Latest reviews from Dorchester
| 70 /100 8 COPPER STREET “Brewery/taproom/shop based in a modern unit of the Brewery Square development close to the centre of town. They were pouring four beers on gravity cask on my visit recently, three of the brewery's own plus a guest beer. They sell cans and bottles from a few breweries / cideries to take away, bizarrely there was a huge selection of Leigh on Sea Brewery beers on the shelves. Friendly owners.“ |
| 78 /100 CORN EXCHANGE, HIGH EAST STREET “Traditional beer festival held in the Corn Exchange in the centre of town. Around 80 cask beers available plus 15 or so ciders. A nice mix of local breweries with a sprinkling of beers from further afield. No keg bar, which is a bit disappointing but it was suggested to me that the local CAMRA committee are somewhat behind the times“ |
| 60 /100 Royal Oak (JDW) (Bar) 20 HIGH WEST STREET “Visited Feb 2023. A typically busy Spoons. Not memorable. Beer was average. Probably won't go back.“ |
| 64 /100 Goldies (Marstons) (Bar) 36 HIGH EAST STREET “Visited Feb 2023. Wasn't busy. Beer was OK, nothing too exciting available from Marstons / Ringwood etc.“ |
| 64 /100 Tom Browns (Dorset) (Bar) 47 HIGH EAST STREET “Nice enough pub with a reasonably boring selection of beer. Not the friendliest of service either.
Update one year on. Another visit, the beer selection was more interesting and the welcome was a bit friendlier. Rating updated.“ |
| 80 /100 1 TRINITY HOUSE, TRINITY STREET “Best place I found in this charming town. It was buzzing on the Friday of the CAMRA Beer Festival in Feb. Decent selection on cask & keg plus proper cider available. Nice atmosphere, friendly service.“ |
| 64 /100 17 WEYMOUTH AVENUE “Nice place on brewery square. Three of their own beers on tap. Free wifi.“ |
| 58 /100 Royal Oak (JDW) (Bar) 20 HIGH WEST STREET “Typical Spoons with free WiFi. 4 guest hand pulls.“ |
| 72 /100 8 COPPER STREET “Nice small cosy place selling a decent selection of bottled and canned beers of their own and guest breweries. Prices start at 2.75 for a 50cl bottle of their own beer. The guy brews here as well. There are taps but I was before tap hours.“ |
| 72 /100 8 COPPER STREET “Visited October 2021 on our way to the Brewhouse & Kitchen - two brewery visits within 2 minutes, as they're literally just around the corner from each other! Copper Street is incongruously situated in a very modern plate glass-fronted shop unit around the back of the appropriately-named Brewery Square shopping development. Inside, everything's very sterile, all steel and white paint - it feels more like a science lab than a brewery. Most of the unit is taken up by the brew kit at the rear. However, on the left there's a decent range of take out bottles and cans (several local breweries in addition to Copper Street, plus an interesting selection of UK-wide craft and a smattering of foreign stuff, all sorted by style). The prices are pretty reasonable. On the right is the tiny bar - just a small free-standing counter with three taps serving Copper Street beers and half a dozen bar stools. All the stools were taken; it seemed very friendly and despite the sterile appearance, seemed to have the micropub vibe of everyone chatting to everyone else (however, I just wanted take out cans this time). The brewer was a very friendly chap, and came straight over to see if he could help us choose from the can range, and then chatted to us for a while before returning to his regulars. Overall it feels a very strange place due to the premises - it feels desperately in need of a railway arch to give the proper brewery look. However it's friendly and has a good selection and I'd definitely return if I was in the area.“ |
| 76 /100 1 TRINITY HOUSE, TRINITY STREET “Reviewed during lockdown release phase 2, indoors allowed, social distancing. This is convivial indeed, it's down an alley with a Trinity House sign at the entrance. It's a converted printworks with a low flat roof, there are tables and seating in the passageway, plus a garden to the rear. Inside is friendly and chatty with a pleasant atmosphere. 4 well chosen cask beers from far and wide, all well served. This is the must visit pub in Dorchester now.“ |
| 60 /100 8 COPPER STREET “Reviewed during lockdown release phase 2, indoors allowed, social distancing. This is more bottle-shop than brewery tap I would suggest but there was 2 beers available from cask with a couple of stools near the window. The tap is opposite the railway station in the same out of town, smart shopping and restaurant area that the Brewhouse & Kitchen is in. You can see the brewing equipment through the back and everything was running on my visit.“ |
| 66 /100 17 WEYMOUTH AVENUE “Spacious pub next to the Brewery Square development, the old Eldridge Pope brewery. Dorchester South railway station is next door to the pub. A large area is reserved for diners but lots of room in the pub itself, and there is nice outside space too, with a few miniature beach huts out the back. The usual array of site brewed beers, nothing too inspiring but always good for new ticks.“ |
| 66 /100 Blue Raddle (Bar) 9 CHURCH STREET “A traditional pub with a friendly ambience on the edge of the town centre. Five cask beers plus a couple of real ciders on handpull and keg. Not a particularly interesting selection, I sampled a half of Dark Star Hophead which was on form & beautifully kept“ |
| 68 /100 17 WEYMOUTH AVENUE “Nice place by the Brewery Square in Dorchester. As always this is a good place to get local ticks. Nine new beers for me here which was very good.“ |
| 66 /100 17 WEYMOUTH AVENUE “Visited 14/7/2019. Large comfortable B&K. Decent beer selection and service. Nice outside patio garden. Enjoyable visit.“ |
| 64 /100 17 WEYMOUTH AVENUE “A pub I have visited on a few occasions. As Scopey mentioned, I have found this a lot busier than its competitors. Located on the edge of the redeveloped Eldridge Pope brewery site in a pleasant building. Beer range was fairly standard, although a couple of specials were offered. Prices were high at over £4 a pint, and service acceptable. Worth a visit if in the area.“ |
| 56 /100 Royal Oak (JDW) (Bar) 20 HIGH WEST STREET “A JDW that was solid without being particularly memorable. Elgoods guest beer was reasonable and service friendly enough. Fine.“ |
| 60 /100 Tom Browns (Dorset) (Bar) 47 HIGH EAST STREET “A pub in the old town centre, which offers Dorset beers. The only stand out here was the service, which was attentive, well-informed and efficient.“ |
| 68 /100 Blue Raddle (Bar) 9 CHURCH STREET “We swung past the Blue Raddle on a Sunday evening after dinner. It keeps rather "interesting hours" and closes between 3pm & 7pm, so watch out for that. As Glen mentions there is a unusual sheep theme going on inside. Although it is centrally located it has a nice local feel to it. They have about 5/6 cask ales/ciders on draught. The beers were pretty much all golden blondes so after a couple we had a cheeky cider. Focus is on local beverages. A nice pub to spend some time in with friendly locals and staff, but don’t expect terribly exciting beers.“ |
| 66 /100 17 WEYMOUTH AVENUE “The Dorchester outpost of the BrewHouse & Kitchen chain is located in the new development around the old Eldridge Pope brewery. We visited on a Sunday night for food and drinks and were impressed to find it pretty busy, unlike the other venues in town! Inside is quite large and the Interior is modern-style, exactly like their other bars. They had about 8/10 of their own beers on draught (cask & keg) as well as a range of guests beers and ciders. You can order flights of thirds which can help you tackle the range. I have to admit that I find their house beers a bit underwhelming. Sunday roast was actually pretty tasty and made the visit worthwhile. One of the best venues in town, but I wish the beer was more exciting!“ |
| 62 /100 Royal Oak (JDW) (Bar) 20 HIGH WEST STREET “The Royal Oak is centrally located on the high street in Dorchester. The pub is housed in a pretty nice looking 18/19th century building. It is actually rather large inside and spread across many rooms. Interior is pretty standard spoons décor, but perhaps a bit nicer that the norm. Selection as you can expect from Wetherspoons is pretty decent with 8 cask ales on offer, as well as a solid bottle selection. Cask stuff had a strong Dorset focus. Worth a quick stop if you are in town.“ |
| 68 /100 17 WEYMOUTH AVENUE “Visited for lunch on Wednesday 28/10/15.
Located opposite the thriving market, the Brewhouse and Kitchen is a 6 or 7 minute stroll from the town centre.
Modern style brewpub affair with high and low seating and a roughly L-shaped layout. There are also some patio seats/tables outside.
8 of their own brews on offer ... All in decent nick .. nothing ground breaking but also no duds. Got chatting to the friendly American brewer who was sampling his own beers behind the bar. The place was moderately busy with a local crowd grabbing burgers and snacks for lunch. Service was prompt and friendly and Flo doge was provided with a bowl of water.
The food was really tasty, we went for grazing type platters, good quality meat and cheese across the board.
Overall a worthwhile stop if in the Dorchester area. Plenty of ticks on offer and 3 x one third tasters available for the ticker. Overall I found the beers more interesting and enjoyable here then any of the other BH&K venues I’ve visited.“ |
| 64 /100 17 WEYMOUTH AVENUE “Stopped off for a meal with my wife & daughter when the Six Nations was on - fortunately the TVs were not too obtrusive for those eating. Open plan interior; definitely tending towards dining but relaxed enough that you wouldn’t feel out of place just having drinks. Unfortunately it was rather chilly on our visit and we couldn’t get seats around the "bonfire" table (yes, it really has got a table with a fire in the middle!). Eight of their own beers on cask (taps split into two racks, one at either end of the bar with different beers on each set) - they’ll do these as a beer flight or in individual thirds if required. They do have some unusual brews as specials (including a schwarzbier and a 10% barley wine on my visit) but unfortunately the cask beer condition was decidedly average. A smattering of fairly standard craft kegs and bottles, and a mix of continental lagers complete the beers. Service was mixed - the bar staff seemed particularly dopey, whilst the waiting staff by comparison were friendly, chatty & helpful. The food was pretty decent in a modern brewpub gourmet burgers/hot dogs kind of way. Enjoyed my "dirty" dog anyway. Prices seemed quite reasonable for both food and their own beers. Overall I would go back if I was in the area - but I would wear warmer clothes!“ |
| 68 /100 17 WEYMOUTH AVENUE “Part of the new development based around the old Eldridge Pope Brewery area near Dorchester South Railway Station. Open plan in the modern way, comfortable. The brewery kit is just inside the front door. The number of the building is confusing as this leads to an Estate Agents. Well worth a visit even if their own brews aren’t very exciting.“ |
| 64 /100 Goldies (Marstons) (Bar) 36 HIGH EAST STREET “There is a calm, relaxing atmosphere in this small, dual roomed pub just off the town centre. Ostensibly a Marstons house and most of the offerings are from their stable but there are a few guest beers. A pleasant place to go.“ |
| 48 /100 Tom Browns (Dorset) (Bar) 47 HIGH EAST STREET “I had missed out on going here many years ago when it had a great reputation, I did manage to get in here this time and was a little disappointed. There was very little atmosphere on our visit, it does have a traditional feel, bare wood, floorboards throughout. Most of the beers are from the Dorset Brewing Co range but with an additional guest.“ |
| 70 /100 Blue Raddle (Bar) 9 CHURCH STREET “Friendly, idiosynchratic local just off the centre of town. There is a bit of a sheep theme going on throughout the pub. There is a pleasant banter, good service and very good simple food. The furnishing is simple and comfortable. A very likeable place.“ |
| 42 /100 Royal Oak (JDW) (Bar) 20 HIGH WEST STREET “Large, town centre Wetherspoons, quite dark, gloomy with dimly lit alcoves. One bar girl gradually coping on her own, despite the incessant coffee orders. The outside seating area is pleasant enough though. Typicall of its type.“ |
| 32 /100 Tom Browns (Dorset) (Bar) 47 HIGH EAST STREET “Once a splendid little pub now ruined by poor management. Beer selection good but don’t expect to be made welcome.“ |
| 58 /100 Tom Browns (Dorset) (Bar) 47 HIGH EAST STREET “Cozy little pub with a few stools and some tables. There was even a bar-dog and some regulars with two great danes. 4 casks and 6 beers on tap and some spirits and a cider as well. Very friendly bar-man and regulars. Goldfinch beers as two of the casked ones.“ |
