Wells may be England’s smallest city, but its compact streets and historic character make it a rewarding destination for food lovers. Beyond its architecture, independent shops and celebrated landmarks, Wells has a dining scene with plenty to offer anyone looking for carefully prepared food and a more considered evening out.

For diners searching for fine dining in Wells, Somerset, the experience is about more than simply ordering a meal. The best restaurants combine quality ingredients, thoughtful menus, attentive hospitality and an atmosphere that gives you a reason to linger. That might mean a multi-course dinner, a carefully chosen bottle of wine, a seasonal lunch or an occasion built around food.

One of the restaurants that brings these elements together is Goodfellows@7B, the Wells restaurant and culinary venue created by Adam and Martine Fellows.

What Makes Fine Dining in Wells Worth Exploring?

Fine dining doesn’t have to mean formality for the sake of it. In Wells, it can be about enjoying food that has been prepared with care while taking the time to appreciate the ingredients and the setting.

That makes Wells particularly appealing for diners who want a meal that feels like part of their day rather than something squeezed between other plans. A leisurely lunch can become an afternoon experience, while dinner can stretch into an evening of several courses and wine.

There is also a strong connection between the restaurant and the surrounding region. Somerset provides an excellent backdrop for menus built around seasonal produce, seafood, meat, vegetables and carefully selected wines.

For visitors exploring the city, a well-planned meal can be the perfect way to round off a day in Wells.

Goodfellows@7B: A Fine Dining Experience in Wells

At Goodfellows@7B, the story begins with Adam and Martine Fellows, the team behind Goodfellows Restaurant. Adam established Goodfellows Restaurant & Cafe with Martine in 2004, building a reputation for high-quality food and a welcoming atmosphere.

7B represents the next stage of that culinary journey. Located on St Thomas Street, Wells, Somerset, the venue opened in 2022 as both a restaurant and a space for Adam’s cookery demonstrations and courses.

That combination gives the restaurant a particularly interesting identity. Guests can come for lunch or dinner, while food enthusiasts can also experience the chef’s approach through demonstrations and cookery courses.

Adam’s background adds another dimension. He spent 17 years cooking in restaurants across England, France and Belgium, including Michelin-starred establishments, and was Head Chef for seven years at the Michelin-starred Charlton House Hotel in Shepton Mallet. His time working in two fish restaurants also developed a particular passion for seafood.

For anyone researching where to eat in Wells, that culinary background provides useful context for the restaurant’s menus.

Seafood Takes a Prominent Place on the Menu

Seafood is one of the clearest themes running through the Goodfellows@7B offering.

The dinner menu, for example, includes fillet of sea bass with tomato, red pepper, basil and olive, as well as gurnard with courgette spaghetti, tapenade, red pepper and cardamom coulis. There are also pan-fried scallops with cucumber and asparagus, Avruga caviar, white wine and dill sauce.

The lunch menu continues that emphasis with dishes such as Brixham crab salad with Chinese leaf, soy dressing and crispy wonton, hot smoked salmon tart with horseradish and Keta caviar, and fillet of hake with wild mushrooms and truffle dressing.

This variety makes the restaurant particularly relevant when looking for a seafood-focused dining experience in Wells.

And it’s not limited to the main menus. Goodfellows@7B also hosts cookery demonstrations dedicated to particular ingredients and techniques, including seafood-focused events.

A Menu That Looks Beyond One Cuisine

Although seafood is a significant part of the offering, the menus aren’t restricted to a single culinary tradition.

The dinner menu moves comfortably between influences, with dishes including Lebanese spiced aubergine with hummus, sesame and hazelnut, crispy duck salad with Chinese leaf and soy dressing, and rump of lamb with confit potato, Savoy cabbage, root vegetables and Dijon mustard sauce.

There are also distinctly French-inspired moments throughout the restaurant’s events and menus.

Previous French-themed evenings have featured dishes such as salmon rillettes with Dijon mustard and crème fraîche, confit duck with Boulangère potatoes and French beans, and crème caramel. A French evening at 7B has also been presented as a four-course experience accompanied by either Kir Royale or pastis.

For diners who enjoy French food and wine, these events offer another reason to keep an eye on the restaurant’s programme.

Tasting Menus for a More Immersive Dinner

A tasting menu can be one of the most enjoyable ways to experience a restaurant because it allows the kitchen to present several dishes as part of one carefully structured meal.

Goodfellows@7B has offered a five-course tasting menu, with smaller dishes drawn from the restaurant’s current menu. A previous example included hot smoked salmon, Brixham crab, sea bass with chipotle and chorizo, scallops with samphire and Champagne, followed by lavender crème brûlée.

The experience can also be paired with a wine flight. Goodfellows@7B has offered five glasses selected to accompany the courses, creating a food-and-wine experience rather than simply adding wine to dinner.

For special occasions, this style of dining can be particularly appealing.

Wine Is Part of the Experience

A good fine dining meal often benefits from a thoughtful wine list, and Goodfellows@7B offers plenty of choice for diners interested in pairing wine with their food.

The wine selection includes bottles from France and other established wine-producing regions, with options ranging from accessible choices to more prestigious bottles. French selections include Chablis, Pouilly-Fumé, Pouilly-Fuissé, Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet, alongside wines from the Loire, Burgundy, Bordeaux and Provence.

There are also sparkling wines and Champagne, including Bollinger Special Cuvée, as well as sweet wines such as Sauternes and Coteaux de Layon.

Wine is also incorporated directly into some of the restaurant’s special experiences. Its tasting-menu format can be accompanied by a five-glass wine flight, with each wine chosen to complement a particular course.

Fine Dining Doesn’t Have to Be Reserved for Dinner

One of the advantages of Goodfellows@7B is that the restaurant also provides a strong lunch option.

The lunch menu has included two- and three-course formats, with dishes such as heritage tomato and mozzarella salad, prosciutto with olives and Parmesan, roast fillet of hake, confit duck and pan-fried scallops.

The restaurant has also introduced special lunch offers, including a three-course menu with a complimentary glass of house wine, soft drink or tea and coffee.

For visitors spending the day in Wells, lunch can therefore be just as interesting an opportunity to experience the restaurant as an evening reservation.

More Than a Restaurant: Cookery Demonstrations and Courses

What really sets 7B apart is its connection to culinary education.

The venue was specifically created to provide space for Adam Fellows’ cookery demonstrations and courses. Demonstration evenings have included a glass of fizz on arrival, a two-course cookery demonstration and a three-course dinner.

The cookery courses go further, offering a half-day experience that includes the cooking demonstration and lunch. Participants can learn directly from the chef before sitting down to enjoy the results.

For food lovers, this offers a different way to experience fine dining in Wells. Instead of simply sitting at the table, you get an insight into the techniques and thinking that go into professional restaurant cooking.

Vouchers are also available for the courses, making them an option for anyone looking for a food-focused gift.

Planning a Fine Dining Visit to Wells

When planning a meal in Wells, it’s worth considering what kind of experience you want.

For a relaxed daytime visit, a three-course lunch at Goodfellows@7B can fit naturally into a day exploring the city. Dinner offers the chance to spend more time with the menu and wine list, while a tasting menu or special French-themed evening creates something more occasion-focused.

Food enthusiasts may want to plan their visit around a cookery demonstration or course instead.

The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with Sunday currently dedicated to takeaway lunch. As special events and menus can change, checking the restaurant’s latest information before visiting is sensible.

Discover Fine Dining in Wells, Somerset

Fine dining in Wells doesn’t have to be defined by ceremony. It can be a beautifully prepared lunch, a seafood-focused dinner, a bottle of French wine shared over several courses or an evening spent learning from a professional chef.

Goodfellows@7B brings many of those elements together. With Adam and Martine Fellows’ extensive restaurant background, a strong focus on seafood, French-influenced cooking, tasting menus, wine pairings and chef-led culinary experiences, it offers a distinctive option for anyone looking to eat well in Wells.

Whether you’re visiting Somerset for a special occasion or simply want to turn an ordinary meal into something memorable, Goodfellows@7B on St Thomas Street is a restaurant worth putting on your Wells dining itinerary.