Our Dorset Life

Looking for somewhere special to eat in West Dorset?

Parnham Park Restaurant in Beaminster is a walled garden restaurant set within one of Dorset’s most fascinating restoration projects. With seasonal food, beautiful garden views and a historic house slowly being brought back to life, it is much more than just a lunch booking.

There are some places you visit for the food, and some places you visit because the setting is just as memorable as the meal. Parnham Park manages to be both.

Set within a historic estate just outside Beaminster, Parnham Restaurant sits inside the former greenhouse of the walled garden. It is one of those places that feels special before you have even sat down. The glasshouse, the garden views, the soft green table settings, the flowers, the old brick and the sense of history all make it feel like a proper Dorset day out rather than just lunch.

The story behind Parnham Park

Parnham itself has a long and fascinating history. The house was remodelled in the 19th century by John Nash, one of Britain’s most influential architects, best known for Regent Street and Buckingham Palace.

In more recent years, the estate suffered a devastating fire, leaving much of the house badly damaged. It is now owned by James and Sophie Perkins, previously of Aynhoe House in the Cotswolds, who are working to restore the house, gardens and Parnham’s long legacy of art, craft and design.

Their vision is to bring the estate back to life through restoration, tours, workshops, events and experiences for the community and visitors. There is still a huge amount of work to do, but that is part of what makes visiting now feel so interesting. You get a glimpse of Parnham at a pivotal moment in its next chapter.

A private tour of the house and gardens

Our visit started with a tour of the house and grounds. It is hard not to be drawn in by the scale of the project. There is beauty everywhere, but also a real sense of what has been lost and what is being carefully saved.

The gardens are already a huge part of the experience. Wandering through the grounds before lunch made the restaurant feel even more connected to the place around it. You are not just arriving at a dining room; you are stepping into an estate with a story.

What to expect at Parnham Park Restaurant

Parnham Restaurant is set in the former greenhouse, with views out to the walled garden. The setting is beautiful without feeling too formal. It has that relaxed country house feel, with layered plates, soft greens, garden flowers and thoughtful details everywhere you look.

After exploring the house and grounds, we sat down for a beautiful sharing lunch in the restaurant. It was generous, seasonal and absolutely delicious — the perfect way to finish the tour.

The menu was designed around sharing, which made the whole meal feel sociable and relaxed.

What we ate at Parnham Restaurant

The meal started with sourdough bread and Singapore butter, Gordal olives, gorgonzola and air-dried ham.

To start, we shared Lyme Bay scallops with coral romesco and black pudding, Parnham garden asparagus with brown crab mayonnaise, and Singapore Beaminster sausage with pickled lime ketchup.

For mains, we shared everything from shawarma chicken with chilli yoghurt to Cornish new potatoes with béarnaise aioli, alongside turnip cake, hispi cabbage with peanut chilli, and horseradish leaf salad with red chicory, anchovy and garlic.

To finish, there was chocolate tahini nemesis with crème fraîche, and yuzu, matcha and pistachio tiramisu.

Everything felt seasonal, thoughtful and full of detail, without losing the warmth of a proper sharing meal.

What makes Parnham Restaurant special?

For me, what makes Parnham special is the mix of food, history and setting.

The restaurant feels polished, but not stiff. It is beautiful, but not intimidating. There is a sense that the food belongs to the place, from the garden setting to the seasonal ingredients and the way the menu encourages everyone to share.

It feels like a restaurant with a real sense of place. The house, gardens and food all feel connected, which makes the whole experience more memorable.

Is Parnham Park Restaurant good for a special occasion?

Yes. Parnham Park Restaurant would be lovely for a special lunch, birthday, anniversary, grown-up day out or somewhere to take visitors when you want to show them a more hidden side of Dorset.

It feels special enough for an occasion, but still relaxed enough for a slow lunch with friends or family.

When is Parnham Restaurant open?

At the time of writing, Parnham Restaurant is open for:

Breakfast: Friday to Sunday, 9am to 11.30am

Lunch: Wednesday to Sunday, 12pm to 3pm, with Sunday lunch running until 4pm

Supper: Wednesday to Saturday, 6pm to 9pm

Drinks: Wednesday to Sunday, with longer hours on Fridays and Saturdays

Opening times and menus can change seasonally, so it is always worth checking directly with Parnham before you visit.

Where is Parnham Park?

Parnham Park is in Beaminster, West Dorset.

Address:
Parnham Park
Beaminster
Dorset
DT8 3LZ

It is a lovely one to pair with a slow West Dorset day out, especially if you are visiting Bridport, Beaminster, Mapperton, West Bay or the surrounding countryside.

Parnham Park is more than a restaurant visit. It is a chance to step inside one of Dorset’s most fascinating restoration stories and enjoy lunch in a truly beautiful walled garden setting.

The food was delicious, the setting was stunning, and the whole experience felt like one of those Dorset discoveries you want to tell people about.

Save this one for your next special Dorset lunch.

Sarah x