The Ginger Fox in East Dorset

Not my first and certainly not my last visit. The place doesn’t go from strength to strength, but what they do do is maintain their already high standards and consistently improve, particularly in terms of new menu items Standout item today was the humble sounding Cheddar Cheese Croquettes. but beautifully presented and with a triumph of a marmite influenced crumb- they were delicious with a glass if an excellent Primitivo ! Another highlight worth mention was a truly top class Spanish Grenache at the price of many a much poorer wine Cannot close without my compliments to front of house service levels

Suberb Sunday roasts with innovative starters and puddings. Very friendly and efficient service. Beautiful garden. 10/10!

Such a warm welcome as always ...very chilled about us being a bit slow with our decisions...food was 1st class..beautifly presented and lovely flavours. All of the staff are lovely and friendly and extremely efficient.

Highly recommend this restaurant as a hidden gem in the country. Great menu and service, we will be back soon. Many thanks for a great experience

Delicious seasonal food and flawless friendly service. Strongly recommended, we will be back! Thanks to you all, Tim and Marta x

Always wanted to visit the Ginger Fox and was saving for a special occasion. So glad we did as they didn't disappoint From the quaint interior and ambience, to the sensational food and friendly warm service our whole experience was faultless. As fans of English wine they have a vast array of local choice and a rotating seasonal menu.

The meal was the best we had eaten for some time, absolutely deliscious, pipping hot, the taste was exemplary. The brilliant waiting staff made it even more special, very kind and considerate. We were there with my 93 year old mother in law, plus her eldest and youngest of her four sons, plus partnered. A fabulous night, thank you so very much

We have recently moved to the area and have enjoyed every visit. The food is excellent, really nice flavours and varied menus. The staff are super friendly and accommodating, making a fuss of our baby. It’s nice and relaxed and we always feel really welcome. Thank you, team Ginger fox!

A gem for good food and lovely attentive staff. A last minute decision to book a place for lunch and we really enjoyed the food. We thought that the service was friendly, welcoming and seamless. The venison pie from the specials board was really good and the brioche dessert was delicious.

First time visit. Came for a roast for 2, good service, very tasty food and plentiful, nice atmosphere. 12% service charge is added on the bill but we were happy to pay this as the service was attentive. We look forward to coming back :) Food: 5/5 | Service: 5/5 | Atmosphere: 4/5 Recommended dishes Roast Beef, Sunday Roast

Eat out more in summer but decided to treat a couple that had helped us recently. Starters were nothing more than basic and sweet we all had because we were still hungry was was just mass produced in a small container. Only alcohol was 2 glasses of wine to the 2 non drivers.. Unbelievable bill was over £220 Very poor value. Not suprised only 4 others there. These prices will do away with spur of the momnent eating out.

I'm so sad to write this review, as the staff at this restaurant are wonderful. Unfortunately, someone needs to speak to the chef. We ordered two roast beef, when it arrived, mine had two wafer thin slices of beef, the portion you would use on a childs meal. Honestly, it was paper thin. My husband had two slices, which were thicker. It was still half than we've ever received at other restaurants. They try and fill the plate veg to take away from serving almost no meat. It felt like I'd ordered and eaten a veg roast and not ordered the beef. Went home hungry, unfortunately, craving the beef I'd ordered. We only had mains and a drink, so for what we paid, we were so disappointed. We'd really been looking forward to eating out, but it was such a letdown. Again, the staff are amazing and keep this place going.

An Anniversary lunch was very poor. Our tiny blue cheese mousse starters were purely cream cheese- not remotely made from blue cheese . My pheasant breast was overcooked and the much needed jus was non existent. My partners haddock was the same. I think they had been under a hot lamp too long before serving. Expensive and not a good experience. although staff were attentive. We won't rush back.

We recently had the opportunity to dine at The Ginger Fox, and while overall it was a pleasant experience, there was one aspect that slightly tainted our visit. Unfortunately, the steak we ordered, requesting it to be cooked medium, was overcooked, making it difficult for us to finish our meal. However, I must commend the restaurant on its ambiance, which was warm and inviting. The service provided was also excellent, with friendly and attentive staff members who greeted us with genuine smiles. These factors contributed to an enjoyable evening despite the disappointment with the steak. Overall, I would still recommend The Ginger Fox for its pleasant atmosphere, great service, and friendly staff. Just be sure to communicate your preferences clearly when ordering to avoid any potential disappointments.

My first time ever dining here. Went with my partner for her birthday and I must say I was very pleased with how the evening went. The drinks list had a large variety of different wines varying in origin. The cocktails they served was also a delight and a welcome change from other places. The food choice for starters were incredible, would highly recommend both the chicken terrine and the blue cheese mousse. When onto mains the steak I had was cooked perfectly and my partner said she has never eaten something better than the pheasant they had on offer. We didn't have room for desert but I will definitely have to be back for that because they also looked amazing. A lovely atmosphere in the restaurant and the wait staff were all so helpful and kind. The food came out quickly and was absolutely perfect. I must say one of the best dining experiences I have ever had. Would definitely recommend to friends and I cannot wait to go again.

My cousin and his young lady picked me up from my Brighton hotel while I was visiting Sussex. My flights from Melbourne had only arrived two days previously, so this was the first opportunity to meet. As it was dark by the time we arrived, it was difficult to admire the pub's gardens, but from what little could be seen,they looked lovely. My cousin had his dog with him, but this particular pub is dog friendly. I found that most pubs during my recent trip are dog friendly. This is something a little bit alien to those of us living in Melbourne. Just about each and every member of the friendly staff here made a fuss of my cousin's dog. He was very popular. Having already eaten a most delicious Sunday Roast at dinner-time in Arundel, I was not actually starving hungry, so chose something fairly light for my evening meal. This was a good choice, as my meal was delicious. My cousin and young lady ordered something different, but they both enjoyed their meals. When asked about a drink, I had a beer, which was enjoyable. In addition to this, I also asked if they knew how to make a lemon, lime and bitters. You could have floored me with a feather when the excellent staff informed me that they had heard of the drink. Normally I have to explain to the staff exactly what I mean. Here in Australia, it is unheard of for a pub NOT to be able to serve this particular drink. The staff in very few pubs in England have even heard of angostura bitters, let alone how to add it to a refreshing drink. I certainly savoured my drink.

We reluctantly came here today after being really disappointed with the food offerings in and around Brighton the past 6 months or so. It’s always been hefty prices for bang average food and lousy service; it really seems to be going down hill around here. Thankfully though, the food here was excellent, and when we left, our whole party was already keen to make arrangements to return. The food was really tasty, really different, and worth the money. Finally, somewhere we didn’t feel like we’d just given our money away for nothing. The staff were fantastic from start to finish - we never felt rushed. Most places want you in and out within 90 mins but the staff here made us feel really welcome and actually felt like they cared about making us feel looked after and making it a positive experience. For example, amongst all of the other great things, they subtly found out it was my girlfriends birthday and returned with a hand decorated plate with a piece of their fudge. Such a minor detail but they really made it such an enjoyable experience, and not just a good meal and a pint. Very, very pleased. Thank you to everyone who was on shift Sunday 10/09/23. We really look forward to coming back.

The garden is idyllic and the food excellent at this delightful thatched countryside restaurant. The staff are exceptionally helpful and friendly and the chefs is also artistically talented - see the decorated plate made for our friends birthday! What a lovely occasion.

Went for a Sunday lunch and it was wonderful. We were able to sit in the garden and the service was great. Very attentive and helpful. Delicious food. Yes it's a bit more expensive, but we were celebrating and it's just what we wanted. Thank you!

Superb pub and restaurant food was exceptional we had a few starters and lagers the staff were amazing and so friendly table service was great touch.

We went to celebrate my husbands 50th and our Anniversary, we have not been before but heard good things, and it did not disappoint!! The food was simply beautiful, they obviously take pride in the food they create and the flavours were outstanding, even the elderflower, mint and cucumber drink i had was amazing. The staff were really friendly and I feel the price was definitely fair for the overall experience. We will be going back.

Finally managed to go there - and it didn't disappoint. On a nice day, what a treat to have lunch in the garden. Great food, great place (just a shame about the traffic noise). Will definitely go again

Popped in on the off chance of getting a table, - we were the first in the queue! and we were lucky enough to be seated outside in the glorious sunshine. Staff so attentive, and the food was just delicious. Couldn't fault it, its only a shame its not nearer to where we live. We will be going back though to work our way through the delicious menu.

Took my mum today to celebrate her 94th birthday as a treat, have been before years ago, and the food was great. Well her food was good, but I ordered pork belly and it was all fat, maybe a quarter of a inch of meat....

Fab Sunday lunch, one of the best we've had in a pub! The beef was perfectly cooked, lovely and tender. The cauliflower cheese was really creamy and nice mature cheddar cheese on top. Lovely carrots and nice roast potatoes and gravy. Service was friendly and...

I've been to the Ginger Fox many times over the years, this time it was very very disappointed. Very poor service and very rude. After the have changed the wine I will say over price and not worth. I really feel very disappointed with places...

We had dinner at The Ginger Fox with friends and it was exceptional. All 4 of us made different choices from the menu and each of us agreed that each course was delicious. We have visited for Sunday lunch and a weekday lunch and The...

Wonderful food, great staff. We had to change our table details twice on the day, and again when we arrived. The staff were just brilliant, accommodating, friendly and very understanding. Then the food arrived, which was perfectly cooked. A lovely place, lots of room and...

Went for weekday lunch and the food was amazing. Really great quality, well presented and just the right amount. Service was great, friendly but no too overbearing. Really can’t fault a thing. Will be back!

What a shame that the child friendly policy & snooty Staff ruined what should have been a pleasant evening....It was simply "Anti Adult" !!! We decided to leave after enduring over one hour of a SCREAMING Baby , & then were insulted by Staff stating...

Top notch place for a well comfy Sunday Lunch.First time visited by us ,Wanted a new venue for a change,Got into eating at same places all the time.Saw this place decided to give it a try. We had Roast Beef/Lamb/Pork/Nut roast.DELICIOUS.Cooked to our personal preference...

Went for a meal on Thursday evening. Was fully booked (always a good sign in my book) and had a lively atmosphere. The 4 of us all went for different items on the menu and everything was delicious. I had the lamb and it was...

Had a family meal for a 30th birthday. Food expensive and no value for money. Small portions and limited menu options. Service was efficient but a smile wouldn’t hurt! £200 for two adults, starters & mains (no dessert), a bottle of house red wine and...

Friendly, welcoming staff and a lovely Christmassy atmosphere. Busy but not noisy so we could at least chat without shouting and we didn’t feel crammed in unlike some other restaurants. The food was very tasty and beautifully presented. Our only grumble was that the rump...

Food, service and atmosphere were absolutely super - a feature always the case and the reason for going back there - many years and ever so consistent.

The food, Staff & Service is excellent. Having visited The Ginger Fox for several years, it is still our favourite place to eat. Our daughter can’t have gluten and dairy but having been here a number of times she has really enjoying the food. The...

From booking to the to me we left, faultless and friendly service, and absolutely fantastic food. Was refreshingly unstuffy but top quality. Only disappointment was that I have not been before now!

Wonderful family birthday meal, food and service were both outstanding. Thank you for making it so special. Faultless

Delicious food. Great service. Lovely atmosphere. Overall a wonderful evening. Great wine recommendation. Thank you.

We had a Birthday celebration at The Ginger Fox last month. We were looked after wonderfully by Donal and the team and the food was excellent. It all helped a very special occasion.

Very good evening meal for four of us. Food excellent, as indeed was the service. Each course came quite promptly and nicely presented. Started with glasses of champagne. Nice to have such as range of wine by the glass or carafe, so didn't need to...

Party of 18, upstairs in the private dining room. Amazing food and service. The waitress was exceptional (didn’t get her name) nothing was too much trouble, every request was catered for 5*

I took my son here for a birthday supper, having enjoyed many very nice meals here previously. Unfortunately on this occasion food and service were lacking. We both ordered the trout starter. My son ordered his gluten free. This involved removing the bread! Portions were...

Visited on Sunday 29/10/22. Good friendly welcome. Seated promptly. Questions regarding food allergies answered well. Portion sizes were poor for the price being paid £19.50 for Roast Beef; £16.00 for Nut Roast I expected more in terms of quality & quantity. Beef was fatty &...

Travelled to this highly recommended pub/restaurant with great reviews. Previous good experience so expectations were high. Sadly, a very poor experience! Once sat at our booked table, service for drinks was slow, followed by another lengthy wait for our food order to be taken (despite...

We enjoyed a perfect birthday lunch in a gorgeous setting hosted by warm and accommodating staff. Food was incredible and the pear tatin was out of this world . We can’t wait to visit again

Fabulous contemporary food and a great choice of wines. Very friendly, engaging staff. Recommended for a special occasion.

We had a very average experience here - perhaps as we had come along expecting more, given all the previous positive reviews and good write ups by Hardens etc. We sat outside for Sunday lunch. Our first observation was that the menu was very limited...

A leisurely lunch in the sunshine with friends, good food and friendly service - a real treat. Everyone enjoyed their choice of food which was spread over 3 courses so that shows just how tasty it was. Efficient and helpful service too.

Absolutely fantastic food and service. Lovely setting and great drinks/wine. 10/10 will be back again. Good specials board and interesting dishes! Brilliant chips

Very rude management. Booked online and when arrived at the restaurant were told we weren’t on the list. We had proof of the booking and reluctantly the manager seated us but very rudely as if she was doing us a favour. Moving us around from...

The chips are fantastic!!!! Hands down the best chips in the area, very crispy but still fluffy inside!! Overall the food was delicious although some of it was a little pricey for what it was (the drinks especially!!!). The waitress we had was a very...

Superb food and great service (although it was a little slow yesterday as it was quite busy) the menu changes rather frequently depending on the days of the week so there’s often new items on the menu all of which are delicious. I especially recommend...

Went there today for a Sunday roast . We asked if the roast beef could be well done . No problem was the answer. What came out was thinly sliced beef which was very tough and chewy. The roast potatoes tasted like they had been...

My daughter and husband used to love this place. After my wife and I doing our grandchildren duties they offered to take us back there. We were very excited. Great food and great service in the past. What a disappointment, kept their prices the same...

Lovely place, never disappointed with the meals we have had there. It’s on the pricey end. Nice staff, done a good job on a busy day. We’ll be back

Fantastic service and exemplary food! The service was fantastic. The waiters and waitresses were exemplary and gave great recommendations - we were even given blankets when it got chilly. The food was stunning and just the right amount, and the staff were very sweet to...

We were met by a very professional and attentive member of staff. Sat in the garden for drinks and then moved inside for our meal. The food was very good and local wines. Only a couple of minor points. 1. We ordered outside and were...

Visited early evening Was shown to a table in the garden. Lovely setting, very friendly and attentive staff. food was great and very well presented. Will definitely return

Visited this pub with friends and one of us has celiac disease. We were given a gluten free menu with lots of choices, and the cooking was superb, absolutely no cross contamination in the kitchen. Thank you, you made our evening out very pleasurable and...

We had lunch in the garden on a beautifully sunny day. There were 6 of us and everyone commented on the quality of the dishes they ordered. The only dish which got a thumbs down was the cheesecake right at the end. The staff were...

My husband and I had Sunday lunch here and it was delicious. It was a glorious day so we sat in the garden. It was so nice as the tables aren’t crammed in. The building itself is so beautiful with thatched roof. All staff were...

We went for a Birthday party and had a wonderful meal, were treated with care and attention by staff who looked after our every need. Nothing seemed to much trouble. thank you for a great evening will be back

We met up with friends for lunch last Thursday. We were greeted with a blazing log fire and a cosy atmosphere. They didnt have any special 2 or 3 course lunch menus but we were able to choose some specials from the blackboard. We enjoyed...

Visited for birthday celebrations and we all really enjoyed our meal.Excellent service good quality food and a nice pint of Long Man bitter. Worth a visit but book in advance.

Three of us ate at the Ginger Fox last night based on the online star rating and had a wonderful evening. The food was outstanding, the service perfect, the table was simple but fine and this was all set in a cosy and comfortable dining...

Had a last minute very pleasant lunch with a friend. Excellent service, friendly and efficient. The dining room was cosy & warm on a cold day. The restaurant was informal and very bust with many customers in groups and couples. The waiting staff [Jamie] was...

Just had another excellent meal at the Ginger Fox. The food was outstanding as always. Goats cheese mousse was sublime. Had the vegetarian tasting plate again, even though I’m not a veggie as I like it sooo much. All the individual elements of the dish...

Nice food, but overpriced. Not happy with 12.5% service charge added (OK, you can of course refuse this, but doesn't go down well). We asked for 2 large glasses of house red and the waitress suggested 1/2 carafe which we thoughtwas a good idea. When...

Visited with family having not been since before lockdown. First off the food was good. However the prices are crazy. £16 minimum for a main course. It was a good pie but did I feel a little conned, then tbh yes. After it was pie...

We called in for a drink today and I've never been spoken to so rudely . No welcome or how can I help you, instead I should speak to the person at the front, explained we only wanted a drink to be abruptly told they...

Met a customer here for lunch at their suggestion. Absolutely excellent gastro pub with superb food, great service and extremely clean. Had a nice window table, food was bursting with flavour, nice large portions and an imaginative menu. Not cheap but worth every penny. This...

I went here for Saturday lunch. I had the starter of pig cheek scotch egg. It was the right portion size and the flavour of the sauces and dressing that accompanied were bursting with flavours. A perfectly cooked scotch egg with tender shredded pig cheek...

Simply perfect from start to finish thank you so much is it for accommodating us as walkins on a busy Sunday.

My partner and I had a meal here in December. Service was fantastic and food absolutely brilliant, couldn’t fault anything. Pub had all the windows open to help with ventilation for COVID and tables were at a comfortable distance. All in a great evening

We went for a birthday meal with our friends and had a delicious meal. Great service. Friendly and efficient. Didn’t feel rushed but timing just right. Really excellent and will go again.

Visited for my birthday lunch with friends - food was exquisite, beautifully presented and service incredibly friendly. Would definitely recommend and cannot wait to return!

We found this pub by chance, we were lucky, the food was excellent I had the Dhal, it was unusual and ve y tasty, loved the gnocci. The pub is comfortable and the staff are helpful and friendly. The sunday roast that my husband had...

Popped in after a walk but hadn’t booked, and the staff were really friendly and managed to squeeze us in. Delicious food and lovely atmosphere! Thank you x

Had the cod and prawn with a prawn bisque then followed up with cheese. Excellent food, well prepared and well presented. Not long to wait either even though they were near full. Arm and a leg prices, though. Fine dining in a previous pub!!

Unimpressed and do not appreciate feeling that I'm being spoken down to! Will not be returning or recommending. However, this does not reflect on the quality of the food as our meals were good. Its just a shame that the waiting staff need to learn...

We ate here to celebrate our daughters 29th birthday. We received a very warm welcome and lovely table. A super menu and hard working, courteous staff. Food was excellent and service was first class. Thank you so much for a wonderful evening. We will certainly...

Another exceptional lunch at the Ginger Fox! Their menu is always varied and innovative. It is also very reasonably priced for the quality of the food (which comes beautifully plated) and the service. Loved the crispy poached egg (the various version of scotch eggs that...

A memorable evening with family I hadn't seen for two years. It's one of their favourite watering holes. The food is way up and beyond your usual. Very good indeed. I had crispy poached egg for a starter - a culinary marvel. Then I had...

Sat outside for lunch on a beautiful sunny afternoon. Staff were extremely attentive and friendly. Food was very enjoyable, however we felt quite expensive for what it was. We shared the pork cheek scotch egg for start, followed by a lamb pie & beef burger...

We visited Ginger Fox for my Mum's 79th birthday. We have been here many times before and it is a bit of a family favourite. But this visit everything was exceptional. We sat outside undercover, the table was set beautifully. The service was absolutely fantastic...

The food was nice location very nice ambiance inside was like any other country pub There were five of us we were all delighted with our food but found it to be over priced we should have checked it before coming away instead only the...

Service was prompt , friendly and efficient. We had the Venison Loin Potato Fondant, Carrot Puree, Crushed Swede, Wild Mushroom Jus and Mushroom Veloute. It was heaven on a plate. Can't wait to bring friends here to enjoy this with us. The Pain Perdu Brioche,...

Overpriced drinks and food. So over hyped for just a standard country pub. There was no atmosphere; no music in the background and the food portion sizes were very small. So many hidden gems around the area this is not worth a visit.

Taking lunch in the garden of the Ginger Fox, in line with COVID precautions, we found ourselves near the apex of a triangle - the junction of two roads - with the attendant roar of motorbikes, lorries, tractors and cars. On the table 20 feet...

The food and service at the Ginger Fox is superb. I’ve not been for a while and always previously rated the food and service as excellent and this time was no different. I had the most delicious feta croquettes to start followed by saffron tagliatelle…....

What a beautiful, hidden gem. The food is worth every penny, absolutely delicious. The servers are attentive, friendly and helpful. A lovely way to spend an afternoon/evening as a couple, family or with the dog. There is an outside play area for the children.

We called in for a last minute lunch today and wow what a super place. The food was absolutely awesome and the service was totally faultless: friendly, polite and super efficient. The pie was the best I’ve ever had 😋 A huge thank you for...

We called up impromptu to see if there were any tables and were luckily squeezed in by a very helpful chap on the phone. It was our first visit and we thoroughly enjoyed it, it’s the best pub meal we have had in a long...

Terrible customer service. Rushed by a supervisor to make my order at 8:35pm as the kitchen was closing. You’ll have to hurry up and put order in was how I was rudely greeted at the front of the restaurant then hurried over to a table...

Whilst the food and service was excellent the ambiance of the place was more cafe like than fine dining. My wife had been here some years ago and then there were tablecloth’s and the ambiance, according to her was better. Can I suggest that the...

Excellent attention to detail, Mandy was so helpful & made our experience very special. Food excellent & all staff brilliant

We had dinner there yesterday. Choice on menu was great. We had the goats cheese mousse, duck was one of our main courses. Sea bream the other. Dessert was a unusual homage to the 1970s . Baked Alaska but with a lemon twist. The chocolate...

Warm Friday lunchtime. Four covers. We experienced a super welcome and we were delighted to be offered outdoor eating. The service was professional, polite and very efficient. The chap looking after us offered expert advice, despite being a vegetarian and we four not. From the...

Food, service and atmosphere were as usual all spot on and 110%. What however really struck me was apart from masks you would never have known the place had ever been forced to close by law and many of the longstanding staff were there.