Bear & Swan

This flagship gastropub of the Pushman family’s mini-empire may present an austere stone frontage and come with a serious parking problem, but it’s worth finding a side street in pretty Chew Magna and heading inside. Here you’ll find an appealing, open-plan, clutter-free bar and dining room, incorporating rugs on bare boards, chunky pine furniture, and (weather permitting) a log fire in the inglenook, plus food that’s a revelation, especially for these parts. Delivered from an open-to-view kitchen could be starters of chicken liver parfait or mussel chowder, followed by pork loin with smoked paprika sauce and mustard mash, or wild sea bass with prawn spring roll and sweet chilli sauce, all matched by Bath and Butcombe beers and a decent wine list. If it’s on, go for the lemon tart with apricot coulis for pudding.