The Best Restaurants in Ashmore, Dorset, United Kingdom (2025)

Oh my! ♥ What a magical experience visiting The Clockspire was. Where do I begin to describe the care and detail oozing from both the staff and the food, it truly is clear to see, even the toilet hand towels were folded beautifully! We decided to opt for an expensive treat due to a special birthday, but the restaurant also offers a very affordable day menu, so I would recommend for both a stunning meal out and for celebrating occasions.

We had a thoroughly enjoyable and delicious dining experience at the Clockspire Restaurant this evening. Food was excellent along with the service. The old school building has been beautifully restored and creates a delightful surrounding and atmosphere, complimenting the whole experience. This has just become my favorite restaurant. We shall return.

Fantastic food! Really delicious. We will definitely return on our next trip to the area. The staff are lovely and welcoming, and we felt at ease for the whole visit.

Really nice experience. The decor inside was very appealing and comfortable. Went for the 3 course set menu and the food was very well presented and had a lot of flavour. Waiters/waitresses polite and attentive. Will recommend to friends/family.

Lovely place to stay. Food was beautifully presented and cooked to perfection. The one thing that I would of appreciated (as an older lady) would of been a bath mat in a very slippy bath. Fabulous, would certainly visit again.

Absolutely wonderful overnight stay, with excellent breakfast and dinner, extremely comfortable accommodation, highly professional and friendly staff... need I go on? I would unhesitatingly recommend this charming hotel.

This is an absolutely amazing place. The staff were extremely attentive, the food was phenominal and definitely worthy of a Michelin star and excellent value too. They really care about service and quality here . The best food that I have eaten in a long time. Thank you so much.

We had been here once before many years ago and enjoyed it, and more recently we have been to the sister establishment almost next door, The Cork and Lobster - which is always good. For no real reason we thought why not try Roots again. It is small but we managed to get a table and decided on the smaller of the set menus, which really was enough for us. Delightful and well thought out tastes, with presentation that is not too over-the-top. They carefully changed items to cater for the fact I don't eat pork or drink alcohol. There is a wine flight available alongside the meal but they were just as happy to give recommendations as needed. All the waiters were delightful, informative, and experienced which made the meal that much better and they are a credit to the place. The place remains a highpoint of local food-focused places, and next time, I won't leave it as long!

The new private dining room at Roots was truly special. The space features a beautiful, large dining table that comfortably seats 12 people, creating the perfect atmosphere for an intimate gathering. Our dedicated server, Jasmin, was an exceptional hostess, attentively catering to our every need with warmth and professionalism. Owners Jan and Stacey went above and beyond to make our night unforgettable, accommodating us at short notice and ensuring every detail was perfect. The food was absolutely spectacular—each dish was perfectly prepared and utterly delicious. Having our own private facilities added to the exclusivity and convenience of the experience. We were so impressed that we’ll undoubtedly be booking this space again and again. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a flawless private dining experience!

Absolutely incredible food, the waiter was outstanding and made the evening, great wine choices with the dishes we had a great night and will come again

Had a wonderful lunch at Roots. We have been before, but many years ago. The food, drinks and service are all still top quality. Culinary delights that will entice the senses and tantalise the tastebuds. A very inventive chef who works hard to create wonderful menus. Thank you to all the team for an amazing lunch. We will be back.

Greeted with a warm welcome, then we were taken to our table. Beautiful decor with a lovely atmosphere. Very spacious inside!! Food portions generous and everyone in my party enjoyed their meal. Lovely waiting staff who were friendly and smiled!! Yes, smiled! Customer service was excellent and overall a lovely dining experience.

Absolutely gorgeous little local Italian restaurant. The staff are friendly and know how to deliver excellent service. The food was simply divine. This restaurant has luxury tasting food for a good price. I cannot recommend enough, we will definitely be back x

The restaurant was nice and clean. The food was lovely, my pizza was delicious. The only down side is they don’t serve any ale! The parking was easy , just around the corner.

I'm from Australia and visited with local friends when passing through this part of England. I believe the restaurant is relatively new but it didn't matter as the service was first right and the food and beverage offerings were really impressive. A wide range of offerings on the menu and you won't be disappointed if you come here after authentic delicious Italian food.

We didn't stay here in accomodation as we stayed about a 5min walk away. The staff we excellent and the food was amazing. Although they run out of white bait as a starter the chef offered a mix of calamari and what white bait was left. Can't fault the food and the staff. As a table of 11 it was amazing and they were hosting a party also. Well done to all staff on Saturday night. Oh if you visit, I would recommend the scotch egg starter, stunning. Well done

Decent food, excellent friendly service. Went here for group Sunday pub lunch following a walk. Food was cooked to a good standard and staff were very accommodating without being fussy. However the meal felt slightly on the pricey side (over £10 for most starters and £22± for most main courses) . Would otherwise be happy to recommend. Thank you

The pub itself is a historic building, beautiful area and fantastic food and drink. Some might say it's expensive, but when you learn where the ingredients come from and the owners care and devotion it's a whole experience. I can't comment on the rooms as I've never used them.

Wonderful place to eat. My husband and I visited the area and we must say that we really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. The wonderful staff was helpful and lovely.

Great food, service and prices. Excellent view too.

A beautiful place,nice food and we bought a whole cake to take home. Excellent view

This gem did not disappoint yet again! Even if not on the menu, you can still get an amazing omelette here! Great after cycling up Gold Hill :)

My wife and I, Visited Shaftesbury on Saturday. To do some shopping and check out Gold Hill (Featured in the Hovis advert from the 70's) when we got to the top of Gold Hill we came apon this lovely restaurant. All the staff were lovely. So lovely my wife and I cried. Xx. We have had a lot going on recently. Jo was very kind. The food was amazing. We went for the tuna ciabatta. Lovely.. And then there's the view. Amazing.. Well worth a visit and popping in for something to eat. Xx. Thank you again xxx yours sincerely Steve and Annie and Luna xx

A group of us went here for a meal to celebrate a birthday. I messaged beforehand to check they were able to provide a vegan alternative. They replied quickly with a list of different items they could adapt to be vegan. I opted for the Calzone as I haven't had the chance to have one since going vegan. It was absolutely delicious! The man (who I presume owns the place) was incredibly helpful and attentive. I fully recommend eating here! I'm looking forward to returning.

Lovely old chapel and the decor was fantastic, ordered onion rings to start and despite the price of £5.90 they were frozen, albeit well cooked and crispy. The Hawaiian pizza was basic and uniform, I was expecting a more hand tossed rustic base but the ingredients were good quality. The chips again were basic frozen fries and quite costly at £5.90. I wasn’t introduced to the specials board which disappointed me too. I’m glad I went to try the place but wouldn’t return.

We stumbled across this place on a short visit to Shaftesbury. Such an amazing building and interior, but by far the best bits are the staff and the food. Absolutely delicious food and incredibly friendly and helpful staff. It was quite quiet during our visit which can have an impact on the atmosphere - depending on what you're after - but I'd definitely recommend a visit!

Wow had a fabulous meal and dessert last night 05/03/24 here. Look at the pics and decide yourself. Wonderful service too. Love and thank you.

The Saxon Inn has become our favourite pub! We've enjoyed many lovely meals there, from Sunday roasts to delicious evening dishes. It’s the perfect spot to relax after a country walk, especially on sunny days when we can sit outside with our dogs and enjoy a drink or by the fire with some bar snacks. It’s always so welcoming, excellent service, and tasty food - couldn’t recommend it more!

The Saxon Inn was quite a surprise - in a good way! We had been given mixed reviews about the restaurant but we found it warm, attractive and the food was exceptional. The staff were extremely friendly and the lady head chef/owner came out and had a chat with each table and some of the locals as well.

People who truly care! The owner and her daughter went above and beyond when I was unable to find a taxi to a nearby train station. Besides that it's a characterful, comfortable inn situated in a beautiful part of the world. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend 🙏

This pub is the perfect balance of upmarket/boutique and having a homely feel. The food is outstanding quality, and our waiting staff (Minty) was excellently attentive. It was our first time there, for a romantic Saturday night date. This place did not disappoint. Plenty of car parking space. The finer details were beautiful - candles and fairy lights everywhere, water jug filled at every table, salt and pepper holders filled, a fluffy throw behind my chair, heating on, music on but not too loud. Our bill was £78, for two courses and a bottle of wine. Overall, a really fantastic pub!

A lovely place which such an amazing team! We were well looked after celebrating our first wedding anniversary and the crispy lionsmane mushroom dish at the restaurant was one of the best I have ever had! We had the most perfect stay.

Really well looked after when they were busy with a birthday tea party. Delicious cream tea in a beautiful garden. Excellent staff. Made really welcome. Looks a pleasant place to stay too.

A stellar experience. Lovely service from the team, who clearly are passionate about what they do. The steak I had was maybe the best I have ever been served - a lovely cut and cooked perfectly. Just a great experience.

Went for a Mexican and half price cocktails on a Wednesday evening. Mexican is cooked in a van in the car park, but served in the bar/conservatory - excellent food (real cutlery but takeaway boxes).

Our first time at The Fleur De Lys for dinner. From the moment we set foot in this small hotel, all was perfect. We were shown to the bar where we had aperitifs, then to our table . We all had different starters and mains; all were absolutely delicious and beautifully presented! The service and atmosphere was low key yet excellent. This was our first time at The Fleur De Lys and certainly not the last! well done!

We stayed and dined at the Fleur de Lys and it was absolutely delightful. The accommodation is comfortable, quiet, and clean. Mary and David are truly graceful hosts and assisted with some arrangements for us, and it is clear that they are well to connected with the best professionals in the area. The food is as exceptional as other reviews suggest. Thank you so much for a great stay!

Lovely traditional setting, attentive staff, delicious food. Would recommend.

Perfection on 4 plates! Our second visit to this excellent restaurant. The food, once again was a delight as much for the eyes as for the taste! The 4 of us had different starters and main courses , and each were delicious. The service was perfect, so was the atmosphere. Pleasant environment, staff and owners.