Exquisitely styled bedrooms and creative food prepared by a dedicated team in a buzzing open kitchen are reasons to return to this impeccable restaurant with rooms.

For a moment we wonder if we have stumbled in the tradesman’s entrance at HOLM, the open kitchen buzzing with industry, the heady aroma of warm bread, the blast of heat. But we have entered this handsome honey-coloured building via the striking cobalt blue front door, suggestive of something intriguing going on inside…

Standing proudly in the centre of sleepy South Petherton in south Somerset, this 19th-century former bank has been skilfully restored, complete with rustic walls, concrete floors and an imposing brick chimney breast housing a wood burner. Barry welcomes me and my partner, Fi, and shows us to one of HOLM’s seven rooms, opened in November 2023 – two years after chef/owner Nicholas Balfe welcomed his first guests in south Somerset.

Elm is the master-suite, dominated by a striking fourposter bed, while a freestanding stone bath sits invitingly at the end of the room. In the corner is a tactile wooden cabinet – crafted by nearby furniture studio Tortie Hoare – housing a mini-bar (although, disappointingly, only non-alcoholic options) and tea and coffee. The large en-suite continues the wholesome theme, with an exposed brick wall and double monsoon shower. 

After a mosey around the village we glean that HOLM is not just a well-regarded restaurant with rooms but a popular haunt for Friday evening drinks. There’s no time to waste. In front of the fire is a sofa and a handful of bar stools, while guests can also perch along the kitchen bar – a ringside seat for the impressive culinary action. We enjoy an aperitif, relaxed downtempo electronica music playing, as we watch the mesmeric chefs (and locals popping in for a tipple) before being seated for dinner.

We kick–off the tasting menu with one of Balfe’s signature dishes, West Country cheddar fries – a marriage of leek, garlic, olive oil and cheddar, and not a potato in sight. Served with punchy pickled walnut, it is accompanied by rich chicken liver parfait lifted by quince. Next comes a delicate watercress soup, salty lardons hidden like treasure at the bottom. Alongside is the crunchy, springy homemade sourdough we saw being prepared when we arrived.

Elegant mouthfuls of raw, or crudo, sea bass follow, lightly dressed with a subtly sweet white soy sauce, combining to sing on the tongue. We are then presented with ricotta agnolotti, the cheese lifted by a touch of citrusy dill oil and topped with asparagus and sweet cicely. Chicken from nearby Cracknell’s Farm stars in the next course: succulent breast served in a rich smoky sauce with a hint of fennel, with garlic purée and mushrooms. Alongside is a tantalising chicken thigh with tarragon. Like every dish, it is created with an elegance that makes each flavour shine.

We conclude our feast with a sweet explosion of deconstructed honeycomb adorned with honey and crème fraîche, and a perfectly moist financier. It is the finale to a memorable meal.

Next morning, we discover that breakfast is no poor relation at HOLM. The indefatigable brigade of chefs sings out good morning as we amble nosily past, before we tuck into creamy yogurt and toasted granola, followed by a delicate oak smoked trout, paired with a sunshine-yellow egg and greens. The team even insists on packing us off with a cinnamon brioche, boxed up for the journey…

With exquisite food, flawless staff and luxurious rooms, HOLM is definitely where the heart is.