The Dorset — formerly known as the Dorset Arms — on MaIling Street was previously a shabby, smoky, drinkers’ pub that, despite being one of the closest Harvey’s-owned pubs to the brewery, always seemed neglected, serving below average beer and dull food.

Anyone who hasn’t been to this pub since new tenants Paul Abbott and Lesley Court first opened it in April 2006, even before looking to see what treats are on offer on the menu, is likely to be taken aback by the metamorphosis that has taken place.Paul and Lesley have certainly blasted away the cobwebs! Paul and Lesley discussed and agreed with Harvey’s Brewery the idea of converting The Dorset into a “flagship” Harvey’s pub, which would sell fine food to complement the varied range of Harvey’s real ales and create a great pub that would appeal to a variety of guests. Hence the Dorset was totally revamped and now offers a great appeal to a varied clientele of all ages, including business people, families, couples, “ladies who lunch” and equally people wanting a quiet meal on their own, who all feel comfortable.

The Dorset now provides the sort of atmosphere that could previously only be rivalled by a village pub or a more expensive hotel restaurant. Harvey’s should be congratulated for having agreed to this project. At a time when much larger national pub owning companies (very few of which even make beer any more) are aiming to create more pleasurable environments and attract a broader range of clientele by offering better quality food and appealing to families, The Dorset surpasses most of the remodelled food-serving chain pubs.

The Dorset has been carefully renovated and extended, fully respecting a building that has served beer to Lewes residents since 1670.The inside of the pub has a classy, grown-up feel to it and is light and airy (with one designated smoking area) with plenty of elegant, still glossy Georgian panelling and stained oak furnishing and flooring.

The Dorset also has six brand new en-suite rooms available to guests, which go some way towards addressing the shortage of reasonably priced accommodation in Lewes.

We arrived at the Dorset via a leisurely visit to the antique shops on MaIling Street and given the changeable weather sat in the cool dining room by the door to the garden rather than outside.

The choice of food is substantial, with various menus, specials, an additional weekly changing ‘gastro menu’ on Fridays and Saturdays, and roasts on Sundays.

For lunchtimes or for those with smaller appetites, there is also a range of ‘small plates’, a salad menu, or selections “for light appetites” and some imaginative sandwiches and paninis (I’ll be back at some point for a sandwich of roasted vegetables, spinach and provolone, which in my opinion is one of the most flavoursome cheeses and one that I wish was more widely available). The range of jacket potato fillings is far more appealing than the usual cheesy beans, chilli or tuna and mayo (the tiger prawns and Marie Rose sauce sounded especially good). And there is also a children’s menu with quality versions of kids’ favourites (penne pasta, fish cakes, chicken goujons and even sirloin steak) all priced at about £4.

To start with, I had a large flat mushroom stuffed with spinach and topped with melted gruyere and crunchy pine nuts with wild rocket. My partner had a plate of Italian antipasti (salami, Parma and bressaola) with intensively flavoured marinated olives, sun-dried tomatoes and basil leaves and lambs lettuce.

Other starters included smoked salmon, poached eggs, with cranberry toast and hollandaise sauce, which sounded like a good idea for brunch one day, and moules marinieres with ciabatta bread. In the short time since The Dorset opened it has gained a strong reputation as somewhere to go for superb food and a well served, quality pint from a range of Harvey’s real ales. The pub has recently received the Cask Marque Certificate of Excellence, a nationwide recognised beer quality assessment.

The food at The Dorset has equally received great acclaim and now boasts an ever growing following with many returning guests enjoying wonderful meals such as the house favourite, pan fried Chicken Breast & Parma ham served with a brie & creamy leek sauce, or the homemade steak, mushroom and Harvey’s ale pie, a great quality steak with all the trimmings, Paul’s wonderful mushroom stroganoff or the very popular homemade Angus beef burger. With this in mind, my partner chose the 8oz Angus beef burger made on the premises and served on an onion bap with rocket salad, spinach, relish and fries. This was one of the best burgers we’d ever tasted. It wasn’t “contaminated” by cheese, so you could taste the full flavour (even though my partner will always ask for her beef to be “cremated” rather than well done, which I’ve always argued kills off any flavour) and a texture that you don’t get from processed burgers. The relish on the burger was cool and fresh tasting, not a dull supermarket variety — a small thing to pick on, but something I’ve always found makes a difference to an overall good burger experience.

I chose a generous plate of about ten perfectly cooked large whole garlic king prawns from the specials, which was served with a rocket salad. With the additional Friday/Saturday ‘gastro menu’ we had two dessert menus to choose from, just In case we weren’t full enough already! I chose the rich chocolate torte, beautifully presented with a caramel sauce and raspberries. My partner had an equally delicious warm apple and cinnamon crumble, with the crumble as a base and the fruit on top, served with vanilla pod ice cream. Other desserts included peach crème bruleé and baked lemon tart with whipped cream and raspberry coulis.Dinner for two, for three courses excluding drinks, came to about £35. Sunday lunch roast (beef or chicken) lunch is available with a two course set lunch at £10.50, three courses at £12.95 or a single course for £8.95.

Republished from "The Lewes Handbook" July 2006.

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