The Beacon Cafe at St. Mary's in East Dorset

What a fab place for lunch! The volunteers made me a special panini to cater for dairy-free. They helped me with my babies feed heating. Bright, clean, comfortable with plenty of space. Very good prices. All round, a real treat. Thank you.

This is our regular go to if in the area shopping and is a great place to stop for lunch or a cuppa. The restaurant is large and airy with lots of seating. The staff are volunteers and are super friendly. The food is always lovely and well presented. They do a wide selection of panini's, sandwiches, soup etc along with some lovely cakes. If you are in the area give it a try.

Came in for lunch at the suggestion of a friend, so glad I did. Lovely food and so reasonably priced. Staff very friendly. Will definitely be returning.

Good food and service in clean and pleasant surroundings. Great for coffee breaks. Comfortable seating and very good value.

I been here a few times now because it’s got a great feel about it, they do the best Panini's nice and crunchy not like a lot of the other places, they are always friendly too

Popped in for coffees and a toasted teacake for me and a slice of coffee cake for my wife. This is a lovely bright and airy place with some seating outside, also, if the weather is fine. The volunteer staff are lovely; all very friendly. The coffee was good, there was plenty of butter with the teacake and my wife was very well satisfied with her coffee cake. We will definitely be visiting again!

What a friendly, inviting Coffee Shop. Food good, service great and staff very friendly. We were made to feel welcome. Definitely going back for more.

I've met my friend here for a coffee and catch up a few times. The food is good, staff are always friendly and although it's family friendly you can still hear each other talk.

We come here regularly and the food we buy is always freshly prepared and plentiful. The prices are excellent and the atmosphere is both welcoming and friendly. The staff are always very helpful and very courteous. It is always a pleasure to come here.

The staff are friendly, the food & drink choice is great. A little gem that I tell everyone about. Each time I've brought someone new they've been blown away by the place. One (very small) downside is that the parking can be quite tricky despite there being plenty of space which is possibly due to the Church activities too. All in All 5* from me.

The Beacon offers simple tea/coffee/snacks in a welcoming yet peaceful atmosphere. It's not very large, but what it does it does well. An unassuming stop off when in the town which is well worth visiting and ideal for a casual get together with friends.

Lovely place to relax, a warm welcome with delicious well priced food and drinks. Well worth a visit

Excellent to have a Café within church premises, but quality and service have not in anyway been compromised. Would recommend it for those who want to enjoy food and drink, in a very peaceful atmosphere.

Warm welcome in a Christian setting.Good value food and drink, coffee, cakes, etc. Can be a bit noisy sometimes with young children present.

The food is good and staff very friendly. Lovely place for lunch. I have stopped here many times and always pleasant and a good choice of food

Best value coffee in Ferndown. Friendly and welcoming atmosphere We were having a meeting and they went out of their way to find quiet space for us!

I love this place, often quite busy with old and young alike but still has an amazing peaceful aura. A place of calm in the chaos of our world!

Lovely friendly service, busy times it can a wait for your food. Good choice of food. Easy parking and disabled places

A wonderful atmosphere, lovely staff and the food was delicious. Would thoroughly recommend to everyone.

Lovely latte and excellent Victoria sponge, very busy had to share a table, staff very friendly, will be returning

Good food and reasonable prices. A nice place to enjoy a coffee with friends. Very friendly and obliging staff.

Comfy sofas, good coffee and food, clean and tidy, friendly staff, light and airy, lots of parking, reasonable prices

We popped in here on recommendation of a family member - what a lovely place! The volunteer staff were very friendly, the food was fantastic and very well priced. Our panninis were freshly made, filled generously and tasted much better than the standard 'pub grub' that a lot of places churn out.

It is a beautiful place with great staff and great food. I can strongly recommend it and plenty of room to park your car and if full Tesco's car park is right next door

Warm and friendly and good service. Food is very reasonably priced and good kids choices. Would definitely go again.

We visit the beacon regularly, sometimes for coffee with the school mums and children and then sometimes completely alone for some peace and me time. The staff are very welcoming and really couldn’t make more of an effort to make you feel comfortable.

Great little cafe, We diverted here on our way home after holidaying in west bexington. Trip advisor didn't let us down! Bright, open, airy yet warm and welcoming. Staff friendly, smiley and happy. Good menu choices, pleased to see reasonably priced kids choices. We opted for the beacon bacon and cheese sandwiches. Bread was the softest and freshest and the were filled sumptuously! Kiddies had sausage rolls and a treat of a hot chocolate with marshmallows. Wish we had something similar where we lived as this would definitely become a regular haunt for us

Met friends here for coffee and we all were extremely impressed by the high standards. Waiting times were short and our drinks brought to the table. Didn't eat but the food looked good. Will certainly be returning.

The coffee and snacks are very good and the staff are friendly and helpful. Also a nice setting and very clean.

If only every cafe had the standard of customer service exhibited here. Friendly welcome, fast service, excellent product. Will certainly return and recommend.

The Beacon Café is situated in the annexe to St Mary's Church at Ferndown and staffed by volunteers. You are assured a very warm welcome and the food is excellent, the service quick and all the staff friendly and they quickly get to know you. This has turned out to be a very popular venue in Ferndown and is very good value for money.

A lovely cafe adjoining the church. We met a friend for coffee and found this to be a lovely cafe offering home cooked food and cakes.

We were warmly welcomed. Had a lovely lunch ; I'm vegetarian and allergic to garlic, but it was not a problem. Everything we chose was freshly made. Relaxed atmosphere and never felt rushed

Excellent atmosphere. Menu is good and the food is great. There is a good choice of drinks of good quality. Service is very friendly.

Wonderful Cafe that incorporates the beautiful structure of the church, it truly is a peaceful place to enjoy the home made food on offer, in the winter the lighting makes this venue welcoming and the service is warm and friendly,

Attended this venue for a business meeting which included lunch. What a great way for a church to raise funds. Nice staff and clean facilities. All had sandwiches of varied filling, served with side of salad. Fresh and tasty very nice cafe. Would go again.

This is a wonderful place for lunch, snack, or just coffee. Friendly staff, welcoming and will remember you too.

i went in for lunch with my family an excerllant setting for people with young children and the people that work there are very accepting.

The Beacon Café staff always have a welcoming smile and are very helpful. Comfortable furniture and well presented quality food. Always worth a visit for nice coffee and spacious and clean room to enjoy it all in.

A wonderful place to relax with friends, have a coffee, cake or a light lunch. The soup is particularly tasty and is always . Children are encouraged, with a small play area and toys. Wheelchair friendly. Just come as you are, you'll come once, feel at home and come again and again

This is a wonderful little café that works perfectly for a light lunch with a toddler. The food is very reasonably priced and excellent value for money, with enough range to suit most palates. The staff are friendly, polite and helpful.

Bright airy cafe, with friendly service, all are welcome. Food and drinks are served to table by friendly chatty people. You never feel rushed. Some of the big cchain coffee shops could learn a lot from the staff here.

Ok so it's not the usual high street coffee chain.....but that does not matter ...it scores higher than they do for me...Nice bright sitting area with chairs and sofas....Prompt friendly service ...very reasonable prices for food and drink......Ordered the drinks and they are bought to your table by a nice friendly person.......Ok so its part of St Mary's church...well done St Mary's i say ..give the usual high street coffee chains a run for their money....I will be back ...and get my loyalty card stamped ....yes they even have a loyalty card.....result...well done The Beacon Cafe

What an amazing place to come, the staff are warm and welcoming. The food is of great quality and amazing value for money.

A place where eating and drinking are not rushed .a place for contemplation,where you can also enjoy a chat amongst friends and strangers alike .

Had a lovely time here with my daughter and granddaughter, super soft play area, delicious cakes and very good coffee. The food looked fabulous, generous portions and all served by very attentive staff. Will be coming back.

Wonderful bright and airy cafe in the site of a beautiful Church in the heart of Ferndown. Wonderful freshly made food prepared and presented by friendly welcoming staff. Good choice of lunch food, snacks, drinks and cakes.

Fantastic cafe!!! Super friendly staff who can't do enough to help you. Really clean and amazing in door play area for children and they have also just opened a brand new outside play area as well!! Will definitely be making this our local cafe!!

Excellent barista coffee and well prepared snacks and home made cakes. Jacket potatoes and paninis with a variety of fillings are a favourite. A happy place where single people of all ages are made welcome, always someone to chat to, no one is ever lonely.

We have visited several times with different family and friends. The service, quality of food and drinks and cleanliness are all exceptional. The staff are friendly and helpful, nothing seems to be too much trouble.

Always a friendly place and the food and drinks are all at very reasonable prices. The atmosphere is also very good.

I come to this café regularly as a break from my job as a live-in carer. The place is a haven however quiet or busy it is at the time. The volunteers always have a smile and are very welcoming. They will even pray for you if you ask, as I did this morning! I usually have a Latte Macchiato which is my favourite and looks good, also.

Took a friend from our church. We all loved the food and value of the café a definite must visit. I will be back again and again!

Excellent cafe, great service and good value for money. Highly recommend for lunch , morning coffee and afternoon tea . Great range of speciality teas and delicious cakes