Dorchester, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

Michael Trawicki’s “popular thatched pub” serves particularly “good pub food in a nice sunny dining room” and there’s also a beautiful garden in summer. It’s not an especially ‘foodie’ operation but attracts consistent praise in our annual diners’ poll as one of the area’s better eateries.

“A real gem” – “hidden away above a real fishmonger on the historic Weymouth quayside” – this “inspired spot” serves “super-fresh fish, straight from the boat”, “brilliantly and creatively cooked” on a “superb tasting menu” that changes with the seasons and even the tides. Already a hit under former chef Mike Naidoo, regulars are hoping it will be “even better” under locally born chef-patron Ben Champkin, who arrived in early 2025 after working at L’Enclume in the Lake District and the Newt in Somerset (where he was head chef).

All diners award high ratings this year to Red Carnation Group’s classic country house hotel, which enjoys a fine countryside situation set in 400 acres. Its most ardent fans claim the contemporary cuisine in its rather old-fashioned looking dining room is “as good as at many Michelin star places” and it’s certainly very consistently well-rated this year in our annual diners’ poll.

“The Acorn Inn is a must-visit” – a “charming” and “atmospheric” spot immortalised in Hardy’s ‘Tess of the d’Urbervilles’ as the ‘The Sow and Acorn’, and whose dining room turns out “exceptional food that celebrates the best of local Dorset produce”, balancing “hearty classics and creative dishes”. The “burgers are highly sought after”, but “guests particularly love the Exmoor venison and line-caught cod, alongside the indulgent desserts” – and there are “great local beers” to accompany the “beyond average pub fayre”. The venue is linked to the nearby Summer Lodge Hotel, both being part of the Red Carnation hotel group.

Radhika Mohendra’s and Jollyon Carter’s “wonderfully tasty” dishes that combine British and Asian flavours are the attraction at this “cosmopolitan” outfit, “tucked away down a back alley in a little town in West Dorset”. The menu is neatly divided between ‘Dumplings (steamed or fried)’ and ‘Not Dumplings (hot or cold)’; the former are filled with everything from organic curried lamb to Dorset red cheddar.

2023 Review: Two vintage railway carriages near the sea and harbour in the former West Bay station constitute this “delightful” venue. The cooking is sometimes seen as the weakest link (“they try hard, without really hitting the spot”), but most reports are upbeat, citing “above average food” in an “unusual and quirky setting”. Since our annual diners’ poll concluded, change is afoot with a new arrangement introduced in autumn 2022, which sees fine dining from chef Chris Chatfield’s seasonal menu in the newer ‘Beeching’ carriage, and relaxed dining in ‘Brunel’, from the First World War, with both menus available in the dog-friendly ‘Station House’.

“A gorgeous, sunny room attached to a medieval priory on the banks of the River Frome” is the “delightful setting” for “always interesting and very good” cooking from Loire Valley-bred Stephan Guinebault, head chef for the best part of two decades at this independently owned hotel which oozes “old-world charm”.

2022 Review: Cass Titcombe's “small, cosy and friendly restaurant overlooking the village square” offers “just the perfect balance of everything”, say fans – whether that’s the much-foraged, Mediterranean-style food, or the fine interiors, courtesy of partner Louise. The duo also run an excellent shop, Brassica Mercantile, across the road, mixing homewares, foodie books and gourmet treats (including from Borough Market).

“Always worth a trip”, this nautical 1930s building in a “wonderful location” right on Dorset’s famed Chesil Beach (there’s a “nice mix of outside dining options” to make the most of the setting) is a sibling to Hive Beach Café in Burton Bradstock and The Watch House in West Bay. In early 2025, they embraced a more relaxed menu and, while seafood remains the star of the show, there are now steaks and small plates on the menu. All reports rate it well.