The 1859 Pier Cafe & Bistro in Purbeck

The location is fabulous and it is lovely sitting outside. However since it has been taken over the quality of the food has dropped dramatically. It is very disappointing

Stumbled across this cafe and glad we did. Great food and friendly staff. Dog friendly which was a bonus. It was a great find.

Visited here on a lovely sunny Saturday morning. Both my wife and I had a sausage and egg bap which was lovely washed down by an excellent strong coffee. Stunning views sat outside over Swanage bay with friendly service.

Lovely food and location ruined by poor service where everything is too much trouble for the teenage staff who behave like "kevins", you are simply there to give them your money, who needs customers right? The lady in front of me queuing was ordered back on to the mat by the door as she was "in the way". Move ur counter then! If u want to be ordered around by a 17 year then you will enjoy yourself. Not our first visit to experience this service trait sadly. 🙄

Great place to meet friends and family, Fine views and well run!

Fantastic view, great food, great service!

Fantastic as always.. great food and welcoming service, always a place I like to eat in when visiting Swanage. Update: 16/8/2024, have been in again today on the last day of my yearly summer holiday, and again the food was fantastic.. had (kids meal) Ship Ahoy and Beyond Meat burger and Cluckin Ann Burger.. was super tasty, and chips spot on crunchy, think they should teach some other restaurants in the area how to do chips.. it was a shame I wasn't able to have another one straight away after I finished 🤤

Avoid. Rude unwelcoming and unhelpful who apparently DON'T CARE!! Apart from the view this place has nothing going for it, and there are other places in Swanage to eat with views.The waitress took our drinks order. My husband and mother chose their food and as I do not like fish found it difficult to select something. I saw headings sandwiches/hot sandwiches/ Baps. The drinks came and she took our order. She then (and only then) told us sandwiches etc were not available as toaster had been turned off. It is not mentioned on the menu that these are only served between certain times. Rather than moving I said OK can I just have a sandwich. To which the waitress said ' that should be ok'. She then returned to say the kitchen said they were too busy to make a sandwich. If 4 other people inside and 8 people outside (6 of which already had their food) is busy how would the cope if it was full?! We cancelled our order and drank our drinks(which we would not have had). When we left I told the waitress that they should mention the availability time on the menu or have a different menu for evenings. My husband said he was not happy that we had to go somewhere else to eat and could now not have a drink with his meal. A rude male member of staff said ' if you want a sandwich go to Greggs'. I would suggest you do, as their sandwiches are over priced at £8 for cheese and onion and the service you will get and Gregg's would be far better. My husband then said ' you don't care do you?' and a couple of male staff said " No we don't".

Came here for breakfast. I was very nice .

This is a lovely little Bistro with an amazing view over Swanage Bay. But what really makes this place is the service, and when we say service we mean Lauren. This lady is superb, she really made our evening. Nothing was too much trouble, she was proper customer service with a smile. Lovely food, fantastic views and top service from Lauren.

Stopped here for a drink before getting on our City Cruises boat trip back to Poole. It's always busy so we were lucky to get a seat. It was a sham they were closing early in the day otherwise we would have stayed a little longer.

Stopped here for several lunchtime meals and refreshments at various times of the day last week (on a short break) and the food and services were always excellent. **Really excellent!** Best veggie burger I've had recently, by far, and a really excellent salted beetroot salad (big, surprisingly filling, and delicious). A real gem!

There's no doubt that the 1859 bistro is in a picture-postcard location. Sitting outside on the quay you can look across the bay and feel the salt spray on your skin. Parking is also relatively easy as you've got a pay and display car park up on the hill behind you. Unfortunately I think that this means that the restaurant just doesn't have to try that hard with the menu. It's not that our meal was awful, not at all, but it was average in conception and execution. If you're a family with kids then you'll do just fine but don't expect a cordon bleu experience is all I'm saying.

Great restaurant/bar for evening sunsets over Swanage!

If you’re looking for somewhere quiet with a good view, this is your place. If you’re looking for somewhere that will provide welcoming service, you might want to look elsewhere. The girl on the counter with blonde highlights clearly was not happy to be there. Making faces to her coworkers and responding bluntly to customers. The egg was doused in oil which made it inedible however this is not the typical standard. Usually an amazing place to go and to enjoy a breakfast, but during carnival week you might want to search elsewhere as the staff will not want to be there

Dropped in here for breakfast on our day trip to Swanage and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Staff were friendly and efficient - but service not too rushed. Food was tasty and reasonably pried. Nice view of the harbour and seafront whilst we ate too.

Just had the most delicious burger with blue cheese, it was HUGE and the chips were crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle 😋😋 Throughly recommend here 😊 The views across the bay are stunning too, especially as the sune goes down 😊

The most amazing meal. Everything beautifully seasoned , cooked perfectly. Staff courteous and attentive. First class. We will be back to eat here!

We went to Swanage for a day out, decided to have a bit of lunch and chose 1859 Bistro, a brilliant discovery. I had mussels and hubby had tempura prawns and a ham and cheese toastie, both were well cooked and presented. Staff were very friendly and efficient. The prices were very reasonable. Highly recommended

Food has always been lovely, service can vary .

What a shame this restaurant has gone seriously downhill since the new ownership. The quality and standards are now appalling. The food was extremely disappointing , poor quality ingredients and on reflection greatly overpriced. The burgers were nothing better than supermarket cheapies. The linguine crab was replaced with spaghetti with an incipid watery crab sauce. They had also run out of some the main dishes. The service was lacking and unprofessional. Not once were we asked if the food was OK. The staff got the mains wrong and could not accommodate the dietary requirements professionally. We watched the staff stuffing their faces with crisps behind the till, guess they didn't want to eat their own food. The wine prices are extortionate. £31 for a bottle of their cheapest rose wine was poor quality. They had also run out of large bottles of sparkling water. We did not complain on the night because our friends had travelled a long way to share a special occasion meal together. The poor service and food quality is sadly indicative of a badly run establishment. Have been coming here for years but the new owners really need to up their game. Won't be going back or recommending this place anymore. Another point they locked one of the toilets inconveniencing one of our guests who had to use a toilet in another establishment. This place is not customer focused any more.

We had a meal and the food was delicious high quality and would be popular in any restaurant

Very helpful in relation to a family matter. Took time to support and assist. Can't thank them enough.

Great service and lovely position on the pier, just a shame there weren’t more vegan options, especially lack of any vegan cake a little sad.

After some minor initial issues contacting the restaurant Jamie and the team accommodated a large family party (23 including children) for a most enjoyable evening. We even had to add on two unexpected guests late on with no problem. The food was good and delivered in a timely fashion after a pre-order. The staff were very pleasant and professional. Highly recommended in a fabulous setting.

Absolutely lovely food. And great service

Fantastic food, just a shame staff couldn't help get another drink for me as I was in wheelchair.

Oh dear: “get it yourself”. No cutlery brought to the table. So “get it yourself”. So meal getting cold. Not good as the breakfast and location superb.

could not have found a better place for lunch on a sunny spring day. Both my wifes burger& my fish basket were well cooked and full of flavour, the service was great& the price reflected the value. Lovely spot with views across the bay, will definately come again.

Had a late lunch (family of 9) and the staff were attentive and the food was fantastic!! I don't think we could pick our favourite between the Basket of Seafood, Fancy Finger Sandwich and the Trio of Fish!! Great portions and perfectly cooked. The restaurant was also child friendly, and had a fantastic exhibition on Swanage Pier attached to alongside it, so it kept fidgety little ones busy while the food arrived.

Had a dinner on Sunday evening. Very welcoming ,great food and excellent service . Recommend the Specials Menu.

Fantastic seafood in a lovely pier-side location with views over the bay. Great cakes and well-catering for gluten-free and celiac guests, thanks to separate fryers.

Nice spot, rubbish service. Whilst they have a numbered sign system for tables it doesn't work when the staff ignore that and just ask who's is this? Young bearded chap kept coming out offering wrong things to wrong tables multiple times which didn't augur well. After waiting over 25 minutes (no exaggeration) for a simple tea and coffee we asked for a refund as people that had ordered way after us had got theirs. Good luck with your order if you visit!

New owners since last year and had a lot of items unavailable. We will still go back next year and hope they have a good summer. It's a great spot on the pier even on a foggy wet day.

Since change of ownership this business has really gone down........been closed since New Year

Lovely breakfast looking out over the bay. Best coffee I've tasted in Swanage. Great menu. Will definitely return

One of our favourite cafes in Swanage. Lovely staff. Lovely food especially breakfast before 11am. Called in for Coffee today and met friends we had not seen since COVID started. Lovely catch up. Update:- Since new operators took over. Service absolutely atrocious on two occasions. The staff are blind to the customers! We did not get served and did not order food or drinks. We are local and have decided not to return. There are other nice cafes in town who have nice 'attentive' staff.

Lovely Bistro on the pier at Swanage. Well prepared and tasty food. Gluten free catered for very well.

We had a Takeaway. Varied and fresh menu. Food delicious and fresh. Staff excellent. Best Indian food around

Lovely breakfast. Good quality food and not overloaded plates!

Great food, lovely ambience and friendly staff in a lovely location on Swanage PIER. Highly recommend.

I booked a table for my husband and I on Friday evening. From the moment we arrived we received a very warm welcome from the restaurant staff and our dining experience was made even more amazing by the spectacular views overlooking Swanage Bay from our table. The service was wonderful, our waitress was so attentive and accommodating and the ambiance was just perfect. The food was excellent I had the ribeye steak which was cooked perfectly and my husband had the duck I can thoroughly recommend both dishes. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we have booked again for next weekend. Thank you to Jamie and his team for a wonderful evening.

Wow!!! 👏👏👏 Absolutely outstanding homemade food The Sunday roasts are EPIC I've eaten in this restaurant several times and have ALWAYS had the nicest of food served **If only Carlsberg did restaurants as good as this one** Dog friendly and treats are offered 😀 Staff are brilliant I'd give this restaurant a thousand stars if I could 🌟 We'll definitely be back Thank you

Such a brilliant find for an incredible roast (the beef is unreal!), dog friendly with a beautiful view!

Always heard great reviews from locals and finally got round to visiting, shame we didn’t check this out sooner! Staff were friendly, great selection of food on the menu and very reasonable prices. I had mussels and possibly the best I’ve had. Lovely little location, and will definitely be returning!

Wow! We just had the very best evening meal since we moved to Swanage twelve months ago. Four of us all had different meals, steak for one which he said was excellent, duck for an other who is still raving about the flavours and variety! I had plaice which was cooked to perfection, I’m the daughter of a fishmonger so was raised on fish! The staff are all very helpful and friendly. The desserts were also of a high standard. I would highly recommend this restaurant to all either living here or visiting.

I should have guessed it was a mistake when greeted with a message on a board saying friendly customers get friendly staff. As i entered is was a matter of what do you want and sit over there ! Whilst the young staff were lovely and chatting, mainly to themselves whilst customers waited. The woman who appeared to be a supervisor had a scowl that would curdle milk, not only for the customers but also for her staff, When i reminded her about an order she almost threw a slice on the table with a look of contempt that would be difficult to match. Bad service the coffee was luke warm but the cake was nice. I would add whilst the cafe was not busy other customers also were complaining about the service and facilities. Yes i am a grumpy old man but congratulate the younger members of staff for staying positive. Thank you :)

We went to Swanage with family - and we were all so over the moon with our experience. Food was stunning and service was great. Food arrived promptly and beautifully presented. Will highly recommend to our friends. Thank you

Without a doubt the best place to eat in swanage! Incredible food and service. Me and my party of friends will be returning! Thank you.

Came here last year and it was just absolutely exceptional, could not fault the place. The food was great, staff were lovely, and service was fantastic. However, decided to come back and the whole place looks like its been completed turned upside down, in a state of dissaray! Took ages to get seated and when we finally did, we got told there was no hot food, no coffee and no tea! Just cake and sandwiches, really displeased as this was such a wonderful place to come last year!

Just had the most amazing Sunday lunch. Beautifully cooked and tasted fantastic. Has beautiful views of bay and pier. Also dogs are welcome

What a great sample menu. Everything was fantastic. The lamb was cooked perfectly. Will definitely be back again to try more of the menu. Great to see some new evening food in Swanage and a view of the sea and Swanage lights too.

We visit the town frequently and have started our break with lunch here since they opened. Unfortunately the terrible way the staff member we encountered when asking if we could book a table for lunch was nothing short of rude and lacked any enthusiasm for customer care. ‘Hello, can we book a table for lunch in about an hour?’ ‘No. We’re not taking anymore bookings for lunch’ ‘Oh, are you full?’ ‘No, but I won’t know when these tables will be finished. If you come back in an hour, we’ll have a table’ Basically, they couldn’t be bothered to write it down. She was probably keen to get back chatting to the other team standing around in the bar. They had really loud dance music on, not really for the customers enjoyment but it felt like their own. Overall a terrible couldn’t careless attitude and made us feel like we were a nuisance. Such a shame it’s being run like this as it’s a beautiful setting and I feel for the pier trust.

Cream teas for six, a tea cake and an oat milk hot choc all of which were great in this lovely place down on the old Swanage pier. Well worth the walk past the town and down to the pier. Has a wider menu but we largely fancied the cream teas which did not disappoint.

Dreadful service from sulky, immature young servers. They really did not want to be working and lacked any motivation or urgency. Forgot the grandson’s drink, threw a can in front of him and I then had to ask for a glass! Could be a lovely venue with the right management

Excellent and at last a good restaurant in Swanage. Perfectly cooked scallops to start in a delicious sauce, quality plaice for one of us and fantastic fish linguine with Swanage Bay clams and a superb sauce again. Fantastic flavours to all the food. Cheesecake was very rich, the chololate Brownie superb. Would like to see a panacotta or a creme brulee on the menu but that's quibbling. We shall be visiting again.

Well we certainly needed a new fantastic restaurant in Swanage and boy do the new owners deliver! The menu was full of fabulous choices and the food was wonderful. Fantastic atmosphere with professional and friendly staff. Very well done!

Oh dear, this is not critism, but hopefully a helpful review....new management, new chef. And our opinion obviously. Lovely crisp chips, but having never had seasoned chips before, was surprised to have very salty chips. And I don't have salt. Used to love my brie...

Great view - good food- recommended. Perhaps slightly pricey on the coffees in particular(hence a 4), though I would definitely go again.

Very disappointed as a regular visitor.we expected the same quality of food . although we only order toast it was always thick wholesome bread but on recent visits the last on oct 16th.we were give what appeared to be very thin value type of bread...

New owners have impressed us! Great food, great atmosphere and great service. We shall come again!

On our visit to Swanage recently, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast and a walk along the pier lovely place to visit thank you…

Had a really lovely meal on Saturday. The first under new management. Food was fantastic and fingers crossed this continues

What a fantastic brunch I just had! This cafe caters really well for the dairy free among us. All washed down with a really good cuppa….thoroughly recommend

What a fantastic brunch I just had! This cafe caters really well for the dairy free among us. All washed down with a really good cuppa….thoroughly recommend

My wife and I have been to this restaurant a number of times over the last few years... However, the visit yesterday will be our last. The staff were inattentive and unwelcoming from the get go, despite that they would have certainly have recognised us...

This is now the best place in Swanage. High end quality food at very reasonable prices. Believe there is a new chef and on our visits the quality and choice were just incredible. Fresh, expertly cooked and very well presented Just brilliant

Every aspect of our meals tonight here at 1859 was superb. I don't say that lightly. From the foundations upwards, the chips (best ever, not just me but everyone said that), the prepared salads, meticulously prepared top quality ingredients, the homemade coleslaw. And then the seafood, Dorset crab, prawn mayo, smoked mackerel, beer battered Gurnard, tempura prawns, salt pepper squid and chilli mango prawn, the pan fried seabass and also the hunter chicken burger, all excellent. This place is the little gem on the pier in Swanage.

Very recently changed management. New front of house and chef team. Still same good menu but now offering dining Friday and Saturday nights. We had some sensational scollops and crab linguine there last night Highly recommended.

Very nice cafe with a lovely view which serves fresh seafood, among other things. The staff are very nice, the prices are reasonable and the ambiance is great. You don't have to pay to get onto the pier if you are only going to the...

Just been in this evening for a fantastic dinner the food was cooked to perfection .it’s fantastic it’s going to be open in evenings another great restaurant in swanage

What a place. The actual restaurant is on Swanage Pier. Not only does it have beautiful views it offers delicious food. We all ordered something different and each of us were more than satisfied. Service is good , friendly and the atmosphere is buzzing but...

Great spot for a meal, for tea and cake. Stopped for cake and a drink, bonus lots of gluten free options in all areas. Settled for a slice of gf carrot cake, very generous portion and tasted as good as it looked!!

I have been visiting this cafe/bistro for about 5 years & I have never had a bad experience. Today my wife & I both had a crab salad. It was Magnificent. This dining establishment delivers time after time. If you are in Swanage and wish...

Very good food , great service and a lovely spot to kick back and enjoy the sights of Swanage from the pier.

Called in the off chance and it did not ket us down. Food was promp, nice and tasty, coffe hot, cider cold. Right on the start of the pier and what a view. Swanage never fails to satisfy my family and i.

Had breakfast and it was delicious, presented well and had nice views.

We took a table outside and placed our order at the bar. The place was busy as one would expect due to it’s seafront location. Unfortunately the food was bland, nothing to write home about and portion sizes of the seafood basket were on the small side considering the price!! Also, cheap white sliced bread in a toastie is really not on… Service was certainly not warm and welcoming. When they brought the food to the table I asked for some salt and pepper to be met with a nod over her shoulder and a monotone ‘back there by the door’. I’ve worked hospitality before and would have said ‘no problem I will get it for you’. I mean we were seated for our meal and she was passing the condiments anyway… Par for the course these days I’m afraid.

The best location and amazing food in Swanage! Located on the pier with lovely scenery. Always look forward coming to Swanage just so I can come here especially for the Bacon Brie burger. All friends loved their food, you cannot beat it! If you’re in...

The food was good and didn’t take too long. The staff were far from welcoming, in fact quite miserable, didn’t like it when we wanted to move tables and we had to chase them to pay the bill. We felt like an inconvenience to them.

Overpriced and mediocre sandwiches - you'd do better making them yourself. Staff and service were adequate but a bit slow considering we didn't order anything complicated. It does have a wonderful view though.

An absolutely wonderful surprise. Right from the beginning when we saw the comfy chairs everything about the place was excellent. A reasonably priced menu, with excellent food which was superbly presented.

Very un professional service, miserable waitress who gave a very bad service to us. Couldn't organise a drinking session in a Brewery. Food was OK but the whole experience ruined by the staff. Needs to go back to business school. Food was very good but won't be coming back , won't recommend to anyone.......shame

Spotlessly clean cafe for breakfast and lunch.

Last time we stayed in Swanage this restaurant was fully booked, but this time remembered to book ahead and secured a table. The food was all excellent and highly recommended.

Easy to find and in a superb location the 1850 Pier cafe is ideal for a quick coffee or a more substantial pit stop. We found the service to be friendly and efficient, with the food being tasty and cooked to order. Would highly recommend.

Such a dissapointing meal. Vastly overpriced. A prawn and crab cocktail that looked impressive and at £11 for a starter I was expecting something delicious but it was the tiniest portion of crab and prawns, with the prawns dressed in cheap mayo. Burgers looked amazing.......but tasted like something you would get from a burger van. Served with cheap ketchup and mayo. The staff and setting are lovely, but the food is poor and very overpriced and we would not return.

Really lovely spot with views of the pier and bay. Food was really delicious and good value. Staff very pleasant and attentive.

This cafe is the best for miles around and my friend and I eat there often when I visit. It is on the Pier and has disabled toilets Nearby

Last night we had a fantastic evening at 1859 celebrating my sister’s birthday. The team provided excellent service throughout the evening, the food choice was great - perfect for a mix of adults and teenagers, and delicious too. All of this was perfectly topped off...

The place was very unwelcoming and they almost seemed to treat you as if you were invisible, maybe because we were the only brown people around. The staff really need a few lessons in customer service. The food was nothing to write home about, and pretty bland. We tried the recommended crab sandwhich and a seafood basket, which were both underwhelming. Though, they score marks for presentation. The only saving grace of this establishment is the location. Also, if you do visit, try and be aware of seagulls who are on the lookout for a quick grab of your food.

Perfect location to enjoy any time of the day... Sit inside with views through large glass windows or if the weather is good lots of outside seating The cafe serves a wide range of food and cake and is licensed so you can enjoy an alcoholic beverage or a lovely cup of coffee... Perfect! I enjoyed a generous piece of coffee and walnut cake with an excellent flat white and my other half loved his Dorset Cider... So we were both happy. Service was a bit confusing as I didn't know whether to queue first or find a table but soon got sorted The cafe is part of an information centre as well which was very interesting... Kids will love the small aquarium complete with Crabs Fabulous views across the harbour, such a lovely place to sit and watch the world go by... You pay to go down the pier but access to the cafe is free... Loved our little visit here

We have visited this cafe several times and always been pleased with it. It is very busy with visitors but a certain amount of locals also visit. The food is quite good but the value has gone down badly. To be honest I feel that...

We were struggling to find somewhere to have lunch on a Monday as many pubs are closed on Monday and Tuesday. We were delighted with the 1859 cafe. I was concerned reading it was on the pier, picturing it on a traditional fish and chips...

From the moment you step through the door of this little gem of a cafe/restaurant you are greeted with a smile. With easy to listen to music playing in the background, excellent food, prompt service/friendly staff and a beautiful view what more could anyone want...

We had our works party there last night and had a fabulous evening. The staff were brilliant and the food was delicious! A huge thank you to the staff for being so accommodating - not an easy task for a big group. We’ll definitely be...

Server inside was miserable as you like. Food was ok but probably won’t go back. It’s free to smile but not here it seems

From the service to the food everything was excellent. A fabulous treat for a birthday lunch with friends. They were great with dietary requirements, food was all freshly prepared and staff couldn’t do enough to help.

A fabulous find in Swanage, located on the historical pier 1859 is a gem. We took my Aunt for lunch, Sea Food Baskets, and a delicious Bacon and Brie Bap. Fresh, and nice portion sizes. What really stands out is the friendly and efficient service. Can’t wait to go back for a breakfast soon.

The view was great, food and service was okay.