The story
At The Holcombe in Mendip, Somerset, owners Alan and Caroline Lucas apply thirty years of London catering experience to a distinctly Modern British kitchen. Both trained chefs transformed the estate grounds into a working polytunnel and a series of raised beds. Their approach to contemporary British cooking pulls vegetables directly from those plots and applies precise technique rather than heavy sauces. The Good Food Guide recognized this garden-to-plate discipline when awarding the venue its 2026 rating.
The dinner menu rotates around deliveries from nearby farms and daily harvests from their own land. Regular orders feature the confit duck leg prepared with house-made redcurrant sauce or the eight ounce Somerset sirloin accompanied by wild garlic pesto. Vegetable sides arrive at the table fully composed, often pairing roasted garden tomatoes with freshly ground pesto. A straightforward pear crumble finished with custard from orchard-picked fruit concludes the service.
Cream painted walls frame exposed stonework and wide flagstones beneath bare timber tables. A central woodburner anchors the space during cooler evenings while summer traffic spills onto the terrace. A large canvas tent shelters part of the outdoor area, leaving room for children’s play equipment nearby. Caroline directs the floor with a steady rhythm that matches the relaxed architecture.
Recognition
Details
History
2 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
Surrounded by a well-tended and very pretty kitchen garden with plenty of seating for summer visits, this handsome ‘contemporary British inn’ (the owners' words) promises ‘affordable luxury’ and, as far as the food is concerned, delivers in spades. The tastefully decorated dining room is spacious, comfortable and inviting (cream walls, exposed stonework, flagstones, bare wood tables), while a central woodburner creates a cosy vibe. Staff make you feel ‘like one of the family’ as soon as you walk in, and the service (led by co-owner Caroline Gardiner) is quietly friendly, professional and full of enthusiasm. In the kitchen, charismatic Alan Lucas creates sophisticated and technically accomplished modern British dishes inspired by bountiful supplies of Somerset produce and pickings from the kitchen garden – and he is rightly proud of his efforts. Our seasonally apposite dinner was bookended by courgette carpaccio with roast garden tomatoes and pesto, and a pear crumble with custard made with fruit from the Holcombe's own trees. The endearingly enthusiastic chef often brings dishes to the table himself – perhaps confit duck leg with homemade redcurrant sauce or an 8oz Somerset sirloin accompanied by wild garlic pesto, onion tempura, pickled onion and fries. Accompanying vegetables, fresh from the garden, are beautifully presented and packed with flavour. In addition to the carte, the Holcombe offers a terrific Sunday lunch and a good-value ‘midweek supper’ menu, while the drinks list includes a decent selection of wines by the glass, local beers and premium ciders from the Newt (a nearby country estate not far from Castle Cary).
Location
Facebook
Instagram