The Clockspire in South Somerset

Beautiful space for sure. I have been here several times (and recommended it highly in the past) but this visit was very disappointing. Suited and booted with my girlfriend, only to have a close-by table being allowed to play cards clattering dice across their table...and probably 50%+ of the customers in jeans, trainers etc. A place this classy should have a dress code and a behaviour code, especially on a Saturday night. I did email the restaurant but not a single acknowledgement or response, which is very poor PR, and exactly why I am reviewing here No wonder it was, at best, half-full

Had a lovely day over here. The cocktails, food, atmosphere and above all the service and hospitality were worth every penny. Would definitely be back again.

The Clockspire is an amazing establishment, where the food and drinks are of high quality and the service is impeccable. I would highly recommend to anyone

The Clockspire is an amazing restaurant. The food and cocktails we had were absolutely delicious outstanding. The service and hospitality we were given was impeccable. I would highly recommend a visit to the Clockspire.

A beautiful building great attention to detail. Staff knowledgeable professional and welcoming. Lovely upstairs cocktail bar . Food looked amazing and tasted wonderful. Overall a excellent restaurant highly recommend.

Five stars across the board, no arguments or questions. Absolutely superb food with intelligent and thoughtful flavour combinations, accompanied by excellent service (attentive without being intrusive) and with a backdrop of an absolutely stunning location. We will return.

A drink in the bar before the meal is so relaxing (recommend the Glastonbury Lager) and the food and service was amazing as always. Will be back soon, thank you ☺️

We've have been meaning to eat at the Clockspire for a while but timings had conspired against us. Whilst staying in Shaftesbury, I had secretly booked us in as a surprise for my husband. We were treated to excellence in food, service and location. On arrival we were taken up to the bar to enjoy drinks and to select our food. Then we went down to our table. We enjoyed every delectable mouthful of each of our three courses. There were layers of tastes to bombard our taste buds! Just superb!

Everything about our evening here - from first making our booking to collecting our coats at the end - was perfect. A wonderful welcome, thoughtful and considerate service, delightful cocktails in their beautiful bar, and then the most delicious and stunning chef’s menu accompanied by perfect wine choices. We cannot sing the praises of this restaurant and staff highly enough. Desperate to come back and very thankful for a special night.

Very good food, expertly cooked and served well. The Clockspire is a large building, well designed and well lit, with large tables and very comfortable seats (which is good as you won't want to leave.) Portion sizes were perfext for me, I didn't walk out feeling like I'd eaten too much, which makes a nice change.

We've visited the The Clockspire a few times since it opened and have had a really positive experience every time. The food is consistently excellent, and the service is great too. Always a favourite to look forward to when we're in the area

Absolutely love it here, shame it's a bit of a distance for us but it's worth it. The building is stunning and the food is amazing, highly recommend dinning here.

A great fine dining food experience. Staff were really attentive at the start and the food was fab. All was going great until they forgot my partners pudding. After 30 minutes wait I had to ask whether it was coming, it then did come out 5 minutes later without apology. This is frustrating when you’re paying £200 for a meal and 10% Service Charge (£20). A couple of beer bottles & empty glasses also left on the table throughout the meal time, cleared right at the end. Again, minor things, but if you’re charging 10% service charge on top of expensive prices then service really does need to be spot on.

Another scrumptious lunchtime meal from the team at The Clockspire. Service and attention to detail is excellent!

A gem of a place. The Food is beyond any expectations. It is like eating in heaven. I imagine. ☺️ The service is exemplary. Highly recommend the whole experience.

We visited for a Thursday evening dinner to commemorate my brother’s birthday. The restaurant was basically full which was surprising for a restaurant in January mid-week but was a sign of things to come. Service was very attentive, pleasant, caring & professional - could not pick anything to fault for any of the staff. The menu offered was a very reasonable set menu and although portions not enormous it was easy to have 3 courses and food was executed very well, beautifully presented and lovely tasting dishes. Would definitely come back !

Overall, this restaurant is excellent. The quality of the food is good, and the prices and service are reasonable.

Overall is good, the quality it's top as the price and service. Lovely place with good atmosphere. If you're on rush, don't go, take your time and enjoy the food.

Usually it,s good but not this time. The service was somewhat chaotic. The restaurant itself was cold . They kindly changed our original table because of the drought but the other table was equaully as bad . Blowing cold air instead of warm. All in all it lacked the usual panache and style.

Amazing food and lovely service from Daniel!

A friend and I regularly dine in the best places we can find in the Dorset area. At Clockspire we were served possibly the best lunch we had in a long time. The food from the lunch menu was fantastic and the guys were all very friendly Well worth the drive in snowy conditions

We had a thoroughly enjoyable and delicious dining experience at the Clockspire Restaurant this evening. Food was excellent along with the service. The old school building has been beautifully restored and creates a delightful surrounding and atmosphere, complimenting the whole experience. This has just become my favorite restaurant. We shall return.

I was lucky enough to be invited to a private party held at the Clockspire which took over the whole restaurant. I couldn't fault anything. The food was immaculate (even though they were catering for around 70 people all at once) as was the service. I have eaten here a few times before and have never been disappointed! Highly recommended.

Staff were amazing for my gluten allergy! We let them know ahead of time and when we sat they reconfirmed the allergy explained that mostly everything on the menu is or adapted to gluten free and it was luxury to have a wide range of gf desserts when I’m used to only having one boring option. Even got gf bread whilst we waited for our food which I never usually am able to get. If you have an allergy they will 100% look after you and reconfirm every dish to be allergy free as they give it to you. Food was incredible a real treat to have something so luxurious and local to us.

Couldn't fault anything. The food, staff, atmosphere, service and building were all to an exceptionally high performance. The set menu was well priced and was very tasty.

Really nice experience. The decor inside was very appealing and comfortable. Went for the 3 course set menu and the food was very well presented and had a lot of flavour. Waiters/waitresses polite and attentive. Will recommend to friends/family.

We came for the jazz evening, 3 guys playing great relaxing music. The service from start to finish was superb. The food was excellent as was its quality and presentation. Don’t hesitate to book this very atmospheric restaurant, it’s worth every penny.

The building and venue itself is stunning, the upstairs bar as a nice place for pre- dinner drinks and the cocktails were well presented, We would have ordered Champagne however the prices here re massively inflated on Bollinger, Literally £40 more a bottle than Nobu in central London however they do have by the glass options. The restaurant again is a really nice lay out and the service in here was up there with some of the other restaurants i've eaten in at this price point. I did feel that the food didn't really live up to the price point, it didn't have the wow factor, my steak was just a sirloin steak which whilst well cooked wasnt very flavoursome and it just came with some standard chips and half a lettuce. again the price point is similar to the likes of gaucho i just didn't feel anything really stood out. we had a nice night for my partners mothers birthday and again couldn't fault the service but i wouldn't rush back.

Excellent food in an elegant and beautiful building.

Great place 5 star all round service food and drink top draw , we really enjoyed our lunch and we will be going back

From the building itself to the food and wine everything about The Clockspire is lovely. Six of us went for a family celebration and the food did not disappoint. The sourdough bread they bought out while we were waiting for starters was lovely. My starter which was smoked duck was delicious. My wife and I had the lamb which was a sharing main for two people and the lamb was cooked to perfection and the gravy that came with it was possibly the best gravy I have ever tasted. All six of us enjoyed our experience there. Would definitely recommend this restaurant.

We had a delicious midweek lunch at this fantastic venue. Food excellent , well presented and so tasty. Service excellent - attention to detail - ensuring your visit was enjoyable. We will be back. Down side - we live a 40min. Drive away,

Such a lovely atmosphere, perfect food and such a friendly welcome.

First impressions were amazing and we were looking forward to a lovely evening. We were shown to our seats and offered water and bread. All good. From there it went downhill - the service was appalling - we waited over 45 minutes for the drinks, and for our pre ordered starters. The mains took so long to arrive (separately) they were cold - the rack of lamb consisted of three small ribs to share between two - at £74 you would have expected more - although the very small helping of shepherds pie was superb. We ordered drinks that never arrived, including wine we wanted to drink with the dinner. The food was perfectly edible but nothing to warrant the big price tag. They were very careful regarding the allergies in the group. We were made to feel unimportant and unwelcome. They offered to remove the service charge due to the poor service they acknowledged we had received - although still added it to the bill - along with the drink that never came. Apparently they were two staff missing - but at nearly £70 a head for food and drinks on top (plus a 10% service charge) - they need to do better!

Lovely food , lovely staff , always a treat to come here . The menu changes regularly so a twice a month habit is always a delight .

Another Sunday lunch and (once again) issues with the food. Roast lamb (leg) tough and poor quality. Aero choc mint tart took ages to arrive and when it did it looked dreadful (later learned there were “issues” in the kitchen).Sides and starters were superb - they just struggle with the main attraction of a basic roast (which should be a much higher quality and generously served).

You can eat excellently in a beautiful old school building. The service is very friendly. A very nice atmosphere. We were invited and so we don't know exactly how much it cost

Three of us had lunch and chose the three course set menu. All the dishes were perfectly cooked and looked stunning. (Apologies I don't take snaps of food!). My cured pollack was tender and juicy and worked well with the melon. The courgette and basil gazpacho was so tasty. My beef flank was tender and so tasty and perfectly cooked. The brill was cooked just right and tasty. Service was first class and we were made to feel special. The restaurant is really comfortable and lots of space between tables. I really couldn't fault it.

BRILLIANT as ever, the staff are always helpful and nothing is a problem if they can facilitate... The dynamics of the restaurant and appearance with attention to detail is always something I look forward to... Regular theme nights are a particular favourite. Knowledge and skills at creating cocktails, mocktails or whatever takes your fancy can be achieved. Well done to Yeam Clockspire.

Excellent evening, great food and service. The wine pairing was amazing and complimented the food beautifully! I would totally recommended this venue.

Fantastic restaurant and atmosphere. They could not have been more attentive if they tried. Will definitely return soon

Outstanding food and outstanding service. The bar staff are brilliant and are very happy to recommend cocktails based on tastes you like. I also recently took my mother in-law for her 60th and it was the perfect experience. We can't wait to come back soon. - Also amazing coffee!

I am surprised at the positive reviews for this restaurant as my experience said it overpromised and underperformed. The food was very ordinary and the service was indifferent. It was certainly overpriced. Perhaps we were paying for the rather OTT surroundings, as it could not be for the food. We were a party of 6 to celebrate a big birthday, but the person concerned did not enjoy the meal, which made things doubly disappointing. As it was a celebration it was not an occasion to cause embarrassment by disputing the service charge. In other circumstances it would not have been paid.

Not my first time here but as usual amazing. Fantastic food, expensive in some ways bit you come out full and pleasured. Fantastic wine list and the cocktail bar is a must. This is the place to impress people and works for all occasions.

From the welcome to the cocktails to the nibbles to the homemade bread to the exquisite starter to the wine to the delicious main to the coffee and petit four - a journey of delight with taste explosions and service second to none.

Fantastic food! Really delicious. We will definitely return on our next trip to the area. The staff are lovely and welcoming, and we felt at ease for the whole visit.

Oh my! ♥ What a magical experience visiting The Clockspire was. Where do I begin to describe the care and detail oozing from both the staff and the food, it truly is clear to see, even the toilet hand towels were folded beautifully! We decided to opt for an expensive treat due to a special birthday, but the restaurant also offers a very affordable day menu, so I would recommend for both a stunning meal out and for celebrating occasions.

We were recommended this place and had high expectations. The building is very impressive from outside and does not disappoint inside. The staff, while attentive, seems cold and don't seem to be interested to talk anymore than necessary which is unusual as in other places of that price range staff tell you anecdotes about the dishes, recommend wines or even ask if you enjoyed your meal. Not once were we asked if we liked our food. The Beef tartare we had as a starter was very salty (other reviews comment on the generous salt use). My guinea fowl main was dry and nothing special in terms of flavours. My husband's sirloin steak was tasty but not particularly tender and most certainly not worth £47. The desserts were nice but again not particularly creative or interesting. Overall, the meal was OK but nowhere near worth £221. Service and food quality have a long way to go. We won't be rushing back.

This is probably the best restaurant I've ever been to. What an amazing place! Excellent food and wine, with stunning architecture to boot. I took the family to celebrate my wife's 60th birthday. We started with cocktails upstairs, then descended the grand staircase to the restaurant below. Dramatic and yet relaxed. A great choice of food, excellent quality, and superb, yet unfussy service. I'm sure we'll be back.

Amazing venue, service, drinks and food!

After all the hype and despite a beautiful building it was a mediocre experience!! Poor service and unfriendly waitress who leant over the guests without any utterance!! Massively overpriced for the quality and quantity! Poor Rosti’s. The waiters were v personable and pleasant. Watch out for the service charge which was not warranted on our visit. Didn’t enjoy the odd pictures on the walls and no atmosphere. Not a place I would return or recommend sadly. Certainly had better without the pretention!

I visited with my daughter and grand daughter. The service, food and the ambience of the beautiful building are all exceptional.

Absolutely delicious Sunday roast and lovely service. Couldn’t fault. Look forward to visiting again!

Beautiful location, food and service was impeccable. We had the tasting menu and everything was absolutely amazing. Top quality ingredients and so well executed. Staff were very friendly and gave a very high standard of service. Will definitely come again.

Stunning Sunday roast, lovely and charming waiting staff and beautiful atmosphere.

Excellent restaurant. Perfect place for a lunch while staying in the area. Food was fabulous, fresh and full of perfect flavour combinations. Friendly atmosphere and beautiful building.

We went to "Foodie Heaven!" Wonderful Sunday Lunch, full of delicious flavours and colours. A special place with a special menu.

Beautiful venue, very attentive staff and the food was delicious ( Sunday lunch). I thought the meal was well priced and certainly worth every penny 💕

Phenomenal, every thing from the outstanding service to the mouthwatering food was outstanding. We’re already planning our next visit. Thank you to everyone that made our dinning experience one to remember, you are all amazing xxx

The place is stunning, atmosphere is perfect and the service was fantastic. We had the tasting menu and it was absolutely incredible. All the dishes were delicious and perfectly balanced with textures and flavours. I was especially pleased that they offer non-alcoholic mocktails that were interesting and actually delicious - this is hard to find!! I especially recommend the rhubarb spritz. For dessert the staff even offered to make me an alcohol-free, caffeine-free version of their toffee martini which was so kind and it was incredible!!

As a cheese fan I was keen to try the cheddar custard, it did not disappoint! Excellent food, attentive staff and an elegant setting. As I was driving I also tried one of their very good alcohol free cocktails.

Beautiful atmosphere and lovely food... thoroughly spoilt for a Mother's Day treat.

Great cocktails, delicious food and warm, welcoming service. The Clockspire is a firm favourite and Massimo and the team’s hospitality is second to none.

Lovely lunch this Saturday on spur of the moment. It's a great space and initially we were the only people here. Later other parties arrived. Super quality food, the lamb was fantastic with amazing wild garlic puree. Desert of caramel tart has fine fastey and lovely flavours. Not cheap a la carte but really top quality. Thanks Severino for excellent service.

Lovely experience for 5 friends celebrating 3 birthdays - it felt very special. Venue, food and service was really lovely

What a beautiful setting coupled with attentive and efficient service, and a lovely meal. What more could we ask? We will look forward to our next visit.

A treat for my mum who lives locally but had never been in. We had a magnificent Afternoon Tea on the Mother's Day weekend. Everything was exceptional, from the warm welcome, the tiny details like hanging our coats, the beautiful mezzanine bar where we had a G&T to get the afternoon started, and the wonderfully attentive yet discreet service. The food was outstanding and perfectly portioned, and there was an impressive selection of teas to choose from. And such a stunning space. Not at all surprised that they're picking up award after award. Strong recommend!

Service and restaurent excellent, perhaps a little cold inside. Food was o.k but nowhere near michelin star quality and not value for the price. Slightly disappointed

A fabulous treat, delicious food, beautiful decor, friendly and switched on staff. Well worth visiting. I ate vegetarian for both my starter and main and both were beautifully cooked and presented. The beetroot with smoked oil was divine as were the flavours in the egg hen ravioli with mushroom ragu. I was driving so sadly couldn't imbibe but I will be back with a driver!

This building has been adapted well to its new use as a 5 star restaurant. They have limited parking but on street parking is available just outside the entrance. The main sign is hidden and there is no sign on the gateway so approach slowly. The satnav took us to the door but with no sign I missed the entrance. The interior is awesome and staff are welcoming. The menu is marvelous, the prices are high but worth every penny!

Beautiful renovation and interior, very good staff, excellent wine list. Starters were carefully and expertly prepared, lovely. Very good dessert, but main course slightly over seasoned, otherwise 5*. Great to have this in the area, will go again.

Wonderful. Excellent Sunday lunch, we were early - waited in upstairs bar and had some great mocktails before being shown to our table. Worth every penny. Warmly recommended.

Location splendida e curata. Si viene coccolati non appena si entra nel locale. Ottimi i cocktail e le pietanze. Scelta delle materie prime di qualità e ottimi abbinamenti. Servizio curato e attento. Da ritornarci sicuramente.

This restaurant has two things will stand head and shoulders above its competitors, firstly it’s good is amazing along with a professional team of attentive waiters. Secondly the architecture and atmosphere is outstanding. This was our first visit, and we will definitely return the next time we are in the area.

Second time coming here for Christmas Eve and it surpassed my memory of the first time. Just delicious inventive food and lovely friendly service

Absolutely loved this place. Delicious food. Outstansing. Very comfortable Cocktail Bar and Resturant. Great service. Fairly quiet when we ate on a Wednesday evening, which was nice.

The food and service were excellent. The place is immaculately clean and comfortable. The only reason not to visit regularly is the cost....which is 'once a year' high.

Went for my wife's birthday the staff where amazing and the food was some of the best I've ever had cannot recommend this place enough.

Wow!! This was our first visit and definitely will not be the last. A wonderful restaurant, with attentive and considerate front of house staff. Food was excellent. Very reasonable prices. We'll see you again soon.

My husband was driving down the A30 a few weeks ago and happened to spot The Clockspire on his way through the village. It was decided then that this was one to put on the 'checkout' list. And, we weren't disappointed. From the moment we arrived and escorted to the Mezzanine bar, then to our table for lunch, the service was attentive. The food was wonderful and the presentation fantastic. What I really appreciated was the portion size, not too small and not too much, perfect. One thing that really stood out for me was the horseradish sauce served with the roast beef rump and slow-cooked beef cheek - devine, is all I can say. Don't be misguided, everything served for both of us from the Sunday menu was perfect. Oh, and the cider sorbet, well what else can I say. We will definitely be returning but I think for dinner on the next occasion.

Fabulous restaurant, stunning setting for food and drinks, the service is always attentive, we had the roast, always cooked to perfection. Eaten at The Clockspire a number of times, always great

I have been here twice now, and can’t fault it either time. The food is incredible and creative and the service is friendly, extremely knowledgable and you can tell the staff really care about their restaurant. Kai (I think that’s his name) served us and was spot on with both of the recommendations he gave me when I was stuck between choices. When I booked, I left a note saying that my girlfriend and I would be there celebrating our anniversary, not asking for anything but purely to point out that it’s our second time visiting and we were there for a special occasion, and at the end of dinner they brought us out a brownie each on a plate, decorated with a happy anniversary message, which was a lovely surprise. I know it’s expensive, but it actually feels like good value and is our favourite place now to celebrate special occasions. We will definitely be back

A stunning restaurant with amazing food. The broccoli side dish was phenomenal. My husband had cod, which was very fresh and perfectly cooked. I had burnt butter cauliflower which was a very clever dish with contrasting textures and flavours.

Once again both the food & service were excellent . A warm welcome , tasty Menu & the food beutifully presented . The Seasonal Christmas Menu didn’t disappoint & now all other venues seem to be compared on visiting . Thank you Chef & all staff,

The food was generally very good, but my piece of fish was a little overcooked. Overall, an enjoyable evening. As it should be for the price.

As a regular The Clockspire never cease to amaze with stunning seasonal dishes, and I have to highlight the scrumptious scallops cooked to perfection, and the succulent duck dish, really tender and beautifully presented. The staff are well trained and offer a high level of hospitality. Definitely we will be back.

10/10 all round. Great food, venue and staff. Cash and card accepted which is great and convenient to be able to pay cash.

Met with friends for lunch , our third visit. I note the comments by others and tend to agree with comments about the staff, warm friendly but somehow do not the extra bit to make a lasting impression . Overall the quality of the food was very very good, not the best but was very good. The duck was outstanding however.

There were just a handful of diners for our lunch time meal at the Clockspire which has a large open dining room. The cavernous space was cold and lacked atmosphere, exacerbated by so few fellow travellers. Staff were attentive without being intrusive. The kitchen offers fine dining and yet most of our dishes were over seasoned with salt very prominent. Portions were tiny and relatively expensive, as were wines. Overall the restaurant fails to offer value for money, and we are unlikely to return in the near future.

I came here with a friend who lives locally and eats here regularly. We arrived ahead of our dinner reservation specifically so that we could enjoy a cocktail in the beautiful upstairs bar, only to be told that we’d have to leave the bar at 7 (10 mins after our arrival) because it was booked for a private function. There had been numerous email reminders about the reservation but not once& was the bar not being available on that evening mentioned. As it transpired the private function started and we were able to stay in the corner of the bar until going to our table at 7:30. Once at our table the food and service was excellent. Perfectly cooked venison with beautiful red cabbage, followed by possibly the best chocolate fondant I’ve ever had. Friendly, but not overbearing service. I will definitely be back. Other than the disappointment on arrival this would have been 5 stars. It was a disappointing first impression, although as it transpired we did end up enjoying our cocktails in the bar.

Arrived for Sunday lunch. Had pre lunch drinks, zero alcohol one was like coloured water and expensive. We decided on the Roast beef only to be told no Beef !!!. I then went for the Slow Roast Belly Pork. How can a chef cook Belly...

The best meal I have eaten. Superb service exceplitory food, lovely atmosphere. Really couldn't ask for more, will definitely be going back! The tasting menus is sublime.

Sunday lunch. Beef very stringy. Such a shame as this was a much awaited visit. An expensive meal so why wasn't there a decent cut of beef? We won't be rushing back

Beautiful place, superb food and service. Highly recommended.

Great venue and food is wonderful. We went on a Friday lunch time and there were only a few lunchers, bar is great !

Fabulous food fabulous service from Daisy. A real treat, scallops, burrata and chicken liver parfait for starters. Sirloin, venison, halibut for mains with sides of broccoli Caesar salad and marinaded beetroot. No room for full deserts so cocktails finished our meal. Really lovely evening. (I...

Sadly service was not up to par the lunchtime of our visit. The wine list was given to us as we sat down in the main restaurant. 2 bottles of red and 2 bottles of white wine were chosen. Unfortunately we had all finished our...

This is a great spot for the perfect for a family dinner. Great atmosphere and lovely friendly staff

Superb... food, service and atmosphere.... no more to be said.. go there...

Food is excellent very friendly staff. The atmosphere is relaxed. The tasting menu is recommended.