HAVING recently moved to Dorchester we were after a cosy pub that would be welcoming for us for a Sunday lunch and our ten-month-old (very messy) toddler.

Not only that, but we didn’t want to mess around with parking, booking a table or driving a great distance.

So we were delighted to try the Brewer’s Arms in Martinstown – which happily filled every requirement we had.

The village pub was actually recommended to me during the Olympic period, when a family who had travelled from Kent were raving about how lovely and friendly it was.

Walking in on a cold Sunday afternoon we were greeted by the staff that were so accommodating towards our toddler and happily went and found a clean highchair, despite the fact there were many other babies in the pub.

For those of you who are parents reading this, I’ll just add that this is extremely unusual, most pubs only have one, or perhaps two, high chairs and these regularly seem to cause some kind of upheaval when requested.

The Sunday lunch menu was concise but offered a traditional roast with chicken or beef, plus two vegetarian options of vegetable nut roast with apricot and goat’s cheese and two other options of scampi and steak pie.

For those of you wanting a lighter Sunday lunch there was a small option priced at £7.99, with the regular size priced at £9.99.

We opted to sit in the bar, which was full of local families and local village people enjoying a Sunday tipple or meeting for a roast dinner.

My companion was delighted that the bar prides itself on its ales and offered his favourite – Palmers Copper Pale Ale.

We ordered two roast dinners, one chicken and one beef, and these came within 10 minutes.

My chicken was delicious, succulent and juicy, and so was the crispy roasted onions and parsnip. I felt the dish was let down by the rather bland boiled vegetables of carrots, cabbage and plain cauliflower.

Fearing this might happen I had ordered a side dish of cauliflower cheese so it was not a problem.

Generally the dinner was very enjoyable but I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t mention that the Yorkshire puddings appeared to be bought in and not homemade.

Despite this, it was really lovely and I will not hesitate to head back there for a Sunday lunch.

Pub details

The Brewers Arms, Martinstown, DT2 9LB.

Tel 01305 889361.

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