The 10 best restaurants in Devon

Telegraph

5 days ago

No holiday in Devon is complete without experiencing three classic meals: a pub lunch, fish and chips by the sea, and a traditional cream tea. Fine dining in the county is also superb, with four Michelin-starred restaurants and an array of English country house hotels to choose from. There are plenty of quirky venues too, including floating pontoons, field kitchens and beach shacks.
For further Devon inspiration, see our guides to the city's best hotels, pubs, cream teas, beaches and things to do.
Find a restaurant by area
South Devon
Mid & North Devon
Exeter & the English Riviera
West Devon
South Devon
Riverford Field Kitchen, Buckfastleigh
Vegetables don't get fresher, healthier or more local than at this organic farm, famous for its nationwide box scheme. Vibrantly coloured produce, plucked from the earth less than 50 yards away, are fashioned into hearty, homespun meals in a purpose-built, wave-shaped barn at set times. Dishes are dictated by the morning's harvest and are mostly vegetarian – think cauliflower with whipped feta and almonds, or roasted pear and parsnip salad – save for one meat or fish dish. Puddings might include mango pavlova or sticky toffee pudding.
Seahorse, Dartmouth
A long-standing member of Devon's restaurant scene, the Seahorse occupies a prime waterside position on Dartmouth's quayside. Run by Ben Tonks, son of celebrity chef Mitch, it focuses on seafood cooked over an open charcoal fire and has a strong Italian bias, with dishes that include locally-landed seafood pasta, grilled Sicilian red prawns and a Tuscan ricotta and lemon tart. Fish is sourced locally, with other produce such as baby artichokes and burrata delivered from markets in Brittany and Puglia. The dining room has a romantic and cosy feel, with low lighting, a button-backed orange leather banquette and shelves of wines, grappa and champagne lining one wall.
Rockfish
Serving some of the best fish and chips in Devon, and awards to prove it, this chain of beach shack-style restaurants, run by Mitch Tonks, are set in pretty waterside locations across South Devon. Locally landed scallops, crab, Dover Sole and red mullet are on the menu, along with oyster and traditional fish and chips. The hake and haddock are fished from sustainable stocks certified by the Marine Stewardship Council. There are restaurants in Brixham, Exmouth, Exeter Quayside, Dartmouth, Salcombe, Plymouth and Torquay, with another opening planned in Sidmouth.
Oyster Shack, Bigbury
Don't be put off by the garish décor at this prefab concrete building, housed on the site of a former oyster farm; the freshness of their oysters is legendary. Handpicked from the River Avon less than half a mile away, cooked-to-perfection meaty molluscs are served with a mouth-watering array of sauces and accompaniments. It's fish focused, with other options that include anchovies on toast, fish platters and mussels. The coastal kitsch décor isn't for the style-conscious – think bouys and fishing nets strung from ceilings – but the atmosphere is fun, the staff light-hearted and the value excellent.
Mid & North Devon
New Coast Kitchen, Croyde
At Croyde's coolest new restaurant, the focus is on upmarket brunches (granola bowls, superfood brunch salads, Reuben grilled cheese sandwiches) and dinners that have a strong seafood bent, fitting of the coastal location (think Fowey scallops with hazelnut butter, seabass and basil gnocchi and brill landed in nearby Appledore). A geometrically tiled bar, inky blue walls and tropical décor lend it an urban vibe, and the staff are young, enthusiastic and knowledgeable.
Masons Arms, Knowstone
The gridlock at meal times outside this 13th-century thatched pub on the edge of Exmoor speaks volumes for the quality of the Michelin-starred food served within. Wood-beamed walls, open fires and white-washed stone walls give it plenty of old-school charm, with sloping floors and low doorways adding an element of jeopardy (padding is strapped to the top of doorframes to soften bumps). The restaurant is in a modern extension with a pseudo-classical fresco on the ceiling. Typical mains include roasted guinea fowl with braised leg, potato fondant and morels, fillet of sea bass with brown shrimps and saffron potatoes, and for dessert, pineapple tart tartin with rum and raisin ice cream.
Farmers Arms, Woolfardisworthy
A short drive from the coastal village of Clovelly, the Farmers Arms builds its dishes around ingredients foraged by staff from local hedgerows and coastlines, and from its dedicated organic farm, which is run under a 'no-till' sustainable agroforestry system. The result? A truly innovative, original and ever-changing menu that combines style, substance and scruples. Dishes during my visit included carrot and dog rose parfait, a riotously colourful goat's cheese salad, roasted seabass with nasturtium, mussels and smoked trout, and for dessert, vanilla rice pudding with seabuckthorn, gorse rum and fig leaf sorbet. The décor is divine; the staff, dynamic. If you eat out only once in Devon, let it be here.
Website: woolsery.com
Reservations: Recommended for dinner
Prices: ££
Exeter & the English Riviera
The Elephant, Torquay
The bucket-and-spade resort of Torquay seems an unlikely setting for a Michelin-starred restaurant, but Simon Hulstone's trick at The Elephant is to keep things casual and low-key. Overlooking the harbour, this pretty terraced Georgian house serves up the best food you're likely to find in the English Riviera, with dishes that include dry-aged beef fillet with beef fat carrots and oyster emulsion and roasted monkfish with open salsify ravioli. All with the best views in town.
Jack In The Green, Rockbeare
Traditional pub grub is given a contemporary twist at this roadside inn near Exeter, but dishes remain hearty, affordable and locally sourced. Try gin and treacle-cured salmon with wood sorrel, five-spice glazed Creedy Carver duck breast, loin of Broadclyst lamb with fondant potato and parsnip puree, or butter-poached cod with brown shrimps. There's also a good value menu for children, a good cocktail list and Saturday brunch.
West Devon
Schoolhouse, Mothecombe
Sister property of The Beach House, which is further up the Devon coast at South Milton Sands, Schoolhouse shares the same informal, buzzy and sociable atmosphere, with communal refectory-style tables, jazz and reggae on the sound system, a sunny outdoor terrace and rustic décor that includes memorabilia from the restaurant's days as a Victorian village school. The menu is Italian influenced, with sourdough pizzas and burgers the specialities, and there are barbeques, DJ sets and live music in summer. Mothecombe, one of west Devon's most beautiful sandy beaches, and the South West Coastal Path are a short walk away.
How we choose
Every restaurant in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, who has visited to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets, from neighbourhood favourites to Michelin-starred restaurants – to best suit every type of traveller's taste – and consider the food, service, best tables, atmosphere and price in our recommendations. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest opening and provide up to date recommendations.
About our expert
Epic scenery, cosy pubs and a strong community spirit drew Suzy Bennett from East London to a remote village on Dartmoor over a decade ago. She travels everywhere with her dog, Ziggy.