The Square and Compass is such a gem if you're looking for an authentic pub experience in the…read moreEnglish countryside! The views alone are worth the visit, but the unique character of the place makes it even better. From the beer garden in the back to the small museum of fossils and local artifacts, it really has a one-of-a-kind charm. One thing I loved was the quirky "Woodhenge" sculpture in the parking lot--made from tree trunks, it's been standing since 2015 despite the local council initially wanting it taken down. It's still there as of my recent visit, and it's a fun little sight that adds even more personality to the place. The menu is limited, but that's part of the charm! I had the sausage roll, and it was sooo good! The warm, flaky crust and flavorful sausage made for the perfect pub snack. We sat inside since it was a warm day, and the locals couldn't have been friendlier. My friend and I (a pair of Americans) were welcomed like old friends, which made the whole experience even more special. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area--especially if you want to enjoy the local history, great beer, and a fantastic countryside view.

A couple of friends and I once went for a hike along the South West Coast Path in Dorset. It took…read moreus a couple of hours and was really nice: good weather, beautiful sea views, rolling pastures, and a great pub at the end. That pub turned out to be the Square and Compass. When we arrived it was warm and sunny, and most people were sitting on the dozens of outside tables, rocks, or just on the grass, enoying the sunshine. Oddly, a large number of chickens were strolling through the assembled patrons, but no one - drinker nor chicken - seemed to mind. There was a band playing some Beatles covers, too, though they finished shortly after we arrived. This is a proper country pub, long, low and very old wood and stone. They keep kegs of real ale and cider in a pump room here, so you order at the hatch. Check the Dinosaur Room while you're there. I won't say any more, since it deserves to be a surprise. I can't imagine a more relaxed, laid-back, country pub. The only downside was that although we'd planned to take a local bus back to Swanage, where our car was parked, those services don't run on Sundays. The day was so nice we decided to walk back anyway (along the road, though, a much shorter trip than the coastal path). EDIT: I was back again today, and despite the weather being crap - or maybe because of it - this pub was even better. We walked down to the ocean, to watch the surf pound the cliffs by the old quarry. We wedged into one of the tiny rooms and ate pasties and drank Ringwood ale. We gazed in wonder at the bizarre little fossil-and-beach-item museum at the back.

This cute place along the river deserves a visit. If it is a beautiful sunny day you can sit…read moreoutside and enjoy the river however the setting inside is delightful too and quite spacious. The choice of menu is limited but it tastes delicious. Staff here was friendly and attentive.

Come here for the location, for the table by the water in June. Even during the earlier months…read morethis is Southern living at its best. Good burgers and chips, and service is always splendid. Order at the counter, pay and your food is brought to you. Absolutely no take outs, so don't promise your colleague who stayed behind in the office that you'll bring him something. Street parking is fairly easy, parking in front of the restaurant is hit or miss. This place is a little farther South East of Poole than I would like. A quick drive out for lunch is worth it if you're done trying the restaurants in Pool Harbour.

This place is a little gem, well worth the detour from Tiverton if you are passing through Devon or…read moreSomerset. The staff were really friendly and welcoming when we arrived and encouraged us to try some locally sourced ciders and gin. There were three menu options - a la carte, an extensive specials menu and a set three course weekend lunch. The food has a fine dining feel in a relaxed, casual setting. The duck two ways was a real highlight.

The UK is literally littered with country pubs, and in many cases it's sad to say, but…read moreappropriately phrased perhaps, that what they serve up as food is pretty rubbish. The phrase 'home cooked' seems to have been superceded my the concept of 'van delivered' all too often. Thankfully that's not the case at the Five Bells in Clyst Hydon. It's one of the very first places I visited when I moved to Devon many years ago, as a friend recommended it, and I've been returning ever since. It's the kind of place you turn to where you just know you won't be disappointed, a foodies rock in an otherwise tempestuous chain pub ocean. The pub's one many awards over the years, so I won't go on about how tasty the food is, but I will say that one of the nice things I've always liked about it is that they are still experimenting. Sure you can get your english staples there like steak & kidney pudding, game pate, treacle pudding, etc., but also other treats such as mediterranean tarts. The chef here is one of those increasingly rare beasts, someone who really knows what to buy and how to cook it. It's not some kind of reinvented gastro pub either - it's just a good pub with good food - why is that so hard to manage anymore? I should say they also stock a fine range of drinks, including the Otter beers, once of Devon's best breweries. Then there's the location and the pub itself. Buried deep in the heart of Devon, near some great woods (with some interesting mushrooms to hunt), wonderful gardens outside and an interior that just seems to keep on going, full of nooks and crannies, games to play, old books to read and much more. I once took a friend and his (very small) three girls for lunch there and the owners and staff didn't blink an eye. Sure they made sure we were tucked around the corner a bit but the girls didn't mind and all loved the food! If that isn't enough to tempt you then how about the fact that Clyst Hydon itself has it's very own lido just round the corner from the pub? Just check the Google map and you'll see it just next door. All in all this place is a gem. A little hard to find perhaps but if you can find it, then you deserve it. P.S. There's a two course lunch menu at £7.95 available from Monday - Thursday and Saturday. This is my favourite as I never know what I'm getting till I turn up at the pub.

On August 31st, my family and I were on a tour with a wonderful guide (Jill Pretorius of Windsor…read moreDay Tours)... We had already walked all over Winchester, we were on our way to Stonehenge, we were excited and hungry, but also jet lagged and exhausted! Jill brought us to The White Lion joking that, being only 400 years old, it was practically a brand new pub! We came in (mind your head), and were immediately sat down at a big, groaning, family table! Water was served, beers and ciders followed, and then meat pies and fish and chips were ordered all around! This meal was absolutely delicious in the way that only homemade country pub food can be. The cider selection was excellent, and we left refreshed, happy, and ready to take on the rest of our day (mind you, we ALL passed out cold in the van after Stonehenge and on the way back to our hotel)! Thank you so much to the ladies of The White Lion Inn & Pub for your extremely warm hospitality!! Much love! I hope to make it back one day!

We stopped by for lunch on a Saturday and were really glad we did. The Ploughman's lunch was the…read morebest I have ever had! The staff were attentive, friendly and efficient and we had a nice conversation with the owner. This is definitely a place worth a visit.

The most wonderful pub for our family meal on the way home from a day out!…read more The staff were incredible, everything was clean and the decor is wonderful! Such a lovely setting! The menu was spot on, our young boys were welcomed and the garden was lovely too for them to have a bit of a run out before dinner. WE WILL BE BACK!

Really can't fault this pub. The welcome is warm, the service is right up there with the best…read moreyou'll find in a gastro pub and the food is superb and well presented. The menu is fantastic and it makes choosing very difficult. The gravy that came with my Garlic & Chive Pork Sausages and mash was the best I'd ever tasted. The local brew (Harveys Best Bitter from Lewes) was an excellent pint.

We stop by at this pub on Tuesdays and Thursday nights quite often, and a few pints and the chesse…read moreon chips are so welcome to the palett

If you expect a cosy place beside the water, then this is not for you. I like it as it has…read moreretained it's character of being the 'Bakery', you can imagine the bread being put into the ovens, which are open. Sat at a old wheel which had been turned into a table. Loads of seating area inside & outside, they have made one half as the bar area & the other half as dining. Celebrated the 1st year of being open on Sat past. £10.90 for a vodka & soda, vodka & diet coke, Bacardi & lemonade.

Fabulous waterside bar & restaurant with huge outside seating area overlooking the harbour and a…read morefantastically renovated industrial shabby chic interior

This used to be a bit run down, but now has been thoroughly modernised into an excellent gastropub,…read morewith excellent food and service. I was taken there by a customer of mine for a quick lunch , but there is clearly a full restaurant menu as well as lunchtime bar food. I had (on his recommendation) a Peking duck tortilla wrap with spring onions and hoisin sauce, came with chips and salad. Delicious. A good pint of Ringwood bitter washed it down. Staff were polite and attentive, nothing too much trouble. The pub is tastefully fitted out, if rather a mixture of old and new. It was fairly quiet when we called, but it really does deserve more custom. Highly recommended. Edit 5/10/11 Had another lunch here, still excellent and very recommendable

This is my third time here...this time with my wife and two visiting friends…read more You book for indoors but can choose to sit outdoors...you go in having chosen your outdoor table number... The hours are short - booking is necessary especially on summer days / evenings...the view is spectacular...but if you don't like chickens running around free, then its not for you The menu is not large but you get good-sized portions...I can recommend the sausages and the lamb Parking yes you can, just, but if not, come out, go left then right...there's the village hall and another area just before there on the left Good reception, good service, good food, reasonable prices We will definitely return

Had a lovely lunch here mid-week…read more Enter the old pub, that has a real community feel - locals at the bar and some hand-carved walking sticks for sale against the wall. A good selection of real ale, sets off the old beams and friendly land lady. Moving with pint in had to the large garden overlooking the south downs way (see photos) we soon had steaming masses of food arriving. My lamb with apricots and apples was sumptuous. The liver and bacon my sister had was adequate, but the fish pie was a real winner, salmon, prawns, white fish in a creamy mash. Mmmmm. By the piles of benches stacked against a barn it looks like it gets very busy in the summertime - and according to some locals it "isn't as good as it was before it was discovered" but all in all a great lunch and think it is a great find. Heartily recommend, hope some other Qypers can discover it too.

Expansive special menu for Gluten Free with top draw treatment by staff to ensure allergy is taken…read moreseriously. Very impressed with how they handled it all. Food was beyond delicious. Staff was very attentive and friendly. A nice atmosphere.

OK, so it's a chain, and it's a formula, albeit a quite attractive confection. Cosy Club is a…read morewelcome addition to scoffing options in central Bournemouth now that the Print Room is gone. The quirky decor, though faux, is appealing if you like chandeliers, Victoriana (likely from China), and stuffed stag heads. Music is a quite loud speakeasy playlist. Lots of menu options, from tapas to burgers with a gastro pub range of mains. Nice cocktail list too, and they have a gluten free menu - though sadly, as everywhere else, the only gf pudding is sorbet. Service seems fine, and they serve meals all day from 9am to 10pm, and breakfast is served til 6pm! There are a lot of stairs, though there's a lift to the first floor to get you started. The main restaurant is only open Fri, Sat, Sun in winter, but you can eat in the first floor cafe/bar the rest of the time. There is a third floor dining area with terrace for summer, which we did not explore in January! The food is very serviceable if not exactly a gastronomic experience. We had excellent game stew, with lots of chunky pheasant, venison and rabbit. The promised root vegetables in the stew were a bit few and far between, but it came with champ (mash and spring onion), and was gluten free. Dessert was chocolate croissant bread and butter pud, with fine vanilla custard (for me) and (good quality) mango and blackcurrant sorbets for my GF partner. A rum based espresso martini to finish. So dinner with two courses, and drinks was fifty quid for two, which is pretty reasonable. So, definitely will be back, and we recommend it.