One of the nicest things about staying at Honeysuckle Cottage is that you don’t need to get back in the car when you’re ready for something to eat or drink.
There are several places within walking distance, from traditional village pubs and restaurants to cafés, fish and chips and, of course, plenty of ice cream around Lulworth Cove.
West Lulworth is a small village, though, and places can get very busy during the summer, weekends and school holidays. If there’s somewhere you’d particularly like to eat, I’d recommend booking ahead.
Pubs and restaurants
The Castle Inn
The Castle Inn is just a couple of minutes’ walk from Honeysuckle Cottage, making it one of the easiest choices for dinner.
It’s a traditional village pub with a relaxed atmosphere and a good choice of food and drink. There’s also a lovely garden for warmer days.
And perhaps most importantly, it’s a very short walk home afterwards.
The Lulworth Cove Inn
The Lulworth Cove Inn is just a few minutes’ walk from the cottage, on the road down towards Lulworth Cove.
It’s a good choice for a relaxed pub meal, whether you’re looking for dinner after a day walking the coast or somewhere for a drink. They also serve breakfast and Sunday lunch.
It can get busy, particularly in the summer, so booking is sensible if you have your heart set on eating here.
The Lodge at Lulworth
The Lodge is another lovely local option and is built on the site of an old watermill.
It has a seasonal menu and a particularly nice outdoor area, making it a good choice for lunch, dinner or afternoon tea when the weather is behaving itself.
It’s a little more of a special occasion than a quick pub dinner, so I’d book ahead.
The Limestone
The Limestone is a small, intimate restaurant in West Lulworth, with outdoor seating overlooking the village.
It’s a lovely option if you’re looking for something a little more special during your stay. The menu changes with the seasons and, with limited seating, booking ahead is definitely recommended.
Breakfast, lunch and something easy
The Boat Shed Café
You can’t really beat the setting of the Boat Shed Café, right on the edge of Lulworth Cove.
It serves breakfast, light lunches, daily specials, homemade cakes, cream teas and coffee, with views across the Cove. There is also outdoor seating for sunny days.
It’s a particularly nice place to stop after a morning walk, although it can get busy in the middle of the day.
Cove Coffee
Cove Coffee is another useful stop when you’re heading down towards the Cove.
They serve locally roasted coffee, fresh bagels and sweet treats, so it’s a good option for breakfast, lunch or simply a coffee before heading out along the coast.
Finley’s Café & Fish & Chips
Finley’s is down by the Visitor Centre and is handy for something casual.
You can eat in, sit outside or pick something up to take away. It’s particularly useful if you’re heading off for a walk and want to take lunch with you.
Fish and chips by the sea is hard to argue with.
Ice cream at Lulworth Cove
If you’re walking down to Lulworth Cove on a sunny day, ice cream is almost part of the experience.
There are several places to choose from, and this is one area where I don’t think you need to overthink it. Find one that looks good, choose a flavour and enjoy it.
Lulworth Ice Cream Parlour
The Lulworth Ice Cream Parlour is on the way down to Lulworth Cove and is a very popular stop for an ice cream before or after the beach. The Lulworth Estate describes it as the perfect pre- or post-beach indulgence.
Sat Nav location: BH20 5RH
The Dolls House
You’ll spot The Dolls House on the lane leading down towards the Cove. It’s a tiny jade-green cottage and one of those places that feels like part of the character of Lulworth.
As well as traditional sweets and fudge, it serves ice creams and cream teas in its tea garden.
It’s particularly lovely if you have children with you — although I’m not sure adults are ever too old for a sweet shop.
Jake’s
Jake’s is another local favourite for ice cream, as well as being useful for drinks, snacks and other essentials.
It’s on Main Road, close to the road down towards the Cove, so it’s an easy stop when you’re coming and going.
Ice cream at Durdle Door
If you’re walking from Lulworth Cove to Durdle Door, there’s another opportunity for an ice cream at Durdle Door Corner.
It’s on the cliff top along the coastal path and serves ice creams and hot and cold drinks. It’s a particularly welcome stop after the walk from Lulworth Cove to Durdle Door.
And if you’re wondering about that walk: it’s not the easiest stretch of the coast path, but in our opinion it’s very much worth doing.
Fish and chips and takeaways
Sometimes you don’t want a restaurant. You just want something easy.
Finley’s is the obvious local choice for fish and chips, and there are also takeaway options around Lulworth Cove.
If the weather is good, pick something up and find a bench or a spot overlooking the Cove. Or bring it back to Honeysuckle and enjoy a relaxed evening in the cottage.
If you don’t want to eat out
Honeysuckle Cottage has everything you need if you fancy staying in for the evening.
Lulworth Stores is within walking distance and is useful for essentials, snacks and drinks, although local shops can have seasonal opening hours.
For a bigger shop, I’d recommend doing your supermarket shopping before you arrive. The village shops are convenient, but they’re small and prices can be higher than you’re used to.
A few things worth knowing
West Lulworth is a small village, there aren’t dozens of restaurants to choose from.
That’s part of its charm, but it does mean that booking ahead is a good idea, particularly for summer evenings, weekends and school holidays.
And if you’re staying at Honeysuckle Cottage, one of the best things about the location is that you can leave the car where it is.
The Castle Inn, Lulworth Cove Inn, Limestone, Lulworth Lodge and the cafés and shops around the Cove are all within walking distance.
You can have dinner, walk down to the Cove for an ice cream afterwards and then wander back through the village to the cottage.
No driving. No finding a parking space. Just a nice evening in Lulworth.
Want to stay in West Lulworth?
Honeysuckle Cottage is a luxury cottage for two, which has private parking for two cars and Lulworth Cove around a 10-minute walk away, with several places to eat and drink along the way.