Not only a place to find the most delicious and well-cooked food, restaurants in this category were judged on everything from the décor, the service, the food, the wine list to those little finishing touches that make dining such a pleasure.
Sponsored by Farrow & Ball
Winner: Brassica Restaurant, Beaminster
Opened last autumn in Beaminster town square, Brassica is headed up by the award-winning chef Cass Titcombe and his wife, Louise Chidgey. All the produce is seasonal and sourced locally wherever possible, and many dishes are Italian inspired. Our readers were impressed by thoughtful vegetarian options and the fact that the menu changed daily so there was always something new to try.
Highly Commended: Al Molo, Weymouth
Situated at Weymouth’s beautiful art deco Pier Bandstand, Al Molo is a fine dining Italian restaurant opened by Tim Newton and his partner Giuseppe Vannucci earlier this year. Head Chef, Giuseppe grew up in the Emilia Romagna region, an area of northern Italy renowned for its fresh pasta, Parma ham and Parmigiano Reggiano. It is this region’s cuisine, along with sourcing local ingredients, that provides the inspiration for Al Molo’s menu
Highly Commended: No 9 Restaurant, Wimborne Minster
Greg Etheridge, head chef of this popular Wimborne restaurant with rooms, won our coveted Chef of the Year award last year. Greg uses the best local ingredients he can find and then works his magic, turning them into modern classics with skill and flare. Dishes mentioned included the famous plancha-seared Chateaubriand for sharing, and a cheesecake-stuffed summer pudding.
