Lazing your way through a long, slow Sunday roast is practically a prerequisite over the Easter weekend – as is strolling through the newly in-bloom countryside. So, as there’s no better place to combine the two than Somerset, we’ve made a mini guide to some of the region’s best Sunday lunches – all of which can be preceded or followed by a lovely country ramble. Enjoy.
The Talbot Inn, Mells
You’ll find this properly countrified pub in the thatch-roofed village of Mells – which is often named one of the best places to live in the UK and makes for a wonderful ramble. Locals have been propping up the bar here since the 15th century, so it’s no surprise that Sunday lunch is a traditional affair that plucks most of its ingredients from the surrounding hills – including leaves from the pub’s kitchen garden. Don’t miss a pint of the pub's own Talbot Ale before you leave – best enjoyed next to one of the wood-burning stoves.
The Three Horseshoes, Batcombe
A roast at this charming Somerset pub is more than enough reason to romp around the tiny, hedgerow-threaded village of Batcombe. It’s headed up by chef Margot Henderson (of Rochelle Canteen fame), who’s let her rustic side run wild on the menu, which is mostly gathered from nearby farms and suppliers. Roast-wise, you could either go for the traditional meat and veg combo or try something a bit more out there – like skate with buttery leeks or grilled ox tongue with chips.
The Bell & Crown, Zeals
When a pub group is described as ‘The Pig hotels of the pub world,’ you know you’re in for something special. And that’s precisely what you get at The Bell and Crown, a gloriously rustic Chickpea Group boozer just a five-minute drive from Stourhead House (a pre- or post-lunch around the bucolic gardens is a must). Get inside, bag one of the wooden tables next to the fireplace, and enjoy food that’s as far from fussy as you can get. Don’t forget to add a side of cheesy leeks and a pint of locally brewed ale.
At The Chapel, Bruton
As you might have gathered from the name, this buzzy restaurant can be found in a renovated church in ever-trendy Bruton, complete with an artisan bakery and wood-fired pizza oven. And while the pizza comes highly recommended, the traditional roast served on Sundays is a belter – think pink-tinged beef, squash and rosemary purée, and properly crispy roast potatoes. It’s also served until 9pm – ideal if you want to explore the honey-hued streets and riverside strolls beforehand.
HOLM Somerset, South Petherton
Turns out, HOLM isn’t where the heart is. It’s in an old bank in South Petherton, about halfway between Bruton and the fossil-freckled Jurassic Coast. Led by a pair of Brixton-based restaurateurs, this is not your classic country pub – it’s a design-led, modern restaurant with a hive-like open kitchen and reclaimed oak tables. The menu offers contemporary takes on Sunday staples – start with Westcombe cheese fries, then order either the braised beef pie or the pumpkin-heavy gnocchi.
The Bradley Hare, Maiden Bradley
Whilst this is technically across the border in Wiltshire it is nestled in the Duke of Somerset’s bucolic estate, so we think it’s a worthy addition to this list. Cosy-yet-contemporary interiors come courtesy of ex-Soho House design director James Thurston, and the Sunday lunch is seasonable, sustainable, and designed to share. So, grab your clan and feast on platters of beef rump, chicken crown, or pork belly, washed down with one of the excellent wines.
