Bruton: Where To Stay, Eat, Drink And Play In The UK’s Most Fashionable Town
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Bruton: Where To Stay, Eat, Drink And Play In The UK’s Most Fashionable Town

Our editorial director Kate Lough shares the spots which make this corner of Somerset ideal for a weekend away.

/ By 84 Rooms Team

There are weekends away that soothe your soul and reset your buttons — and then there are weekends away that have you scouring The Modern House for barn conversions in the local area. A weekend in Bruton in rural Somerset fits into the latter category. A diminutive medieval high street, acres of rolling hills and countryside, and a food, design, and art scene that punches well above its weight all make this fashionable town somewhere you can imagine upping sticks to.

From the most stylish places to stay right in town to the intimate dinner spot from a Michelin-starred chef, here is your guide to spending a weekend in Bruton.

Where to Stay

Set in an old 12th-century forge in the center of Bruton, a row of townhouses and cottages have been transformed into No.1 Bruton, a bijou little hotel with twelve bedrooms. A haven of character, comfort, and color, there is a roaring fire, an honesty bar for pre-dinner cocktails (downstairs at Osip, naturally), and a garden designed by Penelope Hobhouse.

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The Newt in Somerset is a country estate with splendid gardens, woodland, and farmland. The core is Georgian, with limestone buildings the color of burnt orange, the seat of the Hobhouse family for more than two centuries. Innovative design is paired with country walks, garden produce, and superb service – wrapping you in a sense of well-being.

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The artistically inclined will love this farmhouse stay, found within the grounds of Hauser & Wirth on the outskirts of Bruton. The Grade II-listed building was renovated by Argentinian architect Luis Laplace and is wonderfully idiosyncratic thanks to its blend of the property’s natural antiquity and original features alongside contemporary art installations. As well as six double bedrooms, there is a Guillermo Kuitca mural in the dining room and a video installation by Pipilotti Rist, which projects the Somerset landscape onto the sitting room walls through a chandelier to mesmerizing effect.

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Where to Eat & Drink

First things first: breakfast. In Bruton, it has to be At The Chapel, a restaurant with rooms in a former chapel which is also a part bakery, pizzeria, and wine shop. Book a spot in the double-height dining room for a brunch of fresh smoothies, pastries, granola with yogurt, and divine egg dishes such as guacamole, harissa, and poached eggs on flaxseed toast.

Hauser & Wirth outposts always take their food seriously, and the Roth Bar & Grill is no exception. On warmer spring days and in summer, nab one of its alfresco tables for a languorous, wine-fuelled lunch. Focused on produce from Durslade Farm and its kitchen garden, the menu changes daily with an emphasis on top-quality meat. Alongside its in-house-cured meats, you will want to watch out for its impressive steak cuts, with the Tomahawks a firm favorite among locals.

The Old Pharmacy, also by Merlin Labron-Johnson and next door to Osip, should be top of your list. The part-deli, part wine-bar serves up one of the best suppers in the west country, complete with a daily changing menu and with most ingredients sourced from its own farm nearby.

  • The Intimate Dinner… Osip

On the ground floor of No.1 Bruton, Osip is helmed by Merlin Labron-Johnson, the rising star chef who won a Michelin star at 24 years old at London’s Portland restaurant. The food here is a love letter to the restaurant's native Somerset: expect multiple courses at dinner with delicate dishes such as grilled cucumber with smoked eel and Russet apple, black truffle macaron and roebuck with parsnip and purple mustard. Book well ahead.

Where to Shop

A floral studio rooted in Somerset, which you can arrange to visit to pick up founder Deborah Bain’s whimsical creations that often feature beautiful dried grasses such as pampas.

An organic farm that has been at the heart of Bruton for centuries, the current owner Richard started to make cheese back in 1999 as a thank you to friends and neighbours who helped it achieve organic certification. Now Godminster’s vintage organic cheddar has a devoted following and is well worth a taste while you are in town.

What to See

Back in 2014 when uber gallerists Hauser & Wirth opened their fourth outpost in rural Somerset, sleepy Bruton was catapulted into the limelight. Taking over Durslade Farm on the edge of town, the duo created a contemporary gallery with beautiful gardens designed by Piet Oudolf, a restaurant (fed by the farm), and now a chic farm shop drawing in the local creative crowd. In 2018, the pair opened Make on Bruton High Street, where they celebrate contemporary making and the crafted object.

Next to Bean Shot Coffee back in town, you will find Bruton Art Factory, where curator Suzanne Bisset supports local and visiting artists. Her past installations have included those from Banksy’s Dismaland and there is even a secret speakeasy-style bar that references Soho’s Colony Room Club in its 1990s heyday.

A ten-minute drive out of Bruton, the Newt is a must-visit for all weekenders. Brought to you by the owners of South Africa’s much-loved Babylonstoren, Karen Roos and Koos Bekker, the Newt took over the stunning grounds of Hapsden House, once the home of Penelope Hobhouse. Naturally, the gardens are well worth a visit, as is the shop, where you can stock up on Babylonstoren roses and cyder made on the estate. Its restaurant, The Botanical Rooms, focuses on its own products as well as that of its neighbors with delights such as apple waste sourdough and pork chop on the lunch menu.

It can be easy to forget simple country pursuits when there is so much to do, but a long, hearty walk around Somerset’s rolling hills is essential. Our favorite is the circular walk which takes you through woodland to reveal King Alfred’s Tower, a nearly 50m high folly designed by Henry Flitcroft in 1772 and marks the site where King Alfred the Great is thought to have rallied his troops in 878.

84 Rooms recommends: Six Of The Most Luxurious Townhouse Hotels In The UK, and The Best UK Hotels For A Countryside Weekend Away.