Anchor Inn Shapwick in East Dorset

Honestly this place has HANDS DOWN the BEST roast I’ve ever had. The beef is absolutely insane 10/10

Exceptionally good food. Duck confit special and salt and vinegar battered haddock mains with creme brulee desserts. Quality to price was super Service was attentive without being over bearing. Local old country feel to the bar. Highly recommend

We meet with friends on Sunday for lunch, and all went for the burgers. These were as per our other visits, amazing. We did see a few roasts go out, and questioned our choice, as these looked incredible. The staff were friendly and provided some really good banter, to make it a great atmosphere. At the end, the Landlord place a huge plate of the lovely Yorkshire pubs on the bar for anyone that wanted one for free. Our friends were extremely impressed and will most certainly be going back.

Love the fact this is owned by the villagers, and it shows. Good is really good, service is attentive and friendly and the beers are too notch and always changing. Will be frequenting more often for sure.

I went with my 8yo twins, the food was incredible , and the service was so friendly and efficient . My boys loved it too, their faves being the spicy tacos and the treacle tart. My beef was stunning, tender and delicious . Will come again! 😋😍🤩

I have eaten at this pub quite a few times as I live locally, the decor is nice and the staff have been friendly and helpful. However, I took my friend for her birthday and ordered the slow cooked beef - I found the gravy/sauce to be extremely salty/bitter but didn't complain as some dishes aren't for you. Yesterday I went for dinner again with my mum and we both ordered one of the specials - pork noodles in a broth with kimchi side (similar to a ramen). Unfortunately again it was so salty both of us could (at a push) only eat the pork and noodles and there was no way you could have eaten the kimchi on top or the broth which was basically half the £18 dish. My mum complained at the point where she was asked if everything was ok. She was told the waitress would speak with the kitchen. No follow up. Then when it came to clear our table I reiterated my mum's complaint as I too left lots of the meal, the waitress didn't stop to listen she just carried on walking away as I was talking. I went up to pay and explained this was the second dish I'd had that was overly salty here and the other waitress was very polite saying they value feedback but there was no deduction on the bill and honestly from the way the complaint was dealt with I don't believe the chef/team do value feedback or customer satisfaction. Very disappointing customer service more than anything and I regret not sending it back to the kitchen entirely and asking for a refund. I have given a balanced 3 stars taking into account previous visits but would have given 1 star if this was my only visit.

We had a lovely visit. The staff are very good. We had soup, which was alright. The cheesy chips were delicious...and a big portion The lady who looked after us though was exemplary.

The Sunday roast - Featherblade beef is the best roast in Dorset. Would highly recommend a Sunday treat followed by one of the wonderful deserts!

Lovely food and great service! Worth the visit!

My friend orderd a doom bar and took it back saying it warm and the land lord said “I know how it is I’m a professional” doom bar should not be warm. Should be 12c. And was very rude. However the lady with the red hair behind the bar was lovely and food was great !

Visited this pub on a cycling trip. Had a warm welcome on arrival. Menu was really good and lunch bar snacks were great. Fish finger sandwich was just delicious. Proper cod fish fingers, really delicious. Bar man filled up our water bottles with fresh cold water that was most welcomed. All in all what an amazing village pub. Well worth a trip out for the food.

Really enjoyed our visit today for the first time. Excellent food, goats cheese tart for a starter then fish & chips and steak burger. Really good value plus friendly service in a lovely pub, great to sit in the garden. Highly recommend we will visit again soon.

Fantastic food and beer in a lovely pub. Posh fish n chips from the specials board was amazing. Service was attentive without being intrusive. A little pricey but I did close the most expensive thing on the menu. That's quite a few birthdays we have celebrated here.

After a short to medium walk around Shadwick we went for food at the Inn. The place was not busy. The decor is rather dated but that fits the village. We ordered the pork ribeye and ham and eggs. After 40 mins we were informed that the fan had broken in the kitchen. No apology. After another 15 mins the food arrived. The food was very uninviting. The sauce was very strong, too much mustard, and more like a soup covering all the food on the plate. But we were hungry, very hungry at mid afternoon. We paid at the bar again no apology and no offer to compensate, like taking the drinks off the bill.

We popped in as a family and I chose the ham egg and chips,for me personally it was probably the best I've ever had!That good I complemented manager/owner just to show my appreciation,well done guys!

Nice village pub with generous portions of good food. No beer garden but the street at the front is not exactly busy.

Had a delicious Roast Beef lunch here today. Couldn’t fault it! Reasonably priced. Fresh. Cooked to perfection and extremely tasty. Enjoyed every mouthful. The best I have had in a very long time. Will def return!

A simple lunch in the sun. Just what was needed

Gorgeus friendly pub with excellent food and service. Short drive off of the main road. Will happily visit again. Both had the plant based options which were fantastic.

Stunning Sunday lunch. Chilled atmosphere. Great staff. Can't wait to go back

Great pub with an absolute banging burger.

Called in for Sunday lunch. We weren't disappointed. Best piece of beef I've ever had. Plenty of fresh vegetables and great portion size. Friendly staff and pleasant atmosphere. Would highly recommend

Great welcome, service and food for Sunday lunch. Loved the venison. Thanks.

Lovely pint of Piddle Valley. Well kept and served well

The Anchor is a firm favorite of ours and has been for years now. The Main and Specials menu particularly, give such a great range of choices and I have not once been disappointed. The quality of every meal far exceeds the cost. It is very good value for money. This is also a lovely spot for a passing drink, or a lighter lunch. Our young children always enjoy the meals available on the childs menu. Car park is free and there is a childs play park a 30 second walk away. We regularly celebrate family birthdays and they are always more than catering for large groups. We also celebrated our engagement party here and the spread provided was unbelievable and enjoyed by all!

This pub is in a lovely village location the interior is pleasant and there is seating outside that's where the positives end. Ordered from the lunch menu worst pub food I have had anywhere and I eat out regularly !! I initially got scampi and chips approx £11.00. It was tasteless scampi and a very small portion of chips in a strange plastic tray/basket, terrible presentation. I took it back explained the problem and asked to change it. The manager/ landlord begrudgingly agreed but clearly was not happy and did not apologise. I then had Falafel and Spinach burger and chips this was even worse. The burger was tasteless and overcooked swimming in mayonnaise with a limp lettuce leaf. No relish no side salad same terrible presentation. I took this back and this resulted in the manager becoming verbally aggressive towards me nearly losing his temper but he did give a refund. Maybe meals from the other menu are good but not the lunch baskets.

My 90 yo father & myself arrived for lunch without booking and were met with a warm greeting and were seated no problem! We had the Black Bream & Venison Medallions from the specials board which were both delicious and portion sizes were substantial too! Followed this with deserts & coffee all to a very high standard! This was a faultless lunch where food standard & preparation all to high standard coupled with customer service second to none! Well done the Anchor Inn can highly recommend you to others and hope to return soon!

Fantastic breakfast, great service. Love this little pub wish we visited more often.

Sunday lunch was good especially the smoked mackerel starter

Great Sunday lunch. Friendly and welcoming atmosphere and staff.

Bar and waiting staff are fantastic - welcoming, helpful and totally professional. Therefore it was a tad disappointing that on a second visit and ordering the same dish, the mushroom stroganoff, it was not the fresh tasting mix of flavours as the first time, but tasted a bit of a mush, with very little evidence of mushrooms. This won’t stop me going again however, as it might have been the chefs night off!

Nipped in for a couple of pints and a Saturday evening meal. It was delightful! The staff were very warm, welcoming and relaxed, the atmosphere in the pub was friendly and jolly, and the food was right on the nose. Would definitely recommend this pub.

The landlord and staff were very friendly. I didn't have food but from what I seen on other people's plates I'll definitely be back to try it if your in the area you need to go here.

This is a really great pub, lots of athmosphere, good beer, friendly staff. It's only a few days after their annual holiday. We had the bourginon, lovely. However the plates were only lukewarm (cold for my wife, who had the pulked beef) and the food not piping hot. A shame, as it's a great place.

Excellent hostelry with superb beer, friendly service and wonderful food, all at fair prices. Will definitely be coming back! Only niggle was the adding of a £5 service charge to the bill which was 20% of the price. I would have given a (smaller) tip anyway.

Great food and service. Catered for a group of 11 with no issues

I booked a last minute lunch at The Anchor at Shapwick today and had the most fantastic meal! Delicious food with a genuine personal touch and unctuous point of difference (try the food and read the menu, you’ll see what I mean!) served in a wonderfully appointed pub with really friendly and attentive service. This is a definitely a destination inn that genuinely cares about serving it’s customers something a bit different and a lot moorish. Thank you :)

Sadly not the experience others have had. Food was overpriced, Luke warm and tasteless. When we phoned to book a table for lunch we we're told they were very busy (we were the only ones there!). No atmosphere at all. The staff try hard, but not sure they understand how to welcome and interact with customers, it all seemed a bit forced. We may have just caught them on an off day, but will not be returning.

Lovely warm friendly atmosphere with super food

Visited for a Saturday evening meal and was blown away by how amazing the food was. We have previously visited before covid, and it was brilliant then, and it is still as fantastic. The menu options were great, good combination of flavours & tastes, and the quality of the ingredients and food was just amazing. Best gastro pub food we have had in a long time. They were great at accommodating a gluten allergy, and had brilliant customer service. Overall brilliant experience, we will be visiting again very soon, well done the team at Anchor Inn 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟.

Delicious food and plenty of choice,, from a small homemade menu.

Great food and great service as always!

Faultless! Staff were great and the food was fantastic!!

Finally, I have found the perfect Sunday roast....crispy roasties and beef that melted in the mouth. Starters and puds were just as good. Cannot wait to go back and try other dishes.

Top notch food, helpful and friendly staff.

Stopped off on the way past. Shown to table straight away. Not a large choice to choose from in particular. Had special offer of 2 for £22 on

Stunning pub and lovely roast lunch

Went here for Sunday lunch as our usual go to place was unavailable and we were very pleased with our visit will now be another go to regular Sunday lunch venue

Dog friendly, very nice atmosphere. The burger was absolutely lovely! The only let down is the sauces! Aldi own!! When you’re paying 18 pound for a high quality burger you don’t really want to use Aldi mayonnaise to compliment it

There was limited menu when we went on the day , due we think that the chef was on holiday ! But it was still good. Service and atmosphere good. Will vivisection again

We had an exceptionally tasty Sunday lunch. Thick tender beef, fresh vegetables not overcooked, crispy roasties and deliciously rich flavour full gravy.

Quality ingredients expertly cooked to perfection. A variety of menu choices from a classic/ contemporary menu. Excellent atmosphere, brilliant service.

Great place to watch the world go by, lovely food also

Popped in for a light lunch with my wife. Pleasant and attentive staff, great food and drink options. Would thoroughly recommend if in the area!

Best pub restaurant in Dorset and a strong contender for my favourite nationally. Superb food excellent drinks and great service. Perfect place all round. Highly recommended

I only had a coffee here but it seemed a very friendly local pub set in a nice village. The cake treats on offer looked delicious but I declined the temptation!!!

Lovely pub, lovely cold beer and lovely service

Excellent small menu at reasonable prices (though I wasn't eating). The staff were young, polite and smiley and gave me a professional response when I gently complained about the insipid coffee. Will definitely visit again.

Out on my bike today and needed a coffee. I was on some quiet roads andso was very happy to come across this bar, cafe, restaurant. It looks very nice inside. Today was only for a coffee but also had a homemade sausage roll which turned out to be beautiful. The guys warmed it up for me too!. I was disappointed that they didn’t have skimmed milk but as I was on a long ride it was all good. The coffee was, however, very nice, they made it extra hot for me and made it in a larger cup which was more cappuccino style. Price for the 2 was £7.25. The place was popular with people having meals out in the sun and other cyclists. Plenty of parking. I’d love to return.

We had the fish and chips for lunch, good portion size and the food was served hot and the fish was lovely and crispy. A service charge was automatically added to the bill which I personally find irritating and does put me off returning, tipping should be optional and we always do if the service and food is good, which it was.

Best whitebait I remember having. Super-friendly service.

Good value at great location. Menu isn't large, but is varied, with a few imaginative items. Portions are generous (no space for dessert) and well presented. All tables occupied when my party visited, but service was still timely.

Excellent food good beer and customer experience and service

The atmosphere and the food were excellent.

Fantastic food, great staff and a lovely atmosphere. Thanks for an enjoyable afternoon lunch

Good menu, good food, good beer, friendly service, dog friendly

A lovely flat white on the way through. Peaceful and lovely village and the guest beers coming looked good

Lovely village pub with a touch of class, been a while since I have eaten here but the reputation is solid. Great place to stop on a cycle ride with the kids, Purbeck cider on tap and a warm welcome. I look forward to eating here again soon, four stars until then.

The best Caesar Salad I’ve ever had!

Great place to eat and drink the staff are friendly and helpful

Great staff, fitting us in last minute, as we were on our way home from work and decided to eat out. Thank you

Great night out for a great cause

Very good food and nice local ales

I’m here to review burgers and the burger here was fantastic, probably because of the pulled beef

Lovely little pub,great food,loved the soup.all very good,good service,mid range prices but worth it.

What a fantastic pub few minutes off A350 super service food and atmosphere

Best gastropub in Dorset. Stunning classic and international dishes. Lovely staff who are always up for a laugh as well! Will be back when I'm down South.

Went here for a meal , good food , nice open fires ,nice atmosphere. A bit pricy , but better than normal fish and chip type pub meals ! So worth it .

Main courses were amazing, disappointed with the dessert. Hard flat black forest gateau

Very, very good food, in a great, country pub, with superb service and drinks. 10/10.

Superb. Faultless. Cannot recommend highly enough.

Having recently eaten here with a group of 10 adults, with various ages of children, I think I can speak for all of us when I give The Anchor 5*s. We were a bit late for the table, which didn't seem to phase the staff, who were attentive throughout and didn't mess up a single order. The menu choice caters for all; we had GF and V's on the table. If anything there is actually a little too much choice, in my opinion. All plates completely clear at the end and everyone very happy! This place isn't far from us and is somewhere we return to often when we have friends and family in the area. Lovely quiet village location with walking along the Stour Valley way.

Food excellent - only minus was the waitress seemed to have difficulty understanding us and what a "normal white coffee" was.

We saw this pub whilst visiting close by Bradbury Rings and decided we would try it when next in the area. The experience was very good. The pub was well laid out, staff friendly and the Sunday lunch was a cut above normal pub grub. A nice surprise and would certainly visit again

A glass of wine a pint of IPA ……….. £14. Won’t be going there again!!!!!!

Great place, lovely friendly staff, fabulous menu. Nice to find somewhere with some imagination for their menu and the food was devine. Shall be returning 😊

Lovely staff, very popular, good range of dishes. We chose a beef sandwich and a flatbread which cost less than £20. Car park is quite small and most tables had been reserved.

The food was very good and the service was excellent. My wife has the market fish of the day and was very happy with it, I had the Japanese Chicken Burger which had some nice flavour and the fries were excellent. The drinks were good and the overall price for 4 was fair.

Great little pub with a decent menu.

Its a very photogenic place, in the Kingston Lacy estate.

Obscenely nice food - every single mouthful is a delight. Honestly their lack of a Michelin star is more a reflection on Michelin than it is the Anchor... Also great for a drink, but seriously, eat here.

Had a lovely lunch, and would recommend a visit.

Excellent food and service. Will be visiting again v soon.

Good and proper food and helpful staff.

Very nice place in- and outside. The interior is cozy and outside is perfect to watch the traffic. There is non alcoholic beer available, which was perfect for us as motorcyle drivers.

A lovely pub to relax and enjoy a meal and a drink served by friendly staff.

Lovely traditional English village pub with good food and service.

Nice place in the middle of nowhere. Food is good. Dog friendly and some nice ales on tap.

Amazing friendly people. We visited with 2 special needs men and they were so helpful as one of our men needed a pureed diet and they supported all his needs and the young man left very happy. Food was very good .

Thank you for your amazing meal and attitude, unbelievable chips and tzatziki sauce, would like the recipe :)