Dorchester’s Pubs
Friday, March 11th, 2011Most of us enjoy a trip to the pub from time to time. Whether it’s spending an evening at the bar catching up with old friends or having lunch out in the beer garden on a sunny day, we all have a soft spot for our local boozer.
So what makes a good pub? I’m sure everyone will have different ideas on this, and here in Dorchester we are fortunate in that we have a fantastic selection of local Dorchester pubs with a wide variety of great beers, great food and not forgetting great live music.
For a little taster of what the town has to offer, here are a few of the popular public houses…
The Blue Raddle
The Blue Raddle is a friendly and welcoming pub with a fine selection of beers and ales including Otter and Sharps, and quality ciders like Weston’s farm cider. The Raddle has also earned a reputation for delicious home-cooked food, serving everything from sandwiches to their famous wild boar stew!
With a partly panelled bar and an open fire, the Raddle has a terrific rustic pub feel. It is popular with the locals and is a thriving hub of activity on weekends.
The George
Located slap bang in the middle of Dorchester town centre, the George is a cheery pub with real ales and a lovely beer garden. They serve food daily, and in generous portions! The icing on the cake of this pub is that you can also stay here if you want to, with rooms upstairs available with bed and breakfast service.
The Old Ship Inn
The Old Ship Inn is a must for anyone looking for a traditional pub setting, as it is recognised as Dorchester’s oldest surviving pub. Don’t assume, however, that because of its age it will be dusty, quiet and decrepid, as it is one of the most popular venues in town, and is bristling with warm and vibrant atmosphere each night of the week.
The food, wine and ales are all excellent, and the pub couldn’t be better located, situated on High West Street with plenty of passing trade.
The Royal Oak
The Royal Oak is a bustling hub of activity in Dorchester at any time of the day. You can drop in at 7am in the morning to have some breakfast and take advantage of the free wi-fi, or go along in the evening to enjoy the lively, busy atmosphere and the huge selection of drinks on offer at great prices.
Tom Browns
Tom Browns is a classic pub-lover’s pub – a proper old-fashioned boozer rather than a fancy restaurant masquerading as a pub. The range of food is limited, but there is a great pub vibe and the atmosphere is a real draw.
The pub plays host to a vintage duke box and regular live music, and is open all day. Dogs and children are also welcome, provided they are all well-behaved!
