Beach Cafe, The

For those looking for that somewhere a trifle different, The Beach Café at Lulworth Cove has much to commend it. First the location which is pretty breathtaking, secondly the atmosphere which could be described as 'waterside offbeat', and finally a menu that is remarkably good. The latter is less surprising when you learn that the Café is owned by the nearby Lulworth Cove Beach Hotel.

Daytime sees the Café offering a never-ending supply of snacks and sandwiches to those who come to admire the many facets of Lulworth Cove's natural beauty, but at weekends in the evenings the pace slows, the menu assumes a more sophisticated air and such delicacies as scallops wrapped in bacon with a delicate chilli sauce, or sea bream stuffed with feta and peppers emerge. The menu is brief, but to the point, with the catch of the day generally taking centre stage. There is no license, so BYO, or nip to the hotel where they are accustomed to dealing with such requests. A corkage charge of £2 is levied.

This is not somewhere to bring those who expect an attentive maitre d' and other similar accoutrements, but it is a place where, when the madding crowd has headed for home, you can have an enjoyable and atmospheric evening, either a deux or en masse.