No 1. Portland & West Dorset

Penny Hopkins hunts out some special places to eat, whilst hiking the shores of Portland

Portland has an excellent, well equipped marina set amidst the stunning scenery of Dorset’s Jurassic coast. If you haven't visited yet, why not plan a trip leaving enough time to sample the excellent cafes and restaurants in the area.

We’ll start at Portland Marina itself, as the newly opened Harbour Lights waterfront bar & restaurant is here. Nigel & Ysanne Williams are serving quality, locally sourced fish and meat with weekly guest beers and a decent range of wine. A good choice of smaller dishes for lunch, like their Blue Cheese Stack (field mushroom with melted blue cheese on ciabatta) and daily specials, in pies, sausages and pasta and local fish of the day in cider batter.

Open from 10am for breakfast every day. The young chef makes a good eggs Benedict. 

 + great views, quality food       

- not open early enough for some, only filter coffee ☹     

                                
                      Tel 01305 823000                              www.harbourlights.co                            

Most popular plate – the daily catch fish & chips and the homemade burger.  

PH choice – the panaché of fish with a glass of Pinot Grigio Rosé, Mannara – perfect when the sun’s out

panaché of fish

If you want to stretch your legs, or are hunting out an early breakfast, head south to the Blue Fish, (about 15 min walk) a well established, popular fish restaurant run by chef/owner Luciano Da Silva who offers a good breakfast from 9, but do come back and try the local scallops if you can, on the sunny terrace with a chilled glass to hand. Great homemade burgers, steaks and bangers & mash for the carnivores. Local, sustainable produce, hands-on chef who knows what he’s doing.  
15 min walk

+ skilled cooking, great price range, very popular

- shut on Mon & Tues, complicated opening hours

                Tel 01305 822991 for opening times www.thebluefishrestaurant.com

Most popular plate moules, frites & glass of wine for £12
PH choice – tricky, depends what’s on the board…….wine – inspired Marlborough of the day!

The Area

  Luciano doing a scallop demo at Fish & Ships 14 at Portland this April

                              

The coastal path from Abbotsbury to Hive Beach

                                                    

So, the sun is out and you know the sea will be blue if you could just peep over the mound of pebbles that is Chesil Beach, so head north along the causeway to the Chesil Wildlife Centre, a well designed stone and glass building, where Todd & Louise Moffat are running Taste. A great little cafe with views to the rise of Chesil Beach and back towards the Fleet. School children ebb and flow during the day and the cafe serves breakfast, brunch, lunch and afternoon tea, and you are welcome for just a tea or latte – which is very good and comes from Clifton Coffee. Lots of special events, tapas, pudding nights, held monthly. No reservations.
 22 min walk

 +  great spot/ stop off walkers & cyclists, good for the kids  

 -  doesn’t open till 10

                 Tel 01305 206196                               www.tasterestaurant.co.uk

Most popular dish – anything with the local crab – from sandwiches to fritters, but it has to be Portland!

Ok, this is a lot of chat about food, so how about putting on those trainers that are hidden in the locker next to the beer?  Portland has 2 prisons, a quarry, and the famous lighthouse at its furthest point and a wild 9+ mile circular walk, pick up a map at the marina and make sure you time the walk to coincide with lunch or tea at the Jailhouse Café situated on your left as you climb up the eastern slopes (signed) Go through the impressive tunnel leading to HMP The Verne and past the prison up to the top. The café has stunning views over the Jurassic coastline. Home made soups, cakes and puddings and daily specials are all prepared and served by the resident offenders of HMP/YOI Portland as part of a successful programme to reduce re-offending by teaching new, real skills; an admirable community project. 
2 miles uphill 50 mins

                Tel 01305 825186                               www.jailhousecafe.co.uk

The Crab House is a bit of an institution whose national reviews may put you off, but is a very relaxed indoor/ outdoor café serving the freshest of fish and shellfish from as close to the plate as Nigel Bloxham can manage. This unique coastline, with the 8 mile long Fleet lagoon stretching behind the big brother of Chesil Beach provides a perfect, clean nursing ground for the sweet, plump little Portland Pearl oyster which the Crab House farms, in new wooden crates, no rusty rumble on the taste buds anymore, ask Nigel to tell you more – he will ☺ Relax in the random garden, share a table with new friends, borrow one of the hats if it gets too bright and enjoy the ozone.
40 min walk or No1 bus

+ the food/ choice of local fish & tender steaks, wine list

- gets busy, can’t actually see the sea

                         Tel 01305 788867 – best to book   www.crabhousecafe.co.uk

PH  Italian oysters with pesto and parmesan and fresh flour dusted dabs. To drink, the Picpoul de Pinet.

Crispy Squid Balls

The Garden

     

For locals and regular visitors to Portland Marina there are some good choices for travelling further west, either by boat or bike or a mix of hike and bus taking in the South Coast Path. The car is also an option!

Why would I do that I hear you say - to visit Hive Beach Café, of course, up near Bridport, or dare I say…Broadchurch? And yes, David Tennant has been spotted recently! This wonderful café on National Trust land has grown like Topsy and is right on the beach. Serving excellent home cooked food, again, based on the bounty of the county. Mostly fish but also great cakes and very good coffee, it’s always busy
They even have their own cookbook and a deal for silver surfers on Wednesdays.  
17.3 miles – 5hrs 45

 + very good on twitter, useful info @HiveBeachCafe                            

 -  it gets very busy, the locals in the queue begged me not to write about HB

                       Tel 01308 897070                            www.hivebeachcafe.co.uk 


PH – the monkfish or langoustines, a swim and very good coffee, which they source themselves.

The View from Hive Beach Cafe

Hive Beach Cafe

Langoustine                              

Tempura Hake @HiveBeachCafe

My other favourite stop off is Downhouse Farm, walk up from West Bay if you’ve left the boat there, or come over the hill from Abbotsbury (9 mile walk – bus home) or, indeed, come by car and enjoy the stunning drive. This family of coastal, organic farmers are joyful; tending their sea swept herds of Aberdeen Angus, Badger Faced Welsh Mountain sheep and free range pork from their Large White x Duroc pigs – buy and take home.

                   Tel 01308 421232                                    www.downhousefarm.org

PH – it has to be the cream tea after hiking over from Abbotsbury 9m (from Portland 7 hrs – 21m) you’ve earned it!

Useful Travel Information:

Bus X53 runs from Weymouth to Exeter and is useful for South Coast Path walkers

Bus 1(Weymouth to Southwell) & 501 (Weymouth to Portland Bill) Portland.

Weyline Taxis 01305 777777

www.southwestcoastpath.com/jcbus

www.travelinesw.com 0871 200 22 33

www.marshwoodtrails.co.uk – electric bikes, lots of fun & good for hills - 07796 135256

www.jurassictrailscyclehire.co.uk 01305 836428

(Originally written for All at Sea)