This page contains Tea rooms/ Cafes/ Public houses from the surrounding area of Dorset. All; we have visited in one way or another and they have been a great inspiration to us both. We would like to share these with you and perhaps if you visit, you might be inspired as well.

All these Tea-rooms/ Cafes/ Eating places have been visited at least once within the last 12 months.   'The Gist of the Place' is only the opinion of ourselves as paying customers; it is not our intention to perturb the custom of any said establishment on the merits of its business, merely to inform the reader of our findings.   The onus is on the reader to decide for themselves.

Country House Tea-room, Ventnor, Isle of Wight.

 Country House

The Blenheim of blue -
With windows of bubble tints,
Look at seasons sow,
Such tranquil prints.

Through three sided panes,
The sun bellows in,
We look at the menu,
It's delicate within.

A pirate's encased,
As Wendy gives view -
Under Clarences' building
Of eighteen ninety two.

Ventnor hangs bunting -
For their summer bloom,
With my latte and teacake,
We're in a pink tea room.  
 

Country House Tea-room

The Gist of the Place

Overall Impression

Good

Value for money.

Fair

Service.

Good

Locality.

Good

Accessibility

Fair

Character.

Good

Local Products.

?

Disabled Access.

No

 


 
The Tor, Glastonbury, Wiltshire.
(Heaphys' Cafe in the town centre)
 
  Glastonbury
(Legend of the Belly)

I'm in a town -
Of heartfelt trading,
Where people glow,
No society grading.

The backpackers' blue,
Near the crown of gold,
For witches and warlocks,
Their ideas are sold.

At Heaphys' café,
The town sound dips,
As I sat and ate,
Ham, egg and chips.

A portal of health,
Among pagan and hoard,
To behold a legend,
Of a man and a sword.
 
 

Heaphys' Café, Glastonbury

The Gist of the Place

Overall Impression

Good

Value for money.

Fair

Service.

Good

Locality.

Good

Accessibility

Good

Character.

Fair

Local Products.

?

Disabled Access.

?

 


 
The Red Shoot, New Forest, Hampshire.
 
  You Were Seen.

I sat in the Red Shoot,
A quaint country pub,
Where toffee nosed twerps,
Will give you a snub.

A gent stood aloft,
In a camouflage jacket,
Exclaiming to all,
That it cost him a packet.

With the fanciness of twig,
And the autumn-ness of leaf,
The streakiness of black,
Oh … it wonders belief.

As he stood at the bar,
In his olive drab green,
I found it ironic,
He could still be seen!

 

Red Shoot, New Forest, Hampshire.

The Gist of the Place

Overall Impression

Good

Value for money.

Excellent

Service.

Good

Locality.

Good

Accessibility

Good

Character.

Excellent

Local Products.

Yes

Disabled Access.

?

 

 

Seasons Restaurant and Coffee Bar

 'Seasons' is a part of a larger complex, being; The Moors Valley Country Park, a great day out with the kids. The interior of the barn is excellent for information about wildlife and generally a superb rustic place to eat and drink, whether you choose to sit indoors or out on the picnic benches.

Seasons Restaurant and Coffee Bar

The Gist of the Place

Overall Impression

Good

Value for money.

Fair

Service.

Good

Locality.

Excellent

Accessibility

Good

Character.

Excellent

Local Products.

Yes

Disabled Access.

Yes

Seasons Restaurant, Moors Valley Country Park, Ashley Heath, Ringwood.


 

The Old Police Station Café

Situated in the centre of the scenic Dartmoor National Park. This café serves plenty of taste for an old police station; this could be because of the Napoleonic prison, known as Dartmoor, towering above the landscape. Well worth the visit either to the police station for a Devon Cream Tea or the gaol.

The Old Police Station Café

The Gist of the Place

Overall Impression

Excellent

Value for money.

Good

Service.

Good

Locality.

Good

Accessibility

Good

Character.

Good

Local Products.

Yes

Disabled Access.

?

The Old Police Station Café, Tavistock Road, Princetown, Devon.