Places to eat in Taunton

The choice of great restaurants in Taunton is so varied and jam-packed that we have dedicated an entire page to it. Head to our dedicated guide to restaurants in Taunton to discover the local eateries that help make this town a food-lovers haven.

What better way to start the day than a full English. They don’t get much better in these parts than the Pantry Breakfast from Silvers Pantry. Make the quick, five-minute drive out of town from our Taunton East hotel and spend the morning getting well fed. The thing about English breakfast is that everyone has their own preference. Well, fear not – at Silvers Pantry they’ll make it exactly how you like it: crispy bacon, runny eggs, and borderline-burnt toast for me, please. Wash it down with their exclusive coffee that’s delightfully smooth, easy drinking and delicious. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, their buttermilk pancakes are really rather good. Plus there are tarts, pies, meringues and more made fresh every day for you to take away.

In the very heart of the town, you’ll find The Shed. Don’t let the name fool you – housed in Taunton’s Goodland Gardens, this is a picturesque location to enjoy a nice cup of coffee and scrumptious slice of cake. Sarnies and paninis are also really good if you’re coming for a spot of lunch.

If you’re looking for a stylish place to eat, Cosy Club is a café, bar, restaurant and lounge all rolled into one vintage-decorated location right next to the Orchard Shopping Centre. The food’s somewhere between pub grub and restaurant dining, but that’s no bad thing. Meanwhile there’s an incredible selection of drinks to choose from depending on the hour of the day.

Unlike some other cafés that have grown to become major chains, Coffee#1 manages to maintain its unassuming vibe and ethos of being a chilled-out place to warm yourself up with a cup of good coffee. They’re based on North Street, which means it’s a great place for a pit stop from the shopping district. Spread across two floors, there’s plenty of room – plus (if the sun shows its face) there’s a garden where you can enjoy your coffee of choice outdoors.

The Taunton Farmers’ Market sets up its stalls on the High Street every Thursday from 9am to 3pm. As far as markets go, this is a relatively young one – it only began in 1999, after 43 local farmers and producers came together with the common goal of giving the town a food market. Here’s where you can find stalls of fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as organic, free-range meat and eggs, plus cheeses, chutneys, pâtés, preserves, handmade bread, cakes and more. If you see something intriguing and unfamiliar, ask for a taste – many of the merchants will let you try before you buy.

During the festive season, over the last weekend before Christmas, Taunton’s main Christmas market takes place in Hestercombe Gardens. It’s less than a 10-minute drive from our Taunton Central North hotel and parking is free, although you will need to pay a couple of quid for the market. Once inside, you’ll be greeted by sixty stalls selling a wonderful variety of handcrafted wares and unique gifts. Plus, in the Stables Café and Bampfylde Hall you can munch on a mince pie, or some yummy yule log, and stay warm with a mug of hot chocolate or mulled wine.