This may only be a greasy spoon cafe but the breakfasts they serve are delicious, and that ensures the few tables are always crammed with customers.

The Venue
On the busy high street of Winton, with quite a few cafes, shops and pubs to keep the locals entertained in a quiet area, Leaves and Beans is one of the well-known places to go for some hearty grub.

Sat on a raised decked area, the cafe is a small narrow room with some tables and chairs packed in, so much so that the customer can’t breathe. At the counter at the end there’s a sweet girl ready to take your order.

The furniture is as you’d expect - the red chairs are cheap plastic faux-leather and the wooden tables are as basic as you can get, but it's not as if you need much more in such a basic caff. A simple blackboard shows the menu.

The People
The customers at Leaves and Beans are clearly regulars, or at least come often enough to be vaguely recognisable to the staff. Most walk in, give a knowing smile to the waitress, and barely glance at the menu when ordering.

The friendly community feel is infectious, with families, friends young and old and builders sitting close together chatting happily. This ensures there’s always life in this cafe.

The odd outsider feels comfortable here too, as no one here has any agenda and the cafe has no particular target audience, just anyone who happens to wander by and feels hungry.

The casual feel means you can easily sit here for hours on end talking to friends or reading the paper and no one will rush you, which makes a change for such a small space.

The Food
The all-day breakfasts are definitely a treat here with a few combinations, all of them under £5 and hearty portions that leave you feeling satisfyingly full.

The ‘ultimate’ may be a cholesterol overload, but it tastes great, with three bacon rashers, three sausages, two fried eggs, hash brown, beans, tomato, mushrooms and fresh bread. It’s one of the tastiest ways to start your day around here without the added dollop of grease, and it's perfect for a family brunch to treat the kids and adults as well.

Other dishes available include sandwiches and panini for around £3 to £4, with simple, fresh fillings, as well as jacket potatoes, burgers and sweet homemade cakes. There's a different selection each day, with a mixture of creamy fruit cheesecakes and rich sweet gateaux for £1.50.

The Drinks
The hot drinks list isn’t bad, with the usual coffees and teas with a few nice touches like vanilla or cinnamon latte for £1.60. For something sweeter try the creamy, thick milkshakes, like the special of ice cream, whipped cream and marshmallow.

The Last Word
It's not posh, chichi or health concious, it's just a reliable local caff with tasty food that's a hit with its regulars.

venue information venue map view bournemouth review user reviews (2)