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

We don’t really know Dorchester but found ourselves at Brewery Square, just away from the town centre. It was a place full of unexciting corporate eateries with one exception - Vibes. We went in because it was dog friendly but stayed for the eye poppingly delicious vegan food. We ate a fantastic mushroom shawarma plate, a felafel wrap and some onion rings too. All were absolutely delicious. Really good. Add in some chilled music & calming decor & this was truly a place of positive, er, Vibes. Visit & be delighted.

Popped in here for breakfast while our car charge. Excellent breakfast menu with amazing vegan options, very tasty juices and great coffee. Left feeling full and well watered and bought some sweet treats for later. Very much worth checking out.

Just dined at this very cute cafe with finger-licking good food!!! My family and I ordered Falafel Wrap, Mushroom Shawarma, Buddha Bowl, and Sourdough bread. In addition to this we also ordered their Sunshine Smoothy and Iced Latte. Everything we ordered here was flavourful and delicious. Their falafel was really good as well, which in my personal experience is a hard one to get right. It was crispy on the outside and soft and moist on the inside. The owner and the server were really sweet and welcoming as well. In all my family and I had a very good experience with great food. :)

I had the fully vegan breakfast and was thoroughly impressed—it definitely didn’t disappoint! I followed it with the breakfast wrap, which was equally amazing. However, the lemon cake was the real highlight. Would have happily eaten more if we could. It was absolutely delicious!

We stopped here for dinner after a nice day at Durdle Door and we had a very pleasant experience. The food was excellent and we were treated kindly. It is also good value for money. If I lived nearby this would definitely be one of my regular places.

A delightful find near home. We've been meaning to try this place for a while, and we're glad we did today. The rustic breads and olives were delicious, and we enjoyed the seafood risotto and pizza with a substantial side salad. All very good value. Our waiter Flavius was so friendly and welcoming with time to chat but also got on with the job. Very nice experience, we will be back.

This place has a really nice, romantic, and calming vibe. The food is delicious and the portions are huge. The waiters are really friendly too. I'd definitely recommend it. It's one of my favorite restaurants.

I went for dinner with family and friends,for starter I had the battered prawns which was nice a d cripsy,.my main meal was seabass ,mussels,prawn with a creamy sauce served with roast potatoes and salad. I must say the portions here are large,advisable you visit hungry!I had the tiramisu which was okay, didn't take the alcohol in it, though. My kids had peperoni pizzas, which was delicious. Hubby had linguine with prawns and salmon,it was nice . The restaurant is cosy and small and we went on a weekday so it wasn't too full. Overall, the experience was nice,there was just one person taking orders and serving but it was okay as the restaurant wasnt full.

This is a Palestinian restaurant it’s a small cozy place and you have good space for prayers . We were 6 people and ordered two mix grill and two Mandi lamb . In simple words the food is fantastic And the portions are good enough for a heavy eater like me . The owner ( sorry didn’t ask the name ) is a true gentleman he makes you feel at home actually he is so kind that we asked him for additional mandi rice and he served happily along with additional sauce. The value of money is perfect .The chef is true professional and the food is totally athletic as the way truely it should be .As of my knowledge and experience Highly recommended for All nationalities. With lots of love from 🇵🇰🇵🇰🇵🇰🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

Absolutely recommended. Halal delicious meals

Very delicious food; we loved their Bamiyeh... Chenjeh was also great and nice ribs.

Newly opened, I ordered Mansaf, Chicken Shawarma and Lamb shawarma, all good, Mansaf is exceptionally super delicious, all my kids and my wife rated 10/10 Salads are so delicious as well, particularly the red salad.. Abo Mahmoud (Eyad) is showing a high degree of hospitality.. Give it a go! You won’t regret it.. If you are from eastern origin or wanna try eastern cusine try the Mansaf..

I had a delicious meal at Bates for lunch. The restaurant was packed which was a good sign. Service was quick and the staff were friendly. The food was fresh, delicious and I just wish I had the room for a dessert. The cream of mushroom soup was delicious and the steak pie was fantastic. I think I will be going every week now.

5 star. Food excellant. The lady who served us was so nice. First course I had the pate and very good portion. Then roast chicken. Fresh vegetable. Meal was hot when cane out and services was very quick. I recommend it

Superb restaurant! Outstanding food - steak is probably the most tender we’ve ever had. Brilliant sized portions, Lovely wine & friendly service. Highly recommend!

We booked our Christmas day dinner here as a group of 4 at £100 per head. We couldn't have asked for anything else! We all had such a happy time over 5 hours and 8 courses. The food was hot, home cooked, absolutely delicious and completely unfaultable. The service from the waiting staff was amazing from the moment we walked in to the moment we walked out. Very attentive and highly professional team running this place. Fantastic Chef. Goody bags full Christmas sweety delights to take home, Christmas crackers and 2 huge party poppers on the table to explode for some end of meal fun and crimbo celebration. If you've not visited here, we highly recommend you do if you like freshly prepared and really tasty home cooked English food. Thanks team Bates 🎉🍾🎉🍾🎉

We were greeted with jovial company as soon as we arrived. We shared great company and were laughing nonstop till we left. A proper community pub with a great atmosphere, brilliant landlady, and landlord and welcoming locals. Set us up a treat, thank you. 😊

Went here for live music. This is a music lovers pub. The landlord and landlady are always welcoming. They give opportunities to aspiring musicians and also support musicians in the area. Keeping music live and alive. 10/10

Me and my mate were staying in the area at nearby Wolverton Gatehouse from Gosport and Southampton and thankfully we ended up in this pub. I arrived first and Sara the barmaid made me feel welcome straight away and the locals were good as gold. Tina the Landlady came in later and she couldn't do enough for us even giving us a Christmas toilet roll as a momento. A proper friendly drinking pub for a mixed crowd. A local even gave us a lift to the top of the steep hill.. Tina even let me in and made me a coffee to shelter from the rain whilst waiting for the bus. They had 2 ales on and they also have bands play here..

Legendary pub! Live music, friendly people, good beer - cant go wrong

Amazing service, beautiful food and a really great selection of gluten free cakes and food options. We felt well looked after and well fed! Also, the coffee is on point!

Incredible food, friendly staff and lovely atmosphere. Stopped for lunch with my sister when we were in the area. So glad we did! I had the chicken nourish bowl and it looked as good as it tasted. We look forward to returning to try the gorgeous desserts.

Fables and food has a lovely atmosphere, it is happy and Homely, has incredible food and amazing service. I had the French toast and it came out so well presented and tasted just as good as it looked! This cafe is like no other I’ve been to before as it has such a South African vibe, from the food to the decor! They even sell fresh eggs, cakes and fresh bread. Could not recommend enough!

An absolutely brilliant cafe with delicious fresh food, friendly staff and very reasonable prices! The South African cuisine was one I had not tried before, but it was presented brilliantly to me with the wide array of inventive yet authentic dishes on offer. The coffee was also brilliant and the cakes were delicious.

This is now my favourite restaurant and will be telling everyone I know to visit. Had a lovely Friday lunch here, the atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming. The staff are friendly and the food and drinks are wonderful. We had 3 courses and they were all well balanced and tasty with my favourite being the chocolate ale cake with caramel miso sauce and muscavodo ice cream. I would keep going back just for that dessert! My husband loved the cocktails including the Japanese sour cocktail which was just one example of the great and interesting selection of cocktails available. Definitely visit again as soon as we can.

This can be recommended for its food, service and ambience. We went with two friends and we all enjoyed our starters, main courses and dessert. The wine was reasonably priced and pleasant. The serving staff were helpful and pleasant. The decor was good and there was a relaxed atmosphere. This is a real Poundbury asset- I hope, for many years to come!

An absolutely brilliant restaurant offering a lovely range of delicious meals, with focus on local Dorset ingredients. The three course set menu is definitely worth the money, and I found each course to be very delicious! Even though this is described as a “bistro”, the dishes do come off as quite complex and the restaurant certainly offers fine dining. The drinks on offer were also very lovely, and the servers were helpful and friendly. Overall, our meal was an entirely positive experience and this restaurant is definitely worth a visit.

Today my friend and I found this little gem of a Bistro by accident, and oh my the food was perfection! The food is all local produce and it was just beautiful tasting. We had come from Bournemouth and we will defo be coming back! Totally recommend this place!

Authentic Tunisian cuisine, if you are searching for an eastern atmosphere this is your place.. The decoration is so relaxing and gives you to an eastern experience.. Staff is very cheerful and so helpful .. I went for a breakfast, I choose the Kebda, very delicious, Tunisian bread is adorable, coffee and green tea are so lovely, as I went to a Holiday in Tunis.. I really loved it, Thanks Eman..

Really wonderful place. Excellent service and meal recommendations. Authentic Tunisian! Highly recommend and we definitely will return. Parking is easy on the side streets

Amazing place and amazing service ! Me and my husband felt welcomed the moment we entered the restaurant and the food was incredible! Authentic tunisian flavours, could not recommend enough. Thank you and we'll definitely be back !

Tasty food at a great price. A lovely little local place run by a friendly couple who are happy to help with the making suggestions from the menu. I am a vegetarian and had some lovely options, while by husband had the ‘hamza platter’ with an great selection of tasty meats and sides at an excellent price. The restaurant does not serve alcohol, but is happy for you to bring your own. Just bring a bottle opener and your favourite booze. Great food and we will be back. 🙂

Wonderful Kitchen - Charminster Bournemouth 5th April 2024 What a great evening......family evening. Meal & Karaoke! Food terrific, Service excellent......Karaoke evening to come !! Table for 8 at 6pm.....Karaoke 8pm Thanks for a great evening

It's a wow, yes it was lunch so it was quiet so able to chat ( as I like it) it's a pleasant environment. Great service and a very good choice of food.

Ordered a take away ,arrived on time hot and well presented in good quality foil dishes. The portions were generous tasty and well cooked . No large slices of peppers to pad out the dish as you often get in a takeaway . Would definitely use this establishment again and would recommend it to anyone

We visited Bournemouth as a spontaneous trip to the beach and found this beautiful restaurant. Grace greeted us as soon as we walked in with a warm and welcoming presence. She provided us with all the support and information we needed to get the best experience out of their cuisine, which we really did. Honestly, we highly recommend this restaurant for all the right reasons; flavours and so many gorgeous veggie & meat options, customer service/beautiful environment, and atmosphere. Please plan to visit this restaurant and leave with an intoxicating bounce in your step & a full stomach. (P.s: Grace, thank you for such a wonderful experience we really appreciate your time, words, your energy and your kindness. Sending you and your family love and prayers).

Went here on a little dinner date with my young daughter while me and her was having a daddy and daughter holiday in Bournemouth. I love shawarma so went looking for a place in Bournemouth that had good quality and not fake shawarma. And I must say this place didn’t disappoint the food was outstanding the quality was amazing the staff was really friendly and accommodating we got here about 8:30pm on a Saturday and managed to get a table for me and my little girl. If I’m ever in the area I will definitely be returning here to eat I had a mixed shawarma with rice and salad

Came here for anniversary dinner. Great food . Good atmosphere. Will definitely return if we are in the area

Excellent food, the staff were lovely and we had a great time, thank you so much!