SAMBÔ

You're sat right on The Quay with a glass of something cold, watching the boats drift past while plates of grilled meat arrive in an endless procession. Sambô does the Brazilian rodízio thing properly—the churrascaria tradition where gaucho servers bring skewers to your table and you control the pace. It's theatre mixed with serious eating, the kind of place that makes a Friday night feel like an occasion without being pretentious about it. The setting alone, overlooking Poole Harbour, beats most chain restaurants hollow.