|
 |
Dorset and The New Forest is a food lover's dream. Hearty local produce, ranging from fruit and vegetables to pork and apple sausages, from jams and marmalades to Dorset Apple Cake and Knob biscuits, awaits you!
With over 4,000 farms in the area, local produce is readily available at one of the many Farmers' Markets held throughout the year. These markets offer the perfect opportunity to meet some of the local characters that help to make Dorset and The New Forest such a special area. Many farm and cottage producers also have a farm shop.
Each market town in the area also has a set general market day, when the town buzzes with activity as local traders bring their wares to town. Wimborne Minster's weekend covered market is the largest in the south, and Dorchester's Wednesday market is also well-known and widely-attended. In the New Forest, Lymington's Saturday market is popular.
There are also various food festivals throughout the year – the one in Christchurch for example is in May every year and in Sturminster Newton there is an annual festival dedicated to cheese in September.
Dorset and The New Forest is home to some local Real Ale breweries, among them Hall and Woodhouse ('Badger' beers www.hall-woodhouse.co.uk). The Hall and Woodhouse Brewery in Blandford Forum, Ringwood Brewery www.ringwoodbrewery.co.uk , and Palmer's Brewery in Bridport www.palmersbrewery.com , are open to visitors at certain times. Each brewery owns a chain of pubs throughout the area and elsewhere in the UK, which serve the local brew.
Thanks to its mild climate, the area even has some vineyards such as The Purbeck Vineyard www.purbeckvineyard.co.uk and Setley Ridge Vineyard in The New Forest.
The local produce can also be enjoyed in the many fine eating and drinking establishments in the area – including 2 Michelin-starred restaurants. Sit on the seafront and taste fish brought in that morning, sample traditional fare in one of the many countryside pubs or enjoy a sumptuous meal at a luxury hotel.
Useful links: www.directfromdorset.org.uk www.dorsetfoodlinks.co.ukwww.farmshopping.com FARM SHOPSCranborne Stores, Wimborne www.cranbornestores.co.uk Holt Vale Farm Shop, Wimborne Tel: 01202 881525 Home Farm Shop, Tarrant Gunville Blandford Tel: 07736 709953 www.homefarmshop.co.uk Pampered Pigs Pantry, Tolpuddle Dorchester Tel: 01305 848107 www.pamperedpigs.co.uk Pamphill Dairy Farm Shop, Pamphill Wimborne Tel: 01202 880618 www.pamphilldairy.com Washingpool Farm Shop & Restaurant, North Allington Bridport Tel: 01308 425424 www.washingpool.co.uk Hazelcopse farm Shop & Bakery, Beaulieu Tel: 01590 612107 FARMERS MARKETS
Beaulieu 8th January, 12th February, 12th March, 9th April, 14th May, 11th June, 9th July, 13th August, 10th September, 8th October, 12th November, 10th December 2006
Blandford Corn Exchange. 2nd Friday of the month 2006
Bournemouth The Square, 3rd Saturday of the month 10am onwards
Bridport Arts Centre, South Street. 2nd Saturday of the month 2006
Brockenhurst 16th August (evening)
Christchurch Saxon Square. 1st Friday of the month 2006
Dorchester Poundbury, Burraton Square. 1st Saturday of the month 2006
Fordingbridge 29th January, 30th April, 30th July, 29th October 2006
Lymington 15th January, 19th February, 19th March, 16th April, 21st May, 18th June, 16th July, 20th August, 17th September, 15th October, 19th November 2006
Lyndhurst 22nd January, 26th February, 26th March, 23rd April, 28th May, 25th June, 24th September, 22nd October, 26th November 2006
Shaftesbury Town Hall. 1st Saturday of the month 2006
Sherborne Cheap Street. 3rd Friday of the month 2006
Sturminster Newton Market Place. 4th Friday of the month 2006
Verwood The Square, 3rd Saturday of the month 2006
Wareham Town Hall. 4th Thursday of the month 2006
Weymouth Western Bridge, 2nd Sunday of the month 2006
Wimborne Cornmarket. 2nd Thursday of the month 2006
WHERE TO EAT & DRINK
There are many fine eating and drinking establishments in the area, too many to include here. We’ve listed below a selection recommended in the 2005 editions of Which Good Food Guide and Good Pub Guide. But when you’re here, ask the local people you meet or pop into a Tourist Information Centre for a tip!
Dorset New Forest Tourism Partnership can take no responsibility for the quality of offering at these venues.
RESTAURANTS:
AA GOOD RESTAURANT GUIDE 2006, AA publications
BARTON-ON-SEA : PEBBLE BEACH BEAMINSTER : BRIDGE HOUSE HOTEL BEAULIEU: BEAULIEU HOTEL, MONTAGU ARMS HOTEL BLANDFORD FORUM: CASTLEMAN HOTEL BOURNEMOUTH: BISTRO ON THE BEACH, CHINE HOTEL, LANGTRY RESTAURANT, OSCARS AT DE VERE ROYAL BATH HOTEL, SAINT MICHEL, WEST BEACH (Best Seafood Restaurant of the Year in England) BROCKENHURST: BALMER LAWN HOTEL, CAREYS MANOR HOTEL, NEW PARK MANOR HOTEL, LE POUSSIN @ WHITLEY RIDGE, RHINEFIELD HOUSE HOTEL,SIMPLY POUSSIN BRIDPORT: RIVERSIDE RESTAURANT BROOK: THE BELL INN BUCKLERS HARD: MASTERBUILDERS HOUSE HOTEL BURLEY: MOORHILL HOTEL CADNAM: BARTLEY LODGE HOTEL CHIDEOCK: CHIDEOCK HOUSE HOTEL CHRISTCHURCH: THE AVONMOUTH HOTEL, SPLINTERS RESTAURANT, WATERFORD LODGE RESTAURANT CORFE CASTLE: MORTONS HOUSE HOTEL CRANBORNE: LE FOSSE AT CRANBORNE DORCHESTER: SIENNA, YALBURY COTTAGE EVERSHOT: ACORN INN, SUMMER LODGE FARNHAM: THE MUSEUM INN FONTMELL MAGNA: THE CROWN INN FORDINGBRIDGE: ASHBURN HOTEL, HOUR GLASS GILLINGHAM: STOCK HILL HOTEL LYME REGIS: ALEXANDRA HOTEL, MARINERS HOTEL LYMINGTON: THE MILL AT GORDLETON, STANWELL HOUSE MAIDEN NEWTON: LE PETIT CANARD MILFORD ON SEA: ROUILLE RESTAURANT, SOUTH LAWN HOTEL, WESTOVER HALL,CHEWTON GLEN HOTEL PORTLAND: BLUE FISH CAFÉ SHAFTESBURY: LA FLEUR DE LYS, ROYAL CHASE HOTEL, WAYFARERS RESTAURANT SHERBORNE: EASTBURY HOTEL, THE GREEN STURMINSTER NEWTON: PLUMBER MANOR HOTEL WAREHAM: KEMPS COUNTRY HOUSE HOTEL WEYMOUTH: GLENBURN HOTEL, MOONFLEET MANOR HOTEL, PERRYS RESTAURANT WIMBORNE: LES BOUVIERS
PUBS:
THE GOOD PUB GUIDE 2006, Ebury Press
BANK: OAK BOLDRE: RED LION CERNE ABBAS: ROYAL OAK CHIDEOCK: GEORGE CHURCH KNOWLE: NEW INN COLEHILL: BARLEY MOW CORSCOMBE: FOX EAST CHALDON: SAILORS RETURN EAST MORDEN: COCK & BOTTLE FARNHAM: MUSEUM FRITHAM: ROYAL OAK LANGTON HERRING: ELM TREE LYMINGTON: KINGS HEAD MARSHWOOD: BOTTLE MIDDLEMARSH: HUNTERS MOON MUDEFORD: SHIP IN DISTRESS OSMINGTON MILLS: SMUGGLERS PAMPHILL: THE VINE PIDDLEHINTON: THE THIMBLE PLUSH: BRACE OF PHEASANTS SHAVE CROSS: SHAVE CROSS INN SHERBORNE: DIGBY TAP, SKIPPERS SHROTON: CRICKETERS STURMINSTER NEWTON: BULL & SWAN TARRANT MONKTON: LANGTON ARMS WEST BAY: WEST BAY WORTH MATRAVERS: SQUARE & COMPASS |
 |