The Garden Rooms Café is a community café tucked inside St George's Church Hall on Haviland Road, Boscombe, a short walk from the high street and the beach. Run alongside Bournemouth Foodbank, it exists as much to train and support people as it does to serve coffee: placements here are aimed at people at risk of social isolation, those with developmental difficulties, and refugees rebuilding a foothold in the town.
On the menu
The menu keeps things simple and affordable. Mornings bring toasted brioche breakfast sandwiches and burritos, including a vegan tofu scramble version, while lunchtime shifts to toasties, wraps and a rotating "toastie of the day". A standout touch is the specials board: the café re-purposes supermarket surplus and donated food to create its daily specials, so what's on it changes from day to day. Coffee comes from Bournemouth roaster Bad Hand Coffee, and vegetarian and vegan dishes are clearly marked throughout.
Good to know
The café trades Monday to Thursday, 8:30am to 2:30pm, then switches on Friday evenings into a "Social Canteen" supper sitting from 5 to 7pm; it's closed at weekends and on bank holidays. Free Wi-Fi and a bookable room with its own high-speed connection and TV make it a popular daytime spot for remote workers and small meetings, and the café also hosts community events through the year, from Mother's Day lunches to open-mic nights. Email [email protected] to reserve a room or check availability.
It's an easy stop if you're exploring Boscombe's cafés and community spaces, see more in our food & drink guide, or plan the rest of your day with our things to do guide.