Many of the surrounding West Dorset villages have excellent pubs, some of them award-winning. Booking in season is advisable, and ordering after 9p.m. can be difficult.

Recommendations are based on our own experience and feed-back from our guests. Inevitably not everyone agrees!   If you have opinions or suggestions to share, do email us.

The Crown Uploders 01308 485356 Good, varied menu; popular village pub in charming location with excellent service and reasonable prices. Booking is often essential.

The Marquis Of Lorne, Nettlecombe 01308 485236 Good with children. Very friendly, relaxed atmosphere; Good value; Marvellous setting in tiny hamlet below Eggardon Hill.

The Three Horseshoes Powerstock 01308 485328 A great favourite with our guests, but we hear that there are changes afoot at the moment and we have not yet had a chance to find out more!

In addition a little further away there are many others:

A short drive east from Beaminster, we strongly recommend
The Fox at Corscombe;
Dorset Pub 2000. Like us they were selected by 'Country Living' Magazine for inclusion in their first booklet of favourite pubs and B&Bs. 01935 891330

The Beach and Barnicott, Bridport, 01308 455688, nominated " Best Restaurant in Dorset" Dorset Magazine awards 2006. Georgian listed building serving on three floors in heart of town, with amazing ambience and wonderful food. We love it! Tapas every Thursday.

The well-known Riverside Restaurant at West Bay (booking essential) Speciality: fish. Nothing to look at from the outside, but wonderful service, superb food, festive atmosphere. 01308 422011

Recently The Greyhound at Sydling St. Nicholas has acquired an excellent reputation, especially for fish. 01308 422157

In Cerne Abbas we particularly enjoy Sunday lunch at The Royal Oak which makes an excellent stopping off place on one of our favourite walks. 01300 341797

The Hive(01308 497070) a café on the National Trust beach at
Burton Bradstock, excellent sea-food soup, crab sandwiches, good snacks. Very popular so queues and waiting time can be a problem.

Down House, Higher Eype enchanting garden cafe in National Trust property close to spectacular coastal path with warmly welcoming hosts and delicious, unusual home-cooked food.

Saw Mill Cafe at Mapperton Manor. Old stone barn in magical setting, serves lunches and teas daily in season. Excellent, quite expensive but well worth it: a real treat! Recently the vaulted roof-space of the barn has been covered with an enormous specially-commissioned Indian wedding canopy . 01308 862645 Snacks and lunches only, March - October incl., closed Saturdays.

In Dorchester, guests have recommended the following:
The Judge Jeffreys 01305 264369
The Mock Turtle 01305 264011

The Rajpoot is an excellent Indian restaurant. 01305 257492

Abbotsbury Subtropical Garden has a restaurant that serves light luches and teas and there are a number of places to eat in the village, 01305 8711387/ 871153

Guests have recommended The Bridge Hotel in Beaminster
01308 862200

Teashops in Lyme Regis, Beaminster and Cerne Abbas seem popular; Kingcombe serves excellent cream teas at weekends in summer