The Hive Beach Café Burton Bradstock, Dorset
Fans of ITV’s Broadchurch series will be familiar with the stunning backdrop of the Dorset coast. Just along from West Bay, where the series is filmed, you’ll find Hive Beach Café at Burton Bradstock. This award-winning seafood café is where holidaymakers and weekenders come for fish-and-chips-by the sea.
Enjoy a delicious seafood lunch and a walk along the beach at the Hive Beach Cafe Burton Bradstock
Take a bracing walk on the spectacular shingle beach and breathe the salty sea air into your lungs. Afterwards, sit down under canvas to a plate of the freshest fish & chips caught from the local waters or push the boat out and order a lobster platter and a glass of something sparkling. Utterly delicious. Hive Beach Café at Burton Bradstock is one of our favourite places to enjoy a taste of the sea. Go for brunch or lunch and in summer, for dinner. Take Mr Hendricks with you too.
- Come for brunch
- Walk along Chesil beach
- Explore the Jurassic coast
Visit a World Heritage Site
Surrounded by spectacular sandstone cliffs, Hive Beach is made up of shingle and forms part of Chesil Beach, the largest shingle ridge in the world. It’s part of the Jurassic Coast, Britain’s only natural World Heritage Site which covers 95 miles and records 185 million years of the earth’s history. The cliffs display the Bridport sands rock formations to dramatic effect and offers far-reaching views along the 18 miles of Chesil Bank.
Brunch at Hive Beach Café
The café is a relaxed family-friendly, dog-friendly café-come-restaurant. On a Sunday morning, it buzzes with people enjoying brunch. Seating is outside but in winter they batten down the hatches of their large canvas awning so you stay both warm and connected to the sea. The menu varies depending upon what’s available and they try to source as much of the fish as possible from the immediate shoreline. You’ll find dishes such as Lyme Bay whole brown crab, lobster from the Weymouth day boat and sea bass from West Bay.
Try Hive Honeycomb
There are no desserts on the menu but there’s a beach hut serving ice creams from Lovingtons in Somerset. Try the café’s signature flavour of Hive honeycomb. The café also has its own micro bakery which produces delicious cakes and pastries. In the small shop, you can buy Hive beer, cider, tomato sauce and chutney and a small range of gifts inspired by the sea.
Tips
- The café doesn’t take reservations so come early if you’re a large party (there’s seating for 140 diners)
- Celebrating a special occasion? Ring ahead to order a cake from the bakery
- Buy National Trust Annual Membership and you can park at the beach for free
Cook’s Tip
For a flavour of the Hive Beach Café at home, buy one of its two cookbooks.
Where to Stay
The Seaside Boarding House – Lovely white clapboard seaside hotel with sweeping views over Lyme Bay. The hotel is just a short walk from The Hive Beach Cafe and has been thoughtfully renovated by the former managing director of London’s Groucho Club.
The Bull Hotel in Bridport – An old coaching inn, now a contemporary and chic boutique hotel, in the scenic market town of Bridport.
Dogs
Great for me. The cafe loves dogs and even sells dog biscuits and doggy doughnuts. Hive beach is a dog-friendly area but from 1 June until the end of September, I’m not allowed on the central part of the beach.
How to Find The Hive Beach Cafe Burton Bradstock
Hive Beach Cafe, Beach Road, Burton Bradstock, Nr Bridport, Dorset DT6 4RF
Website: www.hivebeachcafe.co.uk
The Foodie Travel Guide
Sally is the founder and editor of The Foodie Travel Guide. She travels around the UK and beyond in search of the best foodie days out, tasting experiences and delicious places to stay. She loves a glass of English sparkling wine, afternoon tea with friends and escaping London for gastronomic adventures.