THIS is the closest place to foodie heaven that I’ve ever been. And the good news is that it’s on our doorstep in Dorset.

After several years of speculation, The Pig on the Beach at Studland finally opened its doors in June.

And within a matter of weeks, it was getting booked up for months in advance. If you want to stay in one of the hotel’s 23 bedrooms, you will be lucky to get a room this side of Christmas apparently.

So when my other half and I had an opportunity to have dinner on a mid-week night in July, it was not to be missed.

The last time we’d stopped by, about six weeks previously, it was still practically a building site.

But what used to be the old coastal villa of the Bankes family before it became The Manor House Hotel, has been transformed while managing to retain its original, relaxed, quirky style.

We were met by hotel director Lora Strizic, who lives and breathes the place. She’s worked with founder Robin Hutson since his Hotel du Vin days.

Lora took us on a quick tour of the grounds which has panoramic views of Old Harry Rocks and an immaculate kitchen garden. What cannot be grown on site, is sourced within a 25-mile radius.

The veg and herb garden has been carefully nurtured to produce fennel, courgettes, peashoots, garden beans and Isle of Wight tomatoes. The fruit cages are planted with blueberries, raspberries and blackcurrants to name a few.

“It’s not about being self-sufficient,” Lora explains. “Our aim is to touch each plate with one, two or even three products from our garden so the menu is tweaked daily. Everything we grow is edible and we try to use the whole of the plant whether it’s in a reduction, jam, jelly or pickled in-house.”

For the first half an hour we sat outside and enjoyed a glass of English sparkling wine and some of The Piggy Bits which included belly of pork rubbed in local honey – it practically melted in the mouth and was served on a bed of fennel which had been lightly pickled and was adorned with beautiful nurstias.

We also had ham hock with quail eggs in a mustard and honey dressing, and fresh crab pancakes in a chilli dressing.

As the sun set, we headed to the greenhouse restaurant which was buzzing, and began drooling over the menu.

Prices are reasonably mid end rather than eye-wateringly expensive. Piggy Bits and Fishy Bits are £3.75 each, there is a good selection of starters and small plates such as cured wild sea bass £7 and home-smoked glenarm salmon £8.

Main courses are divided into sections such as Literally Picked and Caught This Morning with Portland Crab & Dorset watercress salad £8.50 and Brownsea Island Rock Oysters £3 each.

Purbeck & Coast included dishes such as roasted fillet of hake £17.50 and The Pig’s extraordinary Bath Chap £14.50.

I opted for a small plate of Swanage Spider Crab Risotto which included home-cured pancetta and sea vegetables such as samphire for £8 – a subtle balance of very different flavours which was perfectly cooked and nicely presented.

My husband had the fillet of Dorset pork £17 which he said was one of the best pork dishes he’s ever tasted, served with garden chard, IOW tomatoes and Dorset olives.

Although it was a perfect summer’s evening, this place would be wonderful in the winter too as there are lots of wood burners and cosy snugs.

So if you are looking for good quality, locally sourced food, in a five-star location, with five-star service, it doesn’t get much better than this.