4 Best Restaurants in The South, England

Oak-beamed ceilings, exposed stone walls, and inglenook fireplaces add to the charm of this restaurant in a 300-year-old former shepherd's cottage across the road from where Thomas Hardy went to school. It specializes in daily-changing, two- or three-course set menus featuring superior French-influenced cooking using locally sourced produce, with dishes like Portland crab cocktail on a crumpet, Maiden Castle pressed lamb with kale pesto, and sticky (meaning coated with a sticky sauce) beef brisket. There's also a Sunday lunch and afternoon tea. Eight comfortable bedrooms are available in an extension overlooking gardens or fields. Lower Bockhampton is signposted off the A35, 1½ miles east of Dorchester.

Freshness and sustainability are paramount at chef Mike Naidoo's acclaimed seafood restaurant, located in an 1855 stone building on on the water above an artisanal fishmonger. He uses line-caught fish and shellfish delivered from the fishing boats moored just outside in the four-, six- (weekdays only), and eight- (Saturday dinner only) course tasting menus, which might include dishes such as Portland crab dumpling in crab broth, barbecued lobster, and, of course, the catch of the day. On the dessert list are options such as a yogurt and elderflower sorbet.

Renowned as one of Britain's finest seafood chefs, Rick Stein chose Winchester for his first venture away from the Cornish coast. The menu is largely focused on fish and crustaceans, but carnivores and vegetarians are catered for as well. The airy room embodies tasteful nautical chic, but the restaurant's popularity means it can be noisy when busy.

Small but acclaimed, this seafood restaurant attached to a fishmonger's specializes in innovative cuisine using the freshest ingredients. Options change daily but might include dishes like roast Devon hake with chorizo or sea-cured mackerel with puffed rice and ponzu sauce. There are three set-price dinner menus, ranging from four-course (£55) to eight-course (£95), and three at lunch, starting at £25 for two courses. There are only 10 tables, so reservations are strongly recommended.