Tawny's Wine Bar in Purbeck

We visited here for a celebration and had an amazing meal. The cheese souffle was gorgeous as was the lamb main. The wine was superb, staff were friendly and efficient and made it a fantastic celebration. I'll definitely be back when next in Swanage

We've been to Swanage many times but for some reason, we'd never eaten here despite it being highly recommended by friends. This time we remembered to book in advance as we were visiting on a weekend. Only one person serving so we were a bit worried it might be slow but no, service was quick and attentive. The food was lovely, generous portions and it felt like it was all freshly cooked and well thought out. I particularly recommend the cheese souffle! We will definitely return next time we're in Swanage.

Nice little restaurant, lovely waitress who in spite of being very busy was jovial and informative. Very large portions and nice tasting home cooked food.

Great little place. We wanted something other than pub food and found this little gem. The food was amazing. In particular the lamb and the goats cheese lasagne were great. A good selection of wine and great service and not overly expensive. Highly recomme d and it is dog friendly.

Food good but I reserved a particular table only to find on arrival it had been given away I know it isn’t a contract but leaves a bad impression.

Well worth a visit for dinner in this smart wine bar in the centre of the High Street. Food and service very good but essential to book at weekends.

Service was excellent although the restaurant was very busy. Order was taken promptly and both the mains and desserts arrived without a long wait. Both courses were very good.

Lovely set table, with fresh flowers. Excellent meal, lovely Thai Red Chicken and Pavlova with fresh fruit and cream. Very large portion ! All recommended. I was first in, so service was good, but I suspect as it got busier, it would be a bit slower. The couple next to me were getting agitated waiting. Only one person taking the orders.

Beautiful food in a fantastic restaurant! I had the crab linguini and my partner had the lamb, both were exceptional! Highly recommended!

Great birthday celebrations here with beautiful food and a friendly service. We were a table of 9 plus a dog. The owner communicated in advance about the menus and we were not disappointed as you will seem from the photos. Definitely one of the best restaurants in Swanage

Restaurant was busy - a good sigh. We really enjoyed our meal. The steak and wine were particularly good. Will return if we are in the area.

Please don't judge this restaurant by its decor. The food is excellent top ingredients expertly cooked and presented souffle, scallops and lamb were flawless. This took me back to when dining was about great food and service rather than how it looks. Very good wine menu and whols service of restaurant expertly handled by one waitress. She was knowledgeable, effecient and handled a busy restaurant with care and a smile. Food portions were not small we had no room for a dessert despite the fact they looked delicious. Fresh flowers, candles it has charm. It felt like going back on time where content was more important than fads and fashions. Would definitely recommend and will return next time we are in Swanage.

There are restaurants where the food and service can be variable – this is not one of them. We start our annual long weekend in Swanage with an evening meal in Tawny’s. Once again, the food was great and the service wonderful. Note - You do need to book in advance – several couples were turned away as we sat and enjoyed being back.

Deliciously cooked food, very good service and lovely atmosphere. Will definitely be returning next time we're in Swanage.

We went there on the 24th for my birthday, my scallops starter was really good, although I did covet the wife's Soufflé. I had the lamb as a main and it was exceptional, the Australian Shiraz from the Barossa Valley was excellent. I can certainly recommend Tawneys

We hadn’t been here for a long time and thought we would give it another go . Although the restaurant is a little dark inside and the chairs a little uncomfortable . The four of us ordered different things and we enjoyed everything that was served to us . We recommended rawness to several other people that week and they all commended the food . Well done tawneys , keep your chef . We will definitely be coming back .

Having visited Tawny's twice over a lovely 2 week holiday in Swanage, had an excellent meal on both occasions and thought it would be good to leave a review on that basis. Having read some previous reviews, I think it's important to pick out and comment on places which are actually genuniely great and worth visiting - this is a really lovely restaurant in Swanage - whilst it's been suggested the restaurant looks a bit old fashioned, my view the restaurant was actually really comfortable and captures a rustic bistro type feel perfectly. Price wise, I personally felt this was good value for a place that clearly sources quality ingredients, has very good portion quality and size, and great wines, in also a prime town centre location. On one occasion the restaurant was very busy with a wide variety of diners, and on the other, just over half full. On both occasions the food was consistently of a very high standard, with a great wine list, and on both occasions the service was excellent. The food and experience is based on very classic and flavoursome dishes in a very comfortable setting. We went as a family, and also again with friends for a fortieth birthday - everyone was very pleased with their dishes and the overall experience, and we'll definitely be back next time we visit Swanage.

Back again this year! Lovely food, friendly staff, reasonably priced wine ! Interedting menu and quick service. Highly reccomended when in swanage

This’ll read like criticism; we had a nice meal here but if you’re going to charge top notch prices, everything needs to justify that. Food - nicely done and presented but was served on cold plates - means you rush it before it gets cold and don’t really enjoy it. Decor - looked like one of the restaurants in the “before” part of Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares, again, for these prices you need to redecorate more than once every 25 years. Service - very good A nice place but won’t revisit - have no problem paying high prices, but the whole experience has to make it good value.

Tawnys Trumps the lot of them. Best food ever Best welcome ever Best atmosphere ever. Welcomed by the staff who just couldn't do enough to make you feel welcome. We'll be going back again.

Certainly quality food and service but very high prices and smallish portions. Not particulalry inspiring location away from the sea front and tucked away.

Cheddar cheese souffle Rump of lamb in red wine jus Raspberry roulade Excellent Rioja to accompany!

We visited here on our holiday, this is the third time we have eaten at this restaurant and it was just as great as the last time we came a couple of years ago. The service was great and the food tasted amazing. Bonus is they are dog friendly. Would recommend booking a table in advance as they very busy.

The proprietors seem to have do found a niche where they can charge higher prices than the dining experience justifies. The food and service are good (but not remarkable), the location is uninspiring, being along a road away from the sea front, and the interior whilst comfortable is dated -the toilets in particular are very tired and more like I'd expect to see in a pub. Whilst the evening was pleasant enough, I certainly wouldn't chose to go back, and wouldn't recommend the place

We came across Tawnys Restaurant and Wine Bar by chance- and so glad we did! The food was superb- I had the cheese soufflé followed by goats cheese and asparagus lasagne. The sticky toffee pudding was very light and a generous portion was served. Good selection of wines to choose from. I would definitely recommend.

Fantastic meal again at this independent restaurant where the food and service is top notch. The menu is small to ensure quality but offers a good range of options and meals are all cooked fresh by chef and delivered looking lovely. Tawnys is close to...

We have been coming to tawnys for 10 years and never fails. Delicious food cosy atmosphere and the staff (owner and chef) are very kind and friendly. Highly recommend 👍🏻☺️❤️🍽️🍷

At the time of writing, there has only been one TripAdvisor review of this place since October ‘22, which describes it as “probably the best restaurant in Swanage.” Go back a little further, though, and a recurrent theme runs through the reviews: “AGGRESSIVE VERY RUDE...

This was our second visit to Tawny’s and again enjoyed the fabulous food and impeccable service with a great wine list. Had the lamb and pork belly which were cooked to perfection. This is probably the best restaurant in Swanage.

Great find! We were looking for a restaurant rather than a pub but somewhere we could also take our dog. This was perfect. The food was all amazing & the service was very friendly too. Would definitely recommend.

We had a superb meal here during our visit to Swanage/Corfe. It is a real hidden gem. We were recommended to visit otherwise I would never have discovered this lovely place tucked away off of the main street. The waitress is absolutely lovely and runs...

My wife and I stumbled upon Tawny's after two other restaurants had no availability and what a gem of a find it was! It says it's a wine bar and certainly had an extensive wine list (we had an excellent white) but the food was...

fantastic food. great service , best to book a table early.Mike is the chief. this place is basic but as a great atmosphere.

We went back twice in a week to this restaurant, food was amazing, waitress was lovely , very laid back atmosphere.

Oh my God, cant believe what just happened! After waiting nearly an hour between courses, and seeing a table of 6 who came in 20 mins after us get there mains, we queried the wait, and were told WE had ordered starters , as if...

Mains - Crab linguine had shell in it, rosti was burnt, but the starters of meatballs and prawns were nice. Very slow service as only one chef and one waitress, even though it was a Saturday night, and it was fully booked.

We are so glad we found Tawnys - we had a fantastic meal with lovely service. The restaurant was very laid back with plenty of space between tables - didn’t feel at all crowded but still a good atmosphere. The food was really delicious and...

Are here for the first time last night after holidaying here for many years. Delicious food and generous portions. The crab linguine was delicious & a big serving. We loved that the chef brought the mains out to serve himself. Only one waitress but she...

The quality of the food cannot be disputed- it’s amazing and we can’t wait to return. The salmon is unbelievable and the portions are very generous indeed. Nice surroundings and great service , but please note the toilets are down quite a steep staircase so...

My partner and I had dinner at Tawny's on Friday last. We were greeted with a beaming smile and shown to a table near the window. We both chose the Pan fried scallops with prosciutto crisps as a starter, and it was absolutely delicious! We...

Super food and lovely staff. Four of us went and we had a lovely evening. The chef came to speak with us after our meal. What a lovely guy. Would thoroughly recommend.

6 of us visited for dinner the food was outstanding and freshly cooked. There was only 1 waitress for the whole restaurant but she was excellent and very attentive. Would highly recommend and we can’t wait to book again.

Our family of six had a meal at Tawny's this evening. Fantastic food and wine and excellent service. Salmon, linguine and lamb dishes all delicious. I cannot rate this place highly enough! If you value good quality ingredients, cooked well then give this place a...

We had a lovely dinner at Tawnys this week. I had tempura prawns followed by the crab linguine and my partner had the lamb. Could not fault it

We have been coming to this wonderful restaurant now for that last 13 years and we have always had lovely food the woman who takes the orders doesn’t stop always says hello and good bye to anyone coming or going, food is always good with...

Love coming here for dinner, lovely staff nice atmosphere, trendy decor, food is always delicious and great quality, 10/10

Have eaten here in the past and had excellent food but to see the cost of a sirloin steak at £36 we walked straight by. Such a shame, I'm sure we're not the only ones put off

My husband and I dined at Tawneys last night and I can honestly say every element of our evening was excellent. The food was delicious, the service first class. I cant wait to return.

A lovely evening. Staff were really friendly and welcomed us and our pooch for dinner. Scallops and black pudding starter was delicious and the steak that followed was probably one of the best steaks I’ve had in years. Service was excellent; attentive and friendly. Can’t...

We had an excellent evening meal on Saturday 11th June. The starters of Prawns and Scallops were beautiful, freshly made and high quality. They were both so good we shared each of our dishes! The mains we chose, Crab Linguine and the Lamp rump were...

We had a very nice meal. Food was well presented and delicious. service was good. My only negative comment is the decor is quite dated. Table cloths were paper and I’d prefer a bare table.

Quite busy for a Tuesday night. For starters we had scallops with blackpudding, cooked beautifully. Mains we had Dorset lamb rump and crab linguine. Hubby said lamb gorgeous, melt in your mouth and the crab linguine was packed full of meat and very tasty, could...

Having grown up in Swanage we love visiting Tawneys but haven't been back in Swanage since covid. We visited this evening with our new family - two boys that we are blessed to have as our sons but that have very unique needs. Both are...

From start to finish this restaurant exceeded our expectations. The owners were amazing running both front of house and cooking the food. We had a mixture of meals from crab linguine, steak and duck. The food was to die for and the atmosphere and restaurant...

Delicious food & drinks beautifully served by the friendly waitress. A meal at Tawny’s never fails to please. We eat here regularly because we know we’ll enjoy it….that says it all really. ❤️

Had a great night on New Years Eve, we were staying in Swanage over New Year and Tawnys was literally 2 doors walk away. We were a party of 4 and the restaurant was pretty full. All the food was amazing , we all chose...

We found the food ordinary & uninspiring & very expensive for what is a tired looking dated restaurant . The waitress was aggressive and rude (as several other reviewers have said.). It is no wonder the place was almost empty on a Weekend. We will...

Our meal with friends was sadly ruined by the rude waitress. We were surprised how empty the restaurant was as the food was lovely but it soon become clear as to why this might be. We were enjoying our evening and laughing a lot when...

Our lovely meal at Tawny's last night with excellent service as always (we are local and go there often) was only marred by the behaviour of the party of seven who chose to speak loudly and show each other video clips at loud volume. When...

I’m finding it difficult writing this review as the food was excellent,although paying £35 for a steak was a bit steep . I’ve been visiting this place on and off for about 35 years and was super excited to show it off to my friends....

Just dropped in on off-chance on a Wednesday evening and we’re delighted with the venue and excellent meal. Interesting menu with varied choices. The loin of pork I hade was first class and beautifully presented. Wide range of wines available and decor bright and modern,...

An excellent three course meal (1) scallops and pancetta (2) the chicken and vegetable Thai curry (3) pavlova with ice cream, cream and fruit. Service was friendly and efficient. Good wine options too. COVID care is still taken seriously, but a nice relaxed atmosphere too.

The waitress was quite simply rude and offensive. She was working alone and clearly under pressure, but this can never be an excuse to treat paying customers with contempt. Our crime was to enquire politely after waiting well over an hour for our main course...

We haven't eaten here for a very long time, but decided to try it again on a recent holiday in Swanage. The quality of the meals was very good, even though the menu options were slightly restricted. The Scallops with Panchetta crisps started was especially...

Went in tonight to book a table for Thursday . I was greeted by a really rude waitress telling me I had to telephone to book . I told her I had tried to phone but no one answered the phone . She said that...

We booked at short notice and were thankful they had availability after a great meal with first class service. Greeting was welcoming and friendly by the waitress running front of house alone. She did not stop all night and was so hard working. Starters were...

We were a party of friends and the restaurant sat us together in 3 tables in a corner of the restaurant . Would have worked better if the tables were joined up so we could talk to each other during the meal. We had a...

Three of us visited Tawnys last night after pre booking the week before. We were greeted with a smile. We all chose different starters and mains, all were exceptionally tasty and well presented. Was very impressed with the good portion sizes and getting a proper...

Hats off to the lady running tawny’s , she ran the entire front of house singlehandedly. We felt really welcome, she explained the dishes with knowledge & enthusiasm. She recommended great wine pairing for our food & told us about the wines with a wealth...

Not all that welcoming and did not like children. My lamb was tough Overpriced and decorated in a stark white . Won't be going again The service was Basil Fawlty style

We visited Tawny's Wine Bar in July. We ate grilled salmon and goats cheese lasagne - delicious. Like other reviews however, we had not so good experience with the head waitress/owner, at first she was reluctant to take our booking at the door. But for...

I visited with my husband and family while on holiday and we were so impressed by the food and the service at Tawny's! The lady who took our orders and served us was really friendly and took care of everything around the restaurant with ease....

A table at the entrance was where you waited to be seated which was much better than before Covid when people walked in to the bar area to book.This made for a much more private dining experience.The restaurant looked nice with a candle on each...

Stumbled upon this restaurant after being turned away by a few others in Swanage for not reserving and sooo glad we were turned away by the others, as this restaurant was so great. The food was delicious and reasonably priced, and the one woman, who...

OK, so I've been here before and have been happy with the experience. Nothing has since changed (except the menu) Mike the owner and his staff were very welcoming coming through the pandemic. The meal again was superb, and the service was fast, efficient and...

Owners Mike (and chef) and Galete are welcoming hosts. The food was extraordinarily good, excellent friendly, vibrant atmosphere 👍

Fabulous food and great service, lamb was so tender, best chips, crab linguine delicious. Best restaurant in Swanage

Poked our head in to try to book for the following evening but couldn’t get through the door and was shooed away by a female member of staff before we could ask the question! So we then tried to book on the phone answering service!!...

Booked up an evening meal on our week away in Swanage. We needed a place which would accept our dog as it was not allowed to leave him in our accommodation. Was pleasantly surprised that a Wine Bar/Restaurant was quite comfortable with that. It was...

Visited while on holiday. Lovely food and wine. Delicious goats cheese lasagne. My partner had tbe steak on the specials which ge sais was also superb. Decor a little dated is my only negative comment.

We came here here on the final day off our holiday. The Goats Cheese Lasagne was cooked to perfection, and my partners Steak was spot on! I had the scallops to start and they were delicious! We only wish we had left room for desert....

We booked a table for our anniversary weeks in advance. Looking to move the time forward became an ordeal over the phone so we popped in to try to speak to the owner in person. We were shooed away by an irate female owner as...

Went here for date night with my girlfriend on a Wednesday evening. The place was buzzing with life and every table was full. The service and food was amazing and could not fault it! I had the Dorset lamb and it was cooked to perfection!...

Absolutely superb food. Read the reviews before we travelled and lucky enough to get a table. The food was divine, there was 1 waitress (or manager maybe) and 1 chef and all the tables were taken. The lady (sorry didn't get her name) was everywhere...

What can I say - everything about our evening at Tawny’s was just perfect. Greeted on entering and shown to our table ( all well spaced) and offered a drink. Menu choice was extensive and the food we chose was really tasty and well presented....

What a fantastic meal. Great wine selection and tje food was superb. Lovely atmosphere with a fantastic host

Three of us had a meal here as this was the only place in town that wasn't fully booked. The service was good, the place is clean but the food wasn't worth the money. I had two starters, soup and the lamb kebab. Soup was...

We booked dinner at Tawny’s in Swanage and were not disappointed. The restaurant was fully booked with plenty of space between tables. The Covid precautions were exemplary. The food was excellent (although my sauce was a little too piquant for my taste). The waitress/owner was...

Yum, yum, yum! Thoroughly enjoyed everything I had last night - duck leg with cassoulet, roasted rump of lamb with red wine jus and creme brûlée. All perfectly cooked and excellent portion sizes. Fantastic selection of wine which was all very reasonably priced. Staff were...

Lovely venue; great food; very welcoming and COVID "safe". The wine selection to accompany the meal was impressive; we even tried a "desert wine" on recommendation. Would definitely visit again if in the Swanage area in future.

Fantastic food had the scallops to start with followed by the steak then the cheese board all top off by an Argentinian Malbec from the very reasonably priced wine list. The cheese board was excellent value. Will definitely be back the next time we are...

A lovely evening enjoyed by all. Everyone's meal was excellent, the steak, lamb and duck were all cooked to perfection. Very good wine list and resonably priced. Excellent service and very COVID friendly. Only disappointment was we couldn't manage a dessert!!

We were served high quality restaurant food by friendly and professional staff. The menu had a good variety of meat and fish options but only one vegetarian main course and no vegetarian starters. The atmosphere was sophisticated and relaxing. Good COVID-19 measures were in place.

An absolute jewel in the crown of Dorset. Not quite sure where to start, I could easily run out of superlatives. The food wouldn’t be out of place in Mayfair, a small menu but with options for all tastes, and oh my word, the food...

This is where we go on the first evening of our stays in Swanage. The meals there have always been delightful. With slightly fewer tables, due to the social distancing, the lovely waitress was having a slightly less frenetic time greeting people, taking their orders...

A really excellent meal. Very well managed under covid restrictions. wonderful friendly service by one member of staff doing everything “ front of house”. The food was excellent.

Lovely staff and the COVID-19 safety measures made us feel very safe. We both had the Thai chicken curry. Every mouthful was delicious. The perfect amount of spice and flavours were fantastic. To finish with we both had the creme brûlée with homemade shortbread biscuit....

Excellent food all round, with particular mention for the creme brûlée & pavlova. Service was fantastic despite only one waitress and wine is reasonably priced. Will definitely return.

We've learnt through our travels that paper tablecloths are a sign of excellent things going on in the kitchen and at Tawny's this proved to be true. With only one person in the kitchen and one front of house (I assume because of Covid) they...

Really enjoyed our meal here, I had the lamb , cooked to perfection. My husband and daughter had these food linguine. all great and the service was great too. The music also spot on.