A new farm shop, café, bar and restaurant has opened in Flax Bourton, just outside Bristol, as The Field Farmshop and Kitchen welcomes guests to a former village pub that had stood empty for more than three years.
The venue is run by husband and wife Mark and Amy Warburton, with Mark also the founder of the premium steakhouse brand Cow & Sow. The Field opened on Thursday 22 October following a run of soft launch dates for friends and family, and offers up to 70 covers across its restaurant and café, with walk-ins welcome in the bar and a further 40 seats outdoors.
General manager Chris Williams, previously of Bristol’s Farro Bakery, is running the site, while head chef Kareem Vernon has moved across from Cow & Sow’s Clifton restaurant to lead the kitchen.
Guests arrive through the farm shop, which stocks a curated range of locally sourced artisan products, gifts and pantry staples, including chutney from West Country Legends and baked goods from local baker Cake by Kym, alongside fridges of fresh produce. The natural, contemporary look of the shop carries through the building and into the restaurant.
Breakfast centres on a signature Field breakfast of thick-cut bacon, sausage, black pudding, wild mushrooms, grilled tomato, baked beans, a fried egg and toasted sourdough, with house-made granola and pancakes also on the menu. Lunch and later menus are built around locally grown produce from the Cow & Sow farm, with meat from the brand’s artisan butcher partner, Walter Rose & Son.
The restaurant looks out over the countryside and sits within almost an acre of land. For a shorter stop, the café serves baked goods delivered daily from The Newt in Somerset and coffee made with beans from Clifton Coffee Roasters.
“The Field is proud to celebrate sourcing and growing all produce locally – it’s a place to shop, eat, drink and spend quality time together. The Field has been in the works for a long time and this location, just opposite our Kitchen Farm in Flax Bourton, suits us perfectly. Since moving in, we have loved getting to know the locals, and have been bowled over by the warm response to the opening.”
Kareem Vernon, Head Chef, The Field
The site was previously known locally as the Dew Drop Inn and The Jubilee. A second phase of development is planned, with the team hoping to open a test kitchen and cookery school on the first floor, offering masterclasses and courses in the kitchens and cooking over fire on the terrace.
“Locals may have known The Field formerly as the Dew Drop Inn or The Jubilee in Flax Bourton. Shuttered for more than three years, this site was the perfect location to bring a new community hub to North Somerset, with a brand-new Kitchen, Café, Bar and Farm Shop.
Mark Warburton, Founder, The Field and Cow & Sow
“Myself, my wife Amy, our team as well as many friends, family and locals have all come together over the past few months to bring The Field to life. A huge thank you to everyone who has supported us so far, we’ve been truly overwhelmed with the response and we can’t wait to welcome lots of new guests through the doors in the coming months.”
Tables at The Field Farmshop and Kitchen can be booked through its website, with the bar and outdoor terrace open to walk-ins.
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