The Sawmill Cafe in West Dorset

We had the best ploughman’s lunch we have ever had. It was delicious. We had beef that didn’t look like plastic and some tasty cheeses. We also had some really good chutneys, not just Branston pickle. Would really recommend the ploughman’s. This was all served by friendly, helpful staff.

Three of us went to The Coach House for a light lunch in August. We arrived just after one o'clock to be told the only food still available was cauliflower cheese or we could share one remaining portion of quiche. We bypassed the quiche.There were very few people there so there can't have been that big a run on the food. My friends tried again this week to find exactly the same situation, the cafe had run out of everything this time except, lo and behold, cauliflower cheese. With no other option my friends ordered this but then had to wait for a ridiculous amount of time for its (lukewarm) arrival. Service was virtually non existant. For somewhere that trumpets itself as special, a lot of improvement needs to be made. We have certainly crossed Mapperton off our list of places to eat.

Atmospheric barn conversion provides back drop to beautifully presented and tasty sandwiches. Hospitable and friendly staff make you feel welcome. Varied menu of standard and special dishes provide something for everyone.

We had a lovely lunch here. Staff were friendly and helpful. Our food was tasty and homemade. Good vegetarian selection and amazing cakes!

Located in a beautiful setting following a scenic approach the cafe sits next to Mapperton House near Beaminster in a restored barn. Access for this disabled visitor was easy as we walked past the free-range ducks and hens and all parts of the barn are easy to move around. Staff and manager were friendly and welcoming, attentive to each customer and willing to offer guidance on the food and drink on offer. The menu for lunch, bruch and afternoon tea offers a wide range of freshly prepared, delicious food, we tried each of the wonderful soups on offer, accompanied by locally baked bread of the highest quality and a shared slice of a fabulous cake for dessert. The range of cake on offer was wide and each one was tempting as they featured different key ingredients and styles of cake. All the food we ate was carefully seasoned and/or spiced and the flavour of the vegetables was not overwhelmed and the taste of each could be readily distinguished. A wide range of drinks was offered and we thought the coffee was excellent. We could supplement bought drinks with the freely available water. Service was excellent and there are spotless toilets, particularly the toilet for the disabled,which is large and well equipped, essential for this visitor. Overall we would not hesitate to recommend the setting, the building, location, food and drink, facilities and, most particularly, the staff ,for anyone visiting West Dorset or looking for a day out from the surrounding area accompanied by good food.

A fabulous lunch, cake, coffee, and games today at The Coach House cafe. They've only been open 2 days and they were very busy. Working very hard and the food was delicious. Reasonably priced. Nice portions and the cakes are fabulous. We shared a ploughmans - enough for 2 of you and a sausage roll. Didn't have avocado toast, which was a shame but a good selection on the menu. Good for children, and we had a great 2 and half hour visit. They are licensed, too. We'll definitely be back.

Very disappointing visit! Love Mapperton and always visit when in the area, as the weather is not ideal for the gardens we opted instead to just visit for lunch……. Arrived just after 2pm to be told the kitchen was closed and they were only serving drinks and cakes……. Of with the selection was poor and did not look particularly appetising. I appreciate it is towards the end of the season and visitor numbers are probably dwindling but I don’t think it is too much to ask for a café to serve food while open, especially when the menu is restricted to sandwiches and toasties!

Cafe quite expensive, shared a cake to keep the cost down. Nice setting, with chickens wandering around, looking for crumbs. Staff were mostly young, and service rather slow. You had to pay here to enter the gardens, but as we were on the way out, (round the corner from the cafe entrance) people were just walking in without paying, so some more staff were necessary in my opinion.

Had the advantage of visiting on a quiet day but in wonderful sunshine - sat outside and lunch was delivered quickly but clearly all hand prepared. Great coleslaw and balsamic dressing, and varied menu choices. A little bit expensive perhaps, but setting and quality was worth it. Friendly staff and relaxing meal.

We only called in for a tea/coffee and, possibly, a cake, and it was shortly before closing. However, the staff seemed pretty uninterested, cake options were almost nil and I am not clear how I was charged for my cake. The price on the label was not the same as the price charged, but it was not worth arguing over.

Good food and prompt service. The restaurant was clean and tidy and staff were helpful and polite. Would recommend.

Friendly staff and delicious vegan carrot cake. Reasonably priced and plenty of seating. Would return.

A fantastic Sunday lunch, fresh vegetables, succulent lamb and tasty, tasty gravy. The cheesecake was sublime. We will be back!

What a rip off . Only 2 choices, 1 being poached egg on toast for £7.50. Think of the money they are making on that . Its just not worth the money considering your sitting on old wooden chairs and paying about £2.50 for a tiny coffee . You can get a lot more for your money else where , in more comfortable surroundings. Sorry guys but a tad Pretentious .

Popped in for lunch to this delightful venue in the heart of West Dorset. The cafe itself is a light and airy place to eat and offers a good selection of quality local food from cold snacks to hot main courses along with daily specials. On this occasion I selected the organic beef and horseradish sandwich, which is the original snack developed by the Earl of Sandwich. This modern version came with my choice of sourdough bread and was accompanied by a fresh salad with a creamy homemade horseradish sauce. The locally sourced beef was very tender, the salad dressed with a strawberry and mint balsamic which gave a sharp sweetness to the whole dish. A well made cappuccino accompanied the sandwich making an altogether excellent lunch. On my way out I couldn’t resist taking away a slice of the vegan carrot cake for later. The cake was moist, packed with flavour and full of tasty ingredients including real carrots! All in all an excellent lunch and a venue I shall return again for that special treat.

We went traditional and ordered a roast. Gosh it was absolutely delicious! The best I've had for a long time. The potatoes and gravy were especially outstanding. The cakes looked wonderful but I couldn't resist the apple crumble. Scrumptious. The Coach House is a beautiful place too. Ideal wedding venue. Oh the photos would be really special!

There were six in our group - we thought the menu was imaginative and indeed the food was excellent. Very generous portions, including venison steaks from the Mapperton Estate, served by welcoming, friendly and attentive staff. Probably one of the best Christmas dinners we've had this year. The chef came to our table to ensure all was to our satisfaction.

We stopped to have tea and cake at this lovely cafe whilst we visited Mapperton House and Gardens. The staff were delightful, happy, smiling and polite which is an asset on its own for the owner. The carrot cake was sooo delicious and a must, all the food we could see being served looked delicious. The cafe was immaculately clean and tidy. Worth a trip on its own.

Brilliant , friendly and helpful staff. The menu is limited lunch choices . Our choices were enjoyable and filling , with a great dressing for the side salad.

Cafe very busy and understandable due to plant sale charity event. Long queue. Cake good quality albeit pricy. Coffee in disposable cups not expected bearing in mind price charged and venue.

Before exploring the lovely gardens we enjoyed coffee and cake in the smart cafe. The cake was great, chocolate cake for my partner, while I enjoyed the gluten free coffee and walnut cake. After looking around the gardens we had a pot of tea sitting outside in the sun, nice!

We visited Mapperton House and gardens as part of a larger group, and we enjoyed our visit. Our trip was rather spoiled for me by our visit to the cafe on site, as we arrived. We waited twenty minutes for our coffee to be brought to our table....my friend’s arrived eventually, and mine followed two visits to the counter later, by which time my friend has already finished hers! It was total chaos, completely random as to whose order arrived first, despite several staff who appeared to be standing around with little to do, apart from watching their two co-workers run about like headless chickens. My suggestion would be that customers wait at the counter to carry their own coffee away after payment, thus alleviating the need for waiting staff to run about with no idea as to where, or to whom, they are to deliver their orders. The timed till receipt also only served to annoy me even more, as I watched the minutes tick by, eating into the time available for our visit. I do not think that a coachload of thirty pre-booked pensioners arriving at a prearranged time (not all of whom visited the cafe), constitutes the major crisis the staff would have had me

Looks like it's been recently refurbished. Good inside and outside seating. Accessible without paying to enter the house/gardens.

We had a choice from the specials board. Pork pie and salad. Not the best, very small and stodgy. Room is nice and cool and the place is clean, the toilets are 5 star.

Overall enjoyed our experience at this cafe, which appeared to be newly renovated. However, whoever chose the chairs made a mistake in our opinion. Not only do the red plastic chairs jar with the sawmill/barn decor, but they are really uncomfortable. We enjoyed our lunch-really nice beef and horseradish sandwich on sourdough bread, but didn't feel like lingering over desert due to uncomfortable chairs. Otherwise good food and service on a quiet day.

Like others I'm sure I was mislead by the reference to the Sunday times top restaurant list, this restaurant isn't there, it's the one in Beaminster. While the staff were exceptionally helpful and friendly the food was a disappointment. The menu was very limited so...

After our stroll around the beautiful gardens at Mapperton we had a delicious Dorset apple cake with clotted cream. Then we went on to have the very interesting guided tour of Mapperton house.

A damp day on a Sunday afternoon, so drove to Mapperton House and the cafe. Lovely old barn, and the Dorset cake warmed with clotted cream was gorgeous. As was the scone. Hope to come back to visit gardens on a better day.

We only had coffee but it was very good. The cakes looked good too. The staff were very friendly. There is seating outside.

Oh dear, what a shame. Mapperton house and gardens along with the Sawmill Cafe was previously one of our favourite destinations when staying in Beaminster. A brisk walk across the fields and a lovely, good value light lunch at the cafe. Not anymore however, as...

Visited on a hot afternoon in August and also looked round Mapperton Gardens. Friendly staff and good range of cakes and drinks. We enjoyed a cream tea and my daughter had a tub of Baboo gelato ice cream. Lovely interior design, having recently been taken...

My husband and I used to visit this cafe on a very regular basis and it was great. New management took over at the beginning of the season and we were very unimpressed. We gave them the benefit of doubt and went a second time...

great value and choice cream tea and cakes were fantastic. friendly helpful staff too. cafe a bit small so booking might be advisable but well worth a visit.

Excellent coffee and cakes in beautiful surroundings! Much more available, but that will have to be for a future visit.

The Sawmill café at Mapperton used to be one of our favourites, but unfortunately it is now under new management. We had a very small, thin piece of tart and about 6 - 8 salad leaves at a cost of £7.50 each. It showed a...

We were going to have lunch here as we have been previously and it was excellent, but the cafe has been taken over and is now very overpriced and underwhelming, as the prices were too high to lunch we had cake and coffee, this was disappointing and very lacking in choices, given that it was the weekend and the sun was shining you would think it would be busy but there were no other customers and this was 1230 on a Sunday, the staff were sitting around inside texting...... My advice would be to lower the prices and stop being pretentious it's not fine dining it's a country house cafe!

We were looking for amazing coffee and cake in beautiful surroundings. The coffee was great, the orange polenta cake was sublime. The cafe was clean, the history was interesting with some of the original sawmill items there and and a striking canopied ceiling. There were friendly and helpful staff too

We called in here during a recent visit to Mapperton House and Gardens, Dorset. The café is set in an outbuilding which was, once, used as a sawmill. Lots of character, plenty of seating both inside and out. Serve snacks, light meals and drinks. Gets very busy but they do not do reservations.

After visiting Buckham Fair we saw a sign to Mapperton Gardens and thought we would check it out.On arrival we found the car park and saw the Sawmill Cafe and decided to go in.Inside there are wooden tables and chairs, also some picnic tables outside.The original saw bench and saw are still in the building. The ceiling is also very interesting with some amazing quilts displayed.You order from the counter and they make the drinks whilst you wait. They only take cash so be prepared.The food is home made and there were some good looking cakes and savoury food on offer.For this visit we just had drinks but would definitely return.The toilets are outside the building and were fine.

Beautiful afternoon called for a visit to an outside location, and what better than a 20 mile trip to Mapperton gardens.Before entering the gardens we enjoyed coffee, tea, and locally made ginger cake and scones at The Sawmill cafe,which set us up for a visit into the gardens. August is a little later to see the gardens at their best. Nevertheless we enjoyed our visit.

Although part of Mapperton Manor House historic complex, you can visit the café on it's own. Attractive range of light lunches made in front of you as you watch by the friendly local staff. Home made cakes and lovely scones. Well presented and good price.

Enjoyed a smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwich with Victoria sponge to follow all freshly prepared and some really interesting dishes on the menu a cut above the usual food I've found when visiting houses/gardens

A very friendly staff, all local food made on the premises, simple and delicious. Combined with a visit to the gardens, a delightful few hours! Light lunch and afternoon teas

Don’t bring your sandwiches hereIt’s certainly no picnic visiting Lord Sandwich’s stately pile at Mapperton. His ancestor may have liked to bring his own grub, but don’t you try it. No picnic places and if you try to eat at the outdoor café, having bought a drink a lady comes out and shouts at you “get out, leave now, I’ll give you your money back for the drinks and get out now.” After that welcome….remember not to feed the birds and don’t go using his lordship’s croquet set either unless you have “permission”. The garden is pretty enough except for the two foul sticking old swimming pools full of green brackish water- perhaps that’s where you are thrown if you use the croquet set without permission. We would have liked afternoon tea, but when m’lord and lady nip into the Ritz they can pay with their credit card, but not here. So off to Bridport for some fresh air in more senses than one….

A nice cafe with seating both inside and outside. Not a huge choice but sufficient for a light lunch. Attractive decor.

On our recent visit to Mapperton Gardens we decided to have a light lunch in the Sawmill Café. We each ordered the BLT Ciabata and tea. The ciabata was freshly prepared and was delicious. The cost was very reasonable. Very good value for money.

My wife visited Mapperton House and gardens as part of a large group (32 persons). Lunch had been pre booked by the group and was excellant & good value for money. Congratulations to Sue and her great team at the Sawmill cafe, who coped remarkably well with the sudden influx of 32 people at the same time. Thankyou all for helping to make it a lovely day !! (Posted on behalf of my wife and her friends !)

Tasty, good value with helpful staff who were welcoming and attentive.This is the second time we have visited Mapperton and each time the food available has been excellent.

had a meat pie for lunch, best eaten in along while and at that price exceptional -you might have to wait a bit but the wait is worthwhile and the setting is just plain peaceful Clotted cream teas and cakes etc all very nicely made, presented and tasty

Having so much enjoyed coming here in previous years we were wondering if anything had changed when we returned this year. I'm very glad to say that it is still as charming as ever. A delightful tea shop, serving all sorts of home made food, set in an atmospheric old saw mill building. The staff are delightful. We sincerely hope it is still the same when we return for our annual visit to Dorset next year.

This cafe was the icing on the cake that is Mapperton Gardens. We didn't have lunch but returned later in the day for a sandwich and cream tea. The sandwich was cheese & chutney, I would have liked to know that the chutney had curry flavour in it because I don't like curry. The cream tea was lovely, clotted cream mmm delicious.

We had visited Mapperton House on one day of the short period it is open in July, the house itself is interesting, nice to see an old house that is well used today for family living, the Italian garden is also a very pleasant place to stroll around.The cafe outside is open more than the house but as it is well off the main road through Beaminster I don't know why you would really go just for the cafe when the house is not open. The treacle tart with cream was nice but at £4.75 a bit expensive (most of the other cakes were similar prices).We had a nice afternoon as the sun was shining and we could sit outside but I don't know whether I would trek out there if I were not visiting the house.

The sawmill cafe was the venue for a friends wedding reception and the location, barn and food were all faultless. Great service and an utterly delicious, fresh and tasty spread. Lush canapés and a beautifully presented cold buffet. the puddings were to die for ( best berry mess I have ever had)they do super lunches and morning and afternoon teas too (very naughty but nice cakes) and there's a lovely gift stall and plant stall to see too. We would highly recommend Mapperton House as a wedding venue and could not praise high enough the Sawmill Cafe as a reception venue. You can also do wild flower arranging courses here too. the bride at this wedding learnt how to make her own bouquet, button holes and table arrangements and we arranged all of our own flowers for the day. makes for a great day out at Mapperton as you get to see the gardens and visit the cafe for lunch.

This was a lovely setting as part of the beautiful Mapperton Gardens. Food looked scrumptious but as the cafe only took cash (no cards) we had to limit our spending to the cash in our pockets which wasn't a lot! The beef sandwiches were very good indeed with lovely rare beef. The tea was pleasant (although bagged tea and not leaf tea and we had to ask for extra hot water!) Shared a slice of dorset apple cake with clotted cream. Interior was lovely and the salads looked great. Somewhere to return to with after a visit to the cash machine!