I visited the stunning farm shop cafe in a picturesque village near Bristol with royal connections

Located between Bristol and Bath, the tiny village of Newton St Loe has a timeless look with centuries-old buildings.

Most of Newton St Loe is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall and locals claim they spotted their new ‘landlord’ Prince William flying over the village in a helicopter recently.

Tucked away in a beautiful area that used to be known for its coal mining, the village itself has no pub, although The Globe is a short walk down the hill.

There used to be a 17th-century school but that closed in 1972 and the Victorian girls’ school is now the village hall.

Around 680 people live in the parish but it attracts thousands of visitors each year, many of them heading to the award-winning Newton Farm shop, butchery and cafe.

For four generations, the farm has been run by the Gay family who breed prize-winning rare breed cattle, sheep and pigs.

Open for breakfast, lunch and Sunday roasts, the cafe at Newton Farm is hugely popular and booking is highly recommended as it’s always busy. 

Local produce, including some from the farm itself, appears in many dishes on the menu.

They also serve Somerset beers and ciders, great coffee and the best hot chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows for miles.

We tried the Newton Farm lamb chops with potato rosti, greens and red wine and redcurrant jus (£17.95) and the homemade beef pie with creamy mash, roasted carrots and parsnips and gravy (£15.95) and both were generous plates of home-cooking and the tender meat was of an exceptional quality. 

You can buy the same meat at the butchery counter in the adjoining shop, along with local beers, ciders and gins, bread and cakes, fresh fruit and vegetables and just about anything else you need to cook a meal at home.

Here are 19 photos of our visit to Newton St Loe and lunch at the Newton Farm cafe: