Urban Reef

Right on the promenade, close to the pier, this trendy mix of informal café, deli, bar & restaurant comes with grandstand views over Poole Bay & the new artificial surf reef. It’s quite the place for watching the world go by, with a deck out front, a laid-back, urban-rustic eatery on the ground floor, & a showstopper of an upstairs dining room – a Conran-esque concoction of modern-retro furniture silhouetted against a plumb-level horizon through huge windows. The cooking doesn’t try to be clever & the repertoire is built around crowd-pleasers with a sunny nod to Med – say sea bream fillet on chorizo & mussel chowder, served with home-baked focaccia. Otherwise, expect reworked favourites such as a trio of sausages with wholegrain mustard mash, caramelised onion jus & vegetable crisps, plus desserts in the shape of coffee & Amaretto crème brûlée or sticky toffee pudding.