Eating at the Needles Old Battery and New Battery

View out to sea over the Needles from the Needles Old Battery, Isle of Wight — The tea-room has views of the Needles Rocks | © National Trust Images/John Millar

Step inside the vintage tea-room at the Needles Old Battery and be transported back in time. Located in the Port War Signal Station, the Needles Old Battery tea-room offers unrivalled views of the Needles below. Enjoy a selection of refreshing hot drinks plus a menu of local, seasonal dishes inspired by the sea and the history of the site. With every dish you try, you're helping to look after special places like this.

Tea-room winter opening

Open each Saturday & Sunday until 17 December, every day from 26 Decemeber - 1 January, each weekend 6 January - 25 February and each day 12-16 February, 11am-3pm.

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 warm food, and the sounds of the 1940s, you can sit and look out over the iconic Needles lighthouse as you enjoy a warming bite.

Come into the warm

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.

We change our menu with the season. We always have a selection of cakes, bakes, cheese scones and fruit scones, during the winter months, along with pasties, sausage rolls and hot sandwiches. If you're feeling thirsty, we provide teas, including herbal, fairtrade coffee and hot chocolate, alongside a selection of cold drinks.

Vintage style tea-room

Constructed in the early 1940s and manned by naval staff throughout the Second World War, the tea-room at the Needles Old Battery was later used as a base for coastguards. To follow in their footsteps, borrow some binoculars whilst you eat and see what you can spot out at sea and around the rocks.

To add to the vintage feel, tea is served in real china cups and you’ll find period newspapers rolled up and ready to read. Downstairs in the dog-friendly seating area, you can use the chart to keep an eye on D-Day shipping movements.

Lunch with a view

While you tuck into your food, look out of the wide windows and enjoy the best view of the Needles and the Needles lighthouse you’ll find from inside. The tea-room is in the Port War Signal Station, which was specifically built to give the clearest, closest views of shipping in the Solent and around the Needles. Outside, enjoy the warmer weather at one of the picnic tables on the Parade Ground.

A family wearing coats sit at a wooden picnic table, with stone battlements behind them — Find space for a picnic at the Needles Old Battery and New Battery | © National Trust Images/Chris Lacey

Allergen information

Most of the food and drink served is prepared on site in our kitchen, using a wide range of ingredients. As a result, we can’t guarantee that any of our food and drink products are completely allergen free.

If you have an allergy or intolerance and would like ingredient information about the food and drink served, please ask the staff, who will be happy to help.

Always check when you visit

Visited before? We sometimes change our recipes to improve quality and flavour, including the ingredients. When you visit, please speak to one of our team to check the current allergen information for your favourite dish.