The Top 5 Places to Eat in and Around Shaftesbury
For a small hilltop town, Shaftesbury punches well above its weight when it comes to food. Within a few minutes you can go from a cosy café at the top of Gold Hill to proper fine dining, and a short drive out into the countryside opens up some of the best pubs and restaurants in the region. Here are five of our favourites, in and around the town.
1. The Salt Cellar — the best view in town
Perched at the top of Gold Hill, The Salt Cellar is the perfect spot for breakfast, brunch, lunch or a slice of homemade cake, with a terrace looking straight down the famous cobbled street and across the Blackmore Vale. The food is fresh, generous and locally sourced, think hearty paninis, salads, homemade pies and daily specials, and it is dog friendly inside and out. If you only stop once in Shaftesbury, make it here.
2. La Fleur de Lys — relaxed fine dining
A restaurant with rooms in the heart of town, La Fleur de Lys is Shaftesbury’s go-to for a special occasion. Expect accomplished, seasonal cooking, an extensive wine list and warm, unstuffy service. It is ideal for a long lunch or a celebratory dinner, and because it is also a lovely place to stay, you need not go far afterwards.
3. The Grosvenor Arms — all-day town favourite
Right on the High Street, The Grosvenor Arms is a stylish, buzzy boutique hotel and restaurant that is open all day. Menus lean modern British with an emphasis on local, wild and organic produce, and there are wood-fired pizzas from the courtyard oven if you want something more relaxed. Coffee in the conservatory, a pizza in the sunshine or a full three courses, it does the lot.
4. The Beckford Arms — a country pub worth the drive
About 15 minutes from Shaftesbury on the edge of the Fonthill Estate, The Beckford Arms is everything a country pub should be: roaring fires, cosy corners, a dog-friendly bar and a lovely garden terrace for warmer days. The food is confident and seasonal, and it is a wonderful place to stay the night too. Pair it with a visit to nearby Old Wardour Castle for a perfect day out.
5. Lore of the Sky — barbecue with a view
The newest name on the list, Lore of the Sky is Guy Ritchie’s Texas-style smokehouse at Compton Abbas Airfield, high on the downs about ten minutes from town. It runs one of the only J&R Oyler smokers in the country, turning out proper low-and-slow barbecue, and you get grandstand views over the Blackmore Vale and the grass runway while you eat. Great fun, and genuinely good food.
Tip: the town’s best tables get busy at weekends and in summer, so book ahead where you can, especially for dinner and Sunday lunch.
Where to stay
Several of our picks are also lovely places to stay, so you can eat well and simply head upstairs. Plan the rest of your trip with our guide to days out within 20 minutes of Shaftesbury, or browse all our favourite places to stay on the where to stay page. A few are below.
