A lovely pub in a lovely village, and it's won the title of Somerset Dining Pub of the Year several times, which speaks volumes. The food is indeed very, very good and the decor is divine; chunky beams, heritage colours on the walls, antique rugs on flagstone floors, and period mis-matched furniture. At the back is a French inspired knot garden and a gorgeous typically English country garden with a Five's Wall and hammocks. It's very relaxing and the service is top notch. Dogs are welcome in the bar.

T: 01460 73149

'The Docks' is a proper country pub, out round the lanes in what seems like the middle of nowhere, but don't let that put you off because it's a lovely place. They certainly make you feel welcome and the ambience is so relaxed that you want to take your shoes off and make yourself at home. Food is delicious; home made pub classics, roasts on Sundays, service is impeccable and the beer is good. If it's cold out you can snuggle by the fire, but what's undescribably good is to pootle round the high hedged lanes on a warm spring evening and then go and sit in the beer garden with a pint of beer and listen to the birdsong. 

Phone: 01460 52397

An unpretentious wine bar in what must be one of the oldest buildings in the town; cellars are 12th century, the bar ceiling dates back to 1450. It’s certainly an ambient place, all mismatched furniture but that’s completely unintentional, it’s just how it is – huge settles, scrubbed pine tables, lots of interesting nick-nacks. The food is no-fuss-no-frills pub grub, you get plenty and it’s good value.

T: 01460 77494

A family friendly and dog friendly pub right in the middle of town where there’s a huge flying swan hanging from the ceiling in the bar as you walk in. The décor is that trendy, bit industrial, slightly quirky style, the food is their own take on pub grub with an A La Carte Menu in the evening including tempting restaurant classics.

T: 01460 208414

This very welcoming café is a lovely place to go for breakfast, lunch or tea and cake, and it makes a very good pit stop for anyone cycling or walking in the area, which is really why they set it up. Expect friendly chatter and tasty food with a good choice of breakfasts and daily specials. Everyone is welcome, including our four legged friends. Groups can book for afternoon tea by arrangement, great for birthdays and hen weekends or just for a treat.

T: 01460 271598  

A popular restaurant that's open to visitors, and is certainly proving to be a hit with the locals, which is always a good sign. Open for breakfast every day, with food served til 5pm on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and til 9pm on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Sunday is carvery day - not to be missed, and neither are the far reaching views of the Somerset landscape.

T: 01460 30231

Well, you'll certainly need to book ahead if there's a lot of you, but what a treat! They might seat you in the restored railway carriage, or the double decker bus, or in the heated marquee - if it's sunny you can sit in the garden which has fabulous views over the fields. It's certainly quirky, and the food is creative and original, as well as incredibly tasty. Go for breakfast, lunch or cakes; it's all very, very good, and when you're done you should pop into the farm shop next door.

T: 07729 685412

Attractive grounds with a lake and a river, and gorgeous old mill buildings. There’s a choice of pub classics in Windy Miller’s Bar or an A La Carte menu of English favourites in the Lakeside Restaurant. The restaurant also does lunches, and cakes and sandwiches or a proper job afternoon tea. Go on Sundays for the carvery in the Tithe Barn.

T: 01460 77095    

A lovely old thatched pub in the village of Over Stratton, just minutes from the A303, though you would never think it because it feels like it's really tucked away. It's a very charming place - centuries old beams, huge flagstones on the floor, thick stone walls, roaring log fires, all of that. Food is home cooked using good quality local produce and on the menu you'll find things like Wild mushroom carbonara with pancetta, Sauteed king prawn linguine, Grilled steak burger, Fish of the day battered, with chips. Family friendly, dog friendly; sit beneath the vines out the back in the summer, or at scrubbed pine tables by the fire when it's cold out.

T: 01460 240906

8 rooms of vintage, antiques and architectural salvage to browse AND a fantastic cafe, all in a lovely rambling old building at the top of East Street in Ilminster. Go for good chat, tea and tat, as the sign outside says - but it's so much better than that! A whole room full of vintage clothing, homewares, kitchenalia, artworks, etc. and mismatched chairs and tables where you can sit and enjoy lunch or a slice of the scrummiest homemade cakes.

T: 01460 54856

This 17th century coaching inn has perfected the balance of pub favourites and fine dining with things like Mac and cheese with truffled wild mushroom, Red Devon beef burger, Rump of salt marsh lamb, and Fillet of Skrei cod on the menu. They have log fires to keep you warm in the winter and a pretty rose garden to sit in when the sun is shining. All very relaxed and inviting.

T: 01460 78873     

A traditional village pub with modern touches in all the right places; heritage colours, classic furnishings, flagstone floors and exposed beams. The ambience is relaxed, the menu of British favourites with just the right amount of world influences; nice for a drink after a visit to Barrington Court which is just down the road.

T: 01460 259281

Just what you'd expect from a village pub; flagstone floors, pine tables, a wood-burner, and a tempting menu of pub classics. If the weather is kind, sit out the back in the little beer garden, or at the front of the pub where you can watch people coming and going. A good one to go to after a walk with the dog around Ham Hill Country Park which is just up the road.

T: 01935 881473

A well run 17th century inn tucked away in a peaceful village; apart from the traditional bar there's a restaurant and a big garden where you can enjoy the tranquility when the weather is nice. Service is friendly, food is home cooked favourites from a varied menu; reviews are good.

T: 01460 240433 

A welcoming pub on the hillside at Ham Hill Country Park, so you can imagine what the views are like! The atmosphere is great whatever the time of year - ice creams and a pizza oven in the summer, real fires inside in the winter. They start serving food at breakfast time and it's all very good - locally sourced produce and a menu that changes with the seasons. They love dogs and even have hosepipes to wash muddy paws, bowls of water and a jar of biscuits. Themed nights and quiz nights are great fun.

T: 01935 822848

The ambience at award winning Bath House Hotel is very relaxed and you’re guaranteed a warm welcome followed up with very attentive service. Run by a lovely friendly family, the setting is tasteful and modern, and the food is very, very good – chef Ron has a very unique cooking style that combines the best of modern European and creative Asian cuisine. It’s a popular place for locals and visitors so advance booking is absolutely necessary.

T: 01460 67575

One of the best things about Winyards Gap Inn is the view; in a nutshell, it’s breathtaking, stretching for miles and miles across the beautiful countryside on the border of Somerset and Dorset, so if you’re down this way, go there and find a table in the garden for a pint of local ale or a bite to eat. Food is pub grub, with a carvery on Sundays. All diets are catered for, there’s a dining room that large groups can book, and dogs are welcome in the bar.

T: 01935 891244

Right next door to Montacute House, this welcoming pub is quite a hub of the community, staging regular themed nights, family fun days, quiz nights and open mic nights. You should find something to eat here, no matter how fussy you are - there are daily changing specials and their steak and ale pie is locally famous for being very, very good.

T: 01935 822557

This is a small restaurant on the square in Beaminster where the no fuss, no trends or concepts ethos means what you get is a lovely, ambient setting, and first-rate food. Tuck into the likes of Grilled hake, Baked rigatoni with venison meatballs, Devon Ruby steak, Squid ink taglioni, Baked field mushrooms, and Partridge crown.

T: 01308 538100

Tucked away in a quiet corner of South Somerset, you'd be hard pushed to find a better setting than this; the views from the beer garden and terrace are gorgeous and it's all utterly bucolic with a duckpond, and tables beneath knarly old trees. The food is delicious; pub classics and British favourites all made using the best local produce they can get their hands on. Dogs are welcome of course, so have a wander down the lane whilst you're here.

T: 01460 62348

Fantastic food served in a relaxing and very ambient setting, whether you’re in the bar or snug in front of the fire in the winter, or out on the terrace beneath the sunshine in the summer. Food has world influences and is made using only locally sourced produce – veg and herbs from the garden, meat from the farms nearby, fish fresh from the sea just a few miles away. Small plates and A La Carte menus, cakes and nibbles in the afternoon.

T: 01308 862200

A Grade II former hunting lodge set on the picturesque village green of Long Sutton in the Somerset Levels. The contemporary interiors are a surprise but they blend seamlessly with original features like thick beams and chunky stone walls. If you like al fresco you've a choice; sit out the front and watch the comings and goings, round the back in the sheltered courtyard, or in the walled garden. It's all rather lovely, the food is excellent, the service attentive and dogs are welcome.

T: 01458 241271

Eat, Shop, Relax is the mantra at The Trough, so go and do exactly that. It's gained a reputation as a foodie's heaven, with seriously tasty food made using locally sourced artisan produce wherever possible. Pick up some bits whilst you're here; the farm shop is heaving with local delights - meat, bread, fruit and veg, dairy and store cupboard goodies. We have to say, it's a very stylish place with gorgeous views of the Somerset countryside; we think you'll like it a lot.

T: 01935 413027

The Kitchen & Store at River Cottage HQ serves breakfast, lunch and cakes made with a huge focus on seasonal, sustainable, fresh and local, and besides, this is Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstalls' set up, so you know it's going to be good. There's a terrace with amazing views over the Devon countryside; down on the farm you can book for Feast Nights and courses. 

T: 01297 630300