The most common first question we are asked is to recommend places to eat. It can be difficult to give a short answer as it depends very much on personal taste. This guide brings together the places which have been repeatedly recommended by guests or ourselves.
The nearest places to eat are at the Brewery Square development on the way into town, about 10-15 minutes walk. There are 6 chain restaurants, of which by far the most recommended is Cote Brasserie. They cater particularly well for vegetarians, ask for the chef’s recommendations if you don’t like the vegetarian options on the menu.
Brewery Square also has Zizzi, Lucio's, Wagamama, Nando’s, Pizza Express and The Brewhouse & Kitchen, a pub with its own microbrewery. The beer list here is as long as the food list, which is a typical modern pub menu, and there is plenty of outside seating. You might also like to try Creams, an indulgent ice cream parlour, for your dessert.
Further into town, there are a number of smaller independent restaurants. There are two recommended Indians, Rajpoot and Masala, at either end of High West Street (both around 15 minutes walk). Rajpoot is the more individual of the two, with some very good specials in addition to the usual choices, and we always consider this to be a level above average.
Both Thai restaurants are popular with guests. The King and Thai (horrible pun!) is on Great Western Road (10-15 minutes walk), just along from the Junction Inn, and serves lovely food in minimalist contemporary surroundings. The Kao San hs a similarly strong reputation for its food, but is quite different in decor - full of Far Eastern artefacts and not at all minimalist!
The Blue Raddle on Church Street (15-20 minutes walk) is a real local’s pub, but really welcoming of newcomers. Easily our guests’ most often recommended eating place in town, they serve homecooked pub food on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. For the rest of the week, try The Sun Inn at Lower Burton (just outside town, 5 minute drive). This has a village pub atmosphere, despite being just out of town, there are wooden beams, log fires in winter, and traditional comfort pub food. A little further out, The Saxon Arms in Stratton (off the A37 Yeovil road, 10 minute drive) also gets good recommendations. Another traditional village inn, it serves a wide range of pub food and seafood.
There are a number of other places to eat in Dorchester, we have yet to find a really bad place, but these are the most recommended by our guests so far. Bon Appetit!