The story
Briar, at 1 High Street in Bruton, is a modern British restaurant that earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2026 for good quality, good value cooking. The room occupies the old ironmonger's shop at Number One, the boutique hotel, and the menu centres on small plates, snacks and dishes to share.
Head chef Sam Lomas, who previously ran the kitchen at Glebe House in Devon, writes a short menu that changes daily. Vegetables come from local growers and the restaurant's own allotment, and meat and fish appear sparingly. The menu follows the growing seasons, so what turns up on a given day depends on what the garden is producing.
The Good Food Guide, which rated Briar Very Good in 2026, praised the lightness of the cooking. Its reviewers pointed to a roasted mushroom cream with pickled girolles and crispy kale, and to gougères filled with Westcombe Cheddar custard and topped with wild garlic "capers". Grilled lamb skewers with Roscoff onions, sumac, mint and yoghurt also featured. Save room for dessert: a chocolate mousse with preserved damsons and oat biscuits, or a Somerset apple cake with butterscotch and clotted cream.
The dining room has buttermilk and brown walls, bare wood tables and a high shelf of plants, which gives it a relaxed, neighbourhood feel. The drinks list is written with the same care as the food, with descriptions for every bottle and a selection by the glass.
Recognition
Details
History
good quality, good value cooking
Now filling the space left by Merlin Labron-Johnson's original iteration of Osip, Briar's sharing-plates format signals less formality and encourages regular return visits. The dining room will seem familiar to previous visitors, though the walls are now done out in various warming shades of buttermilk and brown. Bare wood tables and a high shelf stacked with plants add to the relaxed vibe. Head chef Sam Lomas, formerly of Glebe House in Devon, offers a short menu of daily changing small plates and snacks, showcasing seasonal and local produce. Vegetables come from local growers and the restaurant’s own allotment, with meat and fish used sparingly. Dishes are beautifully balanced and cooked with an impressive lightness of touch, as shown by a rich, foamy roasted mushroom cream with pickled girolles and crispy kale or four bite-size gougères filled with Westcombe Cheddar custard and topped with wild garlic 'capers'. We also enjoyed a plate of grilled lamb skewers with Roscoff onions, sumac, mint and yoghurt. These dainty dishes are surprisingly filling, so make sure you leave room for dessert – perhaps a richly indulgent chocolate mousse with preserved damsons and oat biscuits or a traditional Somerset apple cake with butterscotch and clotted cream. All wines on the short list are given helpful descriptions, with a useful selection by the glass. Service is a delight, pleasingly warm and friendly. A worthy successor to Osip? Definitely, in our opinion.
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