Queens Arms

The story

Queens Arms, Yeovil: Modern British Pub & Boutique Hotel in Somerset

A Georgian Inn Reborn

Straddling the Dorset-Somerset border, The Queen’s Arms in Corton Denham has been a village fixture since Georgian times, originally a stopover for the Portman Estate. Its name honours Sophia Dorothea of Celle, wife of George I. In the Victorian era, landlord Uriah Parsons accepted apples from local farmers in exchange for cider, starting the pub’s journey as an inn. After a family purchased it in 2020 and undertook an extensive refurbishment, the pub reopened in July 2021. Today, it blends chic boutique style with bold British flavours and countryside charm.

Head Chef Rich Townsend

Since joining in 2022, head chef Rich Townsend has put his signature stamp on the menu. His passion for creating London-level food from locally produced ingredients earned the kitchen a second AA rosette. He crafts every element from scratch—beef dripping mayo, legendary pork scratchings, and milk burger buns—all with sustainability in mind. His dishes reflect the seasons, like citrus-cured monkfish with ruby grapefruit, fennel, and pickled ginger. He also hosts events such as Fish over Fire, a seafood tasting menu cooked over a wood-fired grill.

The Modern British Menu

The restaurant’s Modern British cooking is central to the experience. The sample lunch and dinner menu includes dishes like handpicked white crab on a buckwheat blini with yuzu, and Cricket St Thomas goats cheese with beetroot and blood orange. Mains feature chalk stream trout with braised fennel and smoked butter sauce, or dry-aged beef ribeye with wild garlic chimichurri. Pub classics like cider and tarragon battered haddock and chips sit alongside a Reuben sandwich. Sunday lunch offers dry-aged sirloin of beef with Yorkshire pudding, or a vegan nut roast. The kitchen accommodates allergies and uses gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options.

Michelin Recommended

The Queen’s Arms earned a Michelin Recommended distinction in 2026, recognising the quality of its seasonal, locally sourced food. The award aligns with the pub’s ethos: exceptional food and drink in a relaxed, welcoming setting. With 10 uniquely designed rooms, a terrace, and a Pub Hub for takeaway drinks and local produce, it’s a rural retreat that remains firmly at the heart of the village.