Where to eat along the Jurassic Coast during National Walking Month
Published 18 May 2026

Behind its sunshine-yellow frontage at the top end of the High Street, Alleria brings real Italian verismo to the business of constructing pizzas that you won't forget in a hurry. Paper-thin in the centre, with risen, puffy, blackened perimeters, they are daubed with fantastic San Marzano passata, creamy mozzarella, and whatever else you can handle. We tried the Dude, a hulking convocation of 'nduja, diced chorizo, pungent Gorgonzola and searing red chilli under an enormous clump of rocket. Heaven. Or try the Vivaldi, with ham, artichokes, mushrooms and olives. Nibble a few marinated anchovies while you wait, and round off with tiramisu or affogato. A tiny drinks list includes a more than passable IGT red from Campania.

Weymouth’s harbourside is suddenly looking a tastier proposition these days – thanks in part to this ambitious set-up. The restaurant is in a traditional quayside building above a working fishmonger called Weyfish, with a solid spiral staircase leading up to an impressively clean-lined, modern yet atmospheric space with an open kitchen and high-raftered ceiling.

The kitchen itself is now run by chef-patron Ben Champkin (whose CV includes a stint as sous-chef at L’Enclume), who is shoring up Catch’s reputation for ‘locally sourced, amazingly creative seafood’. Visitors are quick to give a wholehearted thumbs-up to his supplies of fresh fish (some coming from the boats moored directly outside) and the consignments of locally reared meat from named suppliers that feature on the tasting menus. To start, there might be citrus-cured monkfish with yoghurt or braised squid croquettes dressed with pork fat (the cephalopods caught by a certain Kelvin Moore in his boat Rampant, WH148). A serving of dark wholemeal sourdough could usher in potted crab with hollandaise and broth or Bay prawns with celeriac and whey, although the centrepiece (aka ‘The Catch’) is always something ‘freshly landed, local, seasonal and tidal’ – depending on the boats.

A refreshing sweet-savoury pre-dessert might feature golden beetroot sorbet paired with orange sherbet, before a full-blown confection such as baked dark chocolate with sourdough ice cream brings the curtain down. Service earns special praise from readers, who rightly appreciate the team of hard-working staff – ‘they should be very proud of themselves,’ noted one fan. Shorter menus are also available at lunchtime and early evenings, while the sharp list of European and English wines offers great value from around £30.

‘The freshest of fish and the funkiest of food combined with the friendliest of folk,’ enthused a reporter – although the prospect of chilling under cover, with the bracing expanses of Chesil Beach stretching out in the distance, is also an irresistible draw for visitors to this cheery wooden shack. Oysters from the owners’ beds are always in demand, although Portland brown crabs are the undoubted stars of the show. Otherwise, the menu is driven by the sustainable haul from the West Country boats – perhaps whole plaice with anchovy butter and Somerset cider onions or hake fillet with cashew pesto and truffle-scented mushrooms. Kids have fish and chips, ‘simply floured, buttered and baked’. Expect crowds, whatever the weather. 

Getting to Glebe House is an adventure in its own right. A series of narrowing country lanes leads north from Seaton, diving about patchwork fields and rummaging through copses, before the house itself materialises – a whitewashed Georgian pile poised high on a grassy slope, set within 15 acres of grounds. Interiors are a study in contemporary country house cool (grandfather clocks and kilim rugs, Welsh dressers and colourful objets d’art), creating a place that is eclectic, eccentric and full of fun.

That spirit extends to the kitchen too – a small and faintly domestic space, where guests can perch on a long rustic table and watch Italian techniques being applied to Devon produce (much of it sourced from the kitchen garden). Head chef David Knapman's late-summer set menu began with antipasti of Glebe salumi with sublimely gooey Vacchino cheese, before segueing into a wonderful zesty octopus terrine doused in sauce vierge, served alongside a salad of beets, figs and blackberries. The faintest West Country accent was detectable in a pasta dish of ricotta and Ticklemore cheese agnolotti, though the kitchen saved the best for last in the form of guinea fowl with sweetcorn and girolles, lathered in sherry and tarragon sauce.

'Dolce' might include tarta di riso (Italian rice cake) with poached rhubarb and yoghurt ice cream or an innovative take on a historic ‘Exeter pudding’ (layers of financier, lemon curd and berries), while an Italian-leaning wine list kicks off with bottles from around £30. Glebe House also offers a range of characterful accommodation – both in the main house and in a cabin in the grounds – for those who would rather postpone their return journey along those narrow country lanes.

Picture the scene: a lovely sunny day and a delightful lunch by the sea, complete with a gorgeous panoramic prospect of Dorset’s cliffs and headlands beyond. In fine weather, diners head for the covered marquee, before dipping into the ever-changing menu of fresh, flavoursome local seafood. Breakfast and lunch are the main events, with staples such as crab sandwiches or Newlyn hake and chips competing with specials from the day’s catch – perhaps grilled megrim sole with samphire, crayfish and blackened cauliflower purée or halibut in tomato jus with edamame beans. For afters, nothing beats a creamy lemon posset with heady notes of citrus. Enthusiastic local staff stay focused – even when the place is packed. Decent drinks too.

True to its name, this shoreside villa commands a sublime panorama from a bluff overlooking Chesil Beach – on a clear day, you can see Portland cliffs and Devon estuaries from its terrace, and you can hear the tide raking away at the shingle below. A maritime mood defines the dining room too: a classically done-out space full of crisp linen that flutters in the salty breeze, with pictures of sailing ships adorning whitewashed walls. 

Seafood (of course) primarily reels in the diners. Many open their meal slurping on Portland pearl oysters, dressed with soy, ginger and coriander. Indeed, the kitchen has been hailed for 'simple food done so well', something evident in our starter of grilled sardines, confit tomatoes and aïoli. Mains might see more intricate constructions. The undisputed highlight of our visit was a rich Sicilian-style fish stew, whose fathoms yielded generous chunks of lobster, prawns and sea bass, though a dish of sublimely flaky John Dory, balanced atop green beans was a close second.

The dessert selection sang with summery flavours from blackcurrant sorbet to raspberry and almond tart with clotted cream – though there’s much to be said for a winter visit, when inbound storms rattle the window panes and all is cosy within. France claims pole position on the fairly priced wine list. There are also nine bedrooms for those who can’t bear to part with this most beautiful of coastal views.

Just across the water from big-money Sandbanks, this is quite a location – with unbeatable panoramic views of Poole Harbour and Brownsea Island to boot. By contrast, Shell Bay itself looks a bit like a seafood shack that has seen better days – but don’t let the picket-style fences, canvas awnings, technicolour pub tables and bright metal garden chairs put you off. A troupe of smiley, buzzy, dressed-down staff keep things moving along at a pace, and the food passes muster – even if the bill is several notches up from your average high-speed seaside café (mind you, those fabulous vistas are almost worth the price of admission). Not surprisingly, seafood figures prominently on the wide-ranging menu, from Poole Bay oysters with shallot vinegar or clean-cut cured salmon with fennel and apple salad to whole local crab and various offerings ‘from the wood oven’ – perhaps sea bass, Galician-style octopus or skate wing (perked up by a side order of sweet, nutty roasted Jerusalem artichokes with truffle and Parmesan). Otherwise, the kitchen goes walkabout for the likes of red lentil kofta with quinoa tabbouleh or a duo of lamb with Puy lentils, cavolo nero, pomegranate jus and smoked almond brittle. To finish, a light, creamy coffee crème brûlée was the top pick from a mixed bag of international desserts at inspection. The wine list is designed for mass-market appeal, with prices from £24.50. Note that Shell Bay is closed for most of the winter months, so check before travelling.  

At first glance, Soulshine is a humble café – a cluster of bar stools fronting a silver espresso machine, with a selection of cakes placed on the bar. Follow a corridor, however, and you enter a semi-secret dining room – a bohemian space with a profusion of potted plants, artworks and lots of primary colours. Locals drop by to plunder a similarly colourful small-plates menu four evenings a week. The kitchen lets ‘truly locally sourced ingredients’ speak for themselves: moreish Baron Bigod brie with salted walnuts and a drizzle of Devon honey, for example, or Dorset venison, pork and sloe salami with cornichons. There’s also plenty of imagination at play in tightly choreographed medleys such as peach with whipped ricotta, pickled onion and almonds or beetroot with barley, black garlic and hazelnuts. Puddings include simple, satisfying offerings such as a spiced apple tart or affogato with locally roasted Goose & Badger coffee. Also look out for set-menu supper clubs, winning breakfasts, and special events including ’a special sausage festival’. A succinct but eclectic wine list seals the deal. 

Ultra-dependable and much-loved locally, this bakery-café is as busy and buzzy at breakfast as it is for lunch but folk are more than happy to queue (they don't take bookings). All eyes are on the open-plan kitchen, where the team serves up an all-day menu full of good things – from sourdough pancakes with maple syrup and sublime Turkish eggs to lunchtime sandwiches (perhaps slow-roasted beef brisket), toasties (chicken, bacon and smoked cheese, say) and curries. Be warned: their sourdough breads sell out very quickly (pre-order for collection). Children and dogs are made very welcome.