Little Barwick House

‘Amid gentle Somerset countryside’, a Georgian country house is home to Emma and Tim Ford’s ‘utterly charming’ restaurant-with-rooms. ‘It offers peace, comfort and sublime food,’ writes a regular returnee. The long and sloping garden, sheltered by fine, mature trees, is a pleasant place for drinks or a complimentary tea on arrival, another reader avers. Spacious country-house-style bedrooms have home-made shortbread, cafetière coffee, fresh milk, Duck Island toiletries and, should you wish, sheets and blankets. Each is liked, especially one with direct garden access, apart from one with an in-room basin and ‘tiny, cramped’ shower room. Any gripes, however, are soon forgotten at lunch or dinner in the ‘bright and spacious dining room’, over plates of Tim’s ‘sublime food’. ‘Intense flavours were brought out in two fine main courses, veal sweetbreads and saddle of roe deer.’ The wine list is ‘substantial and well chosen’. ‘The welcome and service are warm, efficient and knowledgeable.’ Breakfast brings ‘perfectly cooked scrambled eggs’. (Carolyn Hicks, Edward Mirzoeff, SR)