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

Amazing shop! Stopped here midway through a walk and enjoyed two glorious flat whites and a lovely chat with Phil and Lynn. Really made our day to meet such welcoming people on our short stay in the area - thank you for the beer and vodka hot chocolate too! ;)

Classic village store, well stocked with an incredible range of product. Staff are all volunteers and keen to give good service. Not quite Champs Elysees but better, nice coffee served indoors or on the charming veranda-on-the-street watching typical country village life happening. Fantastic cream teas or full cooked breakfast!! Oh yes and food for the guinea pig ☺️. Lovely, why not try it.

Wonderful warm reception by all the volunteer staff when we visited whilst walking the Jubilee Trail. Great coffee in the little cafe and good selection of local ales to take on our journey. Well stocked, bright and cheerful shop, highly recommended! Martin

Brilliant little shop. All the basics and lots of interesting extras, including local brands. Excellent wine selection, super-fresh fruit & veg, and handy home-made frozen curries etc. Good cakes and a warm welcome!

We came for Sunday lunch and were really bowled over by how good our whole experience was! The “Bloody Shame” was absolutely delicious, the pheasant katsu was a very creative dish, and the roasts were out of this world. All this was made even better by such a warm, personable staff at the pub. Thanks so much - we will come again!

We enjoyed another fabulous dinner at the Cotley this evening. Packed with diners, and people at the bar yet it wasn’t noisy, the service was impeccable, and it was warm and cosy on a chilly evening. As for the food, sensational for a country pub that’s a cut above, without being pretentious. Thank you for squeezing us in at no notice. We’ll be back.

My husband booked us a room at the inn for the night for my birthday (and our first night away since becoming parents!) and our stay was just the best treat! Our room was absolutely charming - gorgeous outdoor area and we loved the suite set up - having the beautiful lounge area and then separate mezzanine sleeping area. Everything from how the room was styled with gorgeous coffee table books to the luxurious bed etc was on point. The staff were warm and super helpful, our evening meal was excellent and the breakfast in the morning was amazing - high quality and gorgeous setting. We honestly can’t wait to stay again!

We had another fabulous meal at the Cotley last night (28 Dec) As soon as you walk in someone says hi! Be with you in a second. Truly a great team here. Professional yet still retaining a common touch. That’s a good thing by the way! Table was waiting and menus were given and drinks were ordered. Smart service. But not rushed. The table is ours till we’ve eaten our fill. That doesn’t take long either. Portions are generous and delicious! We had everything from trout (my starter and so delicious) could go on. Duck. Venison. Burger. All absolutely delicious. Thank you for a wonderful meal.

The staff were very attentive , accommodating ( we have 2 toddlers) , and friendly we could not fault it . Im glad we booked as they called back to say we left a changing bag , where would we be without that!! We shared the platter for 2 and the food was insane! i could have had a whole bowl of the pork with that dirty mash it was sooo good. If youre staying anywhere within 15 miles of this place its def worth the trip if youre a foodie.

We were staying in down for my birthday. I looked on Google for somewhere for a Sunday roast. Reviews looked good. Have yo say best roast I have had out. Well done to all the team who were working extremely hard to give good service and good food. Lady taking our payment said they do similar midweek. Give it a try.

We had an absolutely lovely Sunday lunch platter here

A campsite, so no room's available more like glamping. Toilets and showers are very good and clean.

We have just returned from a 2 night, last minute break away. We booked 2 Glamping tents and were absolutely delighted with them. All slept very well on the comfortable beds. The extras, like plates, bowls and cutlery were an added bonus. It is a lovely working farm and the children loved the animals and enjoyed feeding them grass. The views from the bell tents are beautiful and you feel at one with nature. This site has shower blocks and toilets, which were clean and well maintained. The owner, Ness, was very welcoming and helpful when we needed assistance. We will most definitely be returning.

Great campsite, very friendly helpful staff. Great price. Would highly recommend

I spent the last 2 nights camping at Thorncombe Farm. When I arrived I was met by a very friendly and informative lady, I think the owner. She gave me a tour of the facilities and showed me where I could pitch up. This set the tone for a very nice couple of days. Ideally located for local interest sites, peaceful and quiet. Toilet and shower facilities were clean and tidy, plenty of hot water available. I really enjoyed my stay here and can highly recommend a stay. I camped using my own tent but I had a look around the glamping tents and they looked top notch.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Yalbury Cottage is a place where excellence, friendliness, and quality come together seamlessly. As someone who loves travelling and exploring new cities and places, I have stayed in numerous accommodations, but none compare to Yalbury Cottage. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay and look forward to returning to the area. The staff at Yalbury Cottage consistently went out of their way to be friendly and did everything possible to ensure our stay was exceptional. The room exceeded my expectations significantly, with its stunning and unique view. We truly felt as if we were at home, but in a setting with beautiful new scenery. Situated in Dorchester, Yalbury Cottage offers a perfect base to explore the area and nearby cities such as Weymouth. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay, have recommended this place to others, and will continue to do so. The bed was incredibly comfortable, and everything was spotlessly and well-organised. Additionally, the thoughtful touch of leaving brownies in our room upon arrival exemplifies their dedication to Yalbury Cottage and their commitment to providing each guest with an exceptional experience. I personally can't wait to return to this charming cottage for another uniquely wonderful stay.

First time at the Tytherleigh Arms, but we'll be definitely coming back. My wife and I went for Sunday lunch (top tip - book for 2pm and after as it's less busy) and were treated with a great set of dishes. She had the beef roast and I had the chicken with peas and buttermilk. The beef roast came with a beautiful selection of vegetables; carrot and swede mash, beetroot and turnip and a perfect cauliflower and broccoli cheese. The dessert did not disappoint either - a chocolate mousse with hazelnut ice cream and smashed up soil. All beautifully cooked and carefully presented - whoever is doing the cooking here knows what they're doing! As Londoners, we eat out a lot and have high expectations - this place really is very good at what it does.

Had a fabulous Sunday Roast here today. We were recommended by a local. The food was exceptional. Everything was cooked to perfection, generous portion sizes, good service. Expensive for a Sunday roast but worth every penny. You will not be disappointed

Just wow. Had Sunday lunch here over a week ago and still can not stop thinking about it. Best Sunday roast I have ever had. Fish and chips also went down very well with who I was with. Wish we were not just visiting so could go back again. Rarely review but just could not not do it.

We visited for a roast dinner whilst on holiday and have to say it was very good and plenty of it, we also had the ginger pudding with whiskey caramel sauce and malt ice cream which was amazing. The staff were very attentive and friendly, and they are dog friendly, we would definitely come back when we next visit devon

Stayed in room 5 - the room was so lovely but the bath let it down for us. You could tell the bath needed maintenance (tried to be hidden by the bath mat being cleverly laid within the bath) and it looked like there had been some kind of leak underneath. Making us very wary of using it. This resulted in us just using the shower… this creaked majorly when we walked in to it… bit concerning! Apart from that, bed was so comfy. Window could be open nice and wide. Loads of space. Lovely service upon entering & leaving. We had food in the restaurant in the evening and couldn’t fault the food, it was so lovely. Location doesn’t have car park (known after a bit of digging as not explicit on website).

Hands down one of the best boutique hotels around. Stayed in room 6 three times now. And there’s literally no where else around like it. Amazing bed, bath, shower even the lighting is perfect. And the food, well Michelin star worthy in my opinion. The Staff are very friendly and there is always a warm welcoming atmosphere. There are many options for parking just minuets walking distance. Highly recommend to anyone looking for something new, you will not be disappointed.

Only a one night stay, but a really lovely little hotel. Good sized, well equipped rooms and great food. The staff were lovely too - very helpful. They even left a snack to take with me because I was leaving before breakfast started

Magnificent stay here, twice now. Small inconsistencies with food, but understandable. Hannah, Lee, Trina, Jess, Meg, and Oliver, amazing team, brilliant service, always happy to help. Props to them, words cannot describe how brilliant it was here.

The best roast I've ever eaten at a restaurant. Beautifully presented, perfectly cooked roast pork.

Great food, fantastic service and really well priced. A kids meal for £8 with dessert and a drink is great value.

A fantastic pub, clean, friendly, lovely atmosphere. The garden is sheltered with plenty of seating. Dog friendly. Booking is reccomendationed. The menu is varied with plenty of choice for all dietary requirements. Along with sharing platters. The staff are attentive and friendly. The pub is historical. The old post office has been integrated into the front lounge area. If you love your Sunday lunch, book early as you won't get a seat.

Absolutely amazing roast and I’ve eaten a lot of roasts!! Huge portions and the meal included cauliflower cheese at no extra cost. Lovely pub garden in a beautiful little village. Golden Cap on a nearby so I’d recommend a long walk along the gorgeous Jurassic coast followed by a roast at this gem of a pub

Lovely dog friendly country Inn run by friendly attentive staff. Situated in quiet village where we are staying. Popped in for a drink after exploring the village & church.

Lovely friendly place. Pleasant atmosphere with very good food. Good menu plus specials. Nice garden. Peaceful village location.

Nice village pub with friendly locals. Simple but satisfying food.

What a gem! We called the pub whilst exploring Dorset for our Anniversary and needed somewhere to stay overnight, the owners were super helpful. We parked our van in the large field on the back of the pub which is in a super quiet rural village, perfect for us! We ate in the pub in the evening, great choice on the menu and reasonably priced drinks. All the staff were so lovely and approachable. We will definitely be returning with our kids and friends to have a chilled escape!