2 Best Restaurants in Lyndhurst, The South

The funkier sister of glamorous Lime Wood, this New Forest "restaurant with rooms" is a local favorite that puts the emphasis on local produce (with all ingredients sourced within 25 miles if not the restaurant's own kitchen garden) and seasonality. Lunch and dinner are served in a large Victorian greenhouse overlooking the lawns, and the twice-daily changing menu may include dishes like an Isle of Wight eggplant with Romano peppers or a whole Poole sea bass. You may also accompany the "staff forager" on expeditions to find shellfish or edible flora like wild garlic and berries. Overnight in one of the 26 comfortable rooms in the main building (an 18th-century former royal hunting lodge) and the converted stable block or one of seven huts and lodges. All combine a slightly retro, shabby-chic style with modern bathrooms.

Small but acclaimed, this seafood restaurant attached to a fishmonger's specializes in innovative cuisine using the freshest ingredients. Options change daily but might include dishes like roast Devon hake with chorizo or sea-cured mackerel with puffed rice and ponzu sauce. There are three set-price dinner menus, ranging from four-course (£55) to eight-course (£95), and three at lunch, starting at £25 for two courses. There are only 10 tables, so reservations are strongly recommended.