Travel
Known for its fine ciders and rich cheddar, this rural region of the UK’s West Country has become a hotspot for artisan food producers and gourmet farm-to-table dining.
ByNatalie Paris
Published December 17, 2023
• 7 min read
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK)
Famed for its cheddar and cider, Somerset has a rich food and drink heritage. Around a decade ago, the town of Bruton shone a spotlight on the county’s gourmet credentials encouraging travellers to linger for a weekend of gourmet food and art at its new Hauser & Wirth gallery. The influence of the town’s restaurants — among them Osip and Roth Bar & Grill — grew and has spread to nearby pockets of countryside including expansive rural estate, The Newt that packs in three restaurants largely fueled by its farm, kitchen gardens, butcher, baker and cider press. Tour South Somerset and the Levels and you’ll stumble across artisan producers that are putting a spin on traditional methods. Capitalising on this, a handful of well-known chefs have relocated from London to south Somerset to open farm-to-table restaurants in former coaching inns and other historic golden-stone buildings.
Five places to try
1. The Bridge Bakery and Canteen, Langport
Set beside the River Parrett, next to a bicycle hire shop from where you can explore the Somerset Levels, this independent bakery and canteen is brimming with tasty goods. The main counter is laden with imaginative deli bites, such as Mumbai toasties smothered in spicy chutney on freshly baked focaccia. Salads include toppings such as whipped feta and confit fennel and there’s a fabulous range of artisan coffee, local wine, craft beer and ciders. Musicians perform at occasional supper clubs.
2. The Three Horseshoes, Batcombe
Winning the prize for most idyllic village location is this revamped, 17th-century inn, with a sunspot terrace that lies adjacent to Batcombe’s church. Margot Henderson, of Shoreditch restaurant Rochelle Canteen, opened this restaurant with rooms in 2023. The fresh, knocked-through interiors make showpieces of wooden beams and a centuries-old church bench. The food is similarly straight-talking, with Dorset scallops that are a fruity, vinegary joy, and an excellent mince on toast dish.3.
3. Horrell & Horrell, Sparkford
With a set menu, a long banqueting table and an out-of-the-way barn location, dining at Horrell & Horrell is an event. Guests are looked after by experienced restaurateurs Jules and Steve Horrell, who go to town decorating the tables with cuts from their garden and cook dinner over a fire three evenings a week (except in January). Expect punchy flavours, with sharing platters of lamb and tabbouleh alongside Jerseys roasted in red wine and garlic, for example. Diners receive a welcome cocktail but otherwise drinks are BYO.
4. Holm, South Petherton
South Petherton is a hamstone-built village that’s a 35-minute drive from Bruton. Chef director Nicholas Balfe left London to open Holm in a former bank here and recently renovated the upstairs to include seven bedrooms. It’s a clean, contemporary space, with mid-century furniture. Out back you’ll find a kitchen garden and a terrace for barbecue nights that come with a Balearic soundtrack. Try the chef’s menu or go a la carte. Lightly fluffed Westcombe cheddar fries are Holm’s calling card, but the torched mackerel, with turnip in buttermilk, is memorable, too.
5. Roth Bar & Grill, Bruton
Beside the Hauser & Wirth gallery, this barn-turned-restaurant features a long bar, quirkily decorated with salvaged farm tools. It’s a lively spot for a house negroni but, thanks to the art gallery next door, this is an all-day venue, too. The tented terrace outside is ideal for brunch or coffee in the sunshine and the atmosphere is buzzing at both lunch and dinner. The grill specialises in aged cuts of locally sourced beef — which can be seen hanging in the salt room — farm lamb and merguez sausages.
Experience
In spring, the orchards at Burrow Hill Cider Farm are filled with clouds of pink and white blossom. By autumn, the scent of crushed apples fills the air, as the cider press gets to work. The farm, owned by Julian Temperley, not only makes the cider that’s sold from a bus at Glastonbury Festival but also Somerset Cider Brandy. Cider can be sampled from dusty oak barrels, while tours of the copper stills (named Josephine and Fifi) explain the brandy distilling process. Visit on a Saturday in blossom season and you can picnic in the orchard, too, with live music.
Where to stay
Number One Bruton is a casually stylish boutique hotel that’s home to Somerset’s only Michelin-star restaurant, Osip. The charming owners understand pattern, texture and colour in ways that make you want to redesign your home, and five new bedrooms are coming this summer. At street level, in Osip, chef Merlin Labron-Johnson creates delicate food using local ingredients, resulting in intense flavours. There’s no menu but dishes can include a deceptively simple stack of tomato, raspberry and ricotta, spectacular a with tempura of Jerusalem artichoke with black garlic mayo and togarashi. Osip is expanding into a new location just outside Bruton in March, with its own accommodation planned. Another, yet-to-be revealed chef will take over the space at the current hotel.
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