Dorset Restaurant Guide

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Dorset restaurants are lucky to have such a plentiful supply of local produce on their doorstep. The county's rich pastures are perfect for lamb and beef, while estates are a great source of local game.The coast is also a vital asset and Dorset's ports provide abundant seafood for the all sorts of eating places. Poole, Weymouth, West Bay and Portland (famous for its crabs) all make a useful contribution.Two regional curiosities are making a comeback in the county - the once legendary Blue Vinney cheese and thrice-baked Dorset Knob biscuits.

Restaurants in Beaminster

  • Image of Bridge House HotelBridge House Hotel

    The old market town of Beaminster is set in beautiful countryside and is home to the Bridge House Hotel. Dating back to the 13th century it features a beautiful walled garden, beamed ceilings, large fireplaces and a charming candlelit restaurant with its oak panelled walls and 'old world' charm.

    3 Prout Bridge, Beaminster, Dorset - Cuisine: International

Restaurants in Blandford

  • Image of Stables Restaurant at The Langton ArmsStables Restaurant at The Langton Arms

    The Langton Arms, an attractive 17th century thatched inn, has an ever changing selection of outstanding real ales is well known for its excellent food and offers a good selection of interesting home made dishes, including vegetarian, at value for money prices.

    Tarrant Monkton, Blandford, Dorset - Cuisine:

Restaurants in Bournemouth

  • Image of Aruba Bar & RestaurantAruba Bar & Restaurant

    A riotous tropical extravaganza on the first floor of Bournemouth's Pier Approach building, Aruba is the brainchild of local entrepreneur Andy Price (of WestBeach fame).

    Pier Approach, Bournemouth, Dorset - Cuisine: Eclectic

  • Image of Bistro on the BeachBistro on the Beach

    Bistro on the Beach certainly lives up to its name. It stands in a glorious spot on the Solent Promenade with to-die-for sea views from just about every table, whether you are sitting outside or gazing through the full-length windows in the casual dining room.

    Solent Parade, Bournemouth, Dorset - Cuisine: Eclectic

  • Image of Chine Hotel, Sea View RestaurantChine Hotel, Sea View Restaurant

    The Sea View at The Chine Hotel in Bournemouth is a traditional restaurant with a modern interior and an unpretentious style, but with a romantic, intimate ambience.

    Boscombe Spa Road, Bournemouth, Dorset - Cuisine: Modern European

  • Image of Langtry Manor HotelLangtry Manor Hotel

    It's romance all the way in this splendid edifice, built by Edward VII for his mistress Lillie Langtry. Inside, there are all the expected trappings – twinkling chandeliers, a minstrel's gallery, stained-glass windows and lofty ceilings.

    Derby Road, Bournemouth, Dorset - Cuisine: Modern European

  • Image of MandarinMandarin

    A popular restaurant, Mandarin offers Chinese cuisine from three regions, Canton, Peking and Szechuan, each giving a variety of contrasting taste.

    194-198 Old Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, Dorset - Cuisine: Chinese

  • Image of Ocean PalaceOcean Palace

    A galaxy of famous names and faces have frequented this popular and long-serving Chinese restaurant over the years: it's a great favourite with big-name players on the snooker circuit, but it also attracts performers from the nearby Pier & Theatre, and is handily placed right next to the Bournemouth International Centre.

    8 Priory Road, Bournemouth, Dorset - Cuisine: Chinese

  • Image of The Print RoomThe Print Room

    A new venture from the team behind the highly successful WestBeach on Bournemouth seafront, this glamorous mix of brasserie, café and charcuterie bar occupies the ground floor of the Seal & Hardy building (once home to the Bournemouth Daily Echo).

    Richmond Hill, Bournemouth, Dorset - Cuisine: Modern European

  • Image of Twenty RestaurantTwenty Restaurant

    A popular choice for casual dining in Bournemouth, Twenty combines the virtues of an all-day café/bar with a fine dining restaurant.

    20 Post Office Road, Bournemouth, Dorset - Cuisine: Modern British

  • Image of WestBeachWestBeach

    A stunning location right on Bournemouth promenade, just a few yards from the pier, is just one of the attributes of this bright young venue, where beachfront decking and a buzzing minimalist dining room framed by large windows make the most of the views.

    Pier Approach, Bournemouth, Dorset - Cuisine: Seafood

Restaurants in Bridport

  • Image of The West BayThe West Bay

    Originally known as the Neptune, this eighteenth-century stone-built inn is a favourite refuelling point on the old Abbotsbury to Weymouth road.

    Station Road, Bridport, Dorset - Cuisine: Gastro pub

  • Image of Marquis of Lorne InnMarquis of Lorne Inn

    Originally a sixteenth-century farmhouse, the Marquis Lorne stands in delightful Dorset countryside just a short drive from Bridport. It's a particular favourite when the sun shines, since it boasts a big garden with great views, a play area and picnic tables under the shade of old apple trees.

    Nettlecombe, Bridport, Dorset - Cuisine: Gastro pub

  • Image of Riverside RestaurantRiverside Restaurant

    When it first opened more than 40 years ago, the Riverside was a seaside café of the old school, but it has gradually evolved into an unaffected restaurant dedicated to fresh fish.

    West Bay, Bridport, Dorset - Cuisine: Seafood

Restaurants in Burton Bradstock

  • Image of Anchor InnAnchor Inn

    A new team is at the helm, but little else has changed at this 300-year-old pub/restaurant on the Jurassic Coast between Lyme Regis and Portland.

    High Street, Burton Bradstock, Dorset - Cuisine: Gastro pub

Restaurants in Cerne Abbas

  • Image of Royal OakRoyal Oak

    Set in a pretty Dorset village famous for the awesomely endowed Cerne Giant carving, this sixteenth-century thatched pub looks as pretty as a picture.

    23 Long Street, Cerne Abbas, Dorset - Cuisine: Gastro pub

Restaurants in Chideock

  • Image of Chideock House HotelChideock House Hotel

    Far from the madding crowd, deep in the heart of Hardy's Wessex you can find the Chideock House Hotel a few minutes from a coastline designated a World Heritage Site.

    Main Street, Chideock, Dorset - Cuisine: British

Restaurants in Christchurch

  • Image of Splinters RestaurantSplinters Restaurant

    Splinters Restaurant is an intimate, romantic dining experience found on the cobbled street leading to Christchurch Priory. It comprises of several eating areas, some with separate booths, all candle lit for that special ambience.

    12 Church Street, Christchurch, Dorset - Cuisine: International

  • Image of The Lord Bute Hotel & RestaurantThe Lord Bute Hotel & Restaurant

    This magnificent edifice, which stands in delightful grounds behind the entrance lodges to Highcliffe Castle, was Lord Bute's residence during the latter part of the eighteenth century.

    181-185 Lymington Road, Christchurch, Dorset - Cuisine: European

  • Image of Three TunsThree Tuns

    Situated on the fringes of the New Forest National Park, some three miles from Christchurch, the Three Tuns is instantly recognisable with its immaculate thatched roof and hanging baskets.

    Ringwood Road, Christchurch, Dorset - Cuisine: Gastro pub

Restaurants in Corfe Mullen

  • Image of The Coventry ArmsThe Coventry Arms

    A watering hole has stood on this site since 1426, and the present Coventry Arms still puts on a rustic face with its original flagstoned floors, roaring open fires, heavy exposed beams and real ales drawn direct from the cask.

    Mill Street, Corfe Mullen, Dorset - Cuisine: Gastro pub

Restaurants in Dorchester

  • Image of Acorn InnAcorn Inn

    A warm welcome awaits visitors to the 400 year old Acorn Inn in the picturesque Dorset village of Evershot. Run by new owners, Todd and Louise Moffat, Todd describes his restaurant as "London chic come to west Dorset.

    Evershot, Dorchester, Dorset - Cuisine: British

  • Image of Yalbury CottageYalbury Cottage

    Recently voted 'Rural Idyll of the Year' by the Good Hotel Guide, this enchanting 300-year old thatched cottage was once home to the local shepherd and keeper of the water meadows, but is now a beguiling country retreat just two miles outside Dorchester.

    Lower Bockhampton, Dorchester, Dorset - Cuisine: Anglo French

Restaurants in Farnham

  • Image of The Museum InnThe Museum Inn

    Holding pride of place in a village of 'roses round the door' cottages, this gem of an inn was extended by Victorian superstar archaeologist and anthropologist General Augustus Lane Fox Pitt-Rivers to accommodate visitors to his museum of personal treasures.

    , Farnham, Dorset - Cuisine: Modern European

Restaurants in Gillingham

  • Image of Stock Hill HouseStock Hill House

    Peter and Nita Hauser are now into their third decade as custodians and congenial hosts of Stock Hill House. Their delightfully tranquil late-Victorian residence is approached along a beech-lined drive that meanders through 11 acres of carefully nurtured wooded grounds near the Dorset/Somerset border.

    Stock Hill, Gillingham, Dorset - Cuisine: Modern European

Restaurants in Lyme Regis

  • Image of Dower House HotelDower House Hotel

    Hidden away in its own walled grounds some three miles west of Lyme Regis, this converted Victorian rectory has been cleverly transformed into a relaxed, personally run hotel with excellent facilities and fine views over the Axe Valley.

    Rousdon, Lyme Regis, Dorset - Cuisine: Modern British

  • Image of Hotel AlexandraHotel Alexandra

    Built in 1735, The Alexandra is set in beautiful grounds with stunning views and just a short distance from the beach and Cobb Harbour.

    Pound Street, Lyme Regis, Dorset - Cuisine: Traditional

  • Image of Rumours RestaurantRumours Restaurant

    Run as a husband-and-wife double act, Lynda and Ron Skelton's amenable restaurant is tucked away in a quiet part of town within easy reach of the sea.

    14 Monmouth Street, Lyme Regis, Dorset - Cuisine: Seafood

  • Image of The Broad Street RestaurantThe Broad Street Restaurant

    'Easily the most up-to-date place on the Jurassic Coast,' enthused The Independent's reviewer about this relative newcomer in an historic building less that minute's walk from Lyme Regis seafront.

    57-58 Broad Street, Lyme Regis, Dorset - Cuisine: Modern British

Restaurants in Maiden Newton

  • Image of Fox InnFox Inn

    'A real picture-postcard ideal of an English country pub,' is how one UK Restaurant Guide user described the Fox Inn, and it's easy to see what she meant.

    Corscombe, Maiden Newton, Dorset - Cuisine: Modern British

Restaurants in Piddletrenthide

  • Image of Brace of PheasantsBrace of Pheasants

    Standing at the village crossroads close to Plush Brook, this beguiling old thatched inn was the result of a merger between two cottages and the village forge.

    Plush, Piddletrenthide, Dorset - Cuisine: Gastro pub

Restaurants in Poole

  • Image of Harbour Heights Hotel, Harbar & BrasserieHarbour Heights Hotel, Harbar & Brasserie

    'Contemporary elegance with a classic Rhode Island twist' is what you can expect in this handsomely renovated 1920s hotel, which now struts its stuff as a luxury boutique venue.

    73 Haven Road, Poole, Dorset - Cuisine: Modern European

  • Image of Haven Hotel, La Roche RestaurantHaven Hotel, La Roche Restaurant

    For more than 100 years, The Haven has stood at the southern most point of the unique Sandbanks peninsula with the sea lapping at its edge and overlooking the broad, beautiful sweep of Poole Bay.

    Banks Road, Poole, Dorset - Cuisine: Modern European

  • Image of Patrick's Restaurant & BarPatrick's Restaurant & Bar

    A stunningly converted bank building in up-and-coming Lower Parkstone is the setting for Patrick's contemporary restaurant and bar. Once through the original bank doors, you can't fail to notice the spectacular bespoke chandelier that hangs from the 40ft-high ceiling.

    1 Bournemouth Road, Poole, Dorset - Cuisine: Modern European

Restaurants in Portland

  • Image of Blue Fish Café & RestaurantBlue Fish Café & Restaurant

    On the site of a legendary Portland café called the 'Dap & General', the Blue Fish is something of a labour of love for Luciano Da Silva and family.

    15-17a Chiswell, Portland, Dorset - Cuisine: Modern European

Restaurants in Shaftesbury

  • Image of La Fleur de LysLa Fleur de Lys

    David Shepherd and co. have been in Shaftesbury for some 15 years and recently moved their well-known local restaurant to new premises in a converted girls' boarding house.

    Bleke Street, Shaftesbury, Dorset - Cuisine: Anglo French

  • Image of Royal Chase HotelRoyal Chase Hotel

    Handily placed by a roundabout close to the centre of Shaftesbury, this historic building (originally called Belmont House) served as a Victorian monastery before being converted into a delightful hotel in 1922.

    Royal Chase Roundabout, Shaftesbury, Dorset - Cuisine: Modern British

Restaurants in Sherborne

  • Image of Eastbury HotelEastbury Hotel

    The Conservatory Restaurant at the Eastbury Hotel in Sherborne, is light, airy and individual. It overlooks the walled garden at the hotel and provides a varied menu with choices to suit most palates.

    Long Street, Sherborne, Dorset - Cuisine: Modern British

  • Image of The GreenThe Green

    There's no village green here anymore, but verdant paintwork, window boxes and an old stone façade help to give this attractive neighbourhood restaurant an appealing outlook.

    3 The Green, Sherborne, Dorset - Cuisine: Modern European

Restaurants in Studland

  • Image of Shell Bay Seafood RestaurantShell Bay Seafood Restaurant

    Arrive by boat and anchor-up, or take the car across the Sandbanks Ferry to reach this sunny restaurant/ bar on the shores of Pool Harbour, looking out towards Brownsea Island.

    Ferry Road, Studland, Dorset - Cuisine: Seafood

Restaurants in Swanage

  • Image of Cauldron BistroCauldron Bistro

    A handy position close to Swanage quay ensures that fresh fish is in plentiful supply at this long running local restaurant.

    5 High Street, Swanage, Dorset - Cuisine: French

Restaurants in Wareham

  • Image of Abbots Cellar Restaurant at The Priory HotelAbbots Cellar Restaurant at The Priory Hotel

    The UK Restaurant Guide discovered that table reservations are strongly recommended if you intend to dine at The Abbots Cellar Restaurant in Wareham.

    Church Green, Wareham, Dorset - Cuisine: English

Restaurants in West Bexington

  • Image of The Manor HotelThe Manor Hotel

    On a bright summer's day, with the Chesil Beach breezes blowing across the hotel grounds, you might almost think you were soaking up the semi-tropical luxuriance of the Channel Islands.

    Beach Road, West Bexington, Dorset - Cuisine: Modern European

Restaurants in Weymouth

  • Image of Perry's RestaurantPerry's Restaurant

    'Perry's is fabulous,' raved one UK Restaurant Guide user about this converted Georgian townhouse right by Weymouth harbour. Over the years it has become a local institution and it continues to pull in the crowds, whatever the season.

    4 Trinity Road, Weymouth, Dorset - Cuisine: International

Restaurants in Wimborne Minster

  • Image of Les BouviersLes Bouviers

    James and Kate Coward preside over this secluded restaurant-with-rooms set in five acres of Dorset green belt land complete with a lake and a wooden footbridge.

    Oakley Hill, Wimborne Minster, Dorset - Cuisine: Modern French