Matt’s Kitchen

The story

Matt's Kitchen Bruton: Modern European Set Menu in Chef Matt Watson's Home

Matt's Kitchen in Bruton delivers modern European cooking from the downstairs of chef Matt Watson's family home. Since 2010, the self-taught cook has filled the tiny space with a monthly changing set menu that prioritises fresh ingredients over pretence.

The chef and the kitchen

Watson describes himself as utterly unqualified, yet he runs the operation as a one-man show preparing dishes in a compact domestic kitchen. The menu rotates every month, often swapping components if something fresher arrives. Diners receive a five-course tasting experience priced at £45, with the kitchen accommodating dietary requirements given 24 hours' notice.

Seasonal flavours and dishes

The August menu celebrates the restaurant's 15th year with a trio of starters featuring chilled pea and mint soup with parsnip crisps, whipped feta alongside confit tomato, and chicken fritters served with preserved lemon. The main course shifts geography toward Indonesian pork bakso accompanied by pickles and a hot sauce, followed by sides of rice and za'atar salad. Dessert plates offer double options including roasted peaches with lemon cake and a honey and almond semifreddo.

Intimate dining in a home setting

The venue operates within the limits of a private residence, seating a maximum of 22 covers across Friday and Saturday evenings. The atmosphere draws on the theatre of a living room gathering, enhanced by aquamarine and gold decor scattered with assorted objets d'art. Guests bring their own drinks to pair with the food, and the £45 fee includes corkage. Reservations require a deposit and must be made well in advance due to high demand.