This book has been a passion project, driven by our love of food, sharing and creating. There is nothing official about it; we have no affiliations to the places featured, other than our personal connection and experiences.  

We moved to Bruton four years ago, having visited family here over the years. The time seemed right, so we made the move from seaside to countryside. A new view and, as we live to eat, a whole new food landscape to explore.    

Stewart uses watercolour and enjoys painting architecture. Last year he painted portraits of all the buildings on Bruton High Street and exhibited them upstairs at Nº50, inviting all residents and businesses to the opening. It was a treat to watch people’s delight as they spotted their own houses and pointed out others to friends and neighbours.  

This year Stewart turned his attention to restaurants, pubs and food emporiums. Which is how we came up with the idea of using his paintings to illustrate a book about some of the places we love to go to eat, drink or buy delicious local produce. Some are well-known and popular while others are more off the beaten track. We have worked together on lots of books, for many publishers – it was how we made a living.

We invited people to tell us about themselves, the food, the drinks, their passion for making great products or cooking delicious food, and we asked them to share seasonal tips or even recipes for the book.  

There is a strong local spirit here, favouring collaboration over competition. Chefs name-check local producers on their menus, delis take pride in promoting local charcuterie and cheeses. Most wine lists include local wine and all pubs sell Somerset cider. Standards are high and a new generation of farmers and food producers add value by caring for their land, animals, crops and each other in a kinder way. 

The book centres on Bruton’s food scene but also covers the nearby towns of Castle Cary and Wincanton, and we’ve included other places ‘beyond’ – within an imaginary border, no more than a 20-minute drive from Bruton. Our approach for the towns was to take a virtual stroll up or down the High Street and list the venues by their location. 

Let’s Eat Bruton & Beyond is an invitation to be a food explorer.  

We hope it serves you well!

Sally & Stewart Walton