Tucked just off the Square on Exeter Road, The Moon in the Square is one of the biggest and busiest pubs in central Bournemouth. It fills two floors of a converted former department store and has been pouring pints here since 1994, drawing shoppers, day-trippers, ale hunters and weekend groups in roughly equal measure. Arrive early for coffee and a fry-up, or late for a room that hums.
The food
Like every Wetherspoon, the appeal is range rather than refinement. Breakfast lands first thing, followed by a broad all-day menu of pub staples covering burgers, grills, curries, pizzas and lighter plates, with vegetarian and vegan choices and a children's menu alongside. Freshly ground Lavazza coffee is served throughout, which makes it a reliable mid-shopping stop as well as a drinking pub. You can order at either bar or send food and drinks to your table through the Wetherspoon app. Menus and prices change regularly, so check the website before you set out.
The drinks list is the real draw. Between the two bars there are fifteen handpumps, and the pub holds Cask Marque accreditation for the condition of its cask beer. Guest ales rotate through, cider festivals appear on the calendar, and craft keg, wine and spirits fill in the gaps.
The setting
The layout gives you options. The ground-floor bar is the larger of the two, subdivided into three distinct areas with ten handpumps and a section given over to family dining. Upstairs is smaller, often calmer, with five more handpumps and, best of all, a rooftop patio that catches the afternoon sun above the town centre. At street level there are pavement tables for people-watching. Screens show sport around the pub, and while weekday afternoons are relaxed, Friday and Saturday nights turn boisterous, with hen and stag groups very much part of the mix.
There is history under the floorboards too. The site once held Victoria Villa and Library, home of Bournemouth's first mayor, and the pub's name nods to George Orwell's essay on his imaginary ideal pub, The Moon Under Water.
Where it is
Exeter Road runs between the Square and the seafront, which puts the pub in about the most convenient spot in town. The Lower Gardens start a few paces away, the Bournemouth International Centre is around the corner, and it is a short downhill stroll to the pier and the sand. Buses converge on the Square, and Bournemouth railway station is roughly fifteen minutes on foot. Town-centre car parks sit nearby, but in summer walking is usually quicker.
Good to know
No booking is needed, so simply turn up and find a table. Step-free access and baby changing facilities are available, and there is free Wi-Fi throughout. Under-18s must be accompanied by an adult and can only remain until the evening cut-off, so confirm the current policy if you are planning a late family meal. Opening hours can shift, particularly around holidays and big events in town, so check the pub's own page before travelling.
If you want somewhere dependable, central and open for most of the day, this fits neatly into a trip. For more places to eat and drink nearby, browse our food and drink guide, and pair a pint with the rest of the town in our things to do guide.