24 Best Restaurants in The South, England

Perched on a bluff overlooking sandy Burton Beach, this airy restaurant in a hamlet at the western end of Chesil Beach specializes in freshly caught seafood and locally raised meat and produce. The short but focused menu includes dishes like grilled Dorset Blue lobster with garlic and samphire or fillet of turbot with braised artichokes and peas. It's a set menu on weekdays, but à la carte is available on weekends. Bar food is served when the restaurant is closed, and there's an afternoon tea. The restaurant is in a Victorian villa remodeled to evoke a chic 1920s feel, and the tables outside on the terrace have fabulous views across Lyme Bay. There are also nine light-filled bedrooms with views upstairs. The restaurant is 7 miles northwest of Abbotsbury, near Bridport, via B3157. 

Oak-beamed ceilings, exposed stone walls, and inglenook fireplaces add to the charm of this restaurant in a 300-year-old former shepherd's cottage across the road from where Thomas Hardy went to school. It specializes in daily-changing, two- or three-course set menus featuring superior French-influenced cooking using locally sourced produce, with dishes like Portland crab cocktail on a crumpet, Maiden Castle pressed lamb with kale pesto, and sticky (meaning coated with a sticky sauce) beef brisket. There's also a Sunday lunch and afternoon tea. Eight comfortable bedrooms are available in an extension overlooking gardens or fields. Lower Bockhampton is signposted off the A35, 1½ miles east of Dorchester.

Both the taste and presentation of its creative dishes have been winning rave reviews for this family-run, centrally located restaurant. Produce is largely fresh and local; meats and poultry are free-range and sustainably farmed. There's a six-course set-price tasting menu for sharing as well as shared plates that allow diners to sample a broader mix of dishes. Options might include roast cod with oyster mushrooms in a green curry cream, venison haunch with walnuts, and pigeon breast with roast celeriac.

For a refreshingly modern take on Indian cuisine, try this bustling restaurant a few minutes from the town center. Classic recipes are taken as starting points for the artistically presented dishes, which include tandoori breast of guinea fowl with fenugreek sauce, pistachio chicken korma with sweet basil and clove, and a Singapore-style chickpea and baby eggplant curry (part of an extensive vegetarian selection). A two-course seasonal set lunch and an early evening set menu offer good value. The setting is contemporary and cosmopolitan, and service by staff in traditional dress is friendly and prompt. Live performances by a musician or dancer occasionally take place at dinner.

Freshness and sustainability are paramount at chef Mike Naidoo's acclaimed seafood restaurant, located in an 1855 stone building on on the water above an artisanal fishmonger. He uses line-caught fish and shellfish delivered from the fishing boats moored just outside in the four-, six- (weekdays only), and eight- (Saturday dinner only) course tasting menus, which might include dishes such as Portland crab dumpling in crab broth, barbecued lobster, and, of course, the catch of the day. On the dessert list are options such as a yogurt and elderflower sorbet.

A solo venture from celebrity chef Mark Hix, this restaurant combines stunning views overlooking the Cobb with his trademark high standards and originality. The menu changes twice daily, but the focus is always on simply cooked and beautifully presented locally sourced seafood dishes, such as grilled monkfish tail with caponata, chargrilled black sea bream, and, of course, local oysters. There's a limited vegetarian menu, but the dessert menu is extensive, with dishes like Brazilian chocolate mousse. Book well ahead to sit by the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the coast, on the small terrace, or for the six-course Kitchen Table experience, where Hix cooks for you in his own home.

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.

Befitting its waterside location in a harbor village just outside Ryde, this hotel has two restaurants with a strong maritime flavor. The fine-dining Aquitania sources much of its produce from the Seaview's own farm and features dishes such as herb-crusted cod loin with an heirloom tomato salad, whereas the less-formal Pump Bar serves battered fish-and-chips and traditional Sunday roasts. There are also gluten-free and vegan options, daytime light bites, and sandwiches. Luxurious fabrics characterize the chic guest rooms in the adjoining hotel.

A relaxed, modern bistro midway between Old Portsmouth and Gunwharf Quays, this place is ideal for a snack, meal, or glass of wine from the thoughtfully chosen wine list. The refreshed menu highlights locally sourced ingredients, like the catch of the day or ale-battered haddock-and-chips mostly sourced from Portsmouth's fish market directly opposite the restaurant. Alternatively, opt for pan-roasted pigeon breast with a bitter leaf salad. An all-day pizza menu is served Monday through Saturday too, and the selection of Sunday roasts ranges from traditional roast beef with Yorkshire pudding to a vegetarian sweet potato, spinach, and cauliflower Wellington. You can sit indoors, in a garden at the back, or at Continental-style tables on the pavement.

This cozy, child-and-dog-friendly restaurant in a 17th-century building at the bottom of Lyme Regis's main street makes a great spot for a light lunch or an excellent cream tea. Apart from hot drinks and sandwiches (including fresh crab), you can order more substantial dishes like homemade beef lasagna. It closes at 5 pm. 

Part of a chain specializing in quick, nourishing meals, this relaxed café in a 14th-century former inn allegedly once patronized by Shakespeare, Cromwell, and Pepys serves hot and cold breakfasts, lunches, and afternoon snacks. Choices include cheeseburgers served with bacon and fried egg, a Moving Mountains beetroot, mushroom, and soy version, or a sweet corn hash with halloumi, avocado, and poached egg. You can eat upstairs in the spectacular Tudor great hall or in the quieter side room.

With a vaulted glass roof on steel supports, this self-service cafeteria in a walled garden across from the cathedral combines contemporary style with freshly prepared dishes to create a refreshing stop for brunch, lunch, or afternoon tea. Food is served daily until 4:30 or 5 pm, and there are tables outside on a slate terrace for fair-weather eating.

The timbered and gabled building may be venerable—it dates back to the mid-15th century—but the cuisine is contemporary British. The small but well-executed menu is particularly strong on dishes using local ingredients, like roast wood pigeon with white onion purée, roast lamb with wild garlic and spaetzle, and pan-seared chalk-stream trout with dill oil. Good service and the heritage charm of the surroundings further enhance the dining experience. There's also a good-value set lunch and early evening menu. 

This family-run traditional pub that dates back to the 16th century has flagstones, bare stone walls, an inglenook fireplace, an open fire in winter, and a beer garden in the summer. The homemade food leans toward the traditional, with superior versions of old favorites like fish pie. You'll also find more exotic selections like a vegan three-bean chili as well as Purbeck-brand honeycomb ice cream for dessert. The inn has 11 rooms for guests who want to stay the night. Wareham is 4 miles north of Corfe Castle via A351. 

A former grain mill, Fisherton Mill houses independent shops as well as artists' studios and a gallery showcasing paintings, sculptures, textiles, jewelry, and all manner of crafts. Enjoy a light lunch or Wiltshire cream tea in the highly regarded café specializing in healthy, home-cooked options. It shuts down for the day at 5.

This unfussy but elegant café-restaurant serving breakfast, brunch, lunch, and afternoon tea offers freshly made soups, sandwiches, hot dishes, and cakes created with locally sourced ingredients. Favorites include a chickpea and butternut squash stew with eggplant and coconut, fried mushrooms on sourdough toast with creamed spinach, and a roast duck salad with bok choy. There are no reservations and it's very popular, so a wait may be involved at busy times.

Reasonably priced and healthy comfort food is served cafeteria-style at this established, family-run favorite. On the menu are dishes like a steak gyro, a quinoa salad with grilled tofu, and a Goan spiced fishcake with poached egg and crispy kale. Serving breakfast (including a great full English and a vegan version of same) and lunch, the place transforms into a busy cocktail bar (no full meals) in the evening.

This airy, light-filled modern brasserie on a restaurant-heavy street close to the docks is known for its melt-in-your-mouth fare for meat eaters but also offers vegetarian options. The menu leans toward fish classics like pan-fried cod, grilled meats, and Modern British stalwarts like slow-cooked pork belly and braised lamb shank.

Tucked away from the busy harbor, this French-owned local favorite serves classic Gallic dishes such as onion soup, eggs Benedict, and croque monsieur, plus simple seafood dishes like king prawns in garlic butter. If you're looking for an afternoon pit stop, try the substantial, and very English, cream tea selection and other superlative baked goods. A set-menu, monthly supper club held on Fridays and Saturdays serves dishes like bouillabaisse or a supreme of chicken filled with goat's cheese and tarragon. It books up fast.

Renowned as one of Britain's finest seafood chefs, Rick Stein chose Winchester for his first venture away from the Cornish coast. The menu is largely focused on fish and crustaceans, but carnivores and vegetarians are catered for as well. The airy room embodies tasteful nautical chic, but the restaurant's popularity means it can be noisy when busy.

Whether you're in the mood for beer-battered fish-and chips or a chicken and bacon pie with a puff pastry top, this welcoming pub-restaurant with great views over the harbor specializes in a well-executed, modern approach to classic British pub fare. Service is attentive and friendly, and there's an excellent selection of beers and ales.

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.

A 17th-century thatched-roof building with foundations made from sarsen stones, this traditional inn and pub (Dickens mentions the building in Pickwick Papers) is a two-minute drive from the Avebury stone circles. With a beer garden that has views of Silbury Hill, it's something of a tourist hub in high season, but lunches and dinners are still excellent. Dishes include roast fillet of sole and a Mediterranean tart, along with pub favorites like steak and ale pie and stuffed baked potatoes. Traditional roasts are served on Sundays. Recent innovations include meatless burgers.

Superbly positioned right on the beach close to Bournemouth Pier, this fish restaurant serves the best seafood in town, whether grilled, baked, or in fish pies and stews. The menu may include dishes like tempura halibut, pan-fried sea bass, and a locally caught fish of the day, plus shellfish such as local oysters, crab, mussels, clams, and lobster. There are a few non-fish dishes such as an aged West Country sirloin steak. Simple wooden tables and a large glass front lend a modern, minimalist feel, and there's a narrow deck and terrace for open-air dining. In summer, pick up ice cream and snacks from the adjacent stand.