Colin Nash Restaurant in West Dorset

We booked the tribute night here to see the Neil Diamond tribute, which he done brilliantly, the second half was taken up with him doing Dean Martin, Elvis, Jim reeves and Jonny Cash to name a few with jokes and impersonations thrown in,a great evening with singalongs and lots of laughter. Thanks to Colin Naish for the superb three course meal, and a big thankyou to Steve for organising and all the staff for looking after us. Looking forward to the next one.

14 of us had the 3 course pre Christmas lunch, an excellent price at £30. Delicious little amuse bouche before the starters included. The lamb shank was fabulous, the veg excellent and the dauphinoise potatoes perfect. And the Christmas pudding was almost as delicious as the one I make - certainly beats any other restaurant one I’ve tried. The service was excellent - this is my 4th visit and it’s always excellent. All my friends said the same, no one had any complaints about anything. For close to 20 years the Lord Bute had been our firm favourite for everything from lunch to special occasions but sadly they’ve slipped from fantastic to average since the change of hands - I’ve been three times since then. So Colin Nash Restaurant, you now occupy my top spot!

We came on a quiet Tuesday evening in December for a family meal. It was bitterly cold out but the restaurant was pleasantly warm. The tables were well spaced, not that it was busy. The building was smart, nicely furnished and well decorated. Everything was very clean. We chose three courses from the main menu, we had plenty of time to make our choices and we chose well. Duck with noodles, dog fish scampi and cuttlefish followed by belly pork, linguine and brisket. All save the linguine came with individual gravy and fresh seasonal vegetables. Service was good, the dishes were well presented. With a little room left we moved to deserts and we were not disappointed. We all felt that we’d had a nice evening and were very happy with what we ordered. On balance I don’t think that the prices were hugely different (maybe just a bit more) than some of the local pubs who like to think that they serve gastro food. I’d very eat at the Colin Nash restaurant again and I’d happily pay a little more to be in restaurant surroundings. A good choice of drinks, some sensibly priced wine and a sensibly priced pint too!

Had a great Sunday lunch with my first Turkey meal which was traditional with all the trimmings was amazing and great atmosphere with a log fire burning away

Had the 3 course set lunch and it was excellent. There was a shared amuse bouche of deep fried cuttlefish with a spicy sauce before 3 lovely courses. My husband had the Hampshire snails and I had the spicy crab soup. Our mains were sea bass and an enormous game pie. Again beautifully cooked and presented. For dessert we choose whiskey trifle and the chocolate cake and peanut tart. All dishes were lovely and were very different from the usual restaurant cuisine. The lunch menu is £49 including a drink which is excellent value. We will return and I am sure there will be new delights to sample as the menu changes daily to reflect the season and what ingredients are available locally at the time .

I must applaud Colin and his team for a truly fabulous experience. The menu was a joy to surf through this, which did cause my wife a considerable challenge in selection. This in itself was a pleasant change to some restaurants Food delicious. Staff magnificent Surroundings absolutely superb All in all, please do try it ,you will not be disappointed . Look out for us,we will be the happy couple in the corner.

Newish restaurant adjacent to an hotel called The Retreat. It’s just on the edge of the New Forest but is situated within some lovely grounds. The decor is very pleasing and tastefully done. Food excellent with a menu full of numerous choices. Good value with good service. We were served by Stephen and Eleanor who were both very attentive. Would highly recommend.

My partner and I have visited the Colin Nash restaurant several times. We have always been greeted warmly, the staff are friendly and easy to approach. We returned after a visit in March, the staff remembered us and it was like catching up with friends. Julia, Ellenor and Elouise are a huge asset to the front of house team and are attentive and very pleasant to talk with. Last night we arrived for dinner, the restaurant was busy with a function but we were still able to be seated in a quiet area of the restaurant. Ellenor and Julia ensured that we had the perfect experience and we did. I ordered the roast gressingham duck with dauphinois potatoes, roasted aubergine and cherry jus. This was absolutely beautifully cooked and the natural flavours of each part of the meal were phenomenal with each bite. My partner had the roast rack of lamb with rumbledethump potatoes and vegetables and a merlot and rosemary jus. This was very well presented and as I am told by my partner was absolutely incredible, it certainly didn’t last long on the plate from my point of view. We were so pleased with our meal, we passed on our compliments to Colin via Ellenor and Colin was more than happy to come and talk to us once he had finished food service, we had a nice chat about our food and we allowed him to really know the appreciation we have for his skill and knowledge of food and its presentation and how grateful we are for the food we were served. We first came here in March and were delighted with every aspect of the experience including the food and staff especially and were more than happy to return during this visit and we will look forward to our next visit to the New Forest just to come and eat at this fantastic restaurant. Well done and thank you to everyone at Colin Nash at The Retreat New Forest. You definitely deserve all of your five star reviews. Your food and service are consistent in quality each time. See you again soon.

Went to a family wedding celebration. Can not fault the venue. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Food was amazing. Thank you so much to Colin and Juliette. Highly recommend.

Thanks to Colin, Juliet and the amazing team at The Retreat in providing an amazing high class Suprise Birthday Party for my wife on Saturday night . Juliet made things so easy in planning the party ensuring our 30 guests were able to choose there for I’d in advance to ensure the evening ran smoothly from a gust point of view. , Colin came up with a fantastic fine dining menu in advance and catering for a mixture of dietary requirements. Colin and Juliet both worked to ta per head price which made things easy to budget for. And the quality was fantastic! Most of our guests hadn’t been before but a number of friends have told us they will definitely be going back again soon …. The restaurant is a hidden Gem ! Colin also made a surprise birthday cake based upon my wife’s favourite flavours which was fantastic. All in all the whole process from planning to experience on the night was fantastic and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend anyone to hold a party at The Retreat! 😃

What a gem in the New Forest. Excellent locally sourced ingredients perfectly cooked. Ambience & decor superb would not hesitate to recommend. Fab quality and reasonably priced. Highly recommend.

We went for family lunch my daughter who is a trained chef, found a large remnant of bullet in her venison pie which also she said bad a tasteless hard crust. We informed waitress she said the chef apologised that was it. I would suggest that normally a note be put on the menu to watch for shot. Chef didn't come out no reduction in cost . On reflection we should not have paid a service tip. We will not be returning .

We came on a recommendation from friends. The food didn't disappoint, it was a Tuesday evening so quiet but atmosphere still lovely. The young lady front of house was sweet and attentive. The only thing I could fault was that the place was quite cold. It's a very large open space which I appreciate will take a lot to heat but it was decidedly cold even with the stunning fire going. But we will definitely return!

My husband and I came along for your Valentines Dinner. This was also our Wedding Anniversary. The restaurant was decorated tastefully, with a good atmosphere. The staff were lovely and friendly, and the food was superb. We would definitely recommend this restaurant to our friends - so good to have such a fine eatery in the New Forest, and so close to our home. See you again very soon.

Amazing food, gorgeous surroundings and i would have expected to pay more for the quality overall even without the discount they apply in February. Highly recommended 😊

We went as a family to celebrate my birthday. First of all - what incredible decor - such attention has gone in to the beautiful design and the plants and artwork just topped it off! I was delighted to see spiced crab soup on the menu, which was as wonderful as I remembered it when Colin used to cook it at the Three Tuns. It was as good as I remembered, and the sea bass I had to follow was amazing. We all loved out meals and we were incredibly well looked after by Ella, who added a lovely touch with my birthday dessert. Excellent in every way, can't wait to come back. Thank you for a wonderful treat.

The Sunday lunch was fantastic, we had the beef brisket and pork, both were wonderful with delicious vegetable accompaniments and additional cauliflower cheese. Highly recommend.

3 of us visited for Sunday lunch. Two roast beef and one roast pork belly. All very tasty and good portion sizes with plenty of veg and tasty gravy. Cauliflower cheese ok but not cheesy enough Wine prices not cheap but reasonable Deserts limited to a choice from 3. We tried 2 of them. OK, but not as good as the mains. Friendly professional service. Nice location

Lunch for four at the Colin Nash restaurant and what a huge disappointment it was. The room and atmosphere initially felt very welcoming and despite the slow service we were looking forward to an enjoyable meal. However, everything that was served was clearly overcooked. The first plate to go back was the New Forest Mushrooms with Gnocchi, so overcooked it was actually burnt. Our waitress said she would speak to the chef and came back to say that the dish ‘came like that’. Next up was the Pork Belly with Dauphinois potatoes. The top layer of the potatoes so overcooked it was like a piece of leather, the bottom of both the pork and the potatoes blackened and burnt to a crisp. When asked if the chef was really happy to serve food like this, our waitress reported back that he ‘held his hands up’ Neither dish was charged for however this did not compensate for such poor food and customer service. To conclude, not the experience we had such high hopes for.

Great food with a good atmosphere. We had the crispy duck for starters. Mains Tandoori pheasant and Rib eye steak but very good. Staff excellent very friendly and efficient. Highly recommended .

Having heard so much about this restaurant, I decided after a busy morning to visit The Retreat for lunch. Arriving at approx 12.15pm I left at 2.30pm as I could no longer wait for my desert which arrived too late for my time schedule. Food was disappointing, not sure what the taster was but it was black, the size of a large thumb nail and skewered with a cocktail stick. The escargot totally lacked any Gallic joie de vive, not enough garlic and too much parsley maybe. The venison pie was totally disappointing. Was that a suet pastry pie crust? Whatever it was it was tough and greasy and maybe microwaved. Not a lot of venison in a very small pie. The vegetables were fine but the long wait for food was not. I was told that as I had not booked my table and they were busy, I could not expect to be served before those who had, even though I was there in good time before them. It appeared I was a second class customer. My first and last visit to this restaurant.

Fantastic food, and great staff. We had an amazing night here and were very well looked after. Highly recommended! Would go back again.

We had a lovely evening, the food was all very tasty and well cooked and presented, the staff are friendly and efficient. We have already booked to go back.

Disappointed Went as a couple to try this place as it was highly recommended by a friend. It was a half price offer. Skate was dry and tasteless Pork belly slightly on the cool side and Not the best. Dog fish scampi bland and tasteless. Bread and butter pudding. Absolutely bland and custard was Shockley bad, come on it’s not hard to make custard. Such a shame as the decor is beautiful. Total cost for two starter two mains puds and a drink £59. And that’s half price.

An absolutely gem on the edge of the New Forest. Beautifully prepared food from local ingredients. Staff were welcoming and friendly.

Vegan food that was clean, fresh and tasty with different flavours and textures. Separate vegan part of menu with interesting choices. Meals portions were just right for me but my husband (also vegan) prefers maybe a bit more carbs. Delicious cocktail but drinks not marked if vegan. I googled ingredients , but it would have been helpful to mark this on the menu. I had a very delicious chia pudding for dessert that tasted of apple pie. My husband had aqua faba meringue which was a treat. We will definitely return.

Just returned from having a lovely meal at this restaurant. The young staff were polite, attentive and very efficient. The food was plentiful, well presented and very reasonably priced. Highly recommend and we will certainly return

Excellent food. The Onion soup was delicious and the Lamb Hot pot superb. Reasonable prices and nice to have a lounge bar area. I like the contemporary design and decor. It is a shame the whole building isn’t lit up with floodlights as the A35...

Really excellent restaurant, extremely good value high quality food. Lacked a bit of atmosphere as very few diners which was surprising leading up to Christmas. Lovely open fire in modern but comfortable surroundings.

This was our second visit which we enjoyed just as much as the first visit. We are very local so have seen the changes with this restaurant over the years. We ate from the Christmas menu which was brilliant, it just ticked all the boxes...

Have eaten here twice now and on both occasions had an excellent experience. Not only were the locally produced offerings very impressive but the welcome and general ambience was first class. We (both visits involved a group of four) experienced a variety of meat, fish...

Decided to visit this relatively new restaurant as a result of a recommendation on a local FB site. The restaurant is a large and airy space with an open fire dividing the bar and dining areas. We were shown to a table slightly off the...

We had been really looking forward to trying this restaurant. The decor is lovely and tables are well spaced out, although the space is quite large and felt a bit cold at times. The staff were friendly and helpful although not perhaps as professional with...

Based on a recommendation, my husband and I booked for dinner last night. We were greeted warmly and on being shown to our table, Jason checked we were happy with the positioning of the chairs (which we did change round to face inwards to the...

Although we are locals, this is our first visit to the new Colin Nash restaurant. We went for Sunday lunch. On arrival there was a very comfortable ambience, very modern decor - well spaced-out tables and a nice fire. The staff gave us a very...

My husband and I own a local restaurant and were excited to try somewhere new. Being in hospitality we know good food and service when we experience it. Unfortunately we were left disappointed. Firstly I must say the food has great potential- some tasty dishes....

Sunday lunch was one of the best around. Tender, generous portions of meat, interesting veg, delicious desserts! Xx

This is our first visit to Colin Nash & was not really sure what to expect. As we walked in we were immediately wowed with the fabulous space, really airy & comfortable. Had a relaxed drink in the sofa / bar area - no pressure...

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our first meal at Colin Nash Restaurant, situated on Lyndhurst Road Christchurch. Brought back lovely memories of when we could enjoy fine dining in Christchurch over the years at ...La Petite St Tropez... and latterly ...Splinters Restaurant... It is...

Someone has spent a large amount of money on this restaurant, and with rather good taste,if a mite pretentious, Sadly the same can't be said of the food if my lunch is a typical example. We were given an amuse bouche of smoked mackerel which...

The food here is absolutely superb, really delicious, perfectly prepared and imaginative. I could have chosen all of the dishes on the menu! It was really great to see the source of the fish, right down to the fishing boat number! The prices are very...

Put this on your bucket list!!! We visited here after hearing Colin had left the three tuns and opened his restaurant at what we used to know as the conqueror years ago What an absolute experience it was!! From the moment we arrived and went...

Our first trip to Colin’s retreat and definitely not our last! We had the best meal we’ve had since we can remember. The food is so delicious and made with such care and attention to detail. We had the crispy duck and french onion soup...

We enjoyed beautifully cooked starter and mains. The scallop starter was the tastiest and best presented I have had for a long while. The main dishes were delicious with good portion sizes. The side dish of quality, varied and well cooked vegetables came as a...

First visit to Colin Nash restaurant for my Daughters birthday and certainly won’t be the last. What a beautiful place this is , we were given a lovely friendly welcome by the staff and were asked where we would like to sit. The food was...

Really great to have a nice meal at a sensible price so close to New Milton and surrounding area. The quality of the food was exceptional and the front of house team were very informative. Can highly recommend and we will certainly return!

We enjoyed sitting outside in the sunshine while we waited - rather longer than we had anticipated, but the food was definitely worth waiting for!

Fabulous ! Such a joy to eat in a recalled but smart environments. Great food and lovely team . Delicious menus and all locally supplied .

A lovely afternoon in an excellent venue. The food was from the Sunday lunch menu, which had a selection of 4 main course plus 3 desserts/cheese. The table sampled all the dishes and there was no complaints, hot, good flavour and enough to eat. Local...

We have just had the most wonderful meal here. I had the Beef Brisket followed by the chocolate and peanut crunch together with a mocktail. We couldn't fault the food, the service or the atmosphere. We highly recommend this restaurant. They are also dog friendly...

Locally sourced tasty food served by a friendly team near to the new forest. Great cocktails and a nice setting. Reasonable prices

We knew the food would be good as have eaten at chef's previous restaurant. Staff were very attentive and a great evening was had by all. Only small criticism is that food could have been hotter, but will def. be going back soon.

We have the restaurant a few weeks to work through the inevitable teething troubles of a brand new opening, but tonight we had a fantastic meal. We had lovely Venison Pasty, great sea bass and a terrific monkfish special. We also had a plum and...

We called in on spec for lunch on Sunday 27th August. We were made most welcome by the staff, who gave us a quiet table in a corner, which we requested. The food was delicious, I chose a roast and my wife had fish. Both...

Quiet - nicely balanced background music - thankfully not intrusive! Very engaged Service- friendly and informed but not the usual Sycophant nonsense. Food a tad light on quantity but excellent presentation and excellent favours . Very sensible thought out wine list short but great value...

My husband and I enjoyed a meal here on Friday evening for our wedding anniversary - having married 10 years ago at the East Close which is what was here before it became The Retreat. The food was amazing as was the lovely bottle of...

This restaurant opened only 6 weeks or so ago, it is spacious, superbly lit with tables not too close to each other. There is no annoying 'musak', and the tables are a good size. But - it gets better... Firstly the staff are knowledgable, friendly...

My husband and I had a wonderful meal at Colin Nash's Restaurant last night. The staff were all very helpful and friendly and we were given a complimentary taster as we were looking at the menu, which I thought was a nice touch. The food...

Three of us had a wonderful evening to celebrate my husband's birthday at this new restaurant on 26th August. The locally sourced food was excellent and the waitress was very helpful and knowledgeable about the wine and menu choices. I had the Venison pie, which...

Very nice food and a lovely restaurant. The menu is varied, including some good vegetarian options.

We are on holiday in the area and have read what’s happened while not vegan I do not agree with what’s happened. But there are two sides to every story. That said we went to try out the Sunday roast. The food sadly was very...

I ate here twice this week with my dog . I was stsying locally and enjoyed it so much the first time that I returned. The staff are incredibly friendly, helpful and professional; the food is exceptional and my dog felt relaxed and welcomed. They...

This new restaurant is well worth a visit. We enjoyed a delicious Sunday lunch with very friendly and helpful service. We particularly liked the freshly cooked set Sunday lunch using local ingredients and chose the slow cooked brisket of beef which melted in our mouths....