The Halfway Inn in Purbeck

We were on a weekend break in Corfe and wanted somewhere for lunch. I read that this pub was nice and friendly with great food. On arrival we were met with a very pleasant lady, who explained how it worked, we found a table. Read the menu and made our choices. I had the prawn cocktail as a starter and my wife had Brie in breadcrumbs. My prawn looked amazing with 2 large nice juicy prawns on top, but it soon became clear that the rest of the cocktail was made with baby shrimps, they were so small. The homemade sauce was nice, but watery. My wife’s Brie was ok. My main was the flat iron steak, with chips and watercress salad. The steak was lovely but it had a big dollop of raw garlic butter slapped on top of it. The butter was roughly chopped and ruined the steak. My wife had the vegetable lasagna, it was only partly warm and the vegetables were dry and raw in places. It was served with garlic bread. The bread had the same raw over powering garlic butter on. She could not eat either. We had 2 drinks and the bill was £66.00 I know every new venture has teething issues, and I wish the new landlords well, but we will not be going back.

Beautiful pub, cozy, friendly and olde worldly, staff are very welcoming, service was excellent, drinks came promptly while we perused the menu. We had a mixture of starters, pil pil prawns, moules, haloumi sticks and breads, all fabulous! Fish pie was tasty, lovely sauce and packed with fish, the burgers, brisket and chicken were huge and very filling! Absolutely lovely afternoon and good value for money, well done James, Emma and Sam, keep up the good work!!

We were really hoping for a good meal, having read some of the more recent reviews and knowing there was new management. Unfortunately, our visit was disappointing from the moment we walked in. There was a “Welcome” sign at the entrance, but no one there to greet us or direct us to our table. We were left standing awkwardly while staff chatted at the till, seemingly unaware—or uninterested—that new customers had arrived. When we eventually found our table, we were told there were no menus available at the moment but that someone would bring them soon. We had to ask twice before they finally appeared, which didn’t set a great tone for the rest of the visit. Ordering didn’t go much better. No one on staff could tell us what the Plant Burger was made of, and although I asked if someone could check with the kitchen, no answer was ever provided. The low point, though, was the Vegetable Lasagne, which I ordered from the specials. Sadly, it was one of the worst I’ve ever tasted—completely lacking in flavour and texture, with a mushy consistency and very little to redeem it. We decided to pay up and leave, as it clearly wasn’t going to get any better. The dreadful lasagne was taken off the bill, which we appreciated. However, for what we did have, it ended up being an expensive evening of poor food and bad customer service. It’s a real shame, as the place has potential, but the lack of attention to service and food quality means we won’t be back any time soon.

Popped in with my son for lunch after a lovely walk at Corfe Castle. Was welcomed in by a very nice lady, ordered the moules for me and my son had fish and chips. Good portion size good quality food and delicious. We will visit again when we pass by.

Very disappointed with the food and service in this place The food wasn’t at all enjoyable the fish was hot and cold in different parts and very watery I advised the waitress who said the manger would pop over he just walked past and didn’t say a word The whole place had a strong fishy smell when you walked in We were sat at a small table near an alcove it was very dusty and could do with a clean when having to sit so close it’s not very nice I wouldn’t recommend this place

Not been here before but will certainly visit again. The atmosphere was welcoming, the food plentiful and tasty and the beer good. Nothing better than wood fires in cold wet weather!

Thank you so much for giving my wife and I such an extremely enjoyable experience (again). Your food is FANTASTIC ! Your Chef Brigette is a GEM ! We enjoyed the menu enormously, everything looked superb, choice was difficult --- definitely the most interesting menu we have seen for ages!! Well done. "The Pig" up the road, could learn much from your menu and standard of cooking. The grey mullet was perfectly cooked, firm and delish, topped with such succulent crispy tempura prawns, on a bed of mixed vegetables, and ringed by ---- as Brigette later informed us --- sliced almonds roasted in smoked paprika ! Wow! I had Steak and Kidney Pudding ! Oh yes! Superb tasty Pudding ! Packed with large chunks of meat and a lovely thick gravy, which flowed across the huge plate, topped with ?watercress?, and with perfect cauliflower, broccoli, roast parsnips, butternut squash and carrots, with a fancy shaped delish ultra-smooth mashed potato ! WONDERFUL !! So attractive to see and so very very good to eat ! Another important point. Paul and Sandra made regular visits to top up the lovely fire. And, the background music was quiet, pleasant and unobtrusive ! A really lovely lunch ! Huge congratulations to Brigette. We asked to meet her afterwards and loved her passion, honesty and charm !! Plus what a chef ! A real treasure. The Best Pub, the Best Chef and the Best Menu in Dorset.

What a wonderful find - lovely food and great service. And so so so dog friendly. Would definitely come back again to try other items in the menu. The homemade burger was sooo good!

Great location, friendly landlord & the food was lovely, been back twice more & I recommended a lovely country old worldy Inn.

My wife and I came across the Halfway Inn while travelling to Swanage while holidaying in the area. As the property and outside eating area looked so inviting we decided to stop for lunch with our Chocolate Labrador. We were certainly glad that we did as we received a warm and friendly welcome and when we enquired about accommodating our dog, we were told that he was welcome both inside or outside. After initially opting to eat inside, we decided to go out to the garden as it was quite sunny and the outside area was also very pleasant. Our food arrived quite quickly and was very good quality and reasonably priced so we would definitely visit again if in the area and have no hesitation in recommending the Halfway Inn.

We booked in for lunch. Was really easy to do - link on their website. We had a very warm welcome as soon as we arrived. Our lunch was fabulous. My Dad said ‘it was the best burger he had ever eaten’. Delicious food and warm hospitality. Would highly recommend. We will definitely be returning!

We stopped for lunch. Staff wonderful nothing too much trouble. Home cooked food, husband had a magnificent beef suet pudding fresh from the oven. He was very happy! I had a small started and absolutely delicious. Big car park if driving a Motorhome or camper.

Very friendly and efficient staff serving delicious food with generous portions at sensible prices. What’s not to like?

We went here for Sunday lunch after having a nice time last year during our holiday. Things have gone downhill, I get the feeling that managing has changed as the staff while being polite never smiled. The manager passed by as we were eating and said "that alright?". Not the nicest way of asking if we are enjoying our meals. We decided to have starters and took both stuff we hadn't bothered, not even worth half the price for the tiny amount you get, tasted nice however. The food is definitely overpriced for what you get, the main was better but my beef pretty chewy and I'm really not a fussy eater. The setting is nice but we won't return in future if we holiday in the area, there are lots of other nice pubs to visit. The biggest thing for us is that we kind of felt ill an inconvenience to the manger rather than a valued customer and this seems reflected in the staff who were so much happier on l the previous year. That and the poor value for money.

Very disappointed with our visit, lady who served us was extremely rude and made the whole dining experience terrible. We did mention this and we were told it was because they were short staffed. We were the only people in the dining area. They did have a lot of tables reserved but they were not busy when we went. Very expensive for meal.

Mediocre food, untrained staff who didn’t know much about the menu and certainly couldn’t offer much gluten free. Also incredibly dark both in the dining area and outside. Coming out at 9 o’clock there were no lights on at all. Disappointing.

Amazing pub! Came in last weekend for a family holiday. Had a private room as was 25+ of us and it was amazing. Brilliant food, staff were professional, reasonably priced. Outdoor play area for the kids. Couldn’t have asked for a better evening.

Lovely stay in a self contained room in a converted stable Lovely welcome with a basket of fruit and fresh roses in the room

Whilst on holiday in Wareham we were looking for somewhere to eat,after reading the revs we thought we would try there.What a find out Daughter booked in line and asked if possible to sit in a quiet part of the restaurant as her Son has Autism and struggles with noise.When we arrived they did out us in a quiet area.We asked if he could have a couple of changes to his meal which the waitress said no problem.Our food was fantastic,lovely produce and presented well the chef is a credit and the staff.Lovely homely pub and would go back if that way again especially the way they looked after our Grandson.

Brilliant! Lovely place and amazing food. Staff were friendly and attentive, going out of their way to ensure we had what we wanted. The food was delicious! Thank you for a lovely evening!

We had a lovely dinner here. The building is very pretty and full of character, dating from the 16th century. Service was excellent, very friendly, great with the children and attentive. We never had to wait long for anything. The menu is interesting and varied. I had the chicken curry which was really tasty and nicely spiced. The rest of our party had fish and chips which everyone thoroughly enjoyed. Our youngest had pizza from the kids menu. The portions were very generous. Prices are very fair for the high quality on offer. We'd definitely come back if we are ever back in the area!

We had a fabulous dinner here as a family. The staff were very welcoming and attentive. The food was all superb. Great value for such good quality. The menu is varied and the pub itself is very characterful. We would definitely return if in the area again!

Food very good, choice of meals was fine. Great service and very friendly.

What a great meal! The chef here must be fantastic because I had an amazing rack of lamb with Morrocan flavours-superb! My husband chose the steamed suet , steak and kidney pudding and it was fantastic 👍 We will definitely be back. Thank you

Absolutely great stay, great innkeeper lovely place. Had a proper shepherds pie. Kitchen was open till I arrived and had a proper meal

We hadn’t been here for years and decided to try it again… We had a lovely meal. We ordered small portions but enough for us. Good food. The house red was perfect and the Service was first class. We will be coming again. Thank you so much for the excellent Service and the tasty food. 🙂

First time using Open Table, needed to book for six people - first time at the Halfway Inn. Good that we booked in advance as the couple in front of us had not and could not get in, neither could the couple behind us, but our table was ready for us. Was surprised that nearing the end of February they were so busy, but this very old pub was delightful and cosy, and very popular. Food excellent, we had the roast with massive yorkshire puddings and ample servings. The car park had been extended so no problem parking. Will be a definite place to stop on our next visit to Swanage

The staff were attentive and supportive. The food arrived quickly despite them being short staffed. It tasted good and was of reasonable value We enjoyed two Sunday roast pork dinners and a nut roast. There was a nice relaxed atmosphere with a nice log burner. Felt homely.

Great Sunday lunch loved the character of the place and great service and food.

Food and service excellent. Good value for money.

The service was good, very friendly. Food was amazing! I had the Gourmet Burger and it was the best tasting burger I’ve ever had.

Food was lovely and the staff were friendly and very helpful.

Warm and friendly welcome and great service as always. The food was excellent and the log burner a welcoming sight. No complaints with any aspect of our visit and will definitely be going back!

Wonderful pub, excellent service, delicious food and even a little birthday treat for my mother after overhearing our conversation- how sweet! We'll definitely be back 🙂

Excellent food, efficient service. Woud recommend and hope to return when we next stay in Corfe.

Lovely roast … big portions as just about managed to finish . Had to leave room for the desert … white chocolate cheesecake ….. always a hit with me x

Great food lovely old pub,very friendly and welcoming

Lovely character pub, friendly attentive staff, very good tasty food. Have visited a few times now and would highly recommend.

Another lovely meal at the Half Way, great winter menu no fuss just good food, all prepared fresh on site and reasonably priced. Happy friendly staff, overall a great dining experience with a big log burner to take away the winter chill.

We all had the lighter bites meal great price and plenty of food which we all enjoyed 😋, there now have comfy chairs , we will definitely return

We had 2 dishes. One was beautifully cooked and generous in portion. The second was beautifully cooked but miserly in portion and left my wife hungry, even though it wasn't from their small portion menu. The pub was also very cold unless you had one of the table right by the fire.

The new landlord and landlady (I assume that's who they were) were very welcoming. Service was great, as was the food which came quickly. Would definitely recommend their roast dinner

Despite sitting next to the fire, it wasn’t really warm. That may be the building rather than anything else plus it was a very cold day, but worth the comment as it wasn’t ideal. The food could have done with being hotter, maybe really hot plates would help. The food was very good. It’s an ideal Summer location and I would go back once the weather is warmer.

Extremely friendly & helpful staff. The food is excellent! The venue is wheel chair friendly. We had a 92year old attend and they don't eat a lot, usually not able to finish a standard size meal. But having a selection of dishes on the menu titled 'Small Appetite' is fantastic, wish more places had this as an option. They were able to finish it all and have pudding with everyone else. Great experience and will definitely dine here again.

Excellent food and service just right with timings thank you

Very nice food and staff a little cold but nice by the log burner. Chips were a little too salty.

Food was excellent, always is delicious. Only complaint is that is was a cold evening outside and the pub was freezing inside, one lady sat with her coat over her lap and the lady serving the food had a big coat on, if the heating was on it would of been a lovely evening.

Lovely meal, quick service, but we were the only customers. Pleasant man who served us, pretty the landlord

The food was the best ever, we chose our 'usual' & it was even better thn usual!

Curry with tough chewy beef, rubbery rice, and a poppadom. Didn’t seem to be freshly cooked. Soup, served gluten free, with croutons on the top !! No substitute GF bread available. Freezing cold despite sitting next to a wood burning stove. Menu no mention of Gluten Free. Very poor, won’t be going back, or recommending

Staff very pleasant, food Amazing. Will definitely visit again.

Been here twice now and will be making it our go to. Lovely staff, ambience and food no complaints here.

Always liked this Pub, not the same this time. Food portions small not worth the money.environment very good. I will not return and will book somewhere else

My husband and I very much enjoyed our visit on Christmas Eve, I would highly recommend the Sunday Roast, it was delicious. The service was excellent and the surroundings cosy. Looking forward to returning.

Sadly delivered a burger which was raw in the middle, offered to have meal replaced however my family had already nearly finished their meals so had money taken off the bill instead. Staff were apologetic and attentive however we felt the meals were over priced for what we had.

What a lovely place! Beautiful and cosy inside. The food was excellent! The staff were attentive , but not intrusive. Would highly recommend.

Been many times but , but this time was more like a fast food restaurant . Less than ten minutes from order to table !

Tables are not arranged very well all too close together. Place mats were from the 70’s. How can fish and chips be messed up. It was a frozen piece of fish that tasted watery and has no flavour - chips were French fries. They did not charge but still the food was greasy oily and flavourless. We had been on a two hour walk so we were cold and hungry this was such a disappointing ending.

Nice welcomed from Landlord Paul, for our 3.30 Booking Arrived Slightly Late, as we had 2 Seperate Cars, So 2nd Car was Late, and Paul Said Kitchen Shut at 3.45, Which was Understandable considering it Was A Cold Dreary Day with not Much Passing Trade Around, We ordered our Food, Which Was Nice, My Wife thought her Lamb was Poor, But Service was Good, Beer Fine, enjoyed our Visit but not Knowing 3 45 was Kitchen Cut off Point Threw A Spanner in the Works As was Slightly Rushed Im Afraid Many Thanks to Paul and Staff though

A real delight. Food was well presented and tasted just right. Paul and his staff were very cheerful and looked after us very well. We rang ahead with choices from their Christmas menu and one of our party was gluten and dairy free and they went the extra mile to make sure she was able to have the same food we did without feeling like she was making a fuss. The pub itself is warm and cosy and not too busy. At least on a foggy Saturday at 2pm it wasn't. After a chilly time spent at Swanage Christmas Market it was lovely to warm up by the fire and enjoy the ambience. Thank you so much for looking after us.

Would thoroughly recommend The Halfway Inn. We were given a lovely warm welcome by Tamzyn and shown to our table where a drinks order was taken. There was a great selection of soft and alcoholic drinks. The menu was really good, with lots of choices for all fussy eaters at our table, including some good vegetarian options. The service throughout was friendly and helpful and the food was home cooked, with large portion sizedls and delicious.

We recently ate at the Halfway Inn and had food from the Christmas menu which had a varied choice. All of us enjoyed our food which was well cooked , presented beautifully and tasted delicious. It was warm, cosy and not too busy at all. We dined at 2pm on a foggy Saturday which leant a Christmassy feel to our surroundings and being able to stand by the log burner and warm up after a particularly chilly morning at Swanage Christmas market was just right. One of our party was gluten and dairy free and Paul and his team went the extra mile to sort food that she was able to eat. Thank you so much for your kindness and attention.

Nice old world pub but not very inviting because it was quite cool inside on the day we went. Food was acceptable to good. Disappointed with the tempura prawns - not as good as the tempura prawns I had in Spain. Desserts were good.

Not as good as usual, which was a pity as we had brought 2 guests with us. The carrots must have been microwaved (?) as they were cold for one of us & unevenly over cooked for the rest of us. But the fish was as good as always & the Steak & Kidney pudding too. Apple rumble very nice too, but is the only pudding on the menu we would ever order.

What a wonderful , cosy, charming , country atmosphere. This place really wowed us! Great menu, food and service was fab

Very good food and service we will definitely be returning .

A perfect meal in a hidden gem between Wareham and swanage, definitely highly recommended for food and service!

Excellent in almost every way except food could have been served much hotter

Lovely place! Super friendly staff and great food!

Very good food. I'm gluten intolerant and they had gluten free Yorkshire puddings with the roasts so I was very happy. My sons and husband all enjoyed their food too. In addition, the service was very good.

a very good pub lunch. Quality and portions very good, staff all very polite and friendly and the landlord cheerful and patient with one of our party who was remarkably indecisive

We had a warm welcome. Lovely log burner. Waitresses were friendly and attentive. Roast dinner was hot and delicious. Pudding was scrummy. The oub itself beautiful. Would not hesitate in recommending. Very worth a visit.

Food was great, price a bit much for soup £7. Deserts took quite a while to arrive, coffee was good. Over all it was ok £41 Compared to cote brassiere expensive, £195 for 6 including starters 3 steak meals deserts wine and coffee. Will try again but not in a hurry

Really nice food just need a little bit more choice of meat on it

We were a company of 4 friends - 3 had a burger and I had chicken curry. Food was amazing & great value for money Relatively young staff - great service and very polite. Will be back

Everything fine service and food very good and friendly

The staff were polite and attentive. Nothing was too much trouble with changing items on the menu. The food was very tasty. Good choice of food too.

loving the new autumn/winter menu, with the tasty Steak & Kidney suet pudding now on the menu #delicious New tables and chairs inside and out, things are definitely looking up

Tasty roast beef Sunday lunch and very dog friendly

Somewhat limited menu (Sunday Lunch) but exceleelnt food! And very friendly atmosphere. Definitely recommend

Always nice food, hot and delicious. Only moan is the coffees, wish they would get the coffee machine fixed as I prefer a latte. Staff are always nice and friendly though

Food was excellent and arrived quickly for a busy Saturday night.

Fabulous food, crab salad was outstanding, nice ambience, excellent service. Parking on site. No accessible toilet.

Great service, genuinely great food brought out in an extremely reasonable time frame considering the quality. A good range of pints at decent prices and friendly staff.

The pub was old& worldly, beautiful friendly staff which made you feel very welcome,clean&tidy. The meal arrived promptly. It was lovely and cosy in the pub. Lots of other customers came in as we were there and they were all felt welcome and treated with respect. The pub had five different rooms you could sit in with lovely old wooden tables. We were there on holiday in the area and we were glad we chose that pub as it make the end of our day out exploring so special.

Arranged a group booking for my family. Staff were so helpful in pre-arranging the food. The food was well presented and tasty, very prompt service. Thank you so much.

We went to this venue as we had heard that the new landlords and in particular the chef was from a place we liked and used a few times. Landlords the same for sure, not so sure about the chef as food was lower standard than we liked

Just had a brilliant wedding anniversary meal for 6 of us here. Super food, cosy surroundings (not too noisy) and very attentive, friendly service. Absolutely nothing not to like, and lots of good reasons to come again!

A NEW MENU always hoes down well, coupled with new table layout and sumptuous new dining chairs this really lifted our experience. This always was a lovely place to eat and has now been lifted to a new level by by the new management and their team. Great food, calm atmosphere, comfy seating and a warm welcome... Yes we will be back again soon!

Fantastic food and friendly service. We will definitely be returning during our next holiday!

Staff very pleasant and helpful. Not sure what ‘vegetarian chicken’ is on the vegetarian menu 🤔? Overall very nice experience.

Great food, we love going to the half way inn, staff are always great.

Good, tasty food, interesting choice of dishes, well presented with style, friendly cheerful staff, attentive and helpful.

The food was average and we would have liked more vegetables. My husband said the beef was chewy. We were seated by the toilet in a hallway, which was not ideal. We heard the servers talking about their weekend all through our dinner. I would definitely look for a carvery in the future and I would not recommend.

I was very pleased that I chose this place to celebrate my big birthday lunch with my 4 friends. It was my first time and I was not disappointed. The food was lovely, everyone had something else but all if us agreed it was tasty+the portions are very big! Nice staff. Would recommend Thank you!

Good choice. Allergies were sorted quietly and efficiently.

Great good, good value and lovely friendly staff. A varied menu that never disappoints we have eaten here before and never had a bad experience. it's a little further than we normally travel for a meal out but worth the visit. Food is freshly cooked and not the usual pub chain meals. We have always found the serving staff to be friendly and helpful. on this occasion we had breaded Brie with cranberry and salad to start, my wife had a trio of fish (battered cod, whitebait and scampi with chips and side. I had lamb chops with feta salad and minted yoghurt. Yummy!! We will be back again.

Very warm welcome. Nice quiet atmosphere. Food choice was a little limited, but the meals chosen were very well presented and excellent quality.

Our 2nd visit to the Halfway Inn, lovely food, super friendly staff, we will definitely be back, thank you 😊

2nd visit to this charming pub for Sunday lunch whilst on holiday in the area. Had Roast Lamb which was delicious. Large portions, so no room for desert unfortunately. Would recommend.