Dolphin Inn in Winchester

My wife and I visited for lunch, our first such visit after the change of ownership. We both chose two starters: wild mushrooms in sauce, and mussels in white wine sauce. The mushroom dish was delicious, with an excellent creamy sauce. It was served on a tasty piece of lightly toasted bread. The mussels were served in the tradition way (with a bowl of water for finger cleansing) and a spare plate for the discarded shells. There was plenty of sauce and the mussels were of a good size. A starter portion was adequate, so I would not recommend a main-course portion. A further highlight was the accompanying sliced sourdough bread, which was the freshest I have tasted for a good while. This could be dipped into the surplus white-wine sauce. The dining area is very attractive in the 'Olde Worlde, oak beams, style.' The new owners have kept alive the excellent reputation of the previous ownership. The service was pleasant and good humoured.

We went to the Dolphin for Sunday lunch, it was very busy when we arrived and we were happy to have a drink at the bar and look at the menu whilst the table was cleared. Loved the roast , my husband had half roast chicken and I had the beef . It was absolutely delicious, staff attentive and friendly , we had a great time. It’s the second time we’ve eaten since the new ownership and I’m happy to say it’s improved a lot . I recommend it if you’re looking for a cosy pub with good food .

Heard it had been taken over recently so we went for lunch, found out been open two weeks, well what a surprise the place was lovely and warm, very friendly staff, the place was packed with a great atmosphere. Food menu was just what you need a nice compact and easy to read, we all had three courses and it was excellent. Will definitely return.

Took an hour and a bit for food to come for some mediocre food which was overpriced. Then they gave visibly watered down drinks and didn't give us all of the food that was promised in the meal we ordered, even when we asked for it. Do not go here.

Had a lovely Sunday roast at this pub. New management have taken over recently and I hope they succeed with the venture. Service was excellent and the food was of good quality. Only slight quibble is the menu is a bit limited at the moment but there was enough for us to choose what we wanted.

Food was fabulous. They offer a wide range of delicious foods that are GF and DF. Service was great. Staff were friendly. Nothing was too much trouble. The environment was comfortable making our lunchtime feel not rushed. I would recommend 😊

Brilliant food and great atmosphere. Plenty of gluten free options and attentive staff - they took extra precautions around allergies and used a separate fryer for the fish and chips (to ensure it was gluten free).

The food was good, staff very friendly, nice environment, would definitely recommend , and will definitely be coming back.

What a little jewel! My sister and I stopped for a coffee and a light bite. Not only was the coffee delicious, the light bites were sensational and all served with a cheery smile

This was a spur of the moment trip and it did not disappoint. Extremely friendly staff…dog friendly …amazing service & fabulous food …would recommend a trip out to this little hidden in plain sight gem.

We visited the newly refurbished Dolphin for Mothers Day Lunch. We were treated to superb food and service from Ben and his Team. You should definitely take the time to visit and experience for yourself. Highly recommended.

I read an article that promoted The Dophin Inn as a great place for gluten free and coeliacs to dine. Therefore I didnt hesitate to book a table for this evening, to celebrate my daughter's 13th birthday. When we arrived, we were greeted by Bethany, who showed us to our table and told us about the menu. Due to my daughter being coeliac, she said that it was a pizza and pasta night, but that she could look at the main menu too. Bethany asked us if we wanted water for the table and whether we were ready to order drinks. She pointed out the mock tail list, which my daughters jumped at. I asked whether the cake my eldest daughter had made could come out with the candles that I provided. Nothing was too much for Bethany, she said she would add her artistic skills to the decorating with candles. We ordered food and were delighted with the food. The pasta dishes were amazing, the pizza's (not gluten free) were thoroughly enjoyed by those who chose them. My daughter hose the Hunter Burger. The burger was juicy, tender and delicious, we also ordered some fries which were gluten free and cooked in a safe fryer. They tasted delicious. When we were finished, I asked Bethany if we could have the cake. She jumped on to it and came out singing too, whilst carrying the cake. She then brought out plates, forks and napkins too. Nothing was too much for Bethany. She made the evening even more special and my daughter felt incredibly safe eating at The Dolphin Inn. Thank you for all of your hospitality and kindness. Extra thanks to Bethany.

Exceptional service from start to finish! Considering how busy it was on Mother’s Day, Bethany (captain of the ship) and the team were brilliant. Big up the roast dinners. Big up Bethany & team. Love, table 3 x

A first visit for us! As parents to two young Coeliac children, it is always really nerve wracking and almost impossible to find places to eat that can safely cater. We saw on a local Coeliac group the Dolphin inn was recommended and decided to book for Mothers Day. We were looked after by Bethany and she couldn’t have been more friendly, welcoming and reassuring when we advised of the girls health condition. The food was lovely and prompt. We had the Sunday roast and a pudding. We even had a visit from Ben the Manager checking the girls and explaining how everything that goes in fryers etc is GF so no cross contamination. We will certainly be back again very soon. Thank you all. Table 12 1pm 10/03

Great gluten free fish and chips but disappointed with the change to the lunchtime menu. They no longer offer small servings so I had the standard size and was too full for pudding. I passed on the starter too.

We love the dolphin anyway but I have to say they really pulled it out of the bag on Sunday! We were a party of 12 and our every need was catered for and the wonderful Katie was on hand to make sure all ran smoothly . The food was fabulous! I had a roast platter for two with my husband and the beef was the best I've ever had ! The chef certainly knows how to handle his meat ! As a large party you always have one mishap but not at the dolphin they are a fabulous team so thankyou to all and see you very soon 😊.

Lovely atmosphere. Only popped in for a drink to discover it was pizza and pasta night. The lovely Bethany recommended the chorizo mac and cheese and boy was she right. Compliments to the chefs! Will definitely come back!

Excellent service. Katie was friendly, funny and helpful! The roast dinner was excellent with extra side options which were delicious!

Really good food Katie was very welcoming. Good service n great desserts would come back great roast dinner. Good bit of history too .

The hospitality from Katie and Bethany was brilliant! Food was superb and and all together a delightful experience! Thanking you kindly for a fabulous start to Sunday!

Booked a table for 8 to catchup with with friends. The table was ready on time and drinks were very promptly provided. Allergies were discussed (shell fish and cheese) and no issues were apparent. Kate, who took our orders, also provided interesting trivia snippets through the evening ('slimline' tonic is a Schweppes [sp] brand, so you may end up with an equivalent 'skinny' variant - who knew). Food was excellent, and the Dolphin environment is very pleasant and interesting. Easy parking with bot regular car park and over-flow nearby.

Decided to visit after reading that the pub had recently been taken over and refurbished. I would not class painting a few walls , changing toilet flooring and new light fittings a refurbishment! We visited on a Friday evening and the pub was fairly quiet. We planned to have a cocktail by the open fire in what was advertised as a cosy lounge area. Unfortunately the fire was not lit so we went through to restaurant. The waitress was cheerful but did not offer us any menus. We had to ask for these . She had little knowledge of the menu or specials. We were told that the Friday special - Fish and Fizz had not started yet even though it was advertised on specials board and social media. It was also described to us a “big board of fish with a bottle of fizz”! Didn’t really sell it to us! I guess she meant a fish sharing platter. The restaurant was cold with more empty than occupied tables. My fish n chips was ok. There was more batter than fish and the batter was very overcooked and dry. Small portion of chips and peas. Others in the party described their food as average. I think the food and drinks are over priced. Probably would not eat there again.

We had a lovely all age family supper. Friendly,service, good value, and great new menu. My grandchildren rated the beef and chicken burgers as five star!

Very disappointed. The pub was really cold. The food was ok but overpriced. The wine was definitely overpriced. The member of staff who took our order didn't know which non alcoholic beers they had. They only had one which was bottled Heineken. I think they should have had more of a selection as a lot more people drink them now. Wouldn't go back.

Spent last night trying out The Dolphin's new menu - and we were not disappointed. All the plates offered very good value for money, the duck tacos to start were incredible. Had a burger for main and honestly one of the best I've had - juicy, cooked to perfection. The new owners have done a really great job in sprucing the place up, yet keeping the charm and history of the building. We were impressed by the new list and drinks on offer, with great local beers on tap. The service was impeccable, the staff are a credit to the place - nothing was too much trouble. It feels like the village has its heart back - good food, good drinks and a very warm welcome without being pretentious. An excellent visit and we'll be back!

The Dolphin has recently changed hands and introduced a new menu. Living close by and having used the pub regularly over the past couple of years we decided to try the new food offer. On arrival it was encouraging to see that many of the...

Lovely laid-back atmosphere, happy and friendly staff. Crispy chilli squid was delicious and the tomato soup was home-made. Nice chunky ham with egg and chips (great value) and a decent steak pie left us with no room for pudding. There is an interesting dog menu....

So impressed with the Dolphin at Hursley. Called in for a bite to eat & was greeted with a very smiley waitress. Both had fish n Chips & was so delicious. If you haven’t tried there yet it’s a must & we will definitely return....

We came for Sunday lunch, and you didn’t disappoint. Ed and Francesca were attentive and engaging hosts, catering to our foibles and requests. The food was plentiful, and delicious and we had a great time in your quaint pub which appeared to achieve the “old...

Had a lovely evening here with a friend. Staff are very friendly and the food was delicious. Will definitely come back. The food has certainly improved under the new owners.

Staying overnight in the village so decided to visit for a couple of drinks. Venue was busy but staff were attentive and friendly. We asked to view the menu amd decided to eat and glad we did. Food was amazing. Piping hot & cooked to...

Have been visiting on and off for 40 years and seen many changes but is again under new ownership. Prices hiked , £5-75 for a pint of Robinsons Trooper! At least the dog biscuits are still freely available on the bar, but will not be...

Had a lovely time at The Dolphin Inn this weekend with my friends. The food was alright but the service was some of the best I have received for a long time. I asked for their names and they were called Ed and Maia and...

Thought we'd try the new sharing roasts....( Was abit worried as we liked the roast before new management/new menu 🤞😬🤞) We tried the sharing roast... It was fantastic, all gluten free, including the yorkies and I think I'd have to say it's better 🙌🎉 it...

Have to say to all who are gluten free it is heaven virtually all gf. The beer batter on the fish was the best I’ve tasted. It has been taken over by a lovely couple Jonny & Grace who have some great ideas, wish Ben...

Food was lovely and Team Dolphin got all the kids food out first so no one had to wait. 5 stars doesn’t seem enough. We will be back

There were 12 of us, we turned up late just as they were about to close the kitchen and still The Dolphin treated us like royalty and we had great food. Thank you Kate for looking after us.

Yet another excellent Friday evening at The Dolphin. Despite a big event going on, the quality of our food, drink and service was outstanding. A big thank you to Bethany, who continues to do a brilliant job, and a very happy Christmas to the Dolphin...

Early lunch before invaded by family. Lovely table and brilliant service. Had the pie of the day which was yummy. Pleased the pub had a non alcoholic apart from Coke !! very friendly welcoming atmosphere.

After finding Winchester packed out for lunch EVERYWHERE on a Wednesday, we called the Dolphin and reserved a table for our family. The food was fab - reasonably priced and plentiful, lovely warm welcome unlike in the chain restaurants of Winchester! I hadn't been to...

We had our shop volunteer Christmas meal at the Dolphin last Fri. Excellent food and excellent service. Was pleasantly surprised that they could get 22 meals out at the same time.

Huge improvement since the Dolphin was taken over. Very good service, good food and good value. Highly recommended.

The Dolphin at Hursley. This was my second visit and I had the chicken fajitas and crème brûlée my husbands had a burger and cheesecake. Both were delicious. The service was excellent and the pub was very inviting and Christmassy. We will visit again

Lovely friendly pub with great food. Our favourite place to eat. Not the nearest eatery to where we live but definitely the best.

Lovely pub, good food, service excellent. Had a lovely time. Like having the choice of portion size too. I went for the small versions but still felt full after having those.

Informal annual dinner of our club - table of 9 - we were made very welcome, and all thoroughly enjoyed their food and drink. Well done The Dolphin.

A warm welcome, a lovely relaxed atmosphere, appetising, piping hot delicious food and faultless service. I don’t think we can add much more except we will be back,

Very expensive food and not that good. £12 for a glass of wine! Far too expensive. Won’t bother to dine there again.

Excellent Sunday lunch and a really warm welcome as always. Very quick service despite being busy and Bethany really looked after us

An absolute gem! We popped in on a Sunday in the hope they could squeeze us in for a Sunday roast. They went above and beyond that simple request. With our dog in tow, we hoped to be tucked away, they did just that and...

Family of 7, roast lunch, very generous portions, home cooked and delicious. Will definitely go again.

This is the second visit for us to The Dolphin and both times have been very good. Staff are very welcoming and the food is of excellent quality, good portions and served in a timely manor. Although we are not local, we will be visiting...

Very friendly service & we were looked after by the staff. Great food, so a pleasant visit to the Dolphin.

First time to this pub to eat with friends. First impression was excellent. The moment we opened the door we were made to feel very welcome by the team. Friendly, polite and excellent service. The meal was okay I wouldn’t say the best but was...

Great service and friendly staff,and most importantly excellent food. This is our local and in the past the food has been not great. That being said since the pub has been taken over, we were keen to try out our local. This is our third...

Visited today for a family meal and unfortunately found the kitchen was obviously under pressure. Kitchen got the order wrong and 2 people had to wait for their main courses. It was a shame as we love The Dolphin.

We came as a family of four people on Saturday 28th October. We had the smaller portion meals which were fine and decided to treat ourselves to pudding. Two of us had cheesecake and two had homemade jam rolly Polly I'm sorry to say all...

We wanted a traditional Sunday roast and decided to go to the Dolphin at Hursley , We had heard it was under new ownership and we are pleased we went. We both had roast dinners that we well cooked and plenty of vegetables. The staff...

A really nice country pub with pleasant informal dining area - and a garden which would be great in summer. The tasty food was freshly home cooked. As well as menu items you might expect, we enjoyed fajitas and Thai curry. Homemade puds were good,...

Amazing food the roast was superb plenty of it you can have small regular or large and I challenge anyone to each the large Staff very attentive especially Katie couldn’t fault our visit there and will return regularly

We have just got home from a really excellent meal and service at The Dolphin, made all the better as we live just around the corner. The food was delicious and the service from Joe and Bethany outstanding. It hasn’t been great in the past...

Excellent food service good choice of food . Looked at 10 pubs all with same boring menu fish n chips burger etc

We had a very calm dinner with no pressure. Meal was good, just some of the vegetables undercooked,shame!

Great food and very friendly waiting staff in a beautiful old building. 😀 We all enjoyed ourselves and will certainly return.

Always a lovely lunch at The Dolphin - wonderful staff, great food, reasonable prices. Such a welcoming environment and nice place to spend a couple of hours!

First visit; recommended by a mate's mum who has been for Sunday roast. The pub was more "local" and old fashioned than we expected but we had a warm welcome. The food, sandwiches and hot dishes, were good quality and value. We will go again.

I met up with friends at The Dolphin for lunch. We were given a warm welcome by Ben and Pippa and shown to our table. Pippa took time to explain the menu while we made our choices. Delicious, tasty food all cooked fresh, excellent service...

Booked for a family birthday and as there were 18 of us we pre ordered our food. Good choice, something for everyone. It all came out at the same time, lovely and hot, and the service was excellent.

First visit here in a very long time & will certainly be returning. What lovely, friendly staff. Our guests were delayed but was not an issue. Food just what we wanted in a very pleasant atmosphere.

The staff were very welcoming and helpful and we enjoyed our lunch in the garden in very pleasant surroundings. Robert Williams

Nice meal, good service, niece atmosphere. We have ordered fish and chips and we were quite happy with it.

From the moment we arrived we were greeted with a big smile and welcome from Immy. She couldn’t have done more for us and was really attentive throughout our time at the Dolphin. The food we ordered was delicious and arrived quickly. We really were...

Visited after reading reviews and was certainly not disappointed. Excellent food, good service, nice atmosphere, a lovely Sunday lunch. We will be back!

We really enjoyed our Sunday roasts sitting in the bar. The reason for rating 4 instead of 5 is only because our puddings took 40 minutes to be served after our mains were cleared and flapjack crumble had a small amount of crumble topping not...

We had an excellent family meal with our dog here. Highly recommended. There was live music but it was not too loud and created a great environment. Staff were attentive and great variety on the menu.

Popped in for an impromptu Sunday Lunch. Excellent food and excellent service from Maia, Bethany, Ed and Angela. Nothing was too much trouble , also a big shout out to the kitchen for the delicious Roast..

The staff are very friendly and helpful and go out of their way to make guests feel welcome. There is an extensive menu and the food was very good.

We were a group of 10, so pre ordered our food as requested. The staff were attentive, and when the food came it was fabulous, good sized portions, for both adults and kids (one thing I’d mention is that the kids food came with sweetcorn...

We had a snack on the way to the station for an evening out. It was excellent and we will return for supper soon.

We’ve been the Dolphin Inn on many occasions with the family and it never disappoints, great food and service as always.

Ed, Joe, Maia & Freddie were so welcoming, fun & made us feel at home!! On top of great service the food was excellent! Thank you so much guys - we will DEFINITELY be back!!!! Booth family

I googled a place to eat as I really fancied a roast pork and crackling. When it came out 45 mins later there was no crackling. They had run out. Also my Yorkshire pudding was awful. More like a pancake .. I saw a roast...

We had lovely food and the service was exceptional. Really friendly and helpful staff. Great for kids too

Had a lovely catch up with a friend here last night. Made exceptionally nice by the great staff on duty and lovely food. Staff couldn't do enough. Checking all was OK. We loved the twinkling lights where we had our meal. Will be back again....

Absolute gem of a pub, we went for a spot of lunch yesterday and it was delicious, fantastic value for money. I had the southern fried chicken wrap, my husband had the prawn Marie rose sandwich along with a cheeky fried brie. We had a...

This was not my first visit to the Dolphin and it certainly won’t be my last. The food is very good and the staff are very friendly and efficient. This is now a regular lunch-time venue for me and my friends.

We had a brilliant evening at The Dolphin. The pub is very attractive, spotless and comfortable. From the welcome we had on arrival by the owner/manager the service from him, Bethany and Ben was second to none. Friendly without being intrusive, knowledgeable, efficient and professional....

Nice pub with garden, food very good with decent prices. Excellent service, particularly from Bethany

Sunday roasts were great, lots of different vegetables. Staff very pleasant. Would definitely go again.

Ordered ploughman’s not as good as usual. In fact not good for the price! Will not be returning. This is a shame given we live very local and will not be recommending this establishment to our friends.

Lovely food and great value, definitely worth a visit, situated in the quiet village of Hursley, Hampshire, very relaxing place to eat and chill out.

Went for Saturday lunch and had no problems getting a table. Excellent food and even better service. Staff were so friendly and attentive throughout we really enjoyed our meal.

Excellent team, good food beer and wine and very fair prices. Bethnal was very helpful and attentive Thanks

This is our favorite pub. The food is always great, staff there are friendly helpful, and knowledgeable. Menus cater for most and they are happy to accommodate where they can. Good range of beers, wines, and spirits.

Had not been here recently and we were very impressed with how it has improved. Lots of Gluten free choices, pointed out to us when menus handed out. One of us had the GF Fish Pie and the other Buttermilk Chicken Burger. Both were excellent...

Excellent Sunday lunch at the Dolphin. There were three of us and all had the roast lunch plus several drinks. The food was excellent, the service was very good and the overall price was very reasonable. Would recommend and we will be going again.

Went out for a family birthday, the servers are not briefed on any of the daily options and had to check with the kitchen on every questions asked. the mushroom starter came cold and the sauce had split. The breaded brie wasn’t much better. The...

Family lunch to celebrate a birthday. Good atmosphere, excellent food and friendly service. Very enjoyable visit.

Great pub and food and a great atmosphere to go along with it, Will be going again. Hope they do Christmas Day food

The bar/ restaurant was around 30% full so a bit quiet. Staff were attentive and courteous. Food was excellent. I had a Sunday roast (pork) good was freshly cooked & hot (not pre prepared as often is the case elsewhere. My wife had hunter’s chicken...