With its gentle climate and rolling green pastures, Devon has an abundance of wonderful ingredients to offer the hungry visitor. After a busy day sightseeing or walking the moors, what better way to satisfy your appetite than by dining at one of the following pubs and restaurants, all of which showcase Devon produce at its best.
Tors Inn, Belstone
Describing itself as ‘a proper pub’, the Tors Inn nestles right on the northern edge of Dartmoor. As well as locally produced ingredients (including many of the drinks on offer), the Tors is renowned for its ‘smoked-low-and-slow’ dishes. Inside, the weekday menu features pub classics as well as a specials board, while on Sundays there is a choice of roasts. In addition, from Easter until late September, you can enjoy beer and award-winning burgers from The Shed, an outside kitchen and barbecue, which offers a spectacular view of Cosdon Beacon from the ‘infinity’ beer garden.
Oxenham Arms, South Zeal
This is reputed to be the oldest heritage pub in Devon and Cornwall, and parts of the building date back some 840 years. It was originally a monastery and manor house, and was constructed by monks around the South Zeal Menhir Standing Stone, a 5000-year-old Neolithic granite stone, which can still be seen inside the building. The pub has won awards for its food in recent years, including an AA rosette every year since 2018.
Bovey Castle, Bovey Tracey
With its five AA Red Stars (awarded to only the most exceptional hotels), Bovey Castle is the place to go if you really want to spoil yourself! The hotel offers two award-winning restaurants: the 1-AA rosette rated Smith’s Mediterranean and the 3-AA rosette rated Great Western Grill. Locally sourced ingredients from Devon and the South West are used to create sensational seasonal menus. Alternatively, why not indulge in a sumptuous afternoon tea on the terrace during the summer, or inside one of the hotel’s cosy lounges during the winter. Tasting menus and private dining options are also on offer.
Lewtrenchard Manor, Lewdown, Okehampton
This family-run manor house hotel, nestled on the north-eastern flank of Dartmoor, oozes history and charm. Diners in the 2-AA rosette awarded restaurant are treated to a real flavour of the West Country with the seasonal menu, which features local produce. In keeping with the head chef’s belief that the quality of the food comes from the freshness of the ingredients, many of the vegetables served in the restaurant are grown in the hotel’s own kitchen garden, and have often only been picked a few hours beforehand. The hotel is open for breakfast, coffee, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner.
The Old Library, Ashburton
https://www.theoldlibraryrestaurant.co.uk
Everything about The Old Library is local – even the chefs were grown in the area! The restaurant has been featured in the Waitrose Good Food Guide, as well as the AA and Lonely Planet guides. It is open every day for breakfast and brunch, and on selected evenings for 2- and 3-course dinners. A selection of homemade preserves is also available to buy if you want to take home a memento of your meal.
The Cornish Arms, Tavistock
https://www.thecornisharmstavistock.co.uk
So-named because it was the final coaching inn before Cornwall, the Cornish Arms has a long tradition of welcoming weary travellers. There’s a choice of location in which to enjoy the seasonal menu. Although the aim is to use local produce wherever possible, ultimately the most important thing is the quality of the ingredients. This really shows in the finished dishes, as the Cornish Arms has been rated among the top 50 gastropubs in the UK.
The Three Crowns, Chagford
http://www.threecrowns-chagford.co.uk
This historic part-thatched building sits right in the heart of the pretty town of Chagford. The interior is a fascinating mix of the traditional and the contemporary and provides delightful surroundings in which to enjoy a great meal, whether you choose to dine in the cosy front bar or the light and airy glass atrium. There is an extensive menu of predominately locally sourced ingredients, which is augmented by a selection of regularly changing specials. A children’s menu is also available, which includes a selection of healthy drinks.
Riverford Field Kitchen, Buckfastleigh
http://www.fieldkitchen.riverford.co.uk
You may well have seen their vans on the road, and you might even subscribe to their veg box scheme, but did you know that Riverford offers a dining experience too? This award-winning organic restaurant serves up seasonal vegetables and produce straight from the fields outside. The vegetable-centred set menus change with the seasons, so whatever is fresh from the soil that day will appear on your plate, so this really is fresh food at its finest! The dishes aim to showcase how vegetables can form the centrepiece of an entire meal. There are no starters or mains, just a long flow of dishes that are brought to your table, so sharing with family or friends is very much central to the dining experience here. As there’s only one sitting, the entire restaurant is served at the same time. Don’t forget to leave room for one of Riverford’s legendary puddings (even at breakfast!).
Horn of Plenty, Tavistock
https://www.thehornofplenty.co.uk
This country house hotel specialises in locally-produced food for every season, and has been renowned as one of Devon’s finest places to eat for over 60 years. The 2-AA rosette restaurant offers stunning views over the Tamar estuary and a menu which changes daily to reflect the availability of seasonal ingredients and local produce.
Rugglestone Inn, Widecombe in the Moor
This traditional village pub has been described as ‘as Dartmoor as Dartmoor gets’. The home-cooked menu, of classic pub grub, is prepared from locally sourced produce. Dogs on a lead are welcome. Booking is advisable, as it’s very popular and it’s not very big – it’s actually one of the smallest pubs in England.
