5 Best Restaurants in The South, England

With a vaulted glass roof on steel supports, this self-service cafeteria in a walled garden across from the cathedral combines contemporary style with locally sourced, freshly prepared dishes to create a refreshing stop for lunch or afternoon tea. Food is served daily until 4:30 or 5, and there are tables outside on a slate terrace for fair-weather eating.

This family-run traditional pub that dates back to the 16th century has flagstones, bare stone walls, an inglenook fireplace, an open fire in winter, and a beer garden in the summer. The homemade food leans towards the traditional, with superior versions of old favorites like fish pie. You'll also find more exotic selections like a housemade curry of the day as well as Purbeck-brand honeycomb ice cream for dessert. The inn also has 11 rooms for guests who want to stay the night.

This cozy, child-and-dog-friendly restaurant in a 17th-century building at the bottom of Lyme Regis's main street makes a great spot for a light lunch or a cream tea with views over the bay. Apart from hot drinks and sandwiches (including fresh crab), you can order more substantial dishes like homemade beef lasagna.

Whether you're in the mood for a traditional Sunday roast or a steak pie with beer gravy and a puff pastry top, this welcoming pub-restaurant with great views over the harbor specializes in a well-executed, modern approach to classic British pub fare. Service is attentive and friendly, and there's an excellent selection of beers and ales.

A 17th-century thatched-roof building with foundations made from sarsen stones, this traditional inn and pub (Dickens mentions the building in the Pickwick Papers) is a two-minute drive from the Avebury stone circles. With a beer garden that has views of Silbury Hill, it's something of a tourist hub in high season, but lunches and dinners are still excellent. Dishes include whole pan-fried sole with crayfish and coriander butter and a baked Mediterranean tart. Recent innovations include meatless burgers.