Caffeine & Machine: The Hut — Restaurant in Winchester

Another disappointing meal

Last review from 4 months ago is below but breakfast options are still completely inflexible and today when Campfire Eggs was unavailable the option with the minimal amount of ultra processed food was French toast which was dreadful.

Staff are brilliant but I just want a simple breakfast - poached or scrambled eggs on toast is clearly too much to ask. My review from 4 months ago has been read and acknowledged but a standard response given. Staff on site have no ability to change menu or items. I would have been there last Sunday too but the guy I was meeting opted for elsewhere due to menu at C&M so it is having an impact.

I want to come more because staff are so nice but those who design menu and allow options don’t get it - saying they hope they can do better next time in a review response is not possible without a menu change or allowing more flexibility- like it was before.

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Jan25 Review Would have been 5* but for new menu

I consider myself a regular at The Hut - having been at least 10 times since it opened earlier this year - usually on Sunday mornings. Mike and Marie both know me from my distinctive car and are always super nice and the entire team are authentically attentive. Overall the service is amazing…. I really LOVE this place … BUT…. Today was my second Sunday in a row I have been so I was able to make a direct comparison between as the menu has been updated this last week. Genuinely really disappointed - my normal choice is either ‘The Lighter’ (a smaller version of the old ‘The Works’) or Scrambled eggs on toast - the latter of which I had last week - with a choice of brown or white toast. The scrambled eggs were always very good - fresh made and not from bottled egg. This week there were 4 of us and between us we had 3 of ‘The Works’ and one (Mushroom, Egg & Cheese bap - which was mine - which I requested without the cheese) A few comments on the new menu/approach: ‘The Lighter’ no longer exists on the menu - it feels like ‘The Works’ is slightly smaller for more money I think - but if you like what is on it is OK. The Works previously allowed you to choose how you wanted eggs cooked - this option appears to have gone. In the past we have been asked ‘white’ or ‘brown’/‘wholemeal’ toast - we were not asked today - that does not mean the option is not available- it is just we were not asked. I asked if I could have scrambled eggs on toast - but was told they have been asked to not flex things and keep close to the menu. Very disappointed - so had to go for Mushroom, Egg & Cheese bap without the cheese. The Mushroom & egg bap was not great - potentially slightly better than a McMuffin. The garlic from the aioli was overpowering. I will not choose that again. The plates the food was served on are now enamel (white with the blue edges) - raising a comment from one of my co-diners about being in an army mess. Previously I had always eaten inside because I don’t like eating out of pizza boxes - but the food I discussed with a friend that I have eaten at C&M several times and we both agreed that simple food - processed as little as possible, done well is something that appeals - especially at breakfast. Generally speaking I have always thought the C&M food was really good value and loved the flexibility on the menu - eg choice of how eggs are done and ability to have something simple like eggs on toast. I completely appreciate that things need to change and respect the fact that there will be economic reasons for making modifications to the menu and approach - and eliminating simple items allows higher margin items to be added but this is not always what drives people to a location. I told Marie that I would leave a review of the new breakfast menu reflecting my disappointment - to be constructive - because I want C&M to thrive. In short, flexibility, quality, and simplicity is what has differentiated C&M to other places for breakfast - I am sure I am not alone in hoping that these...

I really wanted to like The Hut, I really did. I have visited twice, once on a quiet weekday morning for a breakfast and once yesterday on bank holiday Monday. The two experiences differed purely because of numbers I feel. My first visit the staff were really friendly, helpful, and the coffee and bacon roll were great, it was very quiet as could be expected as the weather wasn’t on top form but I felt thrilled to have this as a stop off nearish to me.

However this wasn’t replicated yesterday, I did everything right in booking a ticket and arrived on time, I was met by a friendly Marshall however the bike parking was very much pushed to one side away from view. I understand cars will take more space but it just felt we were an inconvenience rather than a valid means of visiting. I then went inside to order and although busier it wasn’t out of hand. I asked if I could order food and be sat outside, as I thought it would be nice to see people’s machines come and go, but was told I had to wait by the bar to get food, then I could move outside to a bench. I was told the wait was only about 10 mins for food so took this on the chin, however after a 40 min wait inside on what was quite a nice day I felt a bit forgotten and fed up. I asked again if I could move outside and was told yes of course this time, which was confusing. I did eventually ask if my order had been forgotten and the staff member was really polite and soon chased the order.

Unlike my bacon roll on my first visit I was disappointed at my chicken burger and chips, for £14 it was nothing more than a small fillet in a sparsely garnished bun, which again just added to a feeling of disappointment. At this point I’d been here over an hour so ate up and left fairly quickly having been unable to really take the place in for what I had hoped to, namely sitting amongst the cars and bikes arriving and leaving.

I must emphasise that all staff members were very polite and cheery and were clearly working hard, it just felt really chaotic and less personable the second time around. I’d understand if the venue was absolutely swamped but because of the ticketing system which I am generally a fan of, this wasn’t the case. I just hope these are teething issues because I’d like to visit again but will probably avoid the busy times which sort of defeats the point of seeing everyone’s interesting vehicles on these particular events.

In the end I waited 45 mins in limbo for a bit of a sad burger, which at £14 could have been just a little bit better to be honest and didn’t really feel I was immersed in the cult of machine that is the selling point of C&M over any other nice country pub. It was also noted several drivers not abiding by the “don’t be a dick” mantra and screaming off from the exit. The motoring around this area has already been harmed due to inconsiderate drivers hence the new average speed cameras and I fear this will only add to the ruin of some great countryside roads. It’s not hard to roll away steadily but the typical car meet types seem to forget this. I appreciate this isn’t the fault of the venue though.

In summary, I’ll visit again but it will be in hope rather than excitement, for the time being. I hope this is amended because I’d love the place to be a long time fixture and the hard working staff deserve to be in an organised and happy place to...

I’ve visited a handful of times now so feel I can provide a pretty well rounded review. I’ve been attending the West Meon Hut for over a decade, so was full of excitement when it was announced that Caffeine & Machine were taking over - a much needed change.

Let’s start with the positives. Staff super polite and parking marshalls helpful. Decor really good. The west meon hut was really tired inside, so the job they have done with the interior is fantastic.

Unfortunately this is where the positives end for me. Apart from getting rid of the children’s play area, they’ve done nothing with the outside and it simply is not suited to hosting the number of cars that turn up. It feels like a complete bodge just to be able to open the doors for the spring/summer, rather than doing this area properly and opening later in the year. You’ve got a bit of gravel out the back, so it’s not in view of the pub / entrance, and completely alienated. Then you’ve got a midway sort of area which is made up of a crazy paving style half concrete half gravel half tarmac, that’s all falling apart. It’s not been touched and is a complete mess. The main tarmac area hasn’t been updated at all, and only fits a handful of cars. The net result is cars are parking far too close to eachother, on completely uneven surfaces and people are unable to view all cars in one place with a nice flow like they can at the hill and the bowl. It very much feels half finished at best and it is hugely disappointing that they’ve opened it like this.

Then comes the food. No offence, but the handful of people saying good food, must spend the rest of their time eating at fast food restaurants or roadside cafe’s. £14 for one of the saddest looking burgers I’ve ever had. Someone else on here has uploaded a picture - you cannot honestly say that is acceptable for 14 pounds. It’s insulting to charge that much and serve up a piece of fried chicken in a sad bun. Why just serve the typical burger/chips & nachos etc as well? It’s 2024! Mix the menu up people don’t want to eat beige rubbish all of the time!

It could be so much better. It feels incredibly half finished compared to their first venue and as a local who was hoping to spend many evenings and weekends here I am left incredibly disappointed. I really hope they can take this feedback on board and make these...