Cuisine of Dorset

The cuisine of Dorset, a county in South West England, is characterised by a variety of, often simple, dishes which are sourced, or have traditionally been sourced, from the county itself. Today, the cuisine of Dorset reflects the wider shift towards organic and local produce. These principles are upheld by farmers' markets, farm shops and fairs held across Dorset.

Many of the traditional dishes originate from the 17th and 18th centuries. At this time, much of the workforce were employed as agricultural labourers and, though they produced most of the food, their diet was poor. The gentry, unique in being able to shop for produce, and farmers, fared better. Despite this, until the early 19th century at least, simple foods, such as bread, comprised a sizeable part of the diet of all classes.