Devon, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

Down a narrow lane on the edge of Dartmoor, this famous Shrangri-la of fine dining occupies a large ‘Tudorbethan’ manor in beautiful grounds that border the wildness of the moor itself. It’s a “beautiful venue” with plush lounges and a series of panelled dining rooms, with “an outstanding welcome on arrival” especially for an overnight stay, from staff who contribute hugely to “a thoroughly relaxed but very smooth-running operation from start to finish”. All reports this year rated the cuisine as very good or better, with lots of diners reporting a “wow experience of old-world style and service” (“I’m frankly gutted that it took me this long to get there”). So we’ve rated it on this basis, despite the June 2024 departure after our annual diners’ poll had concluded of chef Chris Eden.

“There‘s a dearth of good restaurants in Exeter, so Rendezvous stands out” – a “lovely little place tucked away downstairs” and fusing a “charming” and “calm” restaurant and wine bar. “High-quality locally sourced ingredients are cooked carefully and imaginatively” and abetted by an “interesting wine list with a good selection by the glass”.

“Good-quality food at reasonable prices”, including “brilliant local seafood”, is the attraction at this restored Georgian inn from locally born chef-patron Tom Williams-Hawkes (ex-Gordon Ramsay and Gidleigh Park) and his wife Amelia. In summer 2024 they rejigged the venue to operate as a café by day and a restaurant by night, with a new bar area.

It’s all change at this well-known Exeter pub and restaurant (handy for the M5) where, in April 2024, longtime owner Paul Parnell, who ran the venture with his wife Judy for over three decades, handed over the keys to young couple Craig & Miranda Griffin. Easing the transition, Craig was head chef under the former regime for several years (his wife serving as pub manager) so we’ve retained the venue’s rating despite the change of ownership. According to the new website, “pub grub classics are given a delicious kick up the backside”, and there’s also a £65 per person tasting menu.

A couple of miles from the entrance to Dartmoor National Park, John & Emma Hooker’s attractive coaching inn is no stranger to awards lists, currently ranking at number two on Estrella Damm’s Top 50 Gastropubs list. You’re “always guaranteed an absolute corker of a meal” (British, unpretentious, but “lavished with care”), and a “fab atmosphere” too – no wonder reporters just “love it here”.

“Very relaxed but with always interesting food” – this organic and ethical pub-with-rooms won the Sustainable Restaurant Association’s coveted Sustainability Award last year – recognition of the efforts made by the team led by founder Geetie Singh-Watson, a self-styled ethical publican who sold her flat in London to rescue what had been a run-down local boozer. The locally sourced food does not just tick the sustainability box: “the local ingredients are varied and excellent, in intriguing combinations. eg. beetroot and sheep’s curd starter is simple, yet tasty and on a recent visit a cod’s head was on the menu”.

“This outstanding hotel overlooking the Tamar Valley on the border of Devon and Cornwall is a joy and the restaurant is one of its selling points” – another being the country pile’s “magnificent views”. One reporter who last visited in its heyday (in the 1980s) found it a little more average these days, but other diners praise its “well presented and tasty cooking” at “fair prices”.

“This reliably consistent beacon of Michelin star excellence handily placed by the yacht club and marina is an absolute stalwart”, having held the accolade since 2006. “Both the kitchen and front of house continue to deliver”, with much of the produce for the restaurant grown on owner Simon Hulstone’s 100-acre Brixham farm. Occupying an elegant Georgian townhouse, it’s relatively informal by the standards of foodie temples, and there’s a sensibly priced à la carte alongside the fancier tasting options.

This “romantic” hotel (owned by Olga Polizzi) occupies a “stunning location overlooking the Tamar Valley”. A diner recommending it for a date says its “roaring fires” and “old-school country-house atmosphere” help to “make up for any lack of quality in the rather traditional menu”. But that’s the only hint of criticism and all reports on its cooking were fundamentally upbeat this year. “Start with drinks on the terrace gazing at the dazzling views and then enjoy the three-course à la carte menu in the cosy, wood-panelled dining room at sunset”.

A “fabulous setting” in an Elizabethan mansion adds to the joys of this “always fun” and “friendly” Otter Valley piglet – part of a now ten-strong litter, whose most recent branch, in the Cotswolds, was born in September 2024. As per their wider MO, this venue starts with a “lovely country-house hotel”, then adds a dose of cool via a spa and trendy albeit expensive food. Also as per the rest of the chain, and continuing a recent trend of average reports, the “expensive” victuals here can disappoint, but “at its best it’s good” and “original” too.

“A pub that understands its customers well and caters for all preferences” – this ancient hostelry was elegantly revamped by Michael & Xochi Birch in 2018 as part of a growing Collective at Woolsery (also including farm, post office and chippy): “the food really is down-to-earth but of great quality and using local ingredients”.

“Seasonal menus with delicious locally grown and reared ingredients at a fantastic setting which makes every visit a joy” – a formula that’s won foodie acclaim for this beautifully located ‘guesthouse, bakery and working farm’, where a meal (booking in advance is essential) is eaten in a very attractive converted barn. PR-wise, it has helped that owners April Bloomfield and Tom Adams had well-publicised gigs at restaurants in NYC and London before opening here.

It’s “well worth the journey along narrow Devon lanes” to this English-style agriturismo in a “stunning” setting (a Georgian vicarage overlooking the Coly Valley); co-owner Hugo Guest grew up on the property back when his parents ran it as a B&B and took over with wife Olivia in 2020, transforming it into a foodie haunt. Expect “original, inventive, wholesome” food (Italian-ish, but not just), with “Sunday lunch very good value, but better still stay the night and enjoy the full evening set menu” (overnight guests can also opt for more casual ‘Kitchen Suppers’); either way “you almost feel like you are a member of the family popping in for a bite to eat”.

It’s now part of the portfolio of the SW England-based St Austell Brewery group, but this thatched 14th-century inn has kept its charms (log fire, beamed ceilings) despite chain-ification. The pub classics on offer elicit solid ratings if muted commentary, with more unusual suspects like ‘crabby fries’ served alongside the usual burgers and steaks. A good choice for a staycation with your pooch, it’s an easy stroll to the equally dog-friendly Branscombe beach.

“A wine bar with amazing character and great food” – Zoe Brodie & Fitz Spencer’s wine shop/deli overlooking Sutton Harbour offers some “fantastic small plates and sharing boards” – including ‘Fitzy’s Fat Boy Board’, which comprises pretty well the whole menu for £130.