If Kirsty and Phil were awarding stars for a prime business site they would be saying, ‘Location, location,’ to Steve Attrill, five times over. His café, at Hive Beach, Burton Bradstock, West Dorset is a dream spot on the Jurassic Coast.

Set between towering honey-coloured cliffs the beach shelves into Lyme Bay and the views are stunning. However, there are many aspects to a business this successful. So, add innovative chefs, ever changing menus and it’s clear why owner Steve scooped Coast magazine’s 2009 Award for Best Coastal Café, Pub or Restaurant. The panel of judges, which included TV presenter Miranda Krestovnikoff, were particularly impressed by the use of locally sourced fish.

‘Our food reflects the wonderful diversity of what’s available in the South West,’ says Steve. ‘We serve a range of dishes that go from simple to sophisticated. Our Farmhouse English Breakfast is incredibly popular.’ For lunch he suggests Lulworth hand-dived scallops with chorizo, pancetta and black pudding. And a perfect choice for supper, as the sun sets, has to be Grilled Cornish John Dory Fillets with a Saffron and Crayfish Sauce.

Customers come from near and far. The Hive is both a local meeting place and a gastronomic holiday treat. It’s a cosy refuge on a winter Sunday morning and a walker’s haven on hot summer days serving continental coffees, organic West Country soft drinks, Somerset ice creams and Dorset wines.