The Best Restaurants in Minterne Magna, Dorset, United Kingdom (2025)

Overall is good, the quality it's top as the price and service. Lovely place with good atmosphere. If you're on rush, don't go, take your time and enjoy the food.

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.

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 went to Plumber Manor for a birthday meal whilst visiting Dorset. The service, comfort, ambience and food were all exceptional. This is a fabulous hotel and restaurant with a relaxed and efficient style set in beautiful gardens. The menu offers something for every taste and palette, the waiting staff are efficient, unobtrusive and professional. We would definitely visit again and we thank you for an enjoyable and memorable evening. Lin and family.

We have stayed here three times since 1980. Still in the same expert ownership. Beautiful country manor house. Well maintained in a discreet style. Fabulous food, interesting wine list with a range of half bottles too. Good value for Londoners!!! Friendly relaxed service. Welcoming sitting room with open fire. Make a special journey to visit if you can.

I have been all over the world and have stayed and dined at numerous hotels. Since 1991 I have stayed several times, every year, at Plumber Manor and I can in all honesty say that I have nowhere felt as comfortable and at home as in that wonderful little Country Hotel tucked away in lovely Dorset. Also the food and wine list are superb and the fact that Plumber Manor was elected best Hotel in Southern England in 2024 is totally justifiable.

A great afternoon out having a tour and (very generous) tasting of the orchard's cider. Very friendly hosts. They also do pizza nights which sounded great!

Katherine was so helpful and lovely, delicious brownies (which i dropped on the floor so had to bin them,sad times)the cider and little basket of bread butter and some fruit was sweet and the milk was so nice and fresh, and the hot tub was amazing, there were a few things that let it down.they change you £30 for clearing but im guessing thats just the hut and tub as ALL the cutlery and plates needed to be washed ,the bed spread had 2 stains on it (looked like a paw print)the quilt cover was torn in two places so that wasn't great for the money you pay (it didnt bother us much,and would possibility go back)just a little side note a tea towel would have been great as had to use a hand towel .

Did a tour of the orchard, Richard was amazing, very knowledgeable regarding bees, the apples and history of the orchard. What an interesting man, farming, scientists and DJ! It was good value for the money. Cider tasting was included. The orchard also serve very tasty pizza’s .

Absolutely fantastic tour at the Dorset Star Orchard. The tour guide Richard was fantastic, the tour was informative and fun followed by lots of cider. Would thoroughly recommend!

A perfect place to stay and visit the beautiful Cerne valley and the surrounding area. we loved the very comfortable beds big fluffy duvets and perfect pillows. Great bar and restaurant amazing breakfast with a wide choice of dishes. Annette and Julian with their team deliver fantastic service. Highly recommend.

We stayed over the bank holiday in Aug and it’s so quiet and peaceful. Food was amazing and my husband said it was the best breakfast. All the staff went above and beyond especially Haley and another lady whose name we didn’t know. Fantastic little find.

We stayed here one night in early July ( visiting from Australia but born in Dorset).. A lovely atmospheric room with modern bathroom. We opted for dinner in the restaurant and had probably the best sunday roast we have ever had , roast beef done just right with yorkshire pud my mother would be proud of - high praise indeed! Accompanied by a range of vegetables that were great but almost too many to finish. Ditto for Breakfast the following day . Staff ( owners? ) took great pride in this establishment and delightful to boot. So thoroughly recommend the New Inn. .

My husband and I were on holiday in Cerne Abbas and came across this very special place on our first day walk. What a wonderful find, we were warmly received by Annette and Julian, who showed a great interest in us and where we had come from and checking out where we may visit while in Dorset. We loved this place so much we visited 4 times for evening drinks and meals. The recommendations for local beers, wine and Gin were excellent. They were always interested on our daily adventures. We can honestly say the place had a wonderful vibe with pleasant background music not to loud, and listening to the local banter was heart- warming. Also lovely to see all dog visitors getting doggy treats from the owners. Always served with a smile The food was absolutely delicious, they have a very talented chef, the presentation and food portions were spot on and there was no waste from us ! Thank you for a marvellous time at The new Inn and we will be back again soon and will definitely book a stay as well . If we could give you 6 stars we would

This is our local so we may be biased, but it has had its ups and downs over the 20 years we've lived in the village. This incarnation is the absolute best so far. Lovely atmosphere, great pub food, and really great landlord and chef. Well done guys.

We had a delightful dinner here whilst on holiday in Dorset. The fish and chips were especially outstanding - the batter was crispy throughout and good chips. The steak and ale pie was packed full of super tender meat with a well seasoned gravy, with lovely mash and veg. Sirloin steak cooked to perfection with a lovely fresh side salad and delicious peppercorn sauce (the onion rings were especially delish also!) Desserts were excellent also, and plenty of treats on hand for our dog. Highly recommend this gem of a village pub!

Dinner at the Chalk and Cheese far exceeded my expectations. The food was excellent quality, with an attention to detail way beyond the modest price. The mackerel pate in particular was superb. Saxon was rightly proud of what he’s creating at the pub and there was a lovely atmosphere.

Had really great meals recently. Moules and Asian duck totally amazing. Cheesy chips cooked x 3 superb. Good menu section with innovative specials. Staff work hard to make iit a very welcoming pub.

After an emotional day, my partner and I decided we would stay over and booked our room on line. On arriving quite late, we received a very warm welcome and despite the kitchen having already closed, were offered fish and chips without hesitation. Our host did check with the kitchen first but it seemed absolutely no trouble. The rooms were worthy of the most historic public house but still provided all the home comforts one could wish for. After a comfortable nights sleep, interrupted only by the effects of alcohol consumes throughout our day, we descended the stairs to have breakfast. Eggs Benedict and cooked to perfection. The spread was fantastic and would satisfy the biggest of eaters and overall, the standard of what was offered was far in excess of expectations. Would recommend without hesitation and when we return to this quaint little place, we will definitely be booking our room here!

We popped in for Guinness at lunchtime and really enjoyed our visit primarily because of the very friendly locals. It was my birthday and we decided to come back in the evening for dinner. Unfortunately our second visit was completely different from our first. My partner had anchovies for a starter which were lovely and beef scrumpet for his main, I had rump steak with chips. We had never heard of scrumpet, it was a thick square of brisket that had been coated in breadcrumbs and fried. I asked for my steak medium rare, but it was dry and over cooked. I had mine returned to the kitchen so another could be prepared. This meant my partner ate his dinner on his own. My dinner returned and it was perfect, but I ate mine on my own. It wasn’t the birthday dinner I had hoped for. No discount was offered, or complimentary dessert. Very disappointing!

I visited this pub on Sunday on a staycation in Dorset, we just popped in, and were very pleasantly surprised. A girl named Ruby served us & recommended some cider for us (as we’re not from the area) which was great. She was so personable and helpful and made our experience great. Amazing service, thank you for your hospitality.

Lovely village pub. Only one server to convert bar and restaurant so a bit slow but very friendly and good good though fully priced eg fish and chips 18gbp

Stopped off for a cold refreshing cider was lovley and very tastefully decorated to a high standard food looks amazing too would definitely recommend 👌

The food was delicious. Great customer service. Very nice pub and beautiful garden

Lovely Atmosphere, the Food was delicious at very reasonable prices and the Bar Staff and Landlady very pleasant. And exceptionally Dog Friendly. Well worth leaving our village and travelling a few miles.

I often stop off here on a Friday after work, The staff are lovely, the beer is fab. I've yet to try the food but plan on coming back with family. Well worth giving it a go. Just a few mins off the A 37.

This is a wonderful old English inn dated from 1540. Has loads of character & charm. We had Sunday roast here... Was fabulous, prices are very reasonable. Staff are friendly, helpful... Inn has wonderful atmosphere. We also stopped here for afternoon tea with Dorset Apple Cake... Again fabulous. Highly recommend

A stunning pub, with friendly and helpful staff. Sadly the kitchen's were closed at the time we visited, but they were offering various puddings to stave off the hunger. The Apple cake and cream was lush along with a pint of the local ale. Just the thing on a very wet day, as it was when we visited. Only downside is, It would be a 240 mile commute for me to call it "my local". A title I'd love to call it.

We had a wonderful experience at The Royal Oak recently. We had a great lunch and an amazing dinner. Caroline was so welcoming! A lovely place full of character and friendly people!

Very cosy pub with friendly staff loved the soup as it was delicious, definitely recommend a visit.

Lovely local pub in the heart of the Dorset Countryside. Lots of nice walks around and rural spots to explore!

We met friends here today for lunch, on their recommendation. Absolutely delicious food, beautifully cooked and served, excellent value for money and lovely, friendly staff. My new favourite place, especially as it's only 10 minutes away!

We always like to try out a new pub for a Sunday Roast and came across this little gem. Based on their menu and google ratings, we decided to book. We had their new Sunday roast sharing board (there was 3 of us) and it was amazing. The amount of meat on it is well worth the money. Perfectly cooked pork belly, beef and chicken leg. And of course being greeted by the beautiful collie who led us to the front door ☺️ We will definitely be back and will highly recommend! Great pub, very friendly and attentive staff, great food!

Fantastic, quiet beautiful campsite. Very clean site and clean toilets and shower block. Utensil washing area. Fire pits and wind breaks available to hire. Lovely campsite wardens, lovely friendly staff and hosts. Amazing food. 10mins drive to Cern Abbys brewery. Definitely recommend.

Absolutely amazing couple of days camping at the gaggle_of_geese_pub in Dorset. Cannot recommend this place enough. Loads of facilities for families. Double decker bus kitted out with soft play for kids. Pigmy goats and a small sports pitch. The campsite had warm showers, clean toilets. Pub served excellent food and beers. Will 100% be going back there. 📍 Gaggle of Geese Pub, Buckland Newton, Dorset

My niece had her wedding here and the place was fantastic. Food for the event was brilliant and innovative. We also had Sunday lunch which was fabulous. Camping on site and lots of Airbnb in the area. Three cottages right next to pub with access through the gardens.