Bread & Pastries in Wells: The Newt Bakery
The Pressoir is the only place in Wells where you can buy bread and pastries from The Newt's bakery. They arrive with us every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, to take home or to eat in with a coffee, in Heritage Courtyard just off Sadler Street.
The Newt's bakery, in Wells
The Newt in Somerset is an estate near Bruton, and its bakery has a following well beyond the county. Everything is made on the estate by their own bakers, from scratch, in small batches, and the bakers start early so that each day's bread and pastries are made to order rather than held in stock.
It is not the sort of thing that usually travels far from the estate, which is why we were glad to bring it to Wells. As far as we know we are still the only place in the city stocking it.
The sourdough
The loaves are the reason most people come back. The starter is fermented slowly for 48 hours, and once the dough is made it proves for a further 24 hours before it goes anywhere near an oven. That is three days of work behind a single loaf, and you can taste it: a proper crust, an open and slightly chewy crumb, and a depth of flavour that only comes from time.
There are no artificial preservatives and nothing unnecessary in them. Simple ingredients, traditional method, small batches. A loaf like this keeps far better than supermarket bread, and toasts beautifully on day three.
Croissants and pain au chocolat
Alongside the bread we take croissants and pain au chocolat, laminated with butter and baked on the estate the same morning. They are exactly what a croissant should be: shattering on the outside, soft and layered inside, and worth eating warm rather than saving for later.
They go well with a flat white from our coffee menu, and they sit naturally alongside our breakfast menu, which runs from 9am to 11.30am.
When to come
Bread and pastries are with us on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Because everything is baked in small batches to order, quantities are limited and the mornings are the safest time to come. If you want to be certain of a loaf, you can order ahead: ask in the shop, or email david@thepressoir.com and we will put one by for you.
Two of those three days, Wednesday and Saturday, are Wells market days. Cheese from the market and a Newt sourdough is a very good way to spend a Saturday, and we are a two minute walk from the Market Place.
Something to drink with it
We are a wine shop as well as a kitchen, and the shelves sit right beside the bread. David chooses every bottle himself from small European growers, several of them exclusive to the UK, so if you are taking a loaf home he will happily point you towards something to go with it. Any bottle can also be drunk in at the wine bar for a small corkage fee.
Opening hours
- Monday to Thursday - 9am to 4.30pm
- Friday and Saturday - 9am to 7pm
- Sunday - closed
Bakery deliveries land on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Find us
The Pressoir, 10 Heritage Courtyard, Wells, Somerset BA5 2RR, a short walk from Wells Cathedral and the Market Place.
First time visiting? Read our guide on how to find The Pressoir in Wells, with directions, parking and buses.
More at The Pressoir
See the full menu, plan a visit for breakfast or lunch in Wells, or read about our supper clubs and wine tasting evenings.