Midsomer Norton restaurants for Valentine's Day – places to eat out

Midsomer Norton has a few excellent restaurants to take your loved one on Valentine's Day.

There's a big debate going on here about what we want to see come to town, now that Tesco has had its planning application to increase in size refused.

One of the best things to happen to Midsomer Norton in recent years is the opening of Number 6 restaurant at The Island.

Although it's quite small, and so can be a bit of a squeeze, this restaurant does some amazing food. It's got a Valentine's Day special on this year – which is sure to be lovely. The chef Andy Britton is really top class. The food is served in small-ish portions (but always enough) looks good and tastes great. The food is a mix of English and Mediterranean.

We like to nip into the White Hart pub next door before a meal at Number 6. This pub has had a bit of a refurb recently, and as well as decent beer, okay wine, there are lots of different rooms to explore. It's a real locals pub, so quite a few characters – definitely not one of these 'gastro' pubs but welcoming and has a lot of charm.

If you want to push the boat out, we have the amazing Moody Goose restaurant at the Old Priory behind St John the Baptist Church in Midsomer Norton.

This really is a place for special occasions. It's not cheap, but it's a great experience. You're always welcomed at the door, and shown to a lounge area where there is a lovely fireplace, compfy sofa chairs, panelled walls. You get to have a drink, they bring you canapés, and menus so that you can spend a good 15 minutes choosing your food and wine. It really relaxes you.

After that you get shown to the dining room. The Moody Goose has a couple of these – sometimes they use both, usually one of the other, and it seems to depend on the season, or how busy they are. 

The food is amazing. There are fixed menus, or a la carte, and the style is very English. For example, a pigeon pie with marmalade. We like to finish off with cheese and port and soak in the atmosphere – the Old Priory building is said to be one of the oldest in Somerset. 

If your taste is somewhat spicier then there are a few other restaurants in Midsomer Norton to try. Simply Thai in High Street is recently opened at the top end of town, opposite Dominos.

It's a family-run restaurant which does really good, authentic Thai food. It's pretty busy at the weekends. I recommend the Thai green curry with a cold lager.

Or there are two Indian restaurants in the High Street – Shapla and Sweet Chillis. Both offer takeaway but it's good sometimes to eat at their restaurant sections. Plus, you can bring your own wine.

Bon appétit Midsomer Norton, and happy Valentine's Day...