Chineside is a family-run beach café and takeaway parked right on the sand at Durley Chine, in the gap between West Cliff and Alum Chine. It's the kind of spot that works whether you're breaking up a walk along the prom, drying off after a swim, or settling in for a proper cooked breakfast with the sea a few steps away.
The food
Breakfast is the backbone of the menu, bacon and sausage baps, a full English, and brunch that's now served all day rather than cut off at 11am. Fresh, locally-caught fish is a particular strength, and the kitchen leans on local suppliers where it can: meat from a local butcher, fish landed nearby, ice cream from the New Forest and ales from a local brewery. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are available every day, so mixed groups aren't left choosing between one dish.
Setting and atmosphere
The café spreads over two floors, both looking out over the beach, on a clear day the views stretch to Old Harry Rocks and across to the Isle of Wight. It's a relaxed, unpretentious set-up built for sandy feet and beach bags rather than smart dress, and dogs are genuinely welcome, right down to a doggy sausage or doggy ice cream for the four-legged members of the party. A separate takeaway hatch runs alongside the café for anyone who just wants a coffee or ice cream to carry onto the sand.
Good to know
Winter opening hours run roughly 9am to 4pm daily, stretching later through the summer months, check the café's website or Facebook page nearer the time, since beach café hours shift with the season and weather. There's no need to dress up; it's a come-as-you-are seafront café, best paired with a walk along the chine or a spell on the beach itself.
For more coastal cafés and places to eat, browse our food & drink guide, and see Durley Chine's stretch of sand alongside the rest of the coast in our beaches guide.