Harden's says
Margot Henderson of Rochelle Canteen in Shoreditch has taken over this restored 17th-Century Somerset inn with rooms, which reopened after refurbishment in early 2023.
Harden's survey result
Summary
It’s “worth going out of your way” to find this “idyllic, picture-postcard country pub”that sits betwixt the medieval church and village hall and was launched amid much excitement in 2023 by art guru Max Wigram (aka Mr Phoebe Philo), with Margot Henderson of London’s well-known Rochelle Canteen sprinkling stardust on the kitchen. Former Six Portland Road chef Nye Smith is on day-to-day duties, delivering “delicious retro style cooking that really packs a punch”, with everything from the “gutsy” fish soup to the “amazing” sauces “just top-notch”. There’s the odd grumble – prices can seem toppish and one diner felt that “a little more attention to the finer points would help, although overall it deserves to do well”. Top Menu Tip – “The ambitious menu is unusual with items such as Venison and trotter pie or Roast pig’s head”; “amazing oysters to start followed by a gutsy flavoursome fish soup and the most fabulous dressing on a kohlrabi salad. A whole grilled plaice on the bone for two was a real treat and perfectly cooked, it came with chips and the most amazing tartare sauce which popped with tarragon”.
Summary
“Tom Parker Bowles was dining near us and William Sitwell apparently was in earlier in the week so we will be reading about it the the press!” – and indeed we have, regarding this bucolically located inn (with five bedrooms), which has been lovingly and stylishly restored. It has proved one of the most hotly anticipated openings of the year, due to owner Max Wigram’s long-trailed invitation to the stoves to star chef Margot Henderson OBE (of East London’s Rochelle Canteen) who he has known since her teens. It opened in the middle of our survey and generated too little feedback for a firm rating, although what we do have mentions of “admirable” service and some “very good lemon sole with exotic homemade tartare sauce and excellent tossed chicken”. Meanwhile the aforementioned press critics have fallen over themselves to swoon… although given Margot’s impeccable in-crowd credentials this was always likely.
Summary
Owner Max Wigram has known Margot Henderson of Rochelle Canteen in Shoreditch since he was a teen and asked her to take over the stoves at this restored 17th-century Somerset inn with rooms, which is scheduled to reopen after refurbishment in November 2022. According to a September 2022 interview in Wallpaper, he asked her because he “wanted it to be really good, with no poncey rubbish” and it will open all day from breakfast onwards. There’s a walled garden which will come into its own in the summer months.
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at The Three Horseshoes?
Batcombe, BA4 6HE
The Three Horseshoes Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Such an idealic, picture postcard country pub and with delicious retro style cooking that really packs a punch. The menu is so good it makes it hard to choose and everything we had was just top notch. Amazing oytsers to start followed by a gutsy flavoursome fish soup and the most fabulous dressing on a kohlrabi salad. A whole grilled plaice on the bone for two was a real treat and perfectly cooked, it came with chips and the most amazing tartare sauce which popped with tarragon. Nice house wines and friendly service. Only downside is it does feel a bit cramped, but hey it's a country pub and everything else more than makes up fot it."
Batcombe, BA4 6HE
Opening hours
| Monday | 12 pm‑11 pm |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑11 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑11 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑11 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑11 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑11 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑11 pm |
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