Haven Road is the spine of Canford Cliffs, a village parade of small shops and restaurants tucked between the pines above Poole Bay. Somewhere along it, an oven is running at a heat no domestic kitchen will ever reach. That oven belongs to Baffi, and everything else here is built around it.
The food
The pizza is Neapolitan, and the pizzaioli making it come from Naples. The dough is the part they talk about most: a sourdough recipe passed down through the family, mixed and kneaded by hand, then left to rise slowly so the flavour has time to develop. It goes into a wood fired oven at around 500 degrees and comes out in roughly ninety seconds, which is exactly why the base stays thin and pliable while the rim puffs into a soft, charred crust.
Toppings are kept short on purpose. Fior di latte, San Marzano tomatoes, fresh basil and organic olive oil form the backbone, and the kitchen resists the temptation to pile things higher. There are Italian small plates and salads designed for sharing, seasonal specials that rotate through the year, and desserts to finish, with vegan options across the menu. Drinks lean Italian too, with wines and beers picked to sit alongside the food rather than compete with it. Menus are published on the Baffi website, which is the place to check before you go.
The setting
Baffi is a neighbourhood restaurant rather than a destination dining room, and it behaves like one. The business has been family run since the first pizzeria opened in 2014, and it has since grown into a small group of sites across Dorset and Hampshire, with Canford Cliffs among the best known. Service is warm and informal, tables turn steadily on busy evenings, and there is a constant hum of takeaway boxes going out of the door alongside plates going to tables. It suits couples, groups of friends and families equally well, and it works just as happily for a quick weeknight supper as for a longer, wine assisted sit down.
Where it is
The address is 44 Haven Road, BH13 7LP, in the heart of Canford Cliffs. This is one of the greener, quieter corners of Poole, a few minutes from Canford Cliffs Chine and the clifftop path down to the beach, with Branksome Chine to the east and the Sandbanks peninsula to the west. It makes an easy pairing with a late afternoon on the sand, and it sits within reach of plenty of other options in our food and drink guide.
Good to know
Baffi is not open every day of the week, and hours shift between the quieter months and the summer season, so check the website before travelling. Booking online is the simplest way to secure a table, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. Takeaway is available on the same menu, and delivery has been offered through third party apps. For questions about accessibility, dogs, high chairs, dietary requirements or private hire, contact the restaurant directly, as the team can give you a current answer rather than a guess.