Places to eat in Minehead

The Hairy Dog is an award-winning pub on The Avenue with a massive beer garden, a lively bar, a children’s playground, and a restaurant with a tasty menu of homemade eating. It’s as reliable a place as any if you want somewhere for a casual evening meal in Minehead. The steak and ale pie is our favourite, the fish and chips are good too. The best thing about the Hairy Dog is that it’s friendlier than a litter of labradors.

If you fancy a taste of the Mediterranean, head to Fausto’s on Holloway Street to try their stylish take on Italian food. The restaurant is only small and is often very busy so you may want to book in advance to sample the atmosphere and the simple, fresh, and authentic Italian food. Everything is made fresh to order with – as far as possible – local produce. For the prices the pastas and pizzas are hard to beat in this pretty corner of Somerset County.

One of our favourites for date nights, or special occasions, is The Wheelhouse Restaurant on The Avenue. It’s a small restaurant housed in a historic building in the heart of Minehead. In total, it seats less than fifty people so you’ll want to book in advance to avoid disappointment. Inside, the interior goes hand-in-hand with the old-fashioned building. However, it doesn’t feel dated; The Wheelhouse is a cosy place to lose an evening to great eating courtesy of their traditional menu of crab cakes, lamb shanks, and the like.

If you want to sample some of the very best eating in Somerset then you’ll need to make your way to the tiny village of Dunster where Reeves Restaurant is knocking peoples’ socks off with their fantastic fine dining set in a rustic building on Dunster High Street. It’s less than a five-minute drive away from our Minehead hotel and well worth making the short journey if you want to treat your taste buds to their refined, seasonal menu of exquisite eating.

Last of all, if you ever find yourself craving a curry during your stay then make your way to Alcombe Tandoori, which has been named best Indian Restaurant in Somerset. It’s a Minehead institution, having been here for more than fifteen years. As is the case with the best curry houses, it looks a bit naff from the outside, but the service is excellent, portions are big, the flavour’s bigger, and the prices are more than reasonable.

We were hard pressed to pick out our favourite cafes in Minehead as there are so many great daytime options for you to choose from. In no particular order, first up is the Apple Tree Tea Rooms. It’s a tiny cafe on The Avenue that’s dwarfed by The Wheelhouse Restaurant next door. Inside it’s colourful, cosy and the scones are a delight. Plus, when the weather’s warm there’s a lovely outside seating area to enjoy too.

The Chapel House Tea Room is more of the same. It’s a lovely spot with homemade food including the biggest, most delicious doorstop sarnies you’ll find. It’s a stone’s throw from Dunster Castle, one of our top activities in Minehead, so if you get peckish while visiting then make your way to this excellent little eatery.

Being on the coast, naturally we need to tell you about our favourite chippy. If you fancy fish and chips make your way to Tom’s Fish Bar. It’s just off The Avenue, and around the corner from The Regal Theatre. We can’t speak for everyone, but they’re some of the best fish and chips we’ve eaten. It’s a humble little chippy too, with Tom providing a friendly face and a warm welcome from behind the counter. Portions are big and prices are cheap.

If you’re planning on paying a visit to Blue Anchor, perhaps for a day at the beach, practically on the sand is the Driftwood Cafe. It’s fantastic for breakfast and lunch, and does some great fish and chips too. On hot days simply stop off and grab an ice cream. On colder ones soak up the views and warm yourself with their homemade food and a brew. There’s nothing like taking a long stroll along the beach knowing there’s a brilliant full English breakfast waiting for you at the other end.

Likewise, if you follow the South West Coast Path to the north of Minehead you’ll soon reach the village of Lynch, home to Kitnors Tea Room. It’s housed in a 15th-century thatched cottage and has been run as a tea room and gardens for more than 50 years. The scenery here is stunning, almost as good as Kitnors’ cream tea.