Potters Cafe Bistro in West Dorset

Had some lunch at this out of the way cafe in Dorchester, the staff were attentive and welcoming The local produce of cheese ham dorset chutney on granary bread was delicious as were the cheese chips and accompanied with a pot of tea The only downside was it was a little too crowded in the cafe with seating and tables close by We’d definitely return for lunch

My wife & I absolutely love this café. Extremely friendly staff, fantastic food at very reasonable prices, & a wonderful ambience too. Highly recommended.

A lovely cosy restaurant with diverse and really extensive interesting menu . Good specials board & lunch today soup with brown bread. Delicious. All staff are very efficient . Always greeted with a smile .. Nothing is too much trouble for them. excellent value for money and always a pleasurable visit.. The many return customers says it all. Keep it up POTTERS People ❤️

Brilliant place. I managed to go for lunch three times over seven days and had a different soup every time. Always tempted by the coffee and cake but have to stick to my diet.

I often have lunch at Potter's and can honestly say they're an absolute delight. Always a happy smile, a welcome greeting and delicious food. Have you SEEN the size of those cakes?!?! I had the Ham Hock today, and for £7.50 there simply wasn't room for dessert which was a shame because have you SEEN those cakes?!

Amazing cream tea with lashings of clotted cream and jam. Husband consumed a delightful cheese scone. Have been here before and dogs were made so welcome. Staff absolutely lovely, nothing too much trouble. Definitely seek it out.... a great choice at all times of day. Spotlessly clean Good shaded outdoor garden also available.

Das Café befindet sich in einer kleinen Nebenstraße der Einkaufsstraße. Die Auswahl an Gerichten und Kuchen ist gut. Wir haben verschiedene Sandwiches gegessen. Alle Sandwiches kamen mit Beilagen und waren sehr lecker. Die Bedienung ist sehr freundlich. Das Lokal ist den örtlichen Gegebenheiten entsprechend und sehr schön.

Light and airy cafe,lovely breakfast, cooked perfectly. Friendly staff and something for the kids to play with! Will definitely visit again.

Birthday breakfast with my daughter & friend was truly scrumptious! Staff here are ready but so not pushy and in your face. The real fire was an added warmth to the atmosphere. Worth the special trip for the experience. Definitely my go to place.

Called in to Dorchester on way to Devon. The café provided good home made food reasonably priced. A good stop for lunchtime

A little tight for room. But, the lattes and food was nice. Careful on the stairs and all should be fine. Outside seating available.

This restaurant always has a Specials Board in the window and I always decide where I am eating by checking the day's offerings. On this occasion my attention was grabbed by the offer of a mushroom and chestnut, in a cheese sauce, pancake. A new offering for me. I do not feel able to describe the meal other than to describe it as delicious. Also available was their lamb tagine with couscous, a dish I have partaken of before, and I strongly commend it. I have never had an issue with the service there, efficient and attentive, without being intrusive.

Potters is my favourite place in town to get coffee, food & cakes. I’ve tried other places, but for me nothing compares to Potters. The staff are all incredibly friendly & very efficient, especially when it’s busy. I never wait long for an order, and it all comes hot & fresh. The food is really delicious, especially their club sandwiches & jacket potatoes. The coffee is exceptional. I could drink their hazelnut latte every day for the rest of my life. The atmosphere is very cosy and welcoming, it’s warm & comfortable inside and refreshing outside in the garden. All my love to this gem!

Really nice position in centre of town, and warm welcome. But the coffee was grey, impossibly weak.

Excellent. We found this cafe just off the High Street, thus avoiding all the chain coffee shops. The reward was a fabulous English Breakfast, although the bacon Baguette was rather disappointing. Friendly efficient service from a good staff team, and a refund on car parking were added bonuses, and we left pleased to recommend to others.

Just a lovely cafe, with garden seating just down the steps to the left of Waitrose. The portions are quite large.

Good value for money, dog friendly too. Delicious half English breakfast. Friendly staff too, hidden gem

A bit of a hidden gem tucked down a side-street in Dorchester. The shady outside patio area with reasonably spaced-out tables was probably at its best at noon on a mild summer's day. An ideal place to a delicious light-lunch including a gluten-free option from a reasonably-priced menu.

A great little cafe with homemade food. Good range of salads and nice homemade soup. Great service and good coffee - the Cortado was good.

I wanted to share with you all a delightful café in Dorchester that I have been frequenting recently. It offers a wonderful breakfast experience that I highly recommend. One of the highlights is their vegetarian English breakfast, which is absolutely delicious. The portion size is generous, and the taste is amazing. It is a truly satisfying breakfast option, especially recommended for vegetarians. To my meal, I tried their hot chocolate with whipped cream and mini marshmallows, which they make with so much love! What makes my visits even better is the friendly and welcoming staff. I have gotten to know Sara, the owner, quite well, and she is truly fantastic. She has a warm and inviting personality, and her attentiveness makes the experience feel personal. It is evident that the staff genuinely cares about their customers. The café itself has a lovely atmosphere. The outdoor space is peaceful and adorned with greenery, creating a tranquil ambiance. Inside, there is ample seating, including an upstairs area, which provides enough room for larger groups. It is a comfortable and spacious setting. In conclusion, I wholeheartedly recommend this café for a pleasant breakfast experience in Dorchester. The food is tasty, the staff is friendly, and the ambiance is inviting. I have been visiting this café frequently and my positive review remains the same. If you are looking for a lovely spot to enjoy a good meal, definitely give this café a try.

Reasonably good full English breakfast although a little pricey. Sat out the back in the garden. Card payments accepted.

Hidden down a small street off the main high street is this beautiful cafe. Amazing service, very quick for a food order for 6 people and the food was delicious. Dog friendly and the staff were brilliant. Will be visiting again when we return to dorchester as this has become a family favourite.

What a great place. Very welcoming with our dog. Even gave her little treats. Service was great and the chesse soufflé was to die for. Such a great find and we will be going abck

My friend and I had lunch at Potters and both thought it was absolutely gorgeous! We loved the food we chose and pretty much everything else we could see on the menu! The service was great with the most friendly and welcoming staff. I can't wait to go back again and just wish I didn't live so far away! Now looking for a nice house in Dorchester!! Angela

Perfect service, very welcoming. Yummy filling breakfast. Quaint little spot. Nice looking cakes. Dog friendly 😊🐕

New to Dorchester, we went into the first cafe we saw after parking – Potters (just near entrance Waitrose). Food came quickly and was delicious. We sat upstairs, where there was more room. Nice atmosphere. Icing on the cake was that when I pointed out the newspapers in the rck wer a bit, er, old.... the owner asked what paper I like to read and then went out and bought one for me! (I promised to leave it back in the rack when we left.) Altogether impressed. WiFi worked well (though the password is a bit fiddly – could be shortened and simplified). Will be back.

We came today on a cold day in early February and were welcomed by the lovely owner/manager Sara, who immediately accommodated us at a great table near the fire. The choice of menu was excellent, coupled with a fabulous array of Specials! I opted for the Lamb Tagine and my partner went for Seabass and friend had the cheese souflet! The meals were totally delicious and Sara even let me have their recipe for the Tagine! If you want one the best daytime bistro cafes in Dorchester, this is the place! It is even dog friendly. Oh, and by the way, in the summer they have a beautiful courtyard at the back, perfect for dining alfresco! What a gem!

Wonderful place to meet the family. A great Full English - really high quality ingredients and the take away cake made the trip home even better. Will definitely return to this fabulous independent

We went here, with our dog, for coffee and a huge piece of cake. We were so impressed that the next day when our guests joined us, we went there again for lunch. We had a great experience again. Extra seating upstairs if downstairs is...

My wife and I went to the cafe for lunch and we were made very welcomed with our dog. Very friendly people and such a great place. We had the veggie breakfast and the cheese souffle, the souffle was the best I have ever had...

Fab food with always a good change of specials, amazing efficient service given how busy they are, which speaks for itself. Staff are very quick happy and helpful. As a local we have been coming here for years and it never disappoints!!! Fab!!

Fabulous coffee and a delicious warm chocolate brownie with lashings of clotted cream! Fabulous friendly staff who cheered me up after a difficult day! Will definitely be popping in regularly whenever I visit Dorchester! Judy.... Sporting the black eye!

Visited here during a visit to Dorchester last week whilst on holiday with friends. Welcoming, friendly and efficient staff and the breakfast was delicious. A must visit when in Dorchester.

Visiting Dorchester for the day and saw a sign for this cafe. So glad we found it. When me and my mum went to have a look the lady who was there was very friendly and helpful. We went to spoke to the rest of...

Lovely setting. Impeccable service. Gorgeous food (2 x Salmon Pate and Toast). Very reasonable prices. Helpful and attentive staff. Fantastic setting out of the way of the high street. Highly recommend.

Highly recommend this hidden gem of a cafe. We stumbled upon the courtyard and had a delicious lunch today of lasagna from the specials and a veggie breakfast. Shame we're only here on holiday or it would become our regular spot and great value too.

4 of use came for a small lunch and even being very busy the service was quick and friendly. Looks small from the outside but has quite a bit of room. Would happily come back.

Potters cafe is always a great place to visit! They have a large and varied menu of fresh local cakes, juice, smoothies, coffees and even a small range of alcoholic drinks! The food menu is just as varied and is always tasty (I recommended the...

This lovely cafe is down a side road in the town and easily missed if you don’t know about it. I’m pleased we found it as the cafe has plenty of room an upstairs and a lovely garden, child friendly. We were welcomed in with...

Visited yesterday and had the hot white chocolate. Not too sweet it tasted beautiful. Sat next to the warming fire on a cold, wet afternoon. Owner very friendly and inviting.

This Café is gorgeously appointed, historic, and full of good humour. For me, the team members are part of the ensemble that makes for a great customer experience. Yes, the food is the focus but the way the food is experienced really does depend on...

Walked in with my daughter in law, her mum and my 2 baby grandsons to have some breakfast. The staff were super friendly and showed us to a table for four at which point, a lady (the owner/manager) ushered us over to sit on a...

who ever made the rainbow coleslaw needs a pay rise that was peng all nice people in there and the service was excellent

Being a bit old and anxious about eating out, my husband and I were relieved to be asked to wait until the staff had cleared and wiped down and sanitised the the table. Excellent Covid aware service and really kind staff. The food wasn’t bad...

We wanted a cream tea and to be able to take our grumpy labrador with us. We came across this little cafe with a great little outside space The staff we were very friendly and accomodating to us all including grumpy dog Simple but tasty...

Slighty tucked away and very busy at lunchtime as was expected. Great atmosphere, service and food. The specials were varied, Homity pie was exceptional as was the Tagine. Children's portions are adequate. Nice garden at rear.

6 of us (including 1 coeliac, 1 with tomato intolerance & 4 others who all wanted something slightly different) on their English breakfast. Very complicated order. All were cooked to perfection! All the drinks were exactly as we wanted too. The friendliest welcome & Jordan...

Stumbled across this little place. Lunch was lovely. Hubby had the half English breakfast, which was pretty substantial and very tasty. I had the jacket potato with goats cheese, beetroot and mango chutney. Bloomin lovely. We will be frequenting this gem more frequently. And they...

I would normally rate a 'cafe' so highly but Potters just did so much well that I make an exception. From the starting can do of 'find a space' and 'put two table together' to the honest good wholesomeness of the food and speed of...

Lovely little place that we stumbled across in Dorchester. Although they were very busy we were still made to feel welcome. Everything was cleaned before we sat down. They had sold out of somethings as it was a bit late, but we selected coronation chicken...

I had lunch at this café. The food was very good (I had a jacket potato with goats cheese, beetroot and pickle) and the service was good. The coffee is a very dark roast very much like the coffee you get at Café Nero. I...

We always try to visit when holidaying in Dorset and haven't been disappointed yet. Food is always great, and the cakes, oh boy!

Tucked away down a side road just off Cornhill this place offers good food and a cosy atmosphere with a pleasant courtyard garden for whenever the sun manages to shine on Dorset.

Great variety on the menu, food was lovely and the customer service exceptional. Social distancing sorted and plenty of room between tables. Lovely hidden gem.

We had breakfast out in the courtyard because of restrictions but it was a lovely day. Food was very good - staff were very friendly. Would recommend.

Very friendly staff and amazing food. Tucked out of the way but worth finding I’d say the best cafe in Dorchester.

I stumbled upon Potters' Cafe one day and never looked at any other cafe in Dorchester since, to be honest. Potter's has been my number 1 for a while now. It is extraordinarily cosy, with delicious breakfast and lunch menu, and excellent drinks. Try Potter's...

Absolutely superb.... I can't believe that I've not been here before. Amazing please don't tell anyone I want to keep it just how it is.

Visited here recently for a cup of tea and ended up having a cream tea. The scones were fresh and the jam and cream delicious. There were a number of locals who had pre-booked tables for lunch which suggests its popularity and I can see why! Shame we'd had such a large breakfast prior to our visit as the lunches being served look lovely. Would definitely recommend.

Asked a local where a good place to eat would be. She directed us to potters cafe. Very COVID conscious. Very helpful staff and service was speedy, helpful and friendly. I had the macaroni cheese, large and delicious. One had full English breakfast, one had half English breakfast and one had scrambled egg and bacon best she’d had for years. Will definitely go again. Highly recommend.

We were signposted to Potters from a cafe on the main street that was full - lucky, as we'd probably not have come across it as it's tucked down a side street. We were very pleased with what we found. Cosy and comfortable with very friendly, helpful staff. We had delicious home made soup with crusty bread, then fruit scones. They are taking Covid safety seriously, which really helped to make a pleasant and relaxing experience.

We came across Potters while wandering around looking for coffee and were glad we did. The chocolate brownie and tiffin we had were very good as was the coffee. The garden is a pleasant place to spend time in and they have good procedures in place to cope with the current situation.

This is one of the best caffes in dorset.dont mess with the rest when you can have the best!.whenever i can ile come in hear for fantastic food and lovely staff.

Lunch in covid times! Never fails to dissapoint, again great service and food. Socially distanced must be hard to work but done here with great care, felt totally at ease and above all safe. Definitely recommend.

Fabulous breakfasts, both the full English and the vegetarian. Good sized portions, perfectly cooked (love the sauteed potatoes!) Nice courtyard garden. Good covid measures, everything feels clean and safe. Fast service and all the staff are always friendly and smiling. I've been coming here for several years and allways top quality.

Delicious breakfast, gorgeous little cafe. Social distancing put in place. Also allowed dogs in which is great.

We popped in for a warming bowl of delicious tomato soup today. Even in these difficult times there was a friendly and warm welcome. Highly recommended.. Especially the Hot Chocolate!!

We had come to Dorchester on market day and decided to stop for a spot of lunch. Stumbled across the Potter's cafe and was very pleasantly surprised!We went for a low carb option of omelette, salad and coleslaw. It was delicious and very reasonably priced. Cosy interior and the fire was lit. All very welcoming...

I have been lucky enough to stop here a couple of time on my annual trip to Dorchester. The full English is excellent and very filling. I also had a hot chocolate extravaganza. It was described as a hot chocolate with cream and a whole sweet shop on the top. It didn't dissapoint

Just off the main high street. Easy walk from the main car parks . We stumbled across this little oasis . Early lunch time. Still busy. Dog welcomed which was a bonus as not many do. Order take promptly by friendly staff. Served just as promptly.great coffee, great food. Good size portions. Cake was staring at me the whole time so we took some home. That was fabulous too. Garden looked nice but we spotted it too late. As did upstairs seating. Well done Potters team. We'll be back.

Cozy cafe just off the main Dorchester shopping street. Warm welcome, friendly staff and buzzing with lunchtime customers. Reasonably priced menu and large portions. Go find this gem, take your dogs and sit upstairs or in the courtyard. Recommended.

A friend and I thought we’d try this cafe for a light lunch. Not knowing the lay out we sat just inside the door but soon learnt that the door was often left open with customers coming and going. Once we realised this we moved to a table in the centre thinking this would be warmer. Unfortunately we hadn’t realised that there was a ‘staff’ door open behind us which meant that we were now sitting in a through draft!We had a lovely hot bowl of soup but this was spoilt by feeling chilly and uncomfortable. Had we realised there was upstairs seating we would probably have moved up there in the hope that it’d be warmer. Not a good experience on a first visit so it will most likely be our last. Sorry.

Tucked away in a lane slightly off the main shopping street lies a small but perfectly formed cafe. It appears to cater for all seasons with a patio garden in the summer or inside for the other eleven months of the year.We pitched up on a particularly inclement day. The rain was torrential, the wind had eased to a force eight gale, you could have surfed down the High Street. Then we stepped into the haven of Potters.It was warm and welcoming. Most of the tables were covered so there was a nice buzz of chatter. Table staff were friendly and efficient. Everything you need for an impromptu lunch.The specials on the board looked enticing, I could have gone for the kippers but another evening engagement meant that restraint was called for. Jacket potato stuffed with tuna and mayo was just right. A small salad accompanied along with a good cup of coffee.If you are hungry in Dorchester seek out Potters. No gimmicks, no razzmatazz, just good food in a comfortable cafe. What more do you need?

Exhausted from getting lost in the woods , we went to the Sun Inn a minute after 2.30 pm and were told that no food was available after 2.30 , despite there being a large piece of joint and a pan full of potatoes . Very dejected the four of us went into Dorchester for a sandwich or cake . We were overjoyed when we found Potters , and though nearly 3pm we had a warm welcome and a good menu . Our meals were tasty with generous helpings , we hope they will reap the benefit when we tell friends of our days experience .

Nice relaxing atmosphere for a coffee stop. They also are poular for a substantial breakfast or a nice lunch. Prices very good, log fire, friendly waiters. Not posh, but clean and a good place to refresh before wandering round the town centre.

Food was very good but the upstairs is way too cramped with 22 tables squashed in. This meant having to keep moving chairs to allow staff to get through. If they cut this down to 10 tables it would be so much more comfortable

We only stopped for coffee (and to get out of the rain!) but were warmly welcomed and enjoyed our stop. Very friendly staff who seem to enjoy looking after people (rarer than it should be somehow!)

Extremely good service. Dog friendly. Plenty of choice on menu. In fact so good we visited twice on the same day. On our first visit we had a delicious cheese sandwich with Dorset pickle and homemade coleslaw. This was served in crusty bread. My son had a hot chocolate. If you have a sweet tooth the chocolate will be a hit. Contained lots of sweets including marshmallow and Smarties.On our second visit my husband and I had Dorset Apple Cake which was warmed up and served with clotted cream. Staff friendly and made us feel extremely welcome.

I am so grateful online reviews exist; we were swayed by the overwhelming positive reviews and rightly so!

Needed to get out of the rain, and to revive our spirits with a cuppa.   A deceptive place, it has an upstairs that seats a reasonable crowd.  There is a good selection to choose from and the staff our friendly and helpful.   We ordered baguettes and salads for 5, along with the drinks it came to £46.55 which was very good value.   The service was on the slow side

We love Dorchester but had yet to discover that perfect stop for a lunch or tea stop. We knew there had to be at least one in Dorchester and found it in the Potters Cafe! A late lunch of homemade soup was absolutely delicious and had to be followed by a moist and yummy piece of warmed Dorset Apple cake with clotted cream and a scone with jam and clotted cream too! It’s a delightful cosy cafe with charming and helpful staff and will be our go to whenever we’re in Dorchester!

Called in en route to our holiday. Convenient for car park and efficient, friendly service. Lovely atmosphere with a good variety of food and happy to visit again.

We visited for lunch after going to the museums (Teddy Bear and dinosaur) and this was recommended by a local lady. It was well worth it food was delicious and although there was a slight wait it was worth it. It was that nice we decided to go back for breakfast a few days later on our way home from our holidays down here. The girls were friendly and very helpful. Lovely gluten free choices including cakes. Yum.

Found this cafe after wandering round Dorchester, actually came in the entrance by Waitrose. Sat outside in the courtyard in a sunny spot. Staff were attentive and friendly. We both ordered a sandwich and were extremely impressed with them. Lovely thick soft bread and almost over filled. One of the best we've had for a long time. Looking forward to visiting again!

Looked like a nice little gem. Lovely garden, very friendly staff, very good Latte - until the vegetarian breakfast arrived. Bread burnt, mushrooms half raw, potatoes tasted like they'd spent months cut in a bag, yuck. The egg and beans were okay.

My daughter, grandchildren & I enjoyed a fabulous lunch- my grandson is wheat intolerant & was wonderfully catered for- that was beautifully presented, really good food and great service & value. Would recommend highly.

We were driving from Devon to Southampton after a terrible camping trip (Very wet and Very windy). We wanted to stop just after half way to stretch our legs, get some coffee having not slept for days, and let the kids (5 and 7) get some air.

Came across this lovely cafe. Lovely cream tea with friendly staff and great service. Lovely garden too. Highly recommend.

A well hidden hideaway with great ambience and a warm and friendly welcome. A cream tea with a request to 'let me know if you need more cream or jam' and an excellent Earl Grey tea. The only disappointment was the scones - fairly sure they had been previously frozen as they didn't have that baked on the day freshness.

Had a fabulous lunch on Saturday, sat in the outside terrace. Needed something fulfilling before an evening out. Look at this whopper of a club sandwich. Ended up sharing it as didn’t want to look greedy! I’d have that again for sure....

Have started to go here regularly, the full English breakfast is very good value for money, so tasty and huge portion! The staff are all really friendly and service is prompt. Would really recommend a visit, in this lovely weather the garden is a really nice place to sit and enjoy.

Old beams and brickwork give this a characterful charm, and delish food in this tranqil oasis just off the busy pedestrian road is a real find. The charming garden is a lovely area too,

The Potter's Cafe is a brilliant venue to meet up with friends or to take family. They are extremely welcoming to dogs too and Sara, the owner, is invariably seen giving out dog treats to delighted owners. The staff are friendly and welcoming and the food is always reliably excellent. I am writing today as I recently tried the cod in tempura batter, currently on menu, and it is superb! Excellent customer service under Sara who offers very pleasant surroundings, in garden in summer and by the log fire in winter. Thankyou!

I am not a vegan but the dishes on offer are yummy, my favourite was a chickpea curry in tacho shells had it several times as we a regular customers. The food is always consistent and well presented. Keep up the good work!

A very pleasant little cafe that I stopped in for coffee and cakes the other day. We had very nice cake, carrot and Dorset apple cake and a good filter coffee. The lunch menu looks very nice and slightly different from the norm. The meals we saw come out look tasty and a good size, especially the sweet potato fries.

The food is hot and plenty of it. We would have liked to sit in the garden terrace area but it was full up. However, the seating inside is fine. A good menu selection and at a reasonable price. Although the cafe is tucked away it has a good reputation so locals know to go there.

Popped into Potters on Saturday with friends for lunch. We all had a light lunch due to the heat, plus drinks and ice cream. Very reasonable priced, quick service with a smile - very important. Got home to realise that we had left a shopping bag behind. Phoned the day later, and they had found the bag and put it away safely. Thank you for being so helpful. Will be back again next time in Dorchester.

On a visit to Dorchester we dropped in for coffee. It was fine although the service was a bit slow. Decor was tired looking. I would not go back - I would try other places in town.

Decided to go into poters today and treat myself to some lunch. The food was absolutely spot on and the service was quick, efficient and friendly. Would definitely recommend here for a lovely, professional and friendly enviroment.

I popped into Potters while visiting family in Dorchester, we all absolutely loved it.