Special food for special diets

We like to make sure that everybody can enjoy a treat so we've vegetarian dishes such as cauliflower cheese made with tasty cheddar, and for little tummies special kids lunches with a choice of sandwiches, a carton of juice and a packet of crisps.

A plate of cauliflower cheese with a side salad and bread at the Needles Battery — Cauliflower cheese is one of our local dishes in the Needles Battery tea-room

Scones and tea at the Needles Old Battery tea-room, Isle of Wight — A cream tea at the Needles Old Battery tea-room

Allergen Information

We make most of our food in our busy kitchen at the Needles, using a wide range of ingredients. Whilst we do our best, we can’t guarantee that any of our products are totally allergen free. We’d love to help you with your choice by telling you about our ingredients, so please speak to one of our team.

More allergen information

Afternoon Tea

Our cream tea was recently awarded 5 stars in an online blog. The moist fruit scone is packed full of sultanas and served with jam and clotted cream. Why not also try our savoury tea with a cheese scone, cheese and pickle? You can ask for the cheese scone warm - it's delicious, and a truly indulgent way to warm up on a winter’s day.