Hive Beach Café
Burton Bradstock, Dorset
It would be hard to imagine a more stirring location: perched right where the tides rake the pebbles of the Jurassic Coast, commanding a panoramic prospect across the cliffs and headlands of Devon and Dorset. At first glance, Hive Beach is a rudimentary operation, with a basic hut housing a kitchen, and diners perched on garden furniture under a marquee (whose canvas flaps noisily in the onshore breeze). Simple it may seem but this café is a notch or two above other seafood joints on this holiday coastline. The tightly focused menu eschews starters but has an insistence on what is fresh, flavoursome and fun. Our inspection took in a sublimely flaky skate wing, sitting atop a mound of new potatoes, chorizo and wild mushrooms, plus a dollop of salmon and dill mayo; alternatively, you might opt for whole lemon sole with paprika-roasted chickpeas, wood-fired pepper, braised samphire and leeks. For anyone in a rush to get back to their deckchair, there’s more straightforward fare including a Portland white and brown crab sandwich or tempura-battered Atlantic hake and chips (both also feature on a separate takeaway menu). Desserts, meanwhile, offer a rousing finale: try the Lotus Biscoff cheesecake or bramble Eton mess. To drink, check out the selection of Hive-branded beers and gins, as well as the short, French-dominated wine list, which starts at £6.50 a glass.
Dining Information:
Outdoor dining, Wheelchair access, Parking, Family friendly, Dog friendly
Beach Road, Burton Bradstock, Dorset DT6 4RF
01308 897070
