A TEAROOM in Moreton has proved it has the winning Dorset cream tea, potted Portland crab and cakes after being awarded gold at this year's Taste of the West Awards and shortlisted as the South-West Cafe/Tearoom of the Year.

The owners of the prettily situated Moreton Tearooms in a converted old school house near Dorchester pride themselves on a simple and rustic menu where 'freshness and quality of ingredients are key'.

Serving hearty brunches, tasty ham hock and delicate finger sandwiches, it isn't the first time the cafe has been highly commended. In its first three years of opening, the tea room won Taste of Dorset Best Tearoom award.

Gordie Sutherland, chef and co-owner of Moreton Tearooms, near Dorchester, said: "We are delighted that the anonymous judges enjoyed their visit to the tearooms especially as Moreton has had its busiest summer ever.

"They were lucky to get our last un-booked table as they visited on a rainy day when we were almost full inside.

"Booking is something we have been trying really hard to encourage our visitors to do; we hate disappointing people but we only have a finite amount of room.

"The judges sampled a variety of dishes including our meatball slider with beef from my mother-in-law's farm at Piddlehinton, Portland crab gratin and of course our infamous cream tea."

The Tearooms is now a proven destination in its own right feeding an increasing number of visitors to the area are enticed by the Lawrence Whistler-windowed church, Lawrence of Arabia's grave and the beautiful walled gardens.

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