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Places to Eat

Rural Dorset boasts a fine selection of cafes and tea rooms, excellent restaurants and traditional pubs. Use the side menu for further details on each type of eatery!

Pubs

Name Location Description
Crown (The)Fontmell MagnaHigh Quality evening cuisine in tastefully refurbished Georgian farmhouse style bar. RAC blue ribbon dining. Varied menu of locally-sourced fresh produce with vegetarian and fish specialities. Open Mo  more...
Crown (The)Marnhull16th century thatched pub offering stylish country lunches and dinners. Well known as the 'Pure Drop Inn' in Hardy's Tess. Vegetarian and fish specialities. Open daily noon-2.30pm and 6.30-10pm.   more...
Crown Inn (The)East StourCountry Free House with open log fire, extensive menu, traditional Sunday lunch, skittle alley and function room. Self-catering accommodation also available. Open Mon-Thurs noon-2.30pm and 5-9pm; Fris  more...
Drusilla's InnHortonFree House and restaurant full of olde worlde charm, set in beautiful Dorset countryside overlooking Horton Tower. Large variety of home cooked meals available.  more...
Fleur de LysCranborneA beautiful, historic coaching inn in the village of Cranborne. A la carte and bar meals available.  more...
King John Inn (The)Tollard RoyalTraditional inn with separate restaurant area. Extensive menu of quality home-cooked food. Open daily noon-2pm and 7-9pm.   more...
King's Arms Inn (The)East StourCountry Free House serving traditional beers with an extensive menu. Families welcome. Major credit cards accepted. 4 miles west of Shaftesbury on the A30 Sherborne road.   more...
Plough Inn (The)Sturminster NewtonTraditional Free House , serving Real Ale, a good selection of wines and good food. Open daily noon-2pm and 7-9pm.   more...
Ship Inn (The)GillinghamExcellent local real ales and home-made meals and snacks. Sunday lunch in non-smoking restaurant. Log fires and lounge bar. Open Mon-Sat noon-2pm and 7-9.30pm; Suns noon-2pm.   more...
Talbot Hotel (The)Iwerne MinsterLate Victorian hotel on the A350 in the heart of the village, serving a range of home-cooked meals and desserts. Open daily noon-2.30pm and 7-9pm.   more...
The Albion InnVerwoodLocal inn serving traditional home cooked food at lunch times and evenings (except Monday evenings). Restaurant, garden and terrace, childrens play area.  more...
The Anchor InnSturminster Marshall 
The Angel InnFerndown 
The Barley MowColehill 
The Black Horse InnSturminster Marshall 
The Blackmore Vale InnMarnhullBeautiful 17th century inn with beams and inglenooks, featured as 'Rollivers' in Hardy's Tess. Good food and fine ales. Beer garden. Open for food Fri and Sat lunchtimes and evenings, and Sunday for l  more...
The BullSturminster Newton 
The Bull InnWitchampton 
The Churchill ArmsAlderholt 
The Churchill ArmsSturminster Marshall 
The Coach & HorsesWimborne Minster 
The Coventry ArmsCorfe Mullen 
The Cricketers ArmsWimborne MinsterVoted by CAMRA as amongst the best pubs in East Dorset. A warm, friendly, traditional hostelry with a small secluded garden, opposite Wimborne Cricket Ground. Real ales, varied lunch and supper menu.  more...
The Cross Keys InnHolt/Holtwood 
The CurlewWest Parley 
The Drovers InnWitchampton 
The Elephant & CastleWest Moors 
The Fiddleford InnSturminster Newton 
The Fox & HoundsStapehill 
The Greyhound InnBlandford ForumPub lunches and evening meals. Restaurant area.   more...
The Half MoonShaftesburyPub with extensive dining room offering home-made specials, charcoal grilled steaks, fresh fish and vegetarian food. Beer garden, pets' corner and children's play area. Open dilay noon-2.30pm and 6-9.  more...
The Holme Bush InnCorfe Mullen 
The Horton InnHorton 
The Lambs Green InnCorfe Mullen 
The MitreShaftesburyQuality beers, good pub food and wonderful views from the tiered decking at rear of pub. Open daily 11am-3pm and 6-10pm.   more...
The Monmouth AshVerwood 
The Old Barn Farm InnThree Legged Cross 
The Old InnHolt/HoltwoodTraditional inn in small country village serving meals.  more...
The Old ThatchStapehill 
The Red Lion InnSturminster Marshall 
The Rising SunWimborne MinsterTraditional town pub with garden and patio area overlooking the River Allen. Home cooked food, live music, quiz nights and other entertainment.  more...
The River Park Family InnWest Parley 
The Roebuck InnSixpenny Handley 
The Saxon InnChild OkefordCharming 17th century village inn with accommodation, offering excellent traditional homecooked food, great ales and fine wines. Awaiting you is a warm welcome and wonderful hospitality.  more...
The Ship InnShaftesburyTraditional English public house building dating back to the 14th century. Dining room, several bars and snug areas. High quality traditional pub food as well as grander menu items all reasonably pric  more...
The Stocks InnFurzehill 
The Swan Sturminster NewtonTraditional inn dining with restaurant in the heart of Sturminster Newton.   more...
The Tap & RailwayWest Moors 
The Vine InnWimborne Minster 
The White HartWimborne Minster 
The White HorseHinton St Mary 
White Lion Inn (The)GillinghamTraditional inn dating back to 1763 in this village close to the A303. Cask ales, ciders, wine by the glass, alongside a 'modern British' style menu, produced by the owner/chef. Open daily noon-2pm an  more...
Ye Olde Two BrewersShaftesburyGood food, fine ales and a great view, at the foot of Gold Hill. Non-smoking restaurant. Mentioned in the Good Food Guide and Daily Telegraph's The Quiet Pint. Open Mon-Sat noon-2pm and 6-9pm; Sun noo  more...