Situated in the heart of Swanage, The Red Lion pub is a traditional family-run establishment serving local beers, ales and hearty, old-fashioned pub grub.
Sample a variety of real ales, perries and ciders in the cosy bar area or enjoy your drink outside in the pub’s sizeable beer garden.
Mix up your week by keeping an eye out for the Red Lion’s fun quiz nights and meet friends for a game of pool.
The team at The Red Lion also always join the town with whatever’s going on, be it supporting Swanage’s trick-or-treating at Halloween with a sweetie stop for the kids, or hosting bands for the bi-annual Swanage Blues Festival.
Food at the Red Lion
It’s proper, traditional fare at The Red Lion, with the menu being varied and reasonably priced. Expect starters such as Dorset paté with real ale chutney & toast, and crab cake with sweet chilli dipping sauce. Choose from a selection of sandwiches and jacket potatoes with a range of fillings, or keep it simple with a Dorset Ploughman’s lunch.
The Red Lion serves a large menu of main meals, including vegetarian and vegan options, such as blue cheese & mushroom linguine and spicy bean burgers. There’s traditional burger & chips, curries, steak & kidney pudding, and both beef and a vegetarian vegetable lasagne, as well as pub grub favourites like bangers & mash, using local sausages, seafood pie and scampi & chops.
And if you have room afterwards, there’s an enticing choice of deserts or cheese platter, all of which can be washed down with a local ale, wine, spirit or soft drink.
Stay the night
The Red Lion also offers B&B rooms – to enquire about availability and arrange a stay, simply give the pub a call and they’ll book you in. You can pay a small deposit over the phone to secure your booking.
It’s a popular place to stay for the Swanage Jazz Festival and the Swanage Blues Festival as you’re right in the centre of town close to the action.
Staff at the Red Lion are friendly and accommodating, providing simple rooms and a hearty cooked breakfast above this traditional English pub.
Opening Hours
The Red Lion is open till late every day as follows:
- Monday – Saturday 11.30am – 11pm
- Sunday 12pm – 11pm
Winter hours may vary, so it’s best to check the pub’s website for the latest updates: redlionswanage.com/#summary
Location within Swanage
- 📍 63 High Street, Swanage, BH19 2LY
The Red Lion’s close to the centre of town, amongst the busy hubbub in the summer and festive months, and is a great spot for a lazy lunch after a long walk on the cliffs or a day at the beach, which is under a five-minute walk from the pub.
You’ll find The Red Lion just up the road from beachwear shop Forever Summer, and opposite Swanage Library. The Red Lion’s also a stone’s throw from many other popular pubs in Swanage, such as The Anchor and the White Swan, so you can make an evening of it by exploring a few different venues, each with its own unique atmosphere, or pub-hop during annual events like the Blues Festival, when live bands take over most pubs in the town.
Contact details
Call or email to book a table, or visit the pub’s website to find out what’s happening while you’re in Swanage:
- 📞 01929 423533
- 📥 info@redlionswanage.co.uk
- ℹ️ redlionswanage.com