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

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.

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.

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.

If you would like to have a delicious variety of food and desserts wrapped in a dog friendly welcoming, relaxed atmosphere topped with an amazing customer service - this is the perfect place! The also have Vegan and Gluten free options :-) We were served by Renata (the owner) , a lovely woman that definitely understands the importance of having the knowledge of the ingredients in the different dishes and the attention coffee beans needs to be able to produce the perfect cup of coffee. We highly recommend to give the King Alfred’s kitchen a visit as it’s 5* in every way!!!

Everything taste amazing! Huge selection of cakes, specialty coffees, proper pies, but also salads and lighter fare. We had the chicken, ham and leek pie with reduced red wine onion gravy, lime and blueberry and maple, pumpkin and chai cakes. But it was very difficult to choose off the menu. The atmosphere is quaint and cosy with plenty of seating and happy, warm people on staff to serve. You’d be crazy not to stop here when in Shaftesbury!

Really lovely tiny wee place. I'monly 5'1" so was able to 'just' walk easily through the door into the downstairs area, but my taller friend had to really duck,until we sat down 😆. Perfect coffee made just the way I asked (twice.. we were in there chatting for 2hrs!)... and then we went back again for lunch! The food was awesome.

Lovely little gem of a place! Gorgeously old building with low height wooden beams. Busy but in a good way, very cosy atmosphere. Lush coffee's and cake!

Warm, friendly inviting pub. Open fires, welcoming and informative staff. Good clean real ale and good friendly company, staff and locals alike. Sports, juke box, pool and a 'free house' range of Alcohol, satisfied......See you again. 👍👍🍺🍺

Friendly local free house pub. Nice staff, large beer garden. A bit awkward for wheelchair users because of steps, but staff will help if asked. Often crowded on Sundays, so booking is advised. Car park is on opposite side of road, so you need to be careful when crossing.

I was met with a warm and friendly welcome as soon as I stepped into the pub not only by the staff but also the friendly locals, for a Saturday evening it was the in place to be with an array of different drinks on offer to suit everyone's taste, great atmosphere and fantastic staff, I'm now planning my second visit.

A great place for breakfast, tucked away in a quiet corner off Shaftesbury High Street. Check out the amazing mural of old Shaftesbury on the wall at the back of the covered terrace. It seems to be a popular meeting spot for locals and the staff are very welcoming to visitors too.

Great food and staff. Toilets available. Seating in or out. Wheel chair access made at home. Rainbow 🌈 cake a must . Cheese scone and chutney divine xx

Absolutely LOVED our vegan brunch!! And the fried bread - my goodness, what a treat!! If we lived closer, we would be here every weekend. Love that our doggy was catered for too, thank you!

A lovely friendly village pub serving nice food. We stayed while on a family trip to show my daughter where I grew up. The room was comfortable a nicely decorated, the staffwere friendly and the location was lovely. The breakfast which was included was nicely cooked and great quality ingredients. We also had evening meals both nights which were nice too. It's a very quiet village but there is a lovely village shop selling all sorts from toiletries amd sandwiches to cards and gifts plus the local farm has a milk dispenser just along from the pub which was really fun. Would definitely stay again.

We had a fabulous welcome meals were lovely I was able to have gluten free. Rooms were spacious very clean. Staff were brilliant and couldn't do enough for us. Would certainly recommend. Stayed 26 to 29 Aug breakfast was lovely too great choice

We had 3 meals at the Benett arms over our weeks stay in the area. All were top-notch. The food was lovely and plenty of it. The chips were double cooked. The staff were very friendly and very welcoming. A must if you are in the area.

We recently stayed at the The Benett Arms for four nights to attend a family wedding in Semley. We booked three rooms and had multiple meals and everything was perfect. The rooms were comfortable, clean and quiet, the breakfasts were good and the service was excellent. The Benett Arms is a proper traditional village inn with hearty food and great beer. I'm delighted to be able to recommend a stay here.

We went to the Gillingham and Shaftesbury show, which was a nice day out with plenty to see and do, it is nice to be able to take our dog as not all shows allow it

Show well done in the circumstances. Pre booking on line restricted crowds but still plenty of people. Spread over 2 days. Lots to see although limited in some livestock classes

Simple facility but has a nice toilet block, sink and fresh water. Great location situated between Gillingham and Shaftesbury. Field for camping is large with lots of flat area to choose from. Would definitely recommend

I attended both days of the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show. They couldn't control the weather but everything else was good, especially the livestock, traction engines and camel-racing.

Great cafe, brilliant food and a vast menu, first class clean and freshly made to order. Staff are great.

Excellent fry up, just what we needed after our weekend at a festival. Friendly staff.

Picked the cafe for a meeting point with my family. A great choice. Lovely friendly service straightforward foods and drink. Very pleasant. Recommended as a great meet point for a good breakfast. . .

Lovely hot breakfast. Great value. Highly recommended

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.

What a surprise. La Fleur de Lys deserves its good reputation. Food was of a very high standard and the service was discreet and professional. The chef came to the table to check all were satisfied and we were. I wasn't expecting such a treat.

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!

Spectacular food! A lovely warm, smiley welcome from every member of staff, with a cosy, friendly atmosphere. The new landlords have obviously made a real effort and it's paying off. We will definitely visit again

We had a gorgeous evening at this cosy pub. The new landlords were great hosts, friendly and the tapas style food was incredible. Particularly recommend the cured salmon and the feta carrots. We look forward to visiting again!

A traditional village Inn dating back 250 years. Run by a pleasant Kiwi couple for last 10 years serving (currently) 2 good real Ales from 4 hand pulls. The food looks good too, but these are not 'pub grub' prices. Nevertheless it's well worth a visit.

This is a must visit if you're in the area. South Africa is the only other place I've seen a set out like this. A wonderful restaurant, set in the gardens that provide your food. The ability to sit outdoors and eat great quality food is fantastic. We had a lovely afternoon eating and wandering around the extensive kitchen garden. I imagine the events are beautiful, too. Staff were friendly and happy to spend time talking. I would love this to be local to me!

10/10 all round - we met Darren at a pop up event and fell in love with the food, so we ventured over to Pythouse for the real deal and it absolutely was that! Unbelievable food, such friendly waitresses, dog friendly and set in beautiful gardens. Food done the proper way! Highly recommended. Thanks again guys!

Words really cannot describe how special this venue is and how much every member of the team at Pythouse put into making sure everything is absolutelty perfect. We got married here on the 22nd June 2024 and also booked the glamping site for our guests to stay in. It really was a home from home, Laura is the most attentive and caring woman I have ever met (apart from my wife). Every little detail was taken care of and it also done in a relaxed informal style that made everything feel stress free. The food, oh my god! If I died and came to Pythouse then heaven is real. Every meal is bursting with flavour, fresh and the portions are spot on. From the canapes to the wedding breakfast then the evening supper every guest said they have never been fed so well and been mind blown with each round. The venue itself is just beautiful, it is natural, welcoming and bursting with the glory of nature. If you get the opportunity to eat in their marquee then this is something not to be missed as looking out on the gardens whilst having dinner is lovely. I could go on for days but if you are thinking of having a wedding here, do it! Thank you to all the team, you made our day so special. Simon & Jenny

My partner and I were travelling to Glastonbury and wanted somewhere to stop for lunch and in our research we came across Pythouse Kitchen Garden and what a find it was!! The location and venue is exceptional - even on a grey, rainy day it was the perfect place to be for a fantastic meal. The staff were incredible, attentive and most importantly nailed the timing between courses. They provided the perfect amount of interaction and personal touch whilst also allowing you to enjoy your meal. It truly feels like a family run venue which is special. The food matches all the other 5* aspects of this restaurant. The story behind the restaurant, how the food is sourced is amazing and they bring that quality through to what is on the plate. I have already recommended it to friends and will continue to do so and we will certainly be back. Thanks so much for a great experience!