PLATFORM — Restaurant in England

Wow! Abi and I chose The Platform as the venue for our wedding reception. We have dined here before, and from the very start Claire was the most accommodating, friendly and organised of hosts. The setting: THE station and platform that was Bridport Harbour Station, the ticket office is now the bar and seating/tabled area. Outside, on a short length of original tracks, are two beautifully preserved carriages. Our reception was in Brunel, the 1911 WW1 medic carriage from the Battle of the Somme, which is the main restaurant seating area. Beautifully set for dining with the “top table” at one end. History on the walls in the form of photographs from over the years of the carriage and the station, and in the very wood of the floors, roof and walls. The food: just EXQUISITE. Perfect sized portions, of the highest quality foods, a truly varied selection, and cooked to perfection. A fabulous choice of drinks, soft, alcoholic and hot, including IPAs, cocktails, wines and liqueurs. As much as possible using locally sourced products, flowers herbs from the garden on the Platform premises. The staff: honestly the friendliest, loveliest people who worked constantly to provide great service and were continually helpful with whatever was needed. Special mention to Dawn, Kate, Abby and Ross in particular and apologies to those whose names we have missed. Kitchen staff, anonymous only in name, thank you!! The carriage was spectacular as a setting. After meal and speeches, the staff worked quickly to clear tables away to make room for dancing: we had our fabulous band Static Flight playing live for us throughout the evening at one end of the carriage, the acoustics were perfect! A huge and heartfelt Thank You from me, Abi and all our guests. We will see...

Appalling service and rude staff. Asked for some bottled water to buy and was told very abruptly “not really” then she showed me a bottle of water and said that it’s £5. Which I wasn’t happy to pay, I didn’t complain about the price, I appreciate it’s a restaurant and that’s fine so I then said that I had two three-year-olds in the car and it’s 33C+ heat could I just have tap water? They couldn’t be bothered to just fill up a water bottle for the children. There was literally so many bottles of table water on the counter, I don’t see why I couldn’t have just had some of that water to fill up a bottle? When I asked for tap water she very abruptly and very rudely said and I quote “No, due to covid! There’s a shop up the high street you can go there.” I had a car full of kids and there was NO WHERE to park and instead of being kind and compassionate she expected me to drive around finding a parking space, to then get the kids out of the car and drag them to a shop for a bottle of water? Not all people that go into your establishment know their way around and your restaurant was the closest option I had. I am so disappointed and looking at all your reviews, I’m surprised. I get you don’t do takeaways, fine. But you would think the odd few days we have 30+ degrees heat, they might make an exception just to fill up a water bottle. Pretentious and rude. Also very much looking forward to the aggressive comments the manager will no doubt leave on this review.

I will also add that my friend went in 10min before me also asking for bottled water and came out with two bottles at £3 each but for me they were £5?...

We went back to The Station Kitchen for my birthday and were super impressed once again with the service and food despite the team having to operate in a marquee on the platform in windy and cold conditions before lockdown rules fully lifted here in mid May Regardless of this, they had thought of everything - sheepskin throws on the chairs, heaters and radiators on at full blast all to make the guest experience as close to what it would normally be in the carriage as possible. The staff are always lovely and friendly and I cannot fault them. They were clearly cold and the conditions on the 8th May were diabolical outside but they didn't seem to find it hard to be nice and pleasant to everyone. I had the seafood curry and my partner the ribeye and polenta chips. We were delighted with our choices and I could have eaten another bowl of the curry it was that good! As it was my birthday, the chef sent out a salted caramel iced cupcake with a candle and a round of awkward "Happy Birthday wassaname" ensued (cue slightly reddened cheeks on my part!!) which sadly meant I didnt have room for the chocolate and peanut butter cheesecake I'd greedily ordered. Not to worry though, the staff boxed it up for me and I ate it the following day! I cannot fault this place and the team Ross and Claire have round them. They use the best local & seasonal products I understand and Claires skill in the kitchen is clearly evident. We will be back again - we would have been back this weekend for another special occasion but the carriage was full - damn it! Thanks again guys for another super...