Food & Drink
Exploring the zoo is certain to work up an appetite so head to our various kiosks or restaurant to keep those hunger pangs at bay.
With such a backdrop it’s tempting to relax with your own picnic at any of the idyllic spots around the zoo, or escape to one of the two sheltered picnic areas at Wild Explorers and near the Pygmy hippos should the clouds roll in.
On the other hand, leave your picnic hamper at home and let us tempt you with a wide range of tasty snacks, sit down meals and refreshing drinks.
Catering offers
Download our free Marwell Zoo app for exclusive catering offers*, and loads more!
*Subject to availability
During Glow Marwell, our winter lights event, we’ll be serving up a range of festive options.
The following opening times will apply during our Glow Marwell event (Fri 29 Nov – Mon 23 Dec and Fri 27 Dec – Mon 30 Dec)
Café Graze
Café Graze, our main self-service restaurant will be open from 1pm – 7pm during Glow Marwell.
Serving up a range of festive treats, including pigs in blankets, mulled wine, and our giant stuffed Yorkshire puddings with all the trimmings.
- Open for dining-in and takeaway
- Toilet facilities are provided for guests dining-in
- The dining area is only for guests purchasing drinks with meals
- Please keep your visit to 40 minutes to allow other diners to eat
- Please leave buggies in the buggy park (buggies and personal belongings are left at your own risk)
- If you have specific dietary requirements please ask a member of staff.
Coffee corner
Based in our gift shop at the front of the zoo, Coffee Corner will be open from 1pm – 7.30pm during Glow Marwell.
Here you can treat yourself to tempting sweet and savoury pastries, great cakes, sandwiches and wraps, plus irresistible gifts from our shop! Festive specials include a range of sausage rolls.
- Open for dining-in and takeaway
- The dining area is only for guests purchasing drinks and snacks
- Please keep your visit to 40 minutes to allow other diners to eat
- Please leave buggies in the buggy park (buggies and personal belongings are left at your own risk)
- Marwell flask filling point
Graze Hut
Located just outside our main Café Graze restaurant, the Graze Hut will be serving delicious crumble pots and steaming glasses of mulled wine from 1pm – 7pm during Glow Marwell.
Snow Leopards
Open from 2pm – 7.15pm during Glow Marwell, our Snow Leopards pod will be serving up S’mores, marshmallows and ice cream, plus a range of hot and cold drinks.
Giraffes
Treat yourself to a warm toffee & cinnamon pretzel or a Christmas pudding cookie… Open from 3pm – 6.45pm during Glow Marwell, our Giraffes pod will be serving up pretzels, snacks and Jimmy’s iced coffee.
Marshmallow Pod
Get ready to toast marshmallows round the firepit! Choose from marshmallows or S’mores. Or, if you’re not a fan of marshmallows, you can tuck into a mince pie. Open from 3pm – 7.15pm during Glow Marwell.
Open all year round
Café Graze
Café Graze, our main self-service restaurant is located next to the meerkats and overlooks the valley field.
Here you can enjoy delicious hot meals and a wide variety of snacks and drinks. We have limited seating indoors but we do have covered areas outside for you to enjoy and soak up the view. Our food is also available as a take away and can be eaten at one of the many picnic areas around the park. Cafe Graze is a popular location for eating out so head here before 12pm or after 1.30pm to avoid the lunchtime rush and take advantage of our extended dining service.
- Open for dining-in and takeaway
- Toilet facilities are provided for guests dining-in (alternative toilets are located near our tigers)
- The dining area is only for guests purchasing drinks with meals
- Please keep your visit to 40 minutes to allow other diners to eat
- Please leave buggies in the buggy park (buggies and personal belongings are left at your own risk)
If you have specific dietary requirements please ask a member of staff. Café Graze serves hot food until 90 minutes before the park closes.
Download our menu
Coffee corner
Based in our gift shop at the front of the zoo, here you can treat yourself to tempting sweet and savoury pastries, great cakes, sandwiches and wraps, plus irresistible gifts from our shop! Open until 4.30pm daily.
- Open for dining-in and takeaway
- The dining area is only for guests purchasing drinks and snacks
- Please keep your visit to 40 minutes to allow other diners to eat
- Please leave buggies in the buggy park (buggies and personal belongings are left at your own risk)
- Marwell flask filling point
Download our menu
Safari Scoops
Tucked away in Fur, Feathers & Scales, relax at one of the picnic tables whilst your children charge around the playground!
Satisfy your sweet cravings at our new ice cream parlour. Indulge in a delicious scoop, whippy, waffle, sundae or milkshake made with any of our 12 exciting new Marshfield Farm ice creams and sorbet flavours including gluten free and plant-based options.
We have a selection of sandwiches, snacks, and hot or cold beverages available or why not perk up your morning or afternoon by enjoying one of our freshly made iced coffees or frappes.
Open from 10.30am to 4pm.
Download our menu here
Open seasonally
These kiosks are open in the school holidays and other busier periods. Please enquire at the information kiosk on arrival.
Okapi
Located at the back of the okapi house and close to the adventure playground. Open seasonally from 10:15am to 4pm, serving ice creams and a range of hot & cold drinks.
Download our menu
Ice Cream Pod
Situated at Wild Explorers playground next to the indoor picnic hut, the ice cream pod offers a selection of delicious ice cream perfect for a post-lunch treat! Open during summer (weather permitting). Open from 10:30am to 3:30pm.
Ice Cream Pod – Tropical House exit
A selection of delicious ice cream perfect for a treat! Open during summer (weather permitting). Open from 11am to 3:30pm.
Download our menu
Snow Leopards Ice Cream Parlour
Close to the snow leopards and home to a delectable range of scrummy hand-scooped ice creams. If caramelised biscuit, funky banana or chocolate fudge brownie float your boat then this is a “must visit” on your day out! Also serves hot and cold drinks. Open seasonally from 11am to 4.30pm
Download our menu
BBQ
Located next to Café Graze and serving tasty “grab and go” It’s easy to find – just follow your nose! Open during summer weekends and school holidays.
Open from 10:30am to 3pm, serving premium burgers and sausages baps and a range of cold drinks
Download our menu
Bringing your own?
You are more than welcome to bring your own food and drink. We have many picnic areas and plenty of seating. Please note: picnics are not to be consumed in Cafe Graze or Coffee Corner.
Top Tips to enjoy your picnic
- Avoid attracting uninvited wasps by sitting in the shade and keeping food covered while you eat.
- Feed only yourselves – feeding birds can also attract pests.
- Once finished, please recycle and dispose of your rubbish thoughtfully.
Bon appétit!
Responsible Produce
We try to get as much of our food locally as possible, and many of our meals are prepared fresh at the zoo each day.
Wherever possible, we also avoid any ingredients that would conflict with our conservation work.
We purchase all our meats from a local supplier, we have a minimum standard of Red Tractor or above for all meat served. The fruit and vegetables we purchase are from the “The Fruit Basket” located in Gosport and where possible, will always use locally grown and seasonal vegetables in all of our main meals.
All our fish is accredited by the Marine Stewardship Council, our coffees and hot chocolate are Rainforest Alliance certified and our tea and sugar are Fair Trade.
Palm oil plantations are a major cause of deforestation, which destroys habitats and adds to climate change so we only sell ice-cream which is free of palm oil, and other products that use sustainable palm oil. All the products in our gift shop are palm oil free.
