The best restaurants in Somerset

Briar is a warm, intimate restaurant in Bruton, centred around seasonal, farm-to-table cooking and the exceptional produce of the West Country.

Led by chef Sam Lomas, the menu changes daily and showcases locally grown, foraged and garden produce through simple, thoughtfully crafted small plates, sharing dishes and proper puddings.

The second Root site from Bristol's Bib Gourmand original, Root Wells offers vegetable-forward small plates including burrata with peaches and courgette with butter beans, as well as 8oz ribeye for meat eaters.

Expect seasonal sourcing, fresh produce and sharing-style plates in a pale-green, industrial-chic dining room.

This converted 1920s theatre in Street doubles as restaurant and late-night events space, serving everything from burgers and steaks to slow cooked pork and chicken schnitzel.

It's a strong choice for birthdays, celebrations and special dinners, with customisable menus, fun music and private spaces. 

Hauser & Wirth's Bruton campus swaps Roth Bar & Grill for this rustic Italian farmhouse concept, rooted in owner Iwan Wirth's Swiss-Italian family history.

Wood-fired mains, house-grown produce and a sculpture-filled courtyard make it a genuine art-and-food destination.

Set in a beautifully restored 17th-century inn in Batcombe, The Three Horseshoes combines the warmth of a traditional country pub with accomplished, seasonal cooking.

Led by acclaimed chef Margot Henderson, the menu celebrates robust British and Mediterranean flavours, with a strong focus on exceptional local produce.

A dependable brasserie in one of Bath's grandest settings, Browns is known for its delightful afternoon tea and classic British fare. 

Part of the national Browns group, you can expect polish over surprise, with a focus on reliability, flexibility and genuinely friendly service.

Set inside a grand former bank on Bath's High Street, San Remo serves modern Italian food with organic ingredients shipped from Italy, including handmade pastas, wood-fired pizza and fresh fish.

The private Ariston Room, overlooking Bath Abbey, is a real draw for special occasions.

Osip is Merlin Labron-Johnson's Michelin-starred restaurant serving blind tasting menus of hyper-seasonal, farm-grown British food.

The converted coach house also has its own farmland - it's undoubtedly one of the West Country's most accomplished restaurants.

Menu Gordon Jones is an intimate fine-dining restaurant in Bath, where chef Gordon Jones creates a constantly evolving tasting menu inspired by seasonal produce and local suppliers.

Drawing on English, Indian and Asian culinary traditions, the experience is all about unexpected combinations of flavours, textures and temperatures.

Serving Bath since 1987, this Bollywood-glamour dining room of ruby booths and lantern light is the city's longest-running Indian restaurant.

Chef's specials like Nawabi lamb shank sit alongside reliable classics, making it a solid choice for group dinners, celebrations and midweek meals.

The Holcombe is a country inn near Radstock built around a kitchen garden and local sourcing.

The kitchen serves refined modern British food - think cured beef with blue vinney, and lamb with salsa verde - in a cosy, beamed dining room with rooms upstairs.

Bath's only Michelin-starred restaurant, Olive Tree is centred around chef Chris Cleghorn's tasting menus. Honed under Michael Caines, he pairs technical precision with West Country produce.

Housed in the Queensberry Hotel, it's a destination restaurant for special occasions, romantic getaways and weekend trips.

Offering Rajasthan-rooted cooking near Bath Spa station, Bikano's spans North and South Indian dishes from paneer tikka shashlik to Kashmiri lamb rogan josh.

For authentic recipes, relaxed interiors, and friendly service, it's a bit of a hidden gem in the local area. 

This vibrant, mural-lined Indian restaurant on The Paragon serves dosas, biryanis and an Indian-inflected breakfast menu.

Offering inventive cooking, outside seating and great value, Mantra is a must-try restaurant in the area. 

Formerly the Michelin-starred Pony & Trap, The Pony Chew Valley is now a garden-to-table destination with its own micro-farm, cookery school and sweeping Chew Valley views.

Expect hyper-seasonal cooking from the Eggleton siblings, with produce often picked an hour before it reaches the plate.

History & Heritage Afternoon Tea is a unique storytelling afternoon tea experience, situated inside the Gainsborough's Georgian Brasserie. 

The menu traces Bath's history from Roman baths to Georgian high society through finger sandwiches, scones and rotating pastries.

A colourful, all-day restaurant in the Mendips, The Potting Shed is built around modern British sharing plates - think Brixham crab, lobster macaroni, dry-aged rib of beef.

It's both dog-friendly and child-friendly, with a dining room that feels more like a countryside escape than a local pub.

A former bank in South Petherton turned relaxed tasting-menu restaurant, Holm is from the team behind London's Salon and Levan.

Westcombe Cheddar fries and cucumber gazpacho feature on the a la carte, while a great value tasting menu draws in Londoners looking for a reasonable fine dining experience outside of the capital.

Family-run and unapologetically traditional, this Bath spot brings Greek meze culture - grilled halloumi, moussaka, kleftico - to a relaxed room of white walls and coral flowers.

It's the sort of place that's best approached as a table effort: order widely, share everything, finish with baklava.

Inside the Gainsborough Bath Spa hotel, this Georgian-set brasserie leans into global flavours, spanning 'dancing prawns', salmon carbonara pasta and turmeric chicken.

With an impressive wine wall, glamorous interiors and sleek service, it's a polished choice for a proper night out.

Set in the heart of Exmoor National Park, Exmoor Forest Inn is a characterful Victorian country pub serving produce-led British cooking.

Much of the produce comes from the pub’s own farm, complemented by locally foraged ingredients, while the daily-changing menu celebrates the landscape, seasons and traditions of Exmoor.

Steps from Bath Abbey, this all-day brasserie pairs Italian-leaning steaks and comforting classics with live piano on a striking white grand.

From breakfast through to late-night dinners, Square Grill Restaurant & Piano Bar is perfect for a special occasion, whether it's a big birthday or an engagement party.

South American-inspired restaurant Edesia is a popular choice for lively dinners, offering a buzzy atmosphere, sizzling steaks and zingy cocktails. 

Elsewhere on the menu, you'll find seafood stew with tiger prawns, slow-cooked beef short rib, and smoky grilled chicken skewers. 

Glastonbury's most accomplished kitchen serves Middle Eastern small plates built on seasonal Somerset produce - think baharat chicken yakitori and vegan rice pudding with tahini.

Chef Ayesha Kalaji's cooking balances rustic and refined, in a quirky, romantic dining room that outlasts the festival crowds.