The Wild Garlic

Winning TV's Masterchef is a pretty effective way of attracting attention to your restaurant, and Mat Follas, the 2009 top dog, is now drawing a steady stream of the faithful to his no-nonsense eatery in a 16th-century toll house on Beaminster's bustling square. The endearingly rustic setting blends a mishmash of chunky tables with wooden floors, pale green painted beams and chalkboards announcing the day's offerings. The lived-in, unbuttoned vibe suits Mat's simple and straightforward cooking style: he knows when to draw the line and leave the top-class materials sourced from local artisan producers and foragers to speak for themselves. You might start with warm pigeon breast with pear purée and black pudding, and move on to rack of lamb with wild garlic pesto and seaweed. Dessert could bring forth chocolate fondant with lavender shortbread and citrus burnt cream.