J&M Parsons

Trading in Sherborne since 1840, this is the town's longest running shop, and still family run. That kind of continuity tends to come from doing the basics properly: knowing your suppliers, knowing your customers, and knowing what to do with a carcass. Most of the meat travels only six or seven miles to reach the counter, and the butchers behind it can tell you what is in season and how best to cook it.

Beef comes weekly from the Kilmington Estate in Axminster, lamb every fortnight from Richard Crang at Queen Camel, and free range chicken from Creedy Carver in Devon and Cracknell's at Stourton Caundle. Dairy is Leopard Dairy near Blandford for cheese, cream and yoghurt, plus milk from a farm at Stalbridge, sold in bottles or through a refill machine. Four Gold Taste of the South West awards in 2022. Bring a bottle for the milk.