The Best Restaurants in Wootton Fitzpaine, Dorset, United Kingdom (2025)

Could not fault a single dish and we tried many. Each plate of food was full of flavour, perfectly seasoned and mouthwateringly delightful. Honestly could have eaten every single dish on the menu. If you’re looking for something a bit special and different from the norm then do not miss the delights that Lilac has to offer.

Upscale menu in an unpretentious basement "cave." Small plate (and I mean small!) offerings of exquisitely executed dishes that present a culinary experience for the palate. I wish there were 30% more on every dish we sampled (wouldn't really describe it as "ate," given the amount). But... they were all quite well done. You just need to order a lot of dishes. We had the Flatbread w Pickled Ewe's Cheese, Fig & Roasted (yumm) Pumpkin Seeds, Beetroot Carparccio (outstanding take), Soused Mackerel, Dartmoor Lamb (tender), Polenta w Girolles (mushroon), Ricotta & Cheddar, Fennel Truffles (not to miss for a chocolate lover) & Apricot & Thyme Sorbet (the only small miss: would have preferred a gentler herb like mint).

We didn't book, and the restaurant was full, but the server offered us the bar table or outside dining, and as it as a sunny warm evening we landed on the outdoor dining. This is a rare find. Not only was the outdoor dining stylish and intimate, it offered wonderful service, and a 10/10 experience. The dinner was wonderful, from small bites all the way to the main the meal was wonderful. The menu is seasonal and delicious, this was a menu that didn't offer comfortable favourites, but diverse delicious plates that we talked about all the way home. They even made us a tailor made cocktail which was spicy and lovely. We had 3 servings. We are thrilled we got in, and would recommend it to anyone who is a food lover.

Exceptional food, locally sourced and foraged. The chef often came out to serve the dishes and was more than happy to talk about the ingredients, where he had foraged some of them and how the dish was made. Every plate was well conceived, light and tasty, even the bigger dishes such as the ox cheek or venison. Wine suggestions were excellent and every wine we tried was surprising and delicious. Staff were friendly and helpful, the venue small and welcoming. This rates as one of the best food experiences I've had. Get there now while it's still small and relatively undiscovered because it deserves to get better known and booked up months in advance.

Dropped by for dinner, where I ordered the scallops, mackerel and rhubarb clafoutis. Everything was beautifully prepared. Saying that, it must have been an off night, as the kitchen team seemed to have encountered a few challenges when prepping the meals. But, it all ended well as the service team handled everything professionally resulting in both a comped dessert AND an extra dessert. All done voluntarily without me even having to bring up any of the issues myself. The only thing I would suggest for the future is it might be worth investing in an air purifier or fan to help move the air in the restaurant. Because it was pouring rain outside at the time, I noticed the space was locking in various odours from other guests such as BO, perfume and cigarette smoke. As a result, I found that I couldn’t really smell the dishes. As a fine dining establishment, I suspect it is preferred that such smells not interfere with the dining experience carefully curated by your team.

God ! Where do I start? From the moment you walk in, you’re greeted with the most amazing smile of Gemma and Georgina. You’re sat in a lovely listed building with a lot of history. The food ? Unholy ! Tempura oysters/normal oysters are the freshest I’ve ever had. Scallops are hand dived and served on a bed of sweet onion purée and puffed black rice for a crunch. The lobster served with fries and salad was divine, I have no idea what they do to their butter but it’s abysmally delightful and this is just lunch! I can imagine the dinner experience is incredible with the place full of positive energy and vibes. The chefs in the kitchen are very well trained by the chef-owner as well as the front of house team ran by Gemma. If you’re lucky you might even meet Mark and Teddy the Parrot ! The wine perfectly pairs with whatever dish you’re having, always ask for a recommendation as the guys know their wines. All in all I will always come here when I’m back in Lyme Regis. Unfortunately in Bournemouth we do not have such a hidden gem anywhere. Such a shame I can only give 5 stars as I would like to give them the whole Milky Way !

My boyfriend and I were holidaying in Lyme over the weekend, both from Birmingham, we have plenty of restaurants in the city… yet Millside is the best meal we have had so far in 2024! Such a beautiful setting and a intimate dining experience. Although a small menu for mains, the starters are varied. I tried the escargot which our waiter recommended - who knew snails tasted so good! My boyfriend had the half lobster and I tried rump steak, also for the first time. Both dishes were presented beautifully and provided explosions of flavour with each bite, I’ll be dreaming of this meal for weeks! Thank you for such a wonderful meal and such attentive service.

Beautiful wine and food. The service was fantastic. Thank you for a lovely meal for my mother’s birthday, we will be back.

I would have missed this place completely, as it’s in between the two main shopping streets in town, and boy would I have been missing a treat. With its delicious (very authentic) tapas and fabulous cocktails, this cosy little restaurant is well worth a visit. Charming staff too. The Prawns pil-pil were the highlight for me…I felt like I was back in Spain…but my wife enjoyed the croquetas more…but everything was good. This will be top of my list for next time we’re in Lyme Regis…and I will probably try to sync up my visit with one of their cooking classes - I’ve always felt scared to try making paella but I would bet that fear will evaporate after a class here.

Not going to lie, the food was kinda ruined by a sodding seagull. We bought three chorizo pasties and some cake to takeaway, and whilst I was attempting to give a bit to my daughter some VERY confident seagull swooped in took the WHOLE THING 🤯 Quickly learned a very important lesson about Lyme Regis, and that’s eat your food with caution 😂 Oh, we also bought some lemon olive oil and some smoked sea salt. Sure, it’s more expensive than you’d pay in a supermarket, but so it should be. We like coming away and support random places that we find, and the whole “Mill Lane” area is quite nice and picturesque. The type of place I could imagine spending a nice afternoon with my wife. Alas, we had three young kids so we didn’t really fancy sitting in a small restaurant 😅 honestly, they’re too chaotic for that. But yeah, if you’re in the area and fancy giving somewhere nice a visit, then give Strawberry Tree a crack 👌🏻 just be AWARE OF SEAGULLS.

Had a fabulous evening here on a recommendation and it did not disappoint. The warmth and welcome of the place was fantastic and despite not having booked, we were made very welcome (a party of 19 was about to turn up at any minute as well) The staff were engaging, knowledgeable and polite. Owners Ed and Giselle were charming and our waitress, Emma from Manchester was great fun.) The food – small Tapas plates, was amazing. The Pig Cheeks with Prunes and Sherry, Chicken Skewers with Micro Herbs and Yoghurt, Cod Cheeks in Tomato Sauce and the Canaries Style potatoes with Mojo-Rojo Sauce – were delicious. The Burnt Cheesecake with Cinnamon Apples to finish was divine – you must try to pay them a visit.

Undertook a Paella Cooking Course - what a fantastic day! The instructional process is relaxed, informative and fun, one of the best cookery courses I have experienced. Ed and Giselle are both passionate and enthusiastic about Spanish cooking, which comes across in abundance during the course. Highly recommended. will definitely book another Spanish cooking experience as well as booking a table for dinner.

I went to stay there for one night as I was attending a course. I loved it. The building is special. Lovely stone work. I slept in the one dorm. It was simple, clean, tidy, minimalist. Lovely comfortable bed and duvet, clean towel. The shared shower was no problem as I am an early riser. The staff and volunteers are all lovely people. Welcoming, friendly, willing to help with anything. It's like being with family. The food was warming, veggie, and the staff willing to cater for any allergy. The group I was with had a fire going outside. We had a lovely time there. I will go back in a heartbeat. Keep up the good work.

A truly fantastic place. Lots of room for kids to run around, nice people and a great way of self-catering for breakfast. The rooms are always clean and ready for the next person. The staff there are very friendly, definitely would go there again!

Not luxurious, but clean and comfortable. Staff were warm and friendly. The homegrown, homemade food was excellent and the setting is beautiful. We really enjoyed our six night stay.

a beautiful hidden jewel. from arrival to departure I was very well looked after. accommodation is basic but comfortable. Staff were amazing, helpful, and knowledgeable. My last evening was made extra special by an impromptu musical evening sat outside in the garden drinking beer from the garden pub. the night sky was clear and the stars shone brightly a truly magical experience.

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!

This pub was amazing!! The staff were excellent and friendly. The whole feel of the place made you feel very welcome. The food was really good and so was the price. My husband and I enjoyed our 2 evenings here so thank you.

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.

Delicious sausage bap (worth adding the chilli chutney!), good tea and coffee, and excellent service. The farm shop is full of interesting and indulgent food items, and lovely gifts available too. There's also a seating area with brilliant view of the sea. Will be returning!

This was a lovely break on the way to Dorset. There are toilets outside a very large car park and a really nice view of the sea. And then when you enter there are friendly staff with amazing meat and veg and all sorts of goodies either to cook or to snack on as well as some gardening products plus the chocolate there is out of this world so check it out you won't miss out🙂

Hands down the best, most authentic, pasty I have ever had. Highly recommend. Beautiful views across the hills. Lovely farm shop with lots of extras to browse around. Homemade fridged/ frozen foods, plastic free and like you made it yourself , only better. Go in!

This farm shop is one of the best out there, the views are stunning whether you’re having a snack in the car or sitting in the garden area. Staff are friendly and helpful. It is a shame that the shop is not dog friendly for well behaved dogs, however the garden area is. Portaloo toilets which were clean. They have a wonderful selection of homemade pies, cakes, pastries to take home! Locally sourced foods highly recommend the visit!

I can firmly recommend this restaurant. We came here for a dinner and were very surprised. Everything was exceptionally tasty and very well decorated. Service was fast, the waitresses were all friendly. The food took a while but the place was full. We sat in the dog friendly garden. We had three starters to share, prawns, the cauliflower and BBQ pulled pork. Especially the cauliflower was awesome. To the point. Lots of spices, great sauce, spicy. The fries were crisp even covered with sauce. We then shared the fish curry. Another surprise. Also spicy, the rice was perfect, crisp vegetables and a delightful sauce over the shrimps, the fish and the mussels which were outstanding huge. The prices for such high quality are very OK. The negative reviews could be explained by the season. We were told that during summer vacation the near campground is flooded with people who then also flood this place.

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

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

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

Wonderful, friendly local cafe. The staff are attentive, caring, very cold friendly, lovely children's menu with rabbit glasses that were greatly appreciated! The staff were very knowledgeable and helpful regarding the local area... Definitely worth a visit. The food was also second to none!

Super friendly and accommodating, especially of our large family group trying to escape the unpredictable weather, even with a young baby! Everyone had delicious food, the chips were stand-out! Gluten-free and dairy-free needs were well-catered for. Tasty coffee. Nice and quiet and comfy inside, none of the usual noisy cafe sounds! Couldn’t recommend this wonderful cafe more.

Little Gem 💎 Great food and staff. Really welcoming. A throwback to the type of family run establishment you'd find years ago but with a mix of modern and traditional on the menu. All food and cakes were excellent but I semi expected that. The slight shock was the coffee which would put some of the best artisan coffee houses charging triple the price to shame!

I was a regular visitor while taking my daughter to a lesson in Charmouth every Saturday morning for 6 months. I couldn't recommend this place highly enough.... Bacon roll on point and a nice pot of tea. Always the warmest of welcomes and a highlight of my week!

Me and my girlfriend came here for a dinner and had a great time. The food was amazing, the drinks somehow tasted better than other pubs I've been to and service was brilliant. We were served by an Australian girl and her partner and they were really lovely!

We came for a roast dinner on a rainy Sunday. The service was incredible. The food was delicious. The only problem was the portion size - barely enough meat on the plate to make a sandwich let alone a Sunday roast. Otherwise all good.

A good restaurant in a great location ! Market fish was the best choice on the menu! Extremely fresh and perfectly cooked, accompanied by fennel and good buttered bread. I must say I was a little disappointed with the bouillabaisse... A bit coarse for my French-educated palate... And the apple cake was as beautiful as amber but not very subtle and not rich enough in apples for my taste. The staff were extremely friendly, polite, smiling and efficient. Impeccable hygiene and one of the nicest toilets (perhaps not what you'd expect from a restaurant review, but how important it is! Particularly when you're on the road a lot, it's important that the place where you stop offers comfort in this respect too, and even better with a touch of aesthetics. I highly recomand 🩵

The location is absolutely stunning, with Golden Cap behind and a view down to the Isle of Portland. This place really is a treat, service is excellent but, it can get very, very busy and you may have to wait for seating. It is on the pricey side too, so as I said, it's a treat. Ask for extra salt on the Padron peppers and you won't be disappointed. Beers were in good condition. A great place to while away a warm summer's evening.

A secluded, quaint, and tranquil inn. Great price. Truly a hidden gem of Dorset. The owners are good people - friendly, yet discreet. Georgia, one of the hosts, can be found working the bar at the pub, which offers quality food and drink. Short drive away from Lyme Regis and Charmouth.

We came here on the last night of our honeymoon and we're so glad we did! We both had the duck and it was incredible. Staff were friendly and attentive, made us feel very welcome. Definitely planning to return in our next holiday in Dorset.

Great value for money,good selection of roasts and specials and great puddings and not a bad selection of locally sourced beer

Went for Sunday roast. Delicious food. Generous portions. Booked in advance for a party of 6 adults & 4 children. Orders all ready and correct on our arrival. Very friendly owner, who made us feel instantly welcome. Only downside was no baby changing table available.