Hampshire-based Josie's to open fourth restaurant

The family-run group of independent coffee shops and restaurants will open its latest venue at Romsey’s Market Place, in a building that was formerly Co-operative Travel.

Josie’s serves an all-day menu daily from 7.30am to 6pm (8.30am to 4.30pm on Sundays) with a focus on coffee, breakfast, toasties and pancakes. Menu items include smashed minted peas with grilled halloumi and beetroot puree on toast; buttermilk fried chicken benedict; a brunch burger; breakfast tacos.

It is probably best known for its extra thick pancakes, which are available as both sweet and savoury options, with the likes of banoffee and Mars bar pancakes as well as those topped with fried chicken; bacon and maple syrup; and its breakfast pancakes that come with bacon, sausage, fried egg and maple syrup.

The group family-friendly restaurants have proven popular with the locals, with regular queues at all of its sites. The cafes aren’t open for dinner and don’t take bookings but instead operate on a first come, first served basis.

The first Josie’s opened in Bishop’s Waltham in 2011 by mother and son team Josephine and Kevin Latouf. This was followed by a second restaurant in Winchester and a third in Petersfield, which opened in November 2017.