The Larderhouse

The Larderhouse cooks with fire. A wood-fired oven anchors the kitchen, and a charcoal grill has since been added beside it, so most of the menu carries some smoke or char. The food is European in outline but shaped by Dorset ingredients, and it arrives as small plates and platters made for sharing rather than three formal courses. Upstairs there is a cocktail bar; downstairs, on a Sunday, the roast is the thing people come back for.

The cooking

The kitchen works around those two fires. Small plates lead the menu — the sort of dishes ordered a few at a time and passed around the table — alongside sharing platters, steaks and, when they are on, oysters. Seasonal Dorset produce sets the direction, so the list changes through the year rather than staying fixed. There is some ambition behind it, and portions are pitched for grazing across several plates rather than filling a single one.

The bar

Drink is taken as seriously as the food. The wine list is the longer of the two, chosen to sit alongside the fire-cooked plates, and the upstairs bar mixes cocktails for anyone who wants a drink before or after a table. It works as somewhere to start an evening as much as to end one. Staff are used to steering guests through both the wine and the small-plate format, which helps on a first visit.

Where it is

The Larderhouse is at 4 Southbourne Grove, on the parade of independent shops and restaurants set back from the Southbourne clifftop. Dicky’s Bar & Brasserie is a near neighbour on the same grove, and Southbourne beach is a short walk downhill past the cliff lift. The Southbourne area guide covers what else is close, and buses run along the grove towards the town centre.

Good to know

Booking is worth it, particularly at the weekend and for Sunday lunch, which fills the room. There is a courtyard for warmer evenings, and the format suits a slow dinner rather than a quick bite. The restaurant leans towards evenings and can close earlier in the week, so check current times before you travel. For more places to eat around the bay, see the food and drink guide and the map of Bournemouth.

The Larderhouse — good to know

Where is The Larderhouse?

The Larderhouse is at 4 Southbourne Grove, in the run of independent shops set back from Southbourne's clifftop in Bournemouth. Buses pass along the grove, and Southbourne beach is a short walk downhill past the cliff lift.

What kind of food does The Larderhouse serve?

The menu is European in outline, shaped by Dorset produce and cooked over a wood-fired oven and charcoal grill. Expect small sharing plates, platters, steaks and, when available, oysters, rather than a fixed three-course format.

Does The Larderhouse do a Sunday roast?

Yes. The Sunday roast is one of the things regulars return for, built around well-cooked aged beef and roast chicken with the usual trimmings. Sunday lunch is busy, so it is worth booking a table ahead.

Does The Larderhouse take bookings?

Yes, and booking is recommended, particularly at weekends and for Sunday lunch when the room fills. Hours can be shorter early in the week, so check the current times directly before you travel.

Is there a cocktail bar at The Larderhouse?

Yes. There is a cocktail bar upstairs, alongside a wine list that is the focus of the drinks offering. It works as a spot for a drink before or after a table, as well as with the food.

Is The Larderhouse good for a special occasion?

It suits one well. The room is intimate, the sharing-plate format encourages a longer, slower meal, and the wine and cocktails are taken seriously. Book ahead if you are marking something, especially on a Sunday.