The story
The Tytherleigh Arms in Chard offers modern British dining rooted in West Country sourcing and seasonal technique. Head Chef Nick Topham runs the kitchen with a firm commitment to local supply lines, delivering inventive plates like miso-glazed king oyster mushrooms with kohlrabi rémoulade and cep soil. Grilled mackerel arrives with compressed apple and beer-vinegared beetroot, while pork belly is paired with smoked eel. The cod course features roasted cauliflower and burnt lemon in a cockle velouté. Pastry chef Amy finishes meals with a matcha and pistachio cake or an elderflower tart made with strawberries from Forde Abbey.
Situated on the A358 where Devon meets Dorset, the property retains its 16th-century character within whitewashed walls. Guests dine in a room defined by polished wood, candlelight, and a crackling fire, creating a warm setting for the food. Head Waiter Paul has welcomed diners since 2016, providing attentive service that complements the relaxed atmosphere. Six ensuite bedrooms cluster around a small courtyard, offering white cotton linens and White Company toiletries for overnight guests.
The Good Food Guide awards the Tytherleigh Arms a "Good" rating for 2026, citing sturdy flavours and smart presentation in dishes that bridge pub comfort and fine dining standards. The restaurant also appears as a hidden hotspot in the Trencherman's Guide, a listing Rick Stein calls a guide with teeth due to its strict entry criteria. Standout mains include a sirloin of Westcountry beef served with truffle-oiled triple-cooked chips, or honey-glazed duck breast with blood orange and duck leg boulangère. Wines start at £22 for Italian house selections.
Recognition
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History
2 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
The Tytherleigh could be another whitewashed roadside inn, briefly glimpsed along the A358 as you hurtle towards the Dorset border. But halt. Within its 16th-century walls, there is plenty more going on than pub grub. In the kitchen, there's a firm commitment to West Country supply lines, and the menus speak a language that big-city escapees would recognise. Start with miso-glazed king oyster mushroom with kohlrabi rémoulade, mushroom ketchup and cep soil, a fungal exploration full of umami wallop, or consider grilled and tartared mackerel with compressed apple and beer-vinegared beetroot. Dishes have the sturdiness of flavour to back up their smart looks: cod is rolled up and set beside roasted and puréed cauliflower with a bit of burnt lemon in cockle velouté. A daring ingenuity for combining sees crispy pork belly appear with smoked eel, along with caramelised onion and hispi cabbage. Those in the market for fish and chips or a steak will find themselves rather more royally served than they were expecting. Chips with the latter are, in the modern manner, truffle-oiled and tweaked with Parmesan. Finish with matcha and pistachio cake garnished with white chocolate Chantilly. Wines start at £22 for Italian house selections.
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