Coffee#1 in Southbourne is a branch of the nationwide coffee shop chain, set among the independent shops and cafes that line Southbourne Grove, Bournemouth’s Southbourne high street. It sits close enough to the seafront that a coffee here can double as a stop before or after a walk down to Southbourne beach, and it draws a mix of locals doing their regular high-street errands and visitors passing through on their way to the sand.
The setting
Inside, the branch is roomier than it looks from the pavement, with sofa-style and armchair seating, a small collection of books tucked into corners for anyone who wants to sit with a paper or a laptop for a while, and a layout that splits into quieter nooks away from the counter. Air conditioning keeps it comfortable in summer, and background music runs throughout the day. It’s a fairly typical Coffee#1 fit-out, but the Southbourne Grove windows and the steady footfall of a working high street give it a more local feel than a motorway-services version of the same chain.
Drinks and food
As with other branches, the menu runs to coffee, cakes and pastries through the day, geared toward breakfast, lunch, or an afternoon tea-and-cake stop rather than a full restaurant meal. Dairy-free milk alternatives are available alongside the standard range. Prices sit in the ££ bracket typical of high-street coffee chains, with some regulars noting it leans toward the pricier end of that band for cakes and specialty drinks.
Where it is
Southbourne Grove is the main shopping stretch of Southbourne, running a short distance back from Southbourne beach, so this branch works well either as a start-of-day coffee before heading to the sand or as a warm-up stop on the way back. Being on the high street itself, it’s easy to combine with a wider look around Southbourne’s other shops and cafes rather than treating it as a standalone destination.
Good to know
The branch has a dog-friendly area, disabled access, baby changing facilities and WiFi, along with outdoor seating on the Grove for good weather. Its own site lists Monday-Friday 7am-5pm, Saturday 8am-6pm and Sunday 9am-5pm, though as with most high-street cafes it’s sensible to check ahead if you’re planning a visit around those exact times, particularly on Sundays or bank holidays.
